How to Tune a Ukulele

Know the standard ukulele tuning notes

The standard tuning for most soprano, concert and tenor ukuleles is G4, C4, E4 and A4, read from the fourth string at the top to the first string at the bottom when you hold the instrument in playing position. A simple way to remember the order is G C E A.

Standard ukulele tuning is usually re-entrant. The fourth-string G is a high G, so it sounds above the C string instead of below it. This non-linear order contributes to the bright, compact sound associated with the ukulele.

Tune each string with an online tuner

Use the ukulele setting on the online tuner and allow microphone access. Work in a quiet room, hold the instrument close enough for the microphone to hear it and pluck only one open string at a time. Let the note ring clearly without pressing any fret.

The tuner shows whether the pitch is flat, sharp or centered. If the pitch is flat, tighten the corresponding tuning peg slightly. If it is sharp, loosen the peg. Pluck the string again after every small adjustment instead of turning continuously while the old note fades.

1. Tune the fourth string to G4 at 392.00 Hz.
2. Tune the third string to C4 at 261.63 Hz.
3. Tune the second string to E4 at 329.63 Hz.
4. Tune the first string to A4 at 440.00 Hz.
5. Check G, C, E and A once more after the first pass.

Turn the correct tuning peg safely

Tightening a string raises its pitch and loosening it lowers the pitch, but the direction you turn a peg can differ with the headstock design and the side on which the peg is mounted. Make a very small turn, pluck again and use the tuner's movement to confirm the direction.

As you approach the target note, use smaller movements. If you pass the note and become sharp, loosen the string until it is slightly flat, then tighten it slowly back to the center. Stop if a string feels unusually tight or if the tuner is showing a different note than expected; you may be turning the wrong peg or approaching the wrong octave.

Understand high G, low G and baritone tuning

The G4 C4 E4 A4 tuning in this guide uses a high G and is the usual starting point for soprano, concert and tenor ukuleles. Some players use low G tuning, written G3 C4 E4 A4, for a wider and more linear range. Low G normally requires a string made for that lower octave; simply loosening a standard high-G string by an octave can leave it too slack.

A baritone ukulele commonly uses D3 G3 B3 E4 rather than G C E A. Check your instrument size and string set before tuning. If you own a baritone ukulele, select an appropriate baritone tuning instead of forcing its strings up to standard high-G ukulele pitch.

Help new ukulele strings stay in tune

Fresh nylon or fluorocarbon strings stretch noticeably. A newly strung ukulele may go flat again within minutes even when you tuned it correctly. Tune all four strings, play or gently stretch them, then tune again. Several passes may be needed during the first few practice sessions.

After the strings settle, temperature, humidity and normal playing can still change their pitch. Check G C E A before every practice session and recheck after the instrument has been moved between places with different temperatures.

Check the final tuning by ear

Once the tuner shows all four strings in tune, strum a familiar chord such as C major and listen for an even, settled sound. Then play each open string one more time. A final check catches small changes caused by adjusting the other strings and helps you begin practice with a reliable reference.

The complete routine is simple: remember G C E A, pluck one open string at a time, make small peg movements, approach each note carefully and finish with a second pass. With regular practice, tuning a ukulele takes less than a minute.