how to tune a ukulele

Tuning a Ukulele with a Piano. We start … Play the E-string at the third fret and then the open g-string (the first one). That is usually done to give the ukulele its signature sound. Ukulele tuning may seem difficult at first, but find the method that works best for you and keep practicing! The fours behind the letters represent the octave that you will find on the piano. This article didn't really help. Standard Ukulele Tuning. You can use several methods for tuning a ukulele. Which leads us to our next topic, what exactly does chromatic mean? What goes with G#? Now that you have your E, count up until you find the G (which is before the A string) and tune it. To tune a ukulele, hold your instrument with the fret board pointing up. 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. Twisting counter-clockwise makes the string loosen or go down in pitch. Repeat this on various places on the fret board with each string. This tuning tutorial is appropriate for soprano, concert, and tenor size ukes. This wikiHow will take you through the process of tuning a ukulele, from learning the layout to finding your pitches, to tuning the strings. This makes the strings sound high-lo… Here are a few I recommend checking out: This free app works for both standard tuning and alternate tuning. Adjust the fourth string with the tuning pegs on the headstock until the two strings sound the same. There are a lot of good ukulele tuning apps out there. By using our site, you agree to our. How to Tune a Ukulele. That is usually done to give the ukulele its signature sound. Should I buy an electric tuner? If you twist counter clockwise on the first two strings, you will tighten the string, and make it go up in pitch. Image courtesy The Uke. 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. Tuning a ukulele can be a challenge for players new to the music scene. New ukes/strings get out of tune very easily because new strings stretch. 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. If you can't keep it in tune, consider taking it to a shop for a tune-up. If you have a piano or a keyboard, you can play the notes and tune the ukulele that way. Something all three of these ʻukulele tunings have in common are strings paired together. GuitarTuna - Tuner for Guitar Ukulele … Once you have selected a tuning, simply tap on the tuning pegs to ring out the root note for each string. To get tuned up with a clip-on tuner I’d recommend starting with the 1st string (the one closest to the floor when you’re holding your uke like you do when you play it).. There are seven major chords. Here’s a good illustration of how to tune a ukulele with a piano from The Uke website. However, learning to tune your ukulele is a great way to train your ear and begin understanding where the chord shapes come from. Have you learned any cool tricks that help you tune your ukulele? I have tried a lot of other tuners, but the Korg is my favorite. References. guaranteed, It's a free app that is very helpful when it comes to basic tuning because it will show you how sharp/flat your uke is. Loosen the strings to lower the pitch. Step 2: Tune the open 2nd string to the 4th fret of the 3rd string The E chord would work. The more you play it, the more it'll stay in tune. In the present era, however, a G-C-E-A tuning (which produces a C6 chord) is the universal standard. To learn about correct hand placement, keep reading! Start by Learning the Chords. While it’s important to know all the chords when tuning, you really only need to know G C E and A. When the needle is in the middle and the letter turns GREEN, the string is in tune. You could try Open C tuning and tune your top A down to a G. Or try C7 tuning, and tune the A to a Bb. 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. You tune going from low to high. Now remember, when you get to tuning that E string, you’re on the opposite side of the neck, so twist in the opposite direction than you did before. Tuning can be difficult, but with this guide, you’ll become a master at tuning your ukulele before you know it. Tighten the strings to raise the pitch. To learn about correct hand placement, keep reading! Select your Ukulele size and start tuning now! Ukulele tuning is a must if you want it to sound good. Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! This article has been viewed 673,252 times. The string name will appear on the display of your tuner. First of all, with the help of the tuner we will adjust the first string - A4 (the thinnest string). If you’re looking for something specific, you can jump around throughout the guide here: If you know nothing about tuning a stringed instrument, check out this video on how to tune a guitar from world famous guitarist and songwriter James Taylor. You can also buy an electric tuner. Likewise, if you twist clockwise, you will go down in pitch. This has been the “standard” since the advent of the internet. Your email address will not be published. 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. A final note on tuning: Once you think you get your instrument in tune, your strings will probably have stretched a bit. Using an electronic tuner is by far the easiest and most accurate way to tune your ukulele. So all together: gG C E A. Meaning, your G string is higher than all other strings. 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.” If you find an alternate tuning you like, let us know in the comments section below! Adjust that g-string until it’s in tune. Using an electronic tuner is by far the easiest and most accurate way to tune your ukulele. Is this a bad ukulele or am I doing something wrong? Once you've corrected the problem string(s), they should sound harmoniously when played together. Tighten the strings to raise the pitch, and loosen the strings to lower the pitch. Either put up with it until the string wears out (which probably won't be long) or replace it now with a better string. If you get a used or vintage ukulele, you probably won’t have a tuner. First, you need a reference note. D tuning on the ukulele used to be an extremely popular tuning method but has recently fallen out of favor in the uke community. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. WHITE is out of tune. Now you know several ways to get your uke in tune. You will have your ukulele sounding its best in no time! After tuning all the strings on your ukulele, you may find the first string slightly out of tune and have to retune it. The first fret is G# and the second fret is A. Absolutely do not tighten the strings too much. Adjust the tuner on the E-string until they sound the same. The Ukulele App (this free app also has a lot of helpful song tutorials and note charts). Luckily, tuning a ukulele can be done in a number of ways. Meaning, your G string is higher than all other strings. 