How to Tune a Guitar: Standard Tuning E A D G B E
Standard guitar tuning is E A D G B E, from the thickest (lowest-sounding) string to the thinnest. That's not six arbitrary notes - it's a specific pitch for each string that needs checking before every session, not just once and for good.
Six strings, six specific notes
From the thick 6th string to the thin 1st string: E, A, D, G, B, E. The final note in this list belongs to the 1st string and sits two octaves above the low 6th-string E. The tuning name is simply this thick-to-thin order of open pitches.
Why an out-of-tune guitar gets in the way of learning
A beginner can't tell by ear whether a chord mistake is their own or whether the guitar itself sounds wrong because of out-of-tune strings - that's more confusing and demotivating than the real difficulty of the technique. A tuned guitar isn't about 'the right sound' - it's about being able to tell your own mistakes apart from the instrument's.
How to turn the tuning pegs
Turn a peg in small, gentle motions, checking the pitch after each small turn - a sudden large turn easily overshoots the target pitch or, worse, snaps the string. If a string sounds lower than the target note, turn the peg to increase tension; if higher, turn it the other way.
An electronic tuner isn't a crutch, it's the norm
Tuning by ear is a separate, useful skill, but it's worth developing later, once a general sense of pitch is already built (see the articles on playing by ear). There's nothing embarrassing about using a tuner at the start - professional musicians use tuners constantly; it's not a sign of a weak ear, it's a matter of speed and precision.
How often to tune
Tune before every practice session, not once a week or month - string tension shifts with temperature, humidity, and playing itself. New strings 'settle in' especially fast in the first few days and can drift out of tune within a single session - that's normal, not a sign of a bad guitar.
In der Praxis ausprobieren
Open the tuner