how to tune a ukulele

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New ukes/strings get out of tune very easily because new strings stretch. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Which direction you turn them can often vary between instruments, so experiment. A pitch pipe is a neat mini harmonica that plays one note at a time when you blow into it. When tuning the strings, tune up (tighten the strings) as much as possible instead of tuning down (loosening the strings). You can tune by ear, using a piano, using an app or with a tuner. If you get a used or vintage ukulele, you probably won’t have a tuner. This can break your instrument, and the strings may snap off. You can use a keyboard or piano to tune each individual string on your ukulele to a specific note. [1] X Research source To learn about correct hand placement, keep reading! Now you know several ways to get your uke in tune. I personally use Tunefor Ukulele tuner. If you can't keep it in tune, consider taking it to a shop for a tune-up. Get your instrument close to your microphone to let the tuner recognize the string you’re playing. The more you play it, the more it'll stay in tune. If you have a piano or a keyboard, you can play the notes and tune the ukulele that way. This guide will teach you how to tune a ukulele to standard tuning, as well as how to tune various types of ukuleles including tenor, soprano, and bass ukuleles. The fours behind the letters represent the octave that you will find on the piano. To tune a ukulele with a low G string, place your finger on the fifth fret on the G string (fourth 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. This wikiHow will take you through the process of tuning a ukulele, from learning the layout to finding your pitches, to tuning the strings. The easiest way to tune a ukulele by ear (also known as tuning it to itself) is to use relative tuning. How to tune a ukulele using a clip-on tuner. 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. http://www.vintageukemusic.com/ukuleles/tuning.htm, https://www.dummies.com/art-center/music/ukulele/anatomy-of-a-ukulele/, http://www.get-tuned.com/tuning_ukulele_using_pitch_pipes.php, https://www.ukulele-arts.com/learn/tuning-with-a-tuning-fork/?lang=en, https://www.dummies.com/art-center/music/ukulele/how-to-tune-your-ukulele-with-an-electronic-tuner/, http://www.ukeschool.com/ukulele/lessons/uke_tuner.html. Is this a bad ukulele or am I doing something wrong? A high-g is traditional and is tuned to the G above middle C (called “re-entrant”). Sign up for more information about our private lessons. To create this article, 24 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. In just a few minutes a day, you can learn the skills you need to build a better life and become a better you, with wikiHow’s expert courses. I have tried a lot of other tuners, but the Korg is my favorite. Ukulele Tuning. However, tuning your instrument by ear will improve your musical ear in the long term, and can be a valuable skill to … Chromatic tuners work best rather than a guitar tuner. for both iPhone and Android. Once you have the tuner set up, it’s time to tune your ukulele. Before You Tune Your Ukulele. Sound each string individually. The pegs are what you will turn in order to change the pitch of the strings. What do I do? Image courtesy The Uke. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Once you've corrected the problem string(s), they should sound harmoniously when played together. My ukulele seems out of tune when I play the strings together. That means you’re assuming that one of the strings is in tune. Or have someone tune it? 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. Ukulele tuning is a must if you want it to sound good. GuitarTuna - Tuner for Guitar Ukulele … By using our site, you agree to our. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. More ukulele tips coming soon. It sounds like you bought a low quality string. What goes with G#? Well, you will need to get yourself a chromatic tuner. This has been the “standard” since the advent of the internet. If you find an alternate tuning you like, let us know in the comments section below! What do I do? Now you can tune to that pitch, and you’ll be all in tune. After tuning all the strings on your ukulele, you may find the first string slightly out of tune and have to retune it. Tighten the strings to raise the pitch, and loosen the strings to lower the pitch. Ukulele String Notes and Sounds. Which means they can tune E, A, D, G, B and E, but it’s hard to tune to C or F# or Bb, or any of the remaining notes that aren’t covered by a regular guitar tuner. In the past, many ukulele players tuned their instruments to A-D-F-B, which produces a D6 chord when strummed. Unless you have a Baritone Ukulele, then no. If you prefer something a bit more hands-on – and let’s be honest, most ukulele players know how to do this – you can try ‘relative tuning’, where you tune the ukulele to itself (in other words, you tune each ukulele string to one other). The fA#DG tuning brings standard tuning down two frets. In the present era, however, a G-C-E-A tuning (which produces a C6 chord) is the universal standard. Do this to each string a few times during the tuning process. Don't tighten the strings too much. How to Tune a Baritone Ukulele. 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.” You will just put the tuner on the headstock and the pluck the strings. If you twist counter clockwise on the first two strings, you will tighten the string, and make it go up in pitch. For this reason, I advise all of my students to buy chromatic tuners instead of standard guitar tuners. Changes in room temperature can affect the tuning of your uke. Twisting counter-clockwise makes the string loosen or go down in pitch. Play the E-string at the fifth fret and tune the A-string (the fourth one) to that note. When you first get your Ukulele, it will get out of tune often for about 1 week and a half but don't worry; after you'll be able to play the Ukulele without stopping to tune it often! In this article we’ll provide a step-by-step guide on tuning a ukulele for beginners. The first fret is G# and the second fret is A. Luckily, tuning a ukulele can be done in a number of ways. Absolutely do not tighten the strings too much. If you hold down the fourth fret, you will hear an E that you can tune the next string to. For instance, you can tune your open E string to match the pitch of the C string at the fourth fret. You can tune your Ukulele with a microphone or by ear. You will have your ukulele sounding its best in no time! 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. There are so many different types of tunings that you can try. 