About A Girl

byNirvana

Required String Notes:D#G#C#F#A#C#

Tune to Custom Tuning (D#G#C#F#A#C#)

Play each string and match the pitch using your microphone. Targets are set to this song’s exact tuning (D#G#C#F#A#C#).

Custom Tuning (D#G#C#F#A#C#)

±0

Target: 77.8 Hz

-50WAITING+50

D#78

G#104

C#139

F#185

A#233

C#277

How to Tune from Standard to Custom Tuning (D#G#C#F#A#C#)

Start in standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E) and change 6 of 6 strings to play “About A Girl”:

String	Standard	Target	What to do
String 6	E2	D#2	Tune down a half step
String 5	A2	G#2	Tune down a half step
String 4	D3	C#3	Tune down a half step
String 3	G3	F#3	Tune down a half step
String 2	B3	A#3	Tune down a half step
String 1	E4	C#4	Tune down 3 semitones

Recommended string gauge: .010–.046. Tension stays close to standard, so a regular set works without any setup changes.Ernie Ball Regular Slinky (.010–.046) · affiliate link

Song Overview & Tuning Breakdown

"About A Girl" by Nirvana is played in Custom Tuning (D#G#C#F#A#C#) (D#G#C#F#A#C#). Starting from standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E), you retune 6 of 6 strings: string 6 down to D#, string 5 down to G#, string 4 down to C#, string 3 down to F#, string 2 down to A#, string 1 down to C#. Overall string tension drops, with the biggest change being 3 semitones down. 1270 other songs in our catalog use Custom Tuning (D#G#C#F#A#C#).

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Tunings Close to Custom Tuning (D#G#C#F#A#C#)

Already tuned to D#G#C#F#A#C#? These tunings are just one small change away.

Half-Step Down / Eb Standard109 songs

Eb - Ab - Db - Gb - Bb - EbOnly string 1 differs: D# instead of C#.

Custom Tuning (EADGBD)11 songs

EADGBDSame chord shapes, every string a half step higher.

Custom Tuning (C#G#C#F#A#C#)11 songs

C#G#C#F#A#C#Only string 6 differs: C# instead of D#.

Nirvana’s Guitar Tunings

Nirvana plays 1 of 14 songs in our catalog in Custom Tuning (D#G#C#F#A#C#). Most-used tunings:

Drop Db / Drop C#Db - Ab - Db - Gb - Bb - Eb3 songs
Half-Step Down / Eb StandardEb - Ab - Db - Gb - Bb - Eb2 songs
D Standard / Whole-Step DownD - G - C - F - A - D2 songs
Custom Tuning (DADGBF)DADGBF2 songs
Custom Tuning (D#G#C#F#A#C#)D#G#C#F#A#C#1 song

Gear for Custom Tuning (D#G#C#F#A#C#)

Strings and tools that make playing "About A Girl" in Custom Tuning (D#G#C#F#A#C#) easier.

Ernie Ball Regular Slinky (.010–.046)

Recommended gauge .010–.046. Tension stays close to standard, so a regular set works without any setup changes.

View strings

D'Addario Universal Micro Headstock Tuner

A headstock tuner makes switching in and out of this tuning quick, even on stage or without a mic.

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D'Addario Pro-Winder (winder + cutter)

Retuning 6 strings means a lot of turning — a winder speeds it up and trims new strings too.

View winder

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“About A Girl” Tuning FAQ

What tuning is "About A Girl" by Nirvana in?

"About A Girl" is played in Custom Tuning (D#G#C#F#A#C#): D#G#C#F#A#C#, from the lowest to the highest string.

How do I tune my guitar to play "About A Girl"?

Start from standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E). String 6: tune down a half step (E2 → D#2). String 5: tune down a half step (A2 → G#2). String 4: tune down a half step (D3 → C#3). String 3: tune down a half step (G3 → F#3). String 2: tune down a half step (B3 → A#3). String 1: tune down 3 semitones (E4 → C#4).