One more to go! Same exact idea, but now you’re on the last peg. If you see: F, F# or Gb, G, G# or Ab, A try tuning DOWN. If you see: B, C, C# or Db, D, D# or Eb try tuning UP. So be extra mindful of the direction you are turning the peg. Tune the E-stringĪgain, the E-string is mostly similar, but now you are reaching around the underside of the headstock. If you see: C# or Db, D, D# or Eb, E, F try tuning DOWN. If you see: G, Ab or G#, A, A# or Bb, B try tuning UP. If you’re already on C, great – just follow the needle. The only difference are the surrounding notes you might encounter. Tuning the C-string of your ukulele is almost exactly the same as tuning the G. Nothing bad will happen if you detune too much. If at this point the string sounds bad and seems extra flabby, you were probably on the right track to begin with and should go back up the octave. Use your judgement and if you think the string might be too tight, tune downwards until you get the note you were looking for. Not only is this painful if it hits your hand, but you usually won’t be able to reattach it and you’ll have to buy new strings. If you end up tuning the string way higher than it’s intended to be, it can snap. This is the hardest part of learning to tune.īe cautious with how tight you wind the strings. This is because the high pitch of one note is the low pitch of the next note, and vice versa. Once you move the string far enough, you’ll see the note name change and the needle jump to the opposite side of where it was. If you see: G# or Ab, A, A# or Bb, B, C, try tuning DOWN. If you see: D, D# or Eb, E, F, F# or Gb, try tuning UP.

Your goal is to get the needle centered on the G note, but sometimes if your uke is really off, you’ll have to tune through a number of these other notes before you get to G. It looks kind of like this (just a small portion of it). Every note sits in the middle of a chromatic scale that radiates outwards infinitely. If it says something other than “G,” you have to assess whether the note is higher or lower than G. If it says “G,” you’re close to the right note and can just adjust the tuning peg and follow the indicator needle up or down until it’s right in the center. Pluck the G-string (the one closest to the ceiling) and look at the tuner. Unless you have a really good reason for changing it and know what you’re doing, this should always be set to 440hz. The reference pitch is also usually adjustable. This way I can see all the notes and always know exactly where I’m at on the spectrum. To me this is confusing, which is why I prefer to set my tuners to the chromatic setting. This means if your G-string is at an F# note, the tuner shows “G,” which is the closest in pitch. The guitar and uke modes limit the display range, only showing those notes in the tuning. Some tuners have guitar, uke, and chromatic modes. Many tuners these days come with lots of options and settings that can be very confusing at first. This example shows the interface of the BOSS tuner app If it’s dead center, the string is in tune. If the needle floats to the right, the displayed note is sharp and needs to be lowered (the string needs to be loosened). If the needle floats to the left, the displayed note is flat and needs to go higher in pitch (the string needs to be tightened). Simply pick a string and the note is displayed on the tuner. The readout style for all electronic tuners is pretty universal. (If you’re using your phone or a “listening” tuner, place it somewhere close to soundhole so that the microphone can pick up a strong sound.) To get started, clip the tuner onto your ukulele or plug your uke into it. But it’s very accurate and works independent of noise, similar to a clip-on style. This is usually only practical if you are using an amp and have some other pedals. It’s free, accurate, and simple.Ī more professional tuning option is a tuner pedal that you plug your ukulele into. This makes the strings sound high-low-higher-highest – “my dog has fleas.”Ī low-G is a more contemporary sound and is tuned to the G below middle C which keeps the string in an ascending order: low to high (called “linear”). The G-string can either be a “high-g” or a “low-G”.Ī high-g is traditional and is tuned to the G above middle C (called “re-entrant”). The bottom string has the lowest number, the top string has the highest number.

This can seem backwards at first so just think of it like the stories in a building. The C and E-strings sit respectively between.

I tell my students who have a hard time remembering this to think of it like, “ Goats Can Eat Anything.”Įach string is numbered for easy reference when teaching. How to tune by ear (tuning a uke to itself)Ī standard ukulele is usually tuned: G C E A from the top string (closest to the ceiling) to the bottom string (closest to the floor).How to tune with an electronic tuner (easy way).

Ukulele tuner