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. Likewise, if you twist clockwise, you will go down in pitch. Here is a chart that covers the various types of ukuleles and the notes of their standard tuning. Using an electronic tuner is by far the easiest and most accurate way to tune your ukulele. As you can see, the bottom string or first string is tuned to an A. Ukuleles get out of tune quickly, so even if you have someone tune it once, you'll have to tune it again later on. Standard Ukulele Tuning Method. How to Tune a Ukulele With a Chromatic Tuner, Find Private Teaching Jobs on TakeLessons. When the needle is in the middle and the letter turns GREEN, the string is in tune. Tune the open 3rd string to the 5th fret of the D string. This is what they also call as the relative tuning. With ukulele’s, there are major chords, minor chords, and seventh chords. Typically, a ukulele is tuned to these notes – G, C, E, and A. Which leads us to our next topic, what exactly does chromatic mean? Keep turning the knobs (tuning pegs) until the ukelele string pitch matches the key of the chromatic tuner. Consider getting a humidifier for your ukulele to help it stay in tune once you tune it. A final note on tuning: Once you think you get your instrument in tune, your strings will probably have stretched a bit. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Should I buy an electric tuner? Tuning can be difficult, but with this guide, you’ll become a master at tuning your ukulele before you know it. That note is a C. When you pick the third string (C), it should sound the same. This can be a bit of a challenge, but I’m going to walk you through it. 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. To lessen this, you can manually stretch them by placing your index and middle finger under the string and pulling it up slightly. Twisting clockwise will tighten the string and make it go up in pitch. TwoChordUke shows how to tune your uke by ear. We match you with expert teachers in over 300 subjects so that you can learn something new through 100% It is pretty easy and great for beginners because you are only playing open strings on the ukulele, and so you can have a free hand to turn the pegs while the piano and the ukulele … Welcome to the most advanced online Ukulele Tuner for beginners. However, learning to tune your ukulele is a great way to train your ear and begin understanding where the chord shapes come from. How to Tune a Ukulele. The dGBE tuning is more common for larger ukuleles, and it will give you the same root notes as the top four strings on a guitar. Now that you have your E, count up until you find the G (which is before the A string) and tune it. The tuning aDF#B (called D tuning) is shifted two frets, and brings out a sweeter ukulele tone. 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 string name will appear on the display of your tuner. I just replaced my ukulele E string and it keeps going out of tune very quickly. 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).. 1 string - A 4 (the thinnest) 2 string - E 4 3 string - C 4 4 string - G 4 As you know, the ukulele has 4 strings. This is because tightening the other strings has bent the ukulele body slightly and caused the first string to stretch itself out of tune. WHITE is out of tune. This tuner supports the most popular ukulele tunings. 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”. 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. You can use the tuning pegs, in order to get your preferred note. Here’s a good illustration of how to tune a ukulele with a piano from The Uke website. This article has been viewed 673,252 times. You can tune the open A string (1st string) to match the pitch of the G string (2nd string) at the second fret. Select your Ukulele size and start tuning now! Loosen the strings to lower the pitch. Start by Learning the Chords. Get Courses and go Ad Free with wikiHow Pro today! Last Updated: June 23, 2020 That means it’s tuned with a low-G AND a high-g in a doubled course. You can tune the ukulele by using an electronic tuner. Play the string without fretting any notes and look at the tuner and watch what happens. Using an electronic tuner is by far the easiest and most accurate way to tune your ukulele. Your email address will not be published. So when you match middle C on your pitch pipe to middle C on your ukulele, you’re ready to start tuning your ukulele to the notes on the fretboard on the C string. Once you’ve done this, you’re ready to play! You can create a few fun alternate tunings by tuning each string up or down two steps. Do you tune the ukulele on the piano with the A above or below middle C? This method of relative tuning for ukulele is … Make sure to allow the website to use your microphone. The hardest thing to comprehend about courses is how they are played. First of all, with the help of the tuner we will adjust the first string - A4 (the thinnest string). […] 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. 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. Don't be surprised if you become out of tune after moving outside. Standard tuning is gCEA, which is the most common ukulele tuning. To tune a ukulele, hold your instrument with the fret board pointing up. 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. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. ‎GuitarTuna: Guitar, Bass tuner. Some ukes have trouble staying in tune. 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#. The ukulele is typically tuned to the notes G, C, E, and A. The following figure shows a right-handed ukulele tuned to standard reentrant tuning. D tuning on the ukulele used to be an extremely popular tuning method but has recently fallen out of favor in the uke community. For that reason, it's best to learn how to do it yourself if you can. When you play with other musicians, you need to make sure that you’re all in tune with each other. Does it starts from A again if you tighten the string? You can tap the microphone button and play your ukulele directly into the microphone. The most common ukulele tuning is G-C-E-A. The lower left of the 4 pegs tunes the G string, the peg above tunes the C string, the upper right peg tunes the E string, and the peg below tunes the A string. Tuner lite turns your smartphone into a chromatic tuner and pitch pipe. Either put up with it until the string wears out (which probably won't be long) or replace it now with a better string. I use a Korg chromatic tuner, and I love it! You will find that there are different types of tuners, and not all tuners are chromatic. Here’s a refresher on basic ukulele chords. Step 2: Tune the open 2nd string to the 4th fret of the 3rd string My pegs won't stay in the right place because the string is too tight. There are seven major chords. You tune going from low to high. References. You can download Free Chromatic Tuner from the iTunes app store. Adjust that g-string until it’s in tune. Adjust the fourth string with the tuning pegs on the headstock until the two strings sound the same. The E chord would work. The Ukulele App (this free app also has a lot of helpful song tutorials and note charts). When you play alone, you only have to be in tune with yourself. Try practicing with these 10 easy ukulele songs. {"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":"