Nashville Tuning on Guitar: The High-Strung Secret of Studio Players

Nashville tuning isn’t exactly a secret anymore - it’s been used on countless hit records, from Taylor Swift to The Eagles. But many guitarists still don’t understand what it is, why it sounds so good, or how to use it effectively.

Nashville tuning is high-strung tuning. It takes the low three strings of standard tuning and bumps them up an octave, creating a shimmery, bell-like, chimey sound that’s perfect for rhythm parts and adds texture to recordings. It’s not meant to replace standard tuning - it’s a complementary tool that fills a specific niche in modern music production.

In this guide, we’ll explore what Nashville tuning is, how to set it up, why it sounds the way it does, and how to use it in your own playing and recording.

What Exactly Is Nashville Tuning?

Standard tuning is: E (low) - A - D - G - B - E (high)

Nashville tuning is: E (high) - A (high) - D (high) - G - B - E (high)

More specifically, the actual string order from lowest to highest is:

E - A - D - G - B - E

But the way the strings are strung is different. Instead of tuning the low E, A, and D strings down an octave as normal, you tune them UP an octave. This means you’re using lighter gauge strings on the bottom three frets, and they’re tuned higher than usual.

The result: a jangly, chimey, bright sound that sits perfectly in a mix without fighting with other instruments.

One way to think about it: if you took all six strings of a standard guitar and played them an octave higher, you’d get Nashville tuning.

Why Use Nashville Tuning?

In the recording studio: Nashville tuning is beloved by producers because it fills the upper-mid frequency range beautifully. When layered with a standard-tuned guitar and bass, it creates dimension and brightness without muddiness. It’s found on countless country, pop, and rock records.

For songwriting: The bright, chimey quality inspires different melodic ideas. Chords ring out differently, creating interesting harmonic textures you can’t get in standard tuning.

For live performance: Some players use Nashville tuning on one guitar and standard tuning on another, switching between them for different songs or sections. The tonal contrast is striking.

For fingerstyle and picking: The lighter strings on the lower frets and the overall higher register make fingerstyle and fingerpicking patterns sound more delicate and articulate.

How to Set Up Nashville Tuning

You have two options: restring your guitar, or use the tuning with your existing strings and accept some tension trade-offs.

Option 1: Proper Nashville Stringing (Recommended)

Get a Nashville tuning string set. These come pre-packaged with appropriately gauged strings for the altered setup.

A typical Nashville set might look like:

String 1 (high E): .046
String 2 (B): .036
String 3 (G): .026
String 4 (D): .017
String 5 (A): .013
String 6 (E): .010

Wait - that seems backwards, right? The trick: you’re tuning the low E string (now a high E) much higher in pitch than normal, so it needs a thicker gauge.

Steps:

Remove your current strings
Install the Nashville set
Tune string 6 (low E string) to E, but an octave higher than normal
Tune string 5 (A string) to A, an octave higher
Tune string 4 (D string) to D, an octave higher
Tune strings 3, 2, and 1 normally (G, B, E)

The result: E (high) - A (high) - D (high) - G - B - E (high)

Option 2: Using Standard Strings (Quick & Dirty)

If you want to experiment without buying new strings, you can use your regular set and tune the low three strings up an octave. The tension will be tighter and the strings will feel strange, but you’ll hear the effect.

Capo on the 12th fret of a standard-tuned guitar, and the open strings will approximate Nashville tuning. This is handy for checking the sound before committing.

Tuning Tips

Use an accurate tuner - tuning by ear is tough with Nashville because the intervals are unusual. Tune slowly and check multiple times. The neck tension changes with Nashville tuning, so let it settle for a few hours before final tweaks.

The Sound and Character

Nashville tuning sounds:

Bright and chimey
Bell-like and resonant
Rich in the upper mid-range
Jangly and articulate
Almost like a 12-string guitar, but lighter

It fills space in a mix that standard tuning leaves empty. Bass guitar handles the low frequencies, so losing that low-end rumble from the guitar actually makes the mix clearer.

Compare a strummed chord in standard tuning versus Nashville tuning and the difference is immediate. Standard is warm and full. Nashville is bright, open, and shimmery.

Chord Shapes in Nashville Tuning

Chord shapes change slightly because of the tuning arrangement. The biggest shift: you’ve moved the lowest three notes up an octave, so voicings are higher overall.

