Ukulele tuning is G, C, E, A, from the 4th string to the 1st string, re-entrant, with the G string tuned high, G4, 392 Hz, not low. The strings are C4, 261.63 Hz, E4, 329.63 Hz, and A4, 440 Hz, and the tuning is the foundation of all ukulele playing, and the bright, happy sound.
What is ukulele tuning?
Ukulele tuning is G, C, E, A, from the 4th string to the 1st string, re-entrant, with the G string tuned high, G4, 392 Hz, not low. The strings are C4, 261.63 Hz, E4, 329.63 Hz, and A4, 440 Hz, and the tuning is the foundation of all ukulele playing, and the bright, happy sound, because the re-entrant tuning puts the G string high, so the strings are close together, in pitch, and the ukulele sounds bright, and the chords ring, with the notes close, and the sound is happy. The tuning is called re-entrant because the G string, the 4th string, is tuned higher than the C string, the 3rd string, which is unusual, because on most instruments, the strings go from low to high, in order, and the ukulele breaks that order, by tuning the G string high, so the strings are not in order, low to high, but re-entrant, with the G string coming back, high, and the tuning is the ukulele's voice, bright and happy, and it is what makes the ukulele sound like a ukulele, not like a small guitar. The ukulele tuner tunes the ukulele to G, C, E, A, and the note frequency calculator shows the pitch of any note.
How ukulele tuning works
Ukulele tuning works because the strings are tuned to G, C, E, and A, with the G string high, G4, 392 Hz, the C string, C4, 261.63 Hz, the E string, E4, 329.63 Hz, and the A string, A4, 440 Hz, and the intervals are a perfect 4th, from G to C, five semitones, a major 3rd, from C to E, four semitones, and a perfect 4th, from E to A, five semitones, and the tuning is G, C, E, A, and the chords are built on it. The re-entrant G string is what makes the ukulele sound bright, because the G string is high, and the strings are close together, in pitch, and the strum sounds like a single, bright chord, not like a low bass, and a high treble, and the sound is the ukulele's voice. The tuning is the same on soprano, concert, and tenor ukuleles, G, C, E, A, although the size is different, and the baritone ukulele is tuned differently, D, G, B, E, like the top four strings of a guitar, and the baritone is the exception, because it is tuned like a guitar, not like a ukulele, and the soprano, concert, and tenor are the ukuleles most players use, and they are all tuned G, C, E, A. The C major ukulele chord and the G major ukulele chord are the chords the tuning is built on.
Worked example — tuning a ukulele. Tune the A string, the 1st string, to A4, 440 Hz, using the ukulele tuner, and the A string is the reference, because it is the highest string, and the easiest to hear. Tune the E string, the 2nd string, to E4, 329.63 Hz, which is a perfect 4th below A, five semitones, and the E string is tuned by ear, or with the tuner, until the pitch matches. Tune the C string, the 3rd string, to C4, 261.63 Hz, which is a major 3rd below E, four semitones, and the C string is tuned, until the pitch matches. Tune the G string, the 4th string, to G4, 392 Hz, which is a perfect 4th below C, five semitones, but an octave higher than the G below C, because the tuning is re-entrant, and the G string is high, not low, and the ukulele is in tune, G, C, E, A, and the strings ring brightly. The key of C major lists the chords the tuning is built for.
How to practise ukulele tuning
Practise tuning your ukulele every day, with a tuner, and by ear, so the tuning becomes a habit, and the ukulele always sounds bright, and in tune.
- Tune your ukulele every day, using the ukulele tuner, and check the tuning by strumming the open strings, G, C, E, A, and listening for them to be in tune.
- Learn the notes of the open strings, G4, C4, E4, A4, and their frequencies, 392, 261.63, 329.63, and 440 Hz, with the note frequency calculator.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in C major on ukulele, and listen for the chords to ring cleanly, and the ukulele to be in tune.
- Practise tuning by ear, by tuning the A string to a reference, and then tuning the other strings to it, listening for the intervals, perfect 4th, major 3rd, and perfect 4th.
- Check the tuning after playing, because the strings go out of tune as they are played, and the ukulele should be retuned, regularly, especially after a song.
Common mistakes
- Tuning the G string too low — The G string is re-entrant, tuned high, G4, 392 Hz, not low, and tuning it to G3, 196 Hz, will make the ukulele sound wrong, because the G string will be too low, and the chords will be wrong. Tune the G string to G4, high, and the ukulele will sound bright, as it should.
- Not tuning every day — The ukulele strings are nylon, and they stretch, and they go out of tune, quickly, especially when they are new, and the ukulele should be tuned every day, before playing, or the chords will sound out of tune, and the music will be wrong.
- Tuning the strings in the wrong order — The strings should be tuned in order, from the A string to the G string, or from the G string to the A string, systematically, so no string is forgotten. Tuning in a random order will make the ukulele out of tune, because a string will be missed.
Quick reference
This table shows the ukulele tuning, with the string, the note, and the frequency for each one, so you can see the tuning at a glance. The G string is re-entrant, tuned high, G4, not low, and the strings are G, C, E, A, and the tuning is the foundation of all ukulele playing.
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4th string | G4 | 392 Hz |
| 3rd string | C4 | 261.63 Hz |
| 2nd string | E4 | 329.63 Hz |
| 1st string | A4 | 440 Hz |
Use the table to learn the ukulele tuning: memorise the notes, G, C, E, A, and the frequencies, and tune your ukulele to them, every day, and check the G string, which is re-entrant, high, not low. When you can name the note and the frequency of any open string, without looking, you have learned the ukulele tuning, and the ukulele is yours.
Frequently asked questions
What is ukulele tuning?
Ukulele tuning is G, C, E, A, from the 4th string to the 1st string, re-entrant, with the G string tuned high, G4, 392 Hz, not low. The strings are C4, 261.63 Hz, E4, 329.63 Hz, and A4, 440 Hz.
What does re-entrant tuning mean?
Re-entrant tuning means the strings are not in order, low to high, because the G string, the 4th string, is tuned higher than the C string, the 3rd string, so the strings go high, low, middle, high, and the ukulele sounds bright, because the strings are close together, in pitch.
What is the frequency of the open ukulele strings?
G4 is 392 Hz, C4 is 261.63 Hz, E4 is 329.63 Hz, and A4 is 440 Hz, and the frequencies are the pitches, and the tuner shows them, and the ear hears them, and the ukulele is in tune, when the strings match them.
Is the baritone ukulele tuned the same?
No. The baritone ukulele is tuned D, G, B, E, like the top four strings of a guitar, and it is the exception, because it is tuned like a guitar, not like a ukulele, and the soprano, concert, and tenor are all tuned G, C, E, A.
How often should I tune my ukulele?
Every time you play, and during playing, when the strings go out of tune, because the nylon strings stretch, and they go out of tune, quickly, especially when they are new, and the ukulele should be checked, and retuned, regularly.