How to use the ukulele tuner
- Choose your tuning and press Start tuner, then allow the microphone.
- Pluck the 4th string (the one nearest your face when you play). It is tuned to G, and it is higher than the C string.
- Tune the 3rd string to C, the 2nd to E, and the 1st (nearest the floor) to A.
- Tighten a string if the needle is left of centre, loosen it if it is right.
- Go round all four strings again, since ukulele strings drift easily.
- Standard ukulele tuning is G C E A, from the string nearest your face to the one nearest the floor.
- The G string is re-entrant: it sits higher than the C string, which gives the ukulele its bright sound. Low G tuning drops it an octave.
- Baritone ukuleles use D G B E, the same as the top four strings of a guitar.
Ukulele tuning chart
Standard (G C E A): soprano, concert, tenor
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4th | G4 | 392.00 Hz |
| 3rd | C4 | 261.63 Hz |
| 2nd | E4 | 329.63 Hz |
| 1st | A4 | 440.00 Hz |
Low G (G C E A, low G string)
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4th | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 3rd | C4 | 261.63 Hz |
| 2nd | E4 | 329.63 Hz |
| 1st | A4 | 440.00 Hz |
Baritone (D G B E)
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4th | D3 | 146.83 Hz |
| 3rd | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 2nd | B3 | 246.94 Hz |
| 1st | E4 | 329.63 Hz |
D tuning (A D F♯ B): a whole step up
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4th | A4 | 440.00 Hz |
| 3rd | D4 | 293.66 Hz |
| 2nd | F♯4 | 369.99 Hz |
| 1st | B4 | 493.88 Hz |
Tips for an accurate reading
- Pluck one string at a time and let it ring. Muted or buzzing strings are hard to read.
- Use a quiet room. Background music or voices can confuse any tuner.
- Hold the device close to the instrument's sound hole or body.
- Tune up to the note. If you overshoot, go below the note and tighten up to it again.
- Re-check every string once you have finished, as adjusting one affects the neck tension.
How the tuner works
Every note is a vibration with a frequency: A4 is 440 vibrations per second, or 440 Hz. The tuner listens through your microphone and uses a pitch-detection method called YIN to find how often the sound repeats. It compares that frequency with the one the string should have and shows the gap in cents, where 100 cents is one semitone (the step between two neighbouring piano keys). Within 5 cents of the target the note turns green: that is far finer than most listeners can hear.
Troubleshooting
- "The microphone is blocked": open your browser's site settings, allow the microphone for this page, and reload.
- The needle jumps around: let the note ring for a second, mute the other strings and move away from noise.
- It shows the wrong octave or note: pluck more gently, and check the right tuning and instrument are chosen above.
- Nothing happens on iPhone: tap Start tuner yourself; browsers only allow the microphone after a tap.
Frequently asked questions
What are the ukulele strings?
In standard tuning the four strings are G4, C4, E4 and A4. That is G C E A, with the G tuned above the C (re-entrant tuning).
Why does my ukulele go out of tune so fast?
Nylon and fluorocarbon strings stretch for the first week or two, and temperature changes affect them. Tune before every session and re-check after playing for a few minutes.
Is a baritone ukulele tuned differently?
Yes. A baritone is tuned D G B E, so choose the baritone option in the tuner. Soprano, concert and tenor ukuleles all use G C E A.
What if the tuner cannot hear my instrument?
Allow the microphone, get closer to the sound, pluck one string clearly in a quiet room and let it ring. If it still struggles, tune by ear with the reference notes (the ▶ buttons).
More tuners and tools
Guitar tuner, Bass tuner, Violin tuner, Mandolin tuner, Banjo tuner, Chromatic tuner. Once you are in tune, learn the chord shapes in the guitar chord library or the ukulele chord library, find the easiest capo position with the capo calculator, or look up what any set of notes is called with the chord finder.