Guitar and technique
Ukulele tuning
Standard ukulele tuning is G C E A from the 4th string to the 1st, a re-entrant tuning: the G string sounds higher than the C and E strings.
What is standard ukulele tuning?
On a soprano, concert or tenor ukulele the four strings are tuned like this, from the string nearest your chin (4th) to the one nearest the floor (1st):
| String | Note | Pitch | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4th | G | G4 | 392 Hz |
| 3rd | C | C4 | 261.63 Hz |
| 2nd | E | E4 | 329.63 Hz |
| 1st | A | A4 | 440 Hz |
So the 1st string is the A440 reference itself. C, E and G spell a C major chord: strummed open, the ukulele almost plays a C6 (C E G A). The classic mnemonic is "My Dog Has Fleas".
What does re-entrant tuning mean?
On a guitar, strings go in order from low to high. On a ukulele, the 4th string (G4) is higher than the 3rd (C4) and the 2nd (E4): the pitch order "re-enters" upward. The lowest note on the instrument is therefore the open C on the 3rd string.
This gives the ukulele its bright, tight sound: chords sit in a close register with no real bass. There is a "low G" variant with the 4th string an octave lower (G3), popular on tenor ukuleles for fingerpicking.
How do you tune a ukulele by ear?
First tune the 1st string to A440 (tuning fork, tuner, or the 5th fret of the high E string on a guitar in tune). Then:
- 2nd string (E), 5th fret = A: adjust the 2nd string until its 5th fret matches the open 1st string.
- 3rd string (C), 4th fret = E: tune it to the open 2nd string.
- 4th string (G), 2nd fret = A: its 2nd fret should match the open 1st string exactly, in unison.
Check: the 3rd string at the 7th fret gives G, in unison with the open 4th string.
How does ukulele tuning relate to guitar tuning?
The intervals of G C E A are exactly those of the top four guitar strings in standard tuning (D G B E), moved up a fourth. In other words, a ukulele sounds like a guitar with a capo at the 5th fret, minus the two low strings.
The practical upshot: a guitar chord shape played on the top four strings becomes, on ukulele, the chord a fourth higher:
- G shape (0 0 0 3): C on ukulele;
- D shape (0 2 3 2): G;
- Em shape (2 0 0 0): Am;
- C shape (2 0 1 0): F.
Exercise: your first four ukulele chords
With these four open chords, play C, Am, F, G (I-vi-IV-V), four beats each at 80 BPM:
- C: 0 0 0 3 (one finger, 3rd fret of the 1st string);
- Am: 2 0 0 0;
- F: 2 0 1 0;
- G: 0 2 3 2.
C, F and G are major chords and Am is their relative minor. To go further, the ukulele chord explorer shows every chord in G C E A tuning.
Key takeaways
- Standard ukulele = G C E A, 4th string to 1st.
- Re-entrant: the G string is higher than the C and E strings.
- Same intervals as the top four guitar strings, a fourth higher.
- First chords: C 0003, Am 2000, F 2010, G 0232.
Frequently asked questions
Is a ukulele tuned like a guitar?
Not exactly. It shares the intervals of the top four guitar strings, but a fourth higher and with a re-entrant 4th string. Guitar shapes work, but the chord names change.
Should I choose low G or high G?
High G (re-entrant) is the classic ukulele sound and what most songbooks and lessons assume. Low G adds a real bass and more range for melodies. Start with high G, you can switch strings later.
How is a baritone ukulele tuned?
A baritone is tuned D G B E, like the top four strings of a guitar, usually without a re-entrant string. The chord shapes are the same as on other ukuleles, but the names match guitar chord names.
Related terms
Practise in the workshop
Take it from theory to the fretboard
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