Part of learning how to play the guitar is learning about all the little hacks you need to master to be an efficient musician.

If you’re a beginner, it may take some time for you to get used to all the lingo associated with playing guitar.

Here’s a helpful term that you’re going to memorize over time: guitar tuner. A guitar tuner is basically a device that picks up and shows you the pitch of musical notes played on your guitar.

Guitar tuners are important because you’re going to want to tune your guitar accordingly to whichever style of music or specific song you’re trying to play. Without them, playing the guitar would be much more complicated.

Luckily, we live in a time where there are lots of wonderful resources to access online. For instance, Fender.com gives amazing advice on how to begin tuning your guitar online, whether its acoustic, electric, or bass. Here are some of the basic tuning tips they suggest to start off with:

Tuning Tip #1: Start With Standard
Standard Tuning, EADGBE, is a good place to start. First, tune the low E (thickest string). Then, work your way to the high E (thinnest string).

Tuning Tip #2: Pick & Pluck
To tune, use a pick (or your thumb) to play the string. Not too hard, not too soft: The best tone comes from a firm pluck.

Tuning Tip #3: Sharp vs. Flat
Too sharp? Turn the peg toward you to go flat. Too flat? Turn the peg away from you to get sharp.

If this seems like a foreign concept to you now, it won’t be for long.

Sign up for a course with Elmore Music to learn everything there is to know about playing the guitar. It’s a wonderful course for beginners that will help highlight the significance of tuning as well as other helpful pointers.