avatar-me-color-64x

Curt Sheller • All Things `Ukulele and Jazz Guitar

The Basics and Beyond!!! Take your playing to the next level.
The Internet's largest collection of information for ukulele and jazz guitar.

Common Ukulele Tunings

Any tuning is possible on a ukulele as long as the construction supports it and a string is available.

Here are the most common tunings for the Ukulele shown in concert pitch.

Re-entrant ukulele tuning?

If coming from the guitar where the strings are tuned low to high. An instrument like the ukulele with a re-entrant tuning where the lowest note of the instrument might not be the lowest string. It can seem a little strange at first. This is the unique ukulele sound. Especially for the smaller soprano ukulele.

C Tunings

C Tuning, High "G"

C Tuning - For Soprano, Concert and Tenor ukulele. The same as the higher four strings of a standard tuned guitar with a capo at the fifth fret with string four "G" one octave higher.

C Tuning, Low "G"

Key of "C" Low 'G' Tuning - For Soprano, Concert and Tenor ukulele. Same as Key of "C" Tuning but with string four one octave lower. This is the same as placing a capo at the fifth fret of a standard tuned guitar.

D Tuning

D Tuning, High "A"

Key "D" Tuning - For Soprano, Concert and Tenor ukulele. The same as the higher four strings of a standard tuned guitar with a capo at the seventh fret with string four "A" one octave higher.

D Tuning, Low "A"

Key "D" Tuning , Low 'A' Tuning - For Soprano, Concert and Tenor ukulele. The same as the higher four strings of a standard tuned guitar with a capo at the seventh fret.

This is a very common tuning in the Canadian education system. Very suitable for a cilds vocal range.

G Tuning

G Tuning

Key of "G" Tuning - For Baritone and Tenor ukulele. The same as the higher four strings of a standard tuned guitar. So you already know how to play the Baritone and Tenor Ukulele.

String 4 can also be tuned up one octave. A tuning that the great jazz ukulele player Lyle Ritz favors.

Less Common Ukulele Tunings

Any tuning is possible on a ukulele as long as the construction supports it and a string is available.

Here are the most common tunings for the Ukulele shown in concert pitch.

Here are the tuning recommendations of several prominent ukulele musicians:

Byron Yasui's recommended ukulele tunings:

  • Soprano - A D F# B
  • Concert (Alto) - G C E A
  • Tenor - F Bb D G
  • Baritone - Eb Ab C F

For more information on Byron Yasui checkout Byron's musician's listing.

Joel Eckhaus's recommended ukulele tunings:

  • Soprano - A D F# B
  • Concert (Alto) - G C E A
  • Tenor - E A C# F#
  • Baritone - D G B E

For more information on Joel Eckhaus checkout Joel's musician's listing.

Tune the Ukulele like other instruments

Tune string one down a whole step and you have a Banjo tuning.

Tune Other Instruments Like a Ukulele

Here are some notes and information from various forums around the net.

  • Tenor Banjo

    Baritone uke tuning, dgbe', on a 4-string banjo - it's sometimes called "Chicago tuning".

  • Tenor Guitar

  • Cello

You'll need a copy of Adobe®: Acrobat® reader (version 3.0 or higher) to view or print the PDF file. If you don't already have a copy, or if you have an older version, you can get the latest reader for free from Adobe.

Lessons, TABS and Songs are intended FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

Portions of copy regarding particular songs is from WidipediA, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

avatar-me-color-64x

Thanks for visiting and checking out the site!

Content is always being added and updated. So check-in often. Thanks, Curt

TUN-Oahu - UL101_COMMON_UKULELE_TUNINGS.PHP | Updated: Friday, 30th March, 2012 @ 04:36pm

Top of Page