If it's too high, loosen it. Step 2: Tune the open 2nd string to the 4th fret of the 3rd string. for both iPhone and Android. If you twist counter clockwise on the first two strings, you will tighten the string, and make it go up in pitch. This tuning method is called re-entrant tuning. Tuning the uke automatically with a microphone is much easier, faster, and is our recommended option. Luckily, tuning a ukulele can be done in a number of ways. […] Keep turning the knobs (tuning pegs) until the ukelele string pitch matches the key of the chromatic tuner. That is usually done to give the ukulele its signature sound. The lower left of the 4 pegs tunes the G string, the peg above tunes the C string, the upper right peg tunes the E string, and the peg below tunes the A string. Adjust that g-string until it’s in tune. Our Tuner is compatible with any type of Ukulele (Soprano, Concert, Tenor, Baritone and Bass). Ukuleles get out of tune quickly, so even if you have someone tune it once, you'll have to tune it again later on. Now you know several ways to get your uke in tune. Most soprano, concert, and tenor ukuleles (read more about ukulele sizes here) will be tuned to standard reentrant ukulele tuning. Sometimes, you'll be able to tell which string it is by listening to the individual string, or by playing certain chords. You can download Chord! This makes the strings sound high-lo… The most common ukuleles, the soprano and tenor ukuleles, have their 4 strings tuned GCEA: the G below middle C (low G), middle C, E, and A. When tuning the strings, tune up (tighten the strings) as much as possible instead of tuning down (loosening the strings). Match your strings to my four strings: A (1st) E (2nd) C (3rd) G (4th) Even though the ukulele has only 4 strings, compared to the 6 or 12 on a guitar, it can still be difficult to tune if you're new to stringed instruments. Twisting counter-clockwise makes the string loosen or go down in pitch. D tuning on the ukulele used to be an extremely popular tuning method but has recently fallen out of favor in the uke community. This article didn't really help. Standard Ukulele Tuning. Loosen the strings to lower the pitch. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Using your freshly tuned E string, you can now tune your lowest string - the G string. How to tune a ukulele using a clip-on tuner. Before You Tune Your Ukulele. Share them with us in the comments below! Tighten the strings to raise the pitch. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Whether you need to level up technical and professional skills for work, increase your financial literacy, or even improve your personal relationships, we have courses for you. You can tune by ear, using a piano, using an app or with a tuner. If you hold down the fourth fret, you will hear an E that you can tune the next string to. The most popular electronic tuner is by far Snark SN6X clip-on tuner for ukulele or the Snark ST-2 multi-instrument tuner.They aren’t that expensive, typically around $10 – $15, and they will make your life a lot easier. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Standard tuning is gCEA, which is the most common ukulele tuning. So when you match middle C on your pitch pipe to middle C on your ukulele, you’re ready to start tuning your ukulele to the notes on the fretboard on the C string. This is my absolute beginner's guide to how to tune a ukulele. How to Tune a Baritone Ukulele. GuitarTuna: Guitar, Bass tuner. I tell my students who have a hard time remembering this to think of it like, “Goats Can Eat Anything.” The G-string can either be a “high-g” or a “low-G”. One of the first things you need to learn when taking ukulele lessons is how to tune a ukulele. There are so many different types of tunings that you can try. If you get a used or vintage ukulele, you probably won’t have a tuner. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Once you have the tuner set up, it’s time to tune your ukulele. The Ukulele App (this free app also has a lot of helpful song tutorials and note charts). Required fields are marked *. I find that if you try tuning more than two steps, you will break strings. Using an electronic tuner is by far the easiest and most accurate way to tune your ukulele. Should I buy an electric tuner? So if you happen to have a keyboard or a piano, C4 is known as middle C. If you tune your ukulele to match middle C, then the E above middle C, and the A above middle C, and then tune the first string to the G above middle C, you will be in what is known as standard ukulele tuning. A high-g is traditional and is tuned to the G above middle C (called “re-entrant”). WHITE is out of tune. Ukulele Tuning. This article has been viewed 673,252 times. Meaning, your G string is higher than all other strings. Standard Ukulele Tuning Method. If you want to tune the ukulele to itself (known as relative tuning) here’s how you do it: Step 1: Grab a tuner (even a guitar tuner will do) and tune the open D string as the starting pitch. Well, you will need to get yourself a chromatic tuner. Tuning can be difficult, but with this guide, you’ll become a master at tuning your ukulele before you know it. Here is a chart that covers the various types of ukuleles and the notes of their standard tuning. You have to be careful and make sure you by a tuner that works with a ukulele as not all them will. Instead you might get some really old books or brochures and something called a pitch pipe. Get Courses and go Ad Free with wikiHow Pro today! Before You Tune Your Ukulele. Repeat this on various places on the fret board with each string. Each string is tensed or loosened with a tuning knob at the top of the fretboard. Likewise, if you twist clockwise, you will go down in pitch. Sometimes, depending on your strings, the humidity, the types of tuners you have, and the type of wood your ukulele is made of, your ukulele will not be in tune immediately after you tune it. