New standard tuning Tuning on 6-string guitar
New standard tuning tuning is C2 G2 D3 A3 E4 G4, written CGDAEG. Almost nothing survives from standard: five of the six strings are retuned, and the bottom five sit a perfect fifth apart like a cello, with a minor third to the top string.
| String | Note | Frequency (Hz) | MIDI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6th (lowest) | C2 | 65.41 | 36 |
| 5th | G2 | 98.00 | 43 |
| 4th | D3 | 146.83 | 50 |
| 3rd | A3 | 220.00 | 57 |
| 2nd | E4 | 329.63 | 64 |
| 1st (highest) | G4 | 392.00 | 67 |
Every frequency is computed from the MIDI number, not typed in. Each one links to its own reference page.
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Why guitarists use New standard tuning tuning
Tuning in fifths spreads the same six strings over a much wider range than fourths do, so chord voicings open out and single-line playing crosses strings less. The cost is real: the top string is under high tension at G4 and normally needs a dedicated light gauge to survive.
Where you will hear it: contemporary and experimental guitar, Guitar Craft repertoire. That list is deliberately limited to genres and playing traditions. Attributing a tuning to specific songs or players is the kind of claim that needs a source, and this page does not make claims it cannot back up.
New standard tuning compared with standard EADGBE tuning
This is the table that tells you how far to turn each peg, in semitones and in hertz. A negative semitone value means the string goes down.
| String | Standard | Standard (Hz) | New standard tuning | New standard tuning (Hz) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th (lowest) | E2 | 82.41 | C2 | 65.41 | -4 semitones (-17.00 Hz) |
| 5th | A2 | 110.00 | G2 | 98.00 | -2 semitones (-12.00 Hz) |
| 4th | D3 | 146.83 | D3 | 146.83 | unchanged |
| 3rd | G3 | 196.00 | A3 | 220.00 | +2 semitones (+24.00 Hz) |
| 2nd | B3 | 246.94 | E4 | 329.63 | +5 semitones (+82.69 Hz) |
| 1st (highest) | E4 | 329.63 | G4 | 392.00 | +3 semitones (+62.37 Hz) |
Notice that equal semitone steps are not equal hertz steps: the same whole step is worth about 9 Hz down at the bottom string and far more at the top. That is why tuners report cents, which are proportional, rather than hertz.
How to tune to New standard tuning, string by string
- Play the 6th (lowest) open and adjust until the tuner reads C2 at 65.41 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
- Play the 5th open and adjust until the tuner reads G2 at 98.00 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
- Play the 4th open and adjust until the tuner reads D3 at 146.83 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
- Play the 3rd open and adjust until the tuner reads A3 at 220.00 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
- Play the 2nd open and adjust until the tuner reads E4 at 329.63 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
- Play the 1st (highest) open and adjust until the tuner reads G4 at 392.00 Hz. Aim to land inside five cents.
Retune in two passes. Changing the tension on one string changes the pull on the neck, so the strings you set first will have drifted slightly by the time you finish the last one. That effect is larger the further the tuning sits from standard, so a tuning that moves four or more strings almost always needs a third pass.
Frequently asked questions
What notes is New standard tuning tuning on a 6-string guitar?
New standard tuning is C2, G2, D3, A3, E4, G4, written CGDAEG. Almost nothing survives from standard: five of the six strings are retuned, and the bottom five sit a perfect fifth apart like a cello, with a minor third to the top string.
What are the frequencies of New standard tuning tuning?
C2 is 65.41 Hz, G2 is 98.00 Hz, D3 is 146.83 Hz, A3 is 220.00 Hz, E4 is 329.63 Hz, G4 is 392.00 Hz, all in twelve tone equal temperament with A4 at 440 Hz.
How many strings change compared to standard tuning?
5 of 6. the 6th (lowest) goes from E2 to C2 (down 4 semitones), the 5th goes from A2 to G2 (down 2 semitones), the 3rd goes from G3 to A3 (up 2 semitones), the 2nd goes from B3 to E4 (up 5 semitones), the 1st (highest) goes from E4 to G4 (up 3 semitones).
What is the lowest note in New standard tuning tuning?
C2 at 65.41 Hz, MIDI note 36. Low notes take longer for a pitch detector to lock onto, so play the string firmly and let it ring before trusting the cents reading.
Other 6-string guitar tunings
More tuning references
Frequencies on this page are computed at build time from twelve tone equal temperament with A4 = 440 Hz, using the twelfth root of two (about 1.059463) per semitone. Nothing is typed in by hand. See the full method and sources. Maintained by FusionStudios. Last reviewed: .