How to Tune Your Ukulele:
A Step-by-Step Guide
Your ukulele has four strings, each tuned to a specific note. Once you know which note each string targets—G, C, E, and A—tuning becomes straightforward.
Meet Your Four Strings: G, C, E, and A
The ukulele has four strings arranged from top to bottom when held in playing position. Each string has a target note. In standard tuning, these are the frequencies you need to hit:
Mnemonic Strategy
"Good Cats Eat Avocados"
The first letter of each word spells G, C, E, A—the exact order from top string to bottom string.
| String | Position | Note | Freq. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4th | Top | G | 392 Hz |
| 3rd | 2nd Top | C | 261 Hz |
| 2nd | 2nd Btm | E | 329 Hz |
| 1st | Bottom | A | 440 Hz |
The Re-entrant Tuning Secret
Why does the top string sound higher than the one below it? The G string (top string) is tuned to G4 at 392 Hz—which is actually a higher pitch than the C string (261 Hz) directly below it. This is called re-entrant tuning. It gives the ukulele its characteristic bright, cheerful sound. If your top string sounds higher-pitched than your second string, everything is correct.
How to Tune Your Ukulele Without a Tuner