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. I have tried a lot of other tuners, but the Korg is my favorite. This can be a bit of a challenge, but I’m going to walk you through it. However, tuning your instrument by ear will improve your musical ear in the long term, and can be a valuable skill to … The E chord would work. Now you might have one of several types of ukuleles. Step 2: Tune the open 2nd string to the 4th fret of the 3rd string So if you are on B again, and you twist clockwise, you will end up on Bb, or somewhere between B and Bb. A standard ukulele is tuned to a high G. Now, what high G means is that the G string is set higher than the C string. You can download Free Chromatic Tuner from the iTunes app store. Once you have selected a tuning, simply tap on the tuning pegs to ring out the root note for each string. The first fret is G# and the second fret is A. Ukulele String Notes and Sounds. We start … For this reason, I advise all of my students to buy chromatic tuners instead of standard guitar tuners. If you prefer something a bit more hands-on – and let’s be honest, most ukulele players know how to do this – you can try ‘relative tuning’, where you tune the ukulele to itself (in other words, you tune each ukulele string to one other). It sounds like you bought a low quality string. http://www.vintageukemusic.com/ukuleles/tuning.htm, https://www.dummies.com/art-center/music/ukulele/anatomy-of-a-ukulele/, http://www.get-tuned.com/tuning_ukulele_using_pitch_pipes.php, https://www.ukulele-arts.com/learn/tuning-with-a-tuning-fork/?lang=en, https://www.dummies.com/art-center/music/ukulele/how-to-tune-your-ukulele-with-an-electronic-tuner/, http://www.ukeschool.com/ukulele/lessons/uke_tuner.html. The hardest thing to comprehend about courses is how they are played. Make sure to allow the website to use your microphone. Using an electronic tuner is by far the easiest and most accurate way to tune your ukulele. This is because tightening the other strings has bent the ukulele body slightly and caused the first string to stretch itself out of tune. To tune that string, press and play the fourth fret of the third (C) string on the ukulele, which is note E. Now adjust tuning on the E (second) string until the two notes sound the same. You can use a number of different ways to tune your ukulele, depending on what you have available and who you’re playing with. How to Tune a Ukulele. Unless you have a Baritone Ukulele, then no. Your email address will not be published. My pegs won't stay in the right place because the string is too tight. To do that, hold down and play the third fret of the second (E) string on the ukulele, and tune your open fourth string until the two notes sound … To find the correct pitch for tuning, use a reference instrument, such as a piano, or an electric tuner. In the present era, however, a G-C-E-A tuning (which produces a C6 chord) is the universal standard. That is usually done to give the ukulele its signature sound. You can use a keyboard or piano to tune each individual string on your ukulele to a specific note. I personally use Tunefor Ukulele tuner. However, learning to tune your ukulele is a great way to train your ear and begin understanding where the chord shapes come from. The first fret on the E string will be F, the second fret F#, and the third will be the G. Once you get the G string tuned (which seems like you’re going forward and backward on the ukulele, but that’s OK), count up to the A note. Sign up for more information about our private lessons. This has been the “standard” since the advent of the internet. They’re not all the same. You can use several methods for tuning a ukulele. If it's a new uke or new strings, you need to let the strings break in. How to Tune a Ukulele With a Chromatic Tuner, Find Private Teaching Jobs on TakeLessons. Last Updated: June 23, 2020 Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 673,252 times. Make sure that you're actually enjoying playing the Ukulele and having fun, not being forced or a follower!! Adjust the fourth string with the tuning pegs on the headstock until the two strings sound the same. WHITE is out of tune. A course is tuned either to the same pitch or an octave apart. Ukulele tuning is a must if you want it to sound good. Before the internet was even a thing, people would tune to notes A, D, F#, B, or also try out tunings like G, C, D, G and A, D, A, D. However, after the “advent” of the internet, the G, C, E, A tuning has been the standard. Which leads us to our next topic, what exactly does chromatic mean? If the tuning sounds off when the strings are played in chorus, one or more of your strings is usually sharp or flat (too tight or too loose). guaranteed, The ukulele has been undergoing one of its periodic resurgences in popularity for well more than a decade now and, as regards tuning, a frequently heard contention is that ukuleles are simply tuned “like the top four strings of a guitar.” Guitar tuners are not chromatic. I use a Korg chromatic tuner, and I love it! I just replaced my ukulele E string and it keeps going out of tune very quickly. Try practicing with these 10 easy ukulele songs. Once you've corrected the problem string(s), they should sound harmoniously when played together. So if standard tuning is G, C, E, A, then try tuning the G to a G# or an A, and make chords out of the open tuning. To tune your Ukulele automatically: Press the Microphone switch to tune the uke automatically. Typically, a ukulele is tuned to these notes – G, C, E, and A. The high-g is usually on the top. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b9\/Tune-a-Ukulele-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Tune-a-Ukulele-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/b9\/Tune-a-Ukulele-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid1343493-v4-728px-Tune-a-Ukulele-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":325,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":514,"licensing":"