TUNING REFERENCE

Standard (12-String) tuning

E · E · A · A · D · D · G · G · B · B · E · E

Standard (12-String) is a 12-string guitar tuning with open strings E–E–A–A–D–D–G–G–B–B–E–E.

Instrument
12-String Guitar
Strings
12
Open notes
E E A A D D G G B B E E
With octaves
E2 E3 A2 A3 D3 D4 G3 G4 B3 B3 E4 E4

FREE FRETBOARD REFERENCE

E Minor on the fretboard

Find each scale tone in a catalog tuning. Filled notes marked R are roots; outlined notes are other tones. Open strings are fret 0.

Choose a scale to see it in Standard (12-String). A scale does not need to contain every open-string note to be played in this tuning.

12-String Guitar referenceE Minor scale in this tuning

12-String Guitar · Standard (12-String) · Frets 0–12 · All scale tones

E Minor in Standard (12-String) on 12-String GuitarPhysical string order is preserved, with the first catalog string at the bottom. Read exact frets and pitches in the table below. Roots carry an R marker.0123456789101112E2E3A2A3D3D4G3G4B3B3E4E4String 1, fret 0: E2, rootERString 1, fret 2: F#2F#String 1, fret 3: G2GString 1, fret 5: A2AString 1, fret 7: B2BString 1, fret 8: C3CString 1, fret 10: D3DString 1, fret 12: E3, rootERString 2, fret 0: E3, rootERString 2, fret 2: F#3F#String 2, fret 3: G3GString 2, fret 5: A3AString 2, fret 7: B3BString 2, fret 8: C4CString 2, fret 10: D4DString 2, fret 12: E4, rootERString 3, fret 0: A2AString 3, fret 2: B2BString 3, fret 3: C3CString 3, fret 5: D3DString 3, fret 7: E3, rootERString 3, fret 9: F#3F#String 3, fret 10: G3GString 3, fret 12: A3AString 4, fret 0: A3AString 4, fret 2: B3BString 4, fret 3: C4CString 4, fret 5: D4DString 4, fret 7: E4, rootERString 4, fret 9: F#4F#String 4, fret 10: G4GString 4, fret 12: A4AString 5, fret 0: D3DString 5, fret 2: E3, rootERString 5, fret 4: F#3F#String 5, fret 5: G3GString 5, fret 7: A3AString 5, fret 9: B3BString 5, fret 10: C4CString 5, fret 12: D4DString 6, fret 0: D4DString 6, fret 2: E4, rootERString 6, fret 4: F#4F#String 6, fret 5: G4GString 6, fret 7: A4AString 6, fret 9: B4BString 6, fret 10: C5CString 6, fret 12: D5DString 7, fret 0: G3GString 7, fret 2: A3AString 7, fret 4: B3BString 7, fret 5: C4CString 7, fret 7: D4DString 7, fret 9: E4, rootERString 7, fret 11: F#4F#String 7, fret 12: G4GString 8, fret 0: G4GString 8, fret 2: A4AString 8, fret 4: B4BString 8, fret 5: C5CString 8, fret 7: D5DString 8, fret 9: E5, rootERString 8, fret 11: F#5F#String 8, fret 12: G5GString 9, fret 0: B3BString 9, fret 1: C4CString 9, fret 3: D4DString 9, fret 5: E4, rootERString 9, fret 7: F#4F#String 9, fret 8: G4GString 9, fret 10: A4AString 9, fret 12: B4BString 10, fret 0: B3BString 10, fret 1: C4CString 10, fret 3: D4DString 10, fret 5: E4, rootERString 10, fret 7: F#4F#String 10, fret 8: G4GString 10, fret 10: A4AString 10, fret 12: B4BString 11, fret 0: E4, rootERString 11, fret 2: F#4F#String 11, fret 3: G4GString 11, fret 5: A4AString 11, fret 7: B4BString 11, fret 8: C5CString 11, fret 10: D5DString 11, fret 12: E5, rootERString 12, fret 0: E4, rootERString 12, fret 2: F#4F#String 12, fret 3: G4GString 12, fret 5: A4AString 12, fret 7: B4BString 12, fret 8: C5CString 12, fret 10: D5DString 12, fret 12: E5, rootER

Notes-per-string views select the first matching scale tones on each string at or above the starting fret, within a 12-fret window. These are position studies: crossing strings can repeat or skip pitches. They are not guaranteed continuous ascending runs or finger assignments. Four-note layouts can require stretches or position shifts.

Fret positions and pitches · first catalog string to last
Open stringFretsNotes with octaves
1 · E20 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 7 · 8 · 10 · 12E2 · F#2 · G2 · A2 · B2 · C3 · D3 · E3
2 · E30 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 7 · 8 · 10 · 12E3 · F#3 · G3 · A3 · B3 · C4 · D4 · E4
3 · A20 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 7 · 9 · 10 · 12A2 · B2 · C3 · D3 · E3 · F#3 · G3 · A3
4 · A30 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 7 · 9 · 10 · 12A3 · B3 · C4 · D4 · E4 · F#4 · G4 · A4
5 · D30 · 2 · 4 · 5 · 7 · 9 · 10 · 12D3 · E3 · F#3 · G3 · A3 · B3 · C4 · D4
6 · D40 · 2 · 4 · 5 · 7 · 9 · 10 · 12D4 · E4 · F#4 · G4 · A4 · B4 · C5 · D5
7 · G30 · 2 · 4 · 5 · 7 · 9 · 11 · 12G3 · A3 · B3 · C4 · D4 · E4 · F#4 · G4
8 · G40 · 2 · 4 · 5 · 7 · 9 · 11 · 12G4 · A4 · B4 · C5 · D5 · E5 · F#5 · G5
9 · B30 · 1 · 3 · 5 · 7 · 8 · 10 · 12B3 · C4 · D4 · E4 · F#4 · G4 · A4 · B4
10 · B30 · 1 · 3 · 5 · 7 · 8 · 10 · 12B3 · C4 · D4 · E4 · F#4 · G4 · A4 · B4
11 · E40 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 7 · 8 · 10 · 12E4 · F#4 · G4 · A4 · B4 · C5 · D5 · E5
12 · E40 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 7 · 8 · 10 · 12E4 · F#4 · G4 · A4 · B4 · C5 · D5 · E5

Intervals from the first string

Each interval is measured by pitch class from the first physical open string. String order is preserved for re-entrant and doubled-course tunings.

StringNoteSemitonesInterval
1E20Root
2E30Root
3A25Perfect 4th
4A35Perfect 4th
5D310Minor 7th
6D410Minor 7th
7G33Minor 3rd
8G43Minor 3rd
9B37Perfect 5th
10B37Perfect 5th
11E40Root
12E40Root

Compare with Standard (12-String)

Pitch changes in semitones for each physical string, compared with Standard (12-String). Negative values lower the pitch; positive values raise it. Check your instrument and string gauges before changing register.

StringDefault pitchThis tuningChange
1E2E20 semitones
2E3E30 semitones
3A2A20 semitones
4A3A30 semitones
5D3D30 semitones
6D4D40 semitones
7G3G30 semitones
8G4G40 semitones
9B3B30 semitones
10B3B30 semitones
11E4E40 semitones
12E4E40 semitones

Explore this string layout

Browse 12-string guitar tunings. Related tunings below prioritize the default tuning, matching interval structures, and nearby open-string pitches.

Chords available in the open strings

E MinorG Major

Scales containing every open-string pitch class

C MajorD MajorE MinorE Minor pentatonicG MajorG Major pentatonicA MinorB Minor

Related tunings

Nashville (12-String)

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