Here’s what a few basic chords look like:

C Major (approximate fingering):

E (high): x
B: 3
G: 2
D (high): 2
A (high): 3
E (high): 0

G Major:

E (high): x
B: 0
G: 0
D (high): 0
A (high): 2
E (high): 3

D Major:

E (high): x
B: 3
G: 2
D (high): 3
A (high): 5
E (high): 5

The voicings sit higher on the neck and have a brighter tonality. Many open position chords work similarly to standard tuning, but they sound fundamentally different because the lower strings are tuned an octave higher.

Pro tip: Don’t overthink the shapes. Play around and let your ear guide you. The bright character will inspire different voicings naturally.

Nashville Tuning in Recording

Nashville tuning became a recording staple because of how it sits in a mix. A typical setup might be:

One guitar in standard tuning, played as rhythm
One guitar in Nashville tuning, also rhythm but with different voicings
Bass guitar for low-end foundation
Drums for rhythm

The standard-tuned guitar provides warmth and body. The Nashville-tuned guitar adds shimmer and definition. Together, they’re more interesting than either alone.

Listen to records by The Eagles (“Hotel California” and countless others), Taylor Swift’s productions, or any modern pop or country record. Nashville tuning is everywhere, usually in the rhythm guitars.

For acoustic music, Nashville tuning adds brightness that cuts through in a mix without needing more volume.

Practical Uses and Ideas

Add texture to singer-songwriter recordings. A strummed acoustic in Nashville tuning under a vocal line adds shimmer without competing for space.

Fingerstyle explorations. The lighter lower strings make fingerpicking feel more delicate. Try familiar fingerstyle patterns in Nashville and hear how they transform.

Building layered arrangements. Combine Nashville with standard tuning for depth. The tonal contrast keeps listeners engaged.

Chord progression clarity. Voicing complex chords in Nashville tuning can make them ring more clearly than in standard.

As a songwriting tool. When you’re stuck, switch to Nashville and let the different sonic landscape inspire new ideas.

Try This in Guitar Wiz

Load up Guitar Wiz and select your chord library. Search for a progression you know well - say, C - F - G - C.

While Nashville tuning requires physical restringing, you can still use Guitar Wiz to understand how voicings work. Look up multiple voicings of each chord - especially open position voicings and barre chords.

When you do restring to Nashville, come back to Guitar Wiz and experiment finding voicings for each chord that ring clearly. The interactive Chord Diagrams will help you discover which shapes work best for the brighter tonality.

Use the Metronome to practice smooth chord transitions in Nashville tuning once you have it set up. Smooth transitions matter even more with the bright, articulate character.

Record a progression in the Song Maker and you’ll hear how the changed voicings interact with each other tonally.

Maintenance and Care

Nashville tuning puts different tension on your neck and bridge. A few things to watch:

Neck bow: Check your neck regularly. The higher tension on the back three strings can affect neck relief. If your action gets too high or too low, a professional setup might be needed.

Bridge stress: Your bridge will experience different forces. If you’re using a bolt-on neck or have any bridge issues, address them before switching.

String life: The thinner gauge strings on higher tension wear out faster. Expect to change strings more frequently than with standard tuning.

Back and forth: If you’re regularly switching between Nashville and standard tuning on the same guitar, expect some adjustment period each time. The neck and bridge deal with it, but there’s a settling-in phase.

Many players keep a separate guitar in Nashville tuning to avoid the back-and-forth hassle. If you’re serious about using it, that’s the cleanest solution.

Conclusion

Nashville tuning isn’t a gimmick - it’s a legitimate, widely-used tool in professional recording and songwriting. The bright, chimey character fills a specific role in a mix that standard tuning can’t. If you’ve ever wondered why certain records sound so shimmery and defined, Nashville tuning is often part of the answer.

Whether you’re recording your own music, writing songs, or just exploring new sounds, Nashville tuning is worth investigating. The setup is straightforward, the sonic benefits are immediate, and your creativity will benefit from the fresh perspective a new tuning offers.

Ready to experiment? Grab a Nashville tuning string set, watch a setup guide, and spend a few hours discovering how familiar songs and progressions transform in this unique tuning.

Learn more about guitar techniques and tuning exploration in the Guitar Wiz app.