How do you tune a 12 string guitar?

I know a lot of people like to number the strings of a twelve-string guitar from one (high E) to twelve, but I find it much easier to number them as a six-string guitar, that is one through six, adding the designation "a" or "b" to each string as well. "A" means closer to the floor (as viewed when I am sitting with the guitar) and "b" is closer to the ceiling. The main reason I do this will, hopefully, be readily apparent when I tell you that all the "a" strings are tuned just like those of a regular guitar in standard tuning. So if you ignore the "b" strings for the moment, you'll see that the two guitars compare like this:

12 String 6 String equivalent
1a
1b E 1 E
2a
2b B 2 B
3a
3b G 3 G
4a
4b D 4 D
5a
5b A 5 A
6a
6b E 6 E

The first two sets of strings, the high E (1a and 1b) and the B strings (2aand 2b), are unison pairs. When struck, they sound the same note and this isthe same note as on the first and second string of a normal guitar. So let'sadd them to our chart:



12 String 6 String equivalent
1a E 1 E
1b E 1 E
2a B 2 B
2b B 2 B
3a G 3 G
3b
4a D 4 D
4b
5a A 5 A
5b
6a E 6 E
6b

And now the fun begins. The next four pairs of strings are tuned in octaves.This means that, although they are the same note in name - like the "do's" in"do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do" - they will be two different notes. String"3a," we already know is the same as the G string on regular guitar. String"3b" is tuned to the G note that its an octave higher. The simplest way to thinkabout it, if you're a linear person, is to think that it's the note at the twelfthfret of the G string. But it's just as easy to find these notes in first position.The G an octave higher than the open third string is at the third fret of thefirst string. Let's go on and find the rest of the notes:


12 String 6 String equivalent
1a E 1 E
1b E 1 E
2a B 2 B
2b B 2 B
3a G 3 G
3b G (octave higher) same as third fret on 1st string
4a D 4 D
4b D (octave higher) same as the third fret on the 2nd string
5a A 5 A
5b A (octave higher) same as the second fret of the 3rd string
6a E 6 E
6b E(octrave higher) same as the second fret of the 4th string