How to tune Ukulele

In order for the instrument to sound correctly, it must be tuned. Musicians use several ways to tune the ukulele: with a tuner, by ear, with a microphone. The structure of ukulele varieties – soprano, tenor, concert, baritone – converges in sound with the first 4 strings of a 6-string guitar, but the key is higher. The 1st string of the ukulele is as thin as all the others: it is thicker on the acoustic guitar.

These differences prevent the ukulele from being tuned in the same way as a classical guitar.

How to tune a ukulele

The ukulele is similar to a classical instrument, but in order to properly tune the ukulele, you need to know the rule: the principles that apply to a regular guitar do not work with a ukulele.

What will be required

Accurate and fast tuning of the ukulele is done with the help of a tuner – the most common instrument. Suitable for baritone, tenor or concert guitar, it will help a beginner to tune a soprano ukulele. There is a compact tuner, which is installed in front of the instrument, turn on and quickly tune the ukulele. It has a screen, a scale and an arrow: deviating to the left, it shows that the string is understretched; to the right, it is overstretched.

There is an analogue of the device – online programs that can be downloaded from the network. They are convenient: just run such a tuner on your smartphone and use it at any time.

Step by step plan

Aurally

This method is suitable for experienced musicians, but beginners with a good musical ear can use it. Necessary:

1. To achieve the perfect sound of the note la – it is important that it sounds right, because the rest of the strings will be tuned from it.
2. Hold the 2nd string at the 5th fret and achieve the same sound with a clean 1st string.
3. Press the 3rd string at the 4th fret : it should sound like a clean 2nd.
4. Hold the 4th string at the 2nd fret and check it against the 1st string.

If the sound of the 1st string has to be tuned from memory, this is not a problem. The instrument will sound a tone higher or lower, but it is important that the ukulele system is harmonious, standard.

With a tuner

Tuning a ukulele in this way is simple: you need to pluck the string so that the sound is transmitted through the tuner microphone. The device will determine the pitch and show whether to loosen it or tighten it: accordingly, it will sound lower or higher. To tune using the tuner and online, you must take the following steps:

1. Turn on the microphone before giving permission to use it.
2. Pinch the thickest string. The correct setting will be signaled by the green color on the tuner e and the arrow located in the middle. If the indicator stops on the left side, then the string is weakened – it needs to be tightened; in the right one, it should be loosened, since the string is strongly stretched.
3. Repeat these steps with the remaining 3 strings.
4. At the end of the tuning, you need to run your fingers along all the strings at once to check the correct tuning of the ukulele.

Overview of online programs

You can use the Pocket tuner, which exists in two versions: paid and free. They differ from each other in the absence of advertising and the auto-tuning mode. With the help of the program, you can tune not only the soprano ukulele: here are 7 common tunings of the instrument.

There is a GuitarTuna tuner that includes a professional mode designed for experienced musicians. The program contains a metronome, a library of chords, a chromatic tuner, 100 scales.

For basic ukulele tuning, you can use this online tuner. It is suitable for baritone, concert instrument, soprano or tenor. The program displays the frequency in Hz, provides high-precision tuning.

Possible problems and nuances

In order for the instrument to sound harmonious and correct, it must be tuned in silence. When tuning an instrument using an online tuner, you should choose a high-quality microphone that will transmit undistorted sounds.

If there are no gadgets at hand, you can tune the ukulele by ear, even if only one string sounds correctly on the instrument.

FAQ

Conclusion

The ukulele is tuned in different ways: with the help of a mechanical tuner, its online analogue on the Internet or by ear. It will be easier for a beginner to make the correct tuning of the ukulele with the help of programs: just download the appropriate software on apps.apple.com or play.google.com, run it on your smartphone. Ukulele tuning by ear is suitable for experienced guitarists.