It doesn’t take much strumming to figure out there is something…odd…about the guitar strings’ order — specifically, the way they’re tuned. Take the mandolin, which is tuned (lowest to highest string) GDAE. Here, each string is tuned a perfect 5th away from the next. This makes sense. You can be a rank beginner who’s taken no guitar lessons and still manage to play some guitar chords and crank something tuneful out of your new axe.

But on a guitar, the tuning gods threw players a curveball. Everything is fine with the first four guitar strings, which resemble the mandolin, only in reverse order (EADG). But then you get to “B”, which instead of being tuned a perfect 4th away from its neighbor like the first four strings, is tuned to a major 3rd away. (FYI: this is typically the exact point at which newbie pickers begin to understand the joys of alternate guitar tunings instead of standard tuning)

Altogether, the guitar strings order from lowest pitch (the thickest string) to highest pitch (the thinnest string), left to right, looks like this:

E A D G B E

In this post, learn why the guitar is tuned the way that it is, some expert hints on easily memorizing the guitar strings order (whether for electric guitar or acoustic guitar strings), and what that crazy “B” string gives you that other stringed instrument players don’t get.

ON A RELATED NOTE: Looking to buy a new set of quality guitar strings? We can help with that.

A Brief History of the Guitar

Before the guitar was the guitar, it looked much like an early banjo (or an ancient Egyptian tanbur, if you happen to be a stickler for history). Of course, this was 5,000 years ago, and this earliest known incarnation continued to evolve and evolve through lute phases, vihuela phases (a flat-back lute), and finally on to the classical gut/nylon-stringed Spanish guitar in 1859.

Along the way, the number of strings was gradually increased from 4 to 5 and then 6 strings, which is also how the current guitar strings order of EADGBE was derived.

As the demand for larger, louder guitars increased, more recent tweaks included enlarging the guitar body and changing the bracing system to permit the use of louder, stronger steel strings, the development of pickups and amplifiers, the invention of effects pedals and the inevitable fork in the road which took acoustic aficionados in one direction and their electric counterparts in another.

So What’s With the Guitar Strings’ Order?

Why are the guitar’s strings tuned the way that they are? This is a question that has been and continues to be researched, whined, wailed, and occasionally celebrated by guitar enthusiasts worldwide. While no one definitive answer has been universally embraced by the guitar-playing community, general historical fact plus a dash of common sense suggests a practical origin that has arisen from musical necessity.

As early guitars evolved into their modern-day counterparts, neck length and fret quantity lengthened while string counts increased from 4 to 5 and then 6 (dropping the double-strings of more lute-like instruments along the way).

In other words, the major 3rd interval (G to B strings) eases an otherwise severe strain on the player’s wrist and fingers that it would take to achieve runs and chords on the larger guitar neck. If not for the guitar strings order as we know it, “Cowboy Chords” would be virtually impossible. This would make learning the guitar quite a bit more difficult, and definitely lead to some wicked hand cramps.

As well, it alleviates some otherwise difficult harmonic issues that would have arisen if early tuners had insisted on tuning the guitar’s now 6 strings to perfect 4ths throughout.

How to Memorize the Guitar Strings’ Order (EADGBE) – And NOT Forget It!

The hands-down easiest way to memorize the guitar strings order is by creating a memorable phrase, or acronym. Some fun ideas include:

• Every Amateur Does Get Better Eventually
• Elephants And Donkeys Grow Big Ears
• Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie
• Eat All Day Get Big Easy
• Eric And Dave’s Guitars Beat Everyone
• Every Acid Dealer Gets Busted Eventually
• Even Average Dogs Get Bones Eventually
• Every Apple Does Good Being Eaten
• Eat A Dog, Get Big Ears
• Every Amp Deserves Guitars/Basses Everyday
• Every Apple Does Go Bad Eventually
• Elvis Always Dug Good Banana Eating
• Eat All Dead Gophers Before Easter
• Eat Apples Daily Grow Big Ears

However, you still need to remember which end is which – especially when it is tuning time! Unfortunately, remembering that both the top and bottom strings are “E” strings will only get you so far here.

So here are two suggestions:

• Learn to sound out your note order (E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E) and count up the perfect 4ths until you get to the major 3rd between the “G” and the “B” strings.
• Just memorize that the “B” string is on the higher-pitched end of the string spectrum.

Also remember, when we refer to guitar strings numerically (1st string, 2nd string, etc.) the thinnest string is the first string (the high E string), and it counts up from there to the thickest string (the low E string).

So, on a typical six-string guitar, the numerical string order goes like this:

• E – 1st string
• B – 2nd string
• G – 3rd string
• D – 4th string
• A – 5th string
• E – 6th string

A Word About Alternate Tunings

For obvious reasons, it is essential for guitar students to start learning how to play the guitar in the original intended standard tuning of EADGBE.

Happily, however, once this basic task is accomplished, there is no end of alternate tunings that can open up whole new worlds of musicality as you continue your studies.

Whether your favorite style leans towards the gentler musings of Joni Mitchell or the tireless tirades of Rage Against the Machine, you can learn all about alternate guitar tunings from the greats and even develop your own alternate tunings to use and share. We’re particular fans of Nashville Tuning, DADGAD tuning, and Open E Tuning here at Stringjoy.

In summary, the modern guitar string order of EADGBE (in both 6-string and 12-string models) evolved for reasons of comfort and musical practicality. As well, like all good rules, it is made to be messed with, tweaked, edited, and, ultimately, broken. Once you learn how basic guitar tuning works, you can use it at will, or never again!

And if you’re thinking of swapping out your tuning considerably, don’t forget to check our String Tension Calculator, and give thought to whether a new set of guitar strings is a smart plan. We have plenty of high caliber sets, as well as the option to build out your own custom set!