How to Tune a Ukulele

Whether you’ve just bought your first soprano ukulele or you’re a seasoned player, learning to tune correctly is the single most important skill you can develop. An out-of-tune ukulele sounds bad no matter how well you play — and it makes learning chords significantly harder, since your ear won’t learn to associate the correct sounds with the correct shapes.

Standard Ukulele Tuning: G-C-E-A

The standard tuning for a soprano, concert, or tenor ukulele is G-C-E-A, from the 4th string (closest to your chin) to the 1st string (closest to the floor). This is called “re-entrant” tuning because the strings don’t ascend in pitch from bottom to top — the G string is actually higher in pitch than the C string below it.

String	Note	Frequency	Description
4th (top)	G	392.00 Hz	High G — closest to your chin
3rd	C	261.63 Hz	Middle C — the lowest pitched string
2nd	E	329.63 Hz	E above middle C
1st (bottom)	A	440.00 Hz	Concert A — closest to the floor

High G vs. Low G Ukulele Tuning

Most standard ukuleles ship with High G tuning (392 Hz), giving the ukulele its characteristic bright, cheerful sound. Some players prefer Low G tuning (196 Hz, an octave lower), which gives a deeper, more guitar-like tone with a complete linear pitch range. Low G is popular in jazz, fingerstyle, and solo ukulele playing.

Tuner Buddy works for both High G and Low G. When using Low G, the tuner will detect the G note an octave lower — just look for the note “G” on the display and adjust until it turns green.

How to Use Tuner Buddy

1. Select Ukulele. Click the “Ukulele” tab at the top of the app.
2. Start Tuning. Allow microphone access when prompted.
3. Pluck a string. Play one string at a time and let it ring.
4. Check the display. The needle shows if you are sharp (right) or flat (left).
5. Adjust. Turn your tuning peg until the display turns green.