← All tunings
Ukulele tuning
Standard
G C E A, with the G tuned high — the reentrant tuning that gives the ukulele its voice.
Ukulele · 2 + 2
4th
G4
392.0 Hz
3rd
C4
261.6 Hz
2nd
E4
329.6 Hz
1st
A4
440.0 Hz
Note names won’t tune your ukulele.
Knowing the strings should read G C E A is the easy half. Landing each frequency — and knowing whether you are nine cents flat or three — is the half that needs an ear or an instrument.
1
Open Dial and play a string
It listens as soon as you play. Nothing to press.
2
Turn each peg until the needle centres
Work string by string — G, C, E, A. Dial names each note as you play it.
3
Then go around again
Fresh strings and temperature both drift. A second pass settles it.
Get Dial for iPhone
Standard tuning free
Alternate tunings, one-time unlock
Alternate tunings, one-time unlock
The shape of ukulele standard
The fourth string sits an octave above where a guitarist would expect, so no open string is far from another and every strum sounds close-voiced and bright. It is the sound people mean when they say "ukulele".
A few chords to try
C
Open
F
Open
G
Open