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”. You can use a keyboard or piano to tune each individual string on your ukulele to a specific note. You have to be careful and make sure you by a tuner that works with a ukulele as not all them will. You’ll learn how to tune a ukulele by ear and to itself, and you’ll also learn about uke tuners and tuning apps. A uke is usually tuned: G C E Afrom the top string (closest to the ceiling) to the bottom string (closest to the floor). This is what they also call as the relative tuning. Ukulele String Notes and Sounds. A pitch pipe is a neat mini harmonica that plays one note at a time when you blow into it. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Typically your reference note is middle C. When you blow on the pitch pipe, or play the note on the piano, you hear middle C. Then, you must twist the tuner on your ukulele until it matches. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. How to Tune a Ukulele With a Chromatic Tuner, Find Private Teaching Jobs on TakeLessons. This is because tightening the other strings has bent the ukulele body slightly and caused the first string to stretch itself out of tune. The easiest way to tune a ukulele by ear (also known as tuning it to itself) is to use relative tuning. When playing with other ukulele players, decide which ukulele is the "master" ukulele and tune the other ukuleles to it, so that they all sound in harmony with each other. This can break your instrument, and the strings may snap off. Before You Tune Your Ukulele. This video covers a lot of details about tuning in general, and you can apply the same principles to tuning a ukulele. You will find that there are different types of tuners, and not all tuners are chromatic. 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. What do I do? To create this article, 24 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. A high-g is traditional and is tuned to the G above middle C (called “re-entrant”). personalized lessons. It sounds like you bought a low quality string. My ukulele seems out of tune when I play the strings together. Tune the open 3rd string to the 5th fret of the D string. [1] X Research source In the past, many ukulele players tuned their instruments to A-D-F-B, which produces a D6 chord when strummed. Fine-tune your Uke in any of the most popular Tunings. You can use the tuning pegs, in order to get your preferred note. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Standard tuning is gCEA, which is the most common ukulele tuning. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Keep Yourself Entertained. The hardest thing to comprehend about courses is how they are played. So you have to go back through the whole process two or three times to fine tune your ukulele. Fine Chromatic Tuner uses the built-in mic on your phone to help you get your uke in tune. More ukulele tips coming soon. […] Using your freshly tuned E string, you can now tune your lowest string - the G string. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 673,252 times. 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. When you play with other musicians, you need to make sure that you’re all in tune with each other. Tuning a 5-String. 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. D tuning today is most commonly found in England and Canada. Step 2: Tune the open 2nd string to the 4th fret of the 3rd string. WHITE is out of tune. Instead you might get some really old books or brochures and something called a pitch pipe. This tuner supports the most popular ukulele tunings. To lessen this, you can manually stretch them by placing your index and middle finger under the string and pulling it up slightly. You will just put the tuner on the headstock and the pluck the strings. That means it’s tuned with a low-G AND a high-g in a doubled course. For this reason, I advise all of my students to buy chromatic tuners instead of standard guitar tuners. Well, you will need to get yourself a chromatic tuner. Sometimes, you'll be able to tell which string it is by listening to the individual string, or by playing certain chords. 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. I just got a new ukulele and it won't tune at all, it keeps going back to the way it was before. 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. The most common ukulele tuning is G-C-E-A. This can be a bit of a challenge, but I’m going to walk you through it. So if you start on B, and twist counter-clockwise, you will be somewhere between B and C. If you keep twisting, you will finally get to C. But don’t twist too far, or you will overshoot C and end up on C# or somewhere between C and C#. What apps are recommended for iOS devices? Get Courses and go Ad Free with wikiHow Pro today! Each string is tensed or loosened with a tuning knob at the top of the fretboard. As you can see, the bottom string or first string is tuned to an A. Don't tighten the strings too much. The ukulele strings should go like this, from left to right: G,C,E,A. Some ukes have trouble staying in tune. You can tune the open A string (1st string) to match the pitch of the G string (2nd string) at the second fret. Twisting clockwise will tighten the string and make it go up in pitch. This will then show the note you are playing. So you could tune your C down to a B, leave the E alone, and keep the A or tune it to a G# as well. Or have someone tune it? There are so many different types of tunings that you can try. What are the four strings of a standard ʻukulele tuned to? A course is tuned either to the same pitch or an octave apart. Here’s a good illustration of how to tune a ukulele with a piano from The Uke website. What do I do? In this article we’ll provide a step-by-step guide on tuning a ukulele for beginners. You can tune by ear, using a piano, using an app or with a tuner. I use a Korg chromatic tuner, and I love it! 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. There’s a free and paid version, and the app allows you to find multiple tunings for lots of different stringed instruments, as well as chords, scales, and other useful information. Now think about it for a minute: You have your ukulele tuned to middle C, and now you need to get an E sound, so you can try to tune the next string to that E. If you count up from C, you will eventually get to E. The first fret is C#, the second fret up from there is D. Then the third fret is D#, and then finally the fourth fret is the E you’re looking for. {"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":"