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December 17, 2008 10:29 AM

What is the tuning for the Ukulele?

I am a guitarist and my ten year old daughter has requested a Ukulele for Christmas as she wants to play with me. I have played the mandolin before and assuming the same technique and tuning. Would appreciate any pointers.
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December 17, 2008 10:34 AM
I think that the 4-string tenor ukulele is probably one of the best instruments that I make. It's also one of my favorites to listen to, so I wanted to spend a little time talking about several ways that the instrument can be tuned.

These days, at least in Hawaii, the most common tuning for the 4-string tenor is G(4th), C(3rd), E(2nd), A(1st). Historically, this is called the "C" tuning, perhaps because C was the lowest note in the soprano tuning. Let's first get you up to speed with the tenor tuning and then discuss two other tunings after that.

I use Savarez Alliance standard tensions (red card) for my soprano, concert and tenor treble strings : 541R for the A, 542R for the E and 543R for the C. I use D'Addario Pro Arte SP Light D strings (YB-J4304) for both the low G and low A bass strings.

Unlike the soprano (also called standard) and concert sized ukuleles, the G in the GCEA tuning for the tenor is lower than the C note. Here is a sound file of the open G string: openGtune.wav (to download double-click or option-click). The sound files are each about 250K and may take a little while to download.

Play the file and adjust the fourth string (usually a silver colored one) so that it sounds the same to you. Alternatively if you have a soprano ukulele pitch pipe with gCEA notes on it, press the fourth string down at the 12th fret and tune the string so that it's the same as the g on the pitch pipe.
Source(s):
http://www.ukuleles.com/SetupnCare/TenorTune.html
http://www.ezfolk.com/uke/Tuning/tuning.html and http://www.get-tuned.com/ukulele_tuning_methods.php will help you tune it

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December 17, 2008 10:39 AM
WOW!... by far one of the most excellent answers I have read on tuning a Uke.

I have taken many lessons in my past from my grandfather and Roy Sakuma. I also got the chance as a kid to be in the same class as the (nowadays) great Jake Shimabukuro, and your insight and history on tuning a Ukulele is on the money and a great resource for all.

very helpful.
thank you my friend

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December 17, 2008 10:55 AM
Fantastically rich answer! Thanks so much!

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