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 thickest string to thinnest: E, A, D, G, B, E - the last, sixth string is E again, just two octaves higher than the first. The tuning's name (E A D G B E) is exactly that order of open notes, nothing that needs deeper understanding to get started.
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.
Try it in practice
Open the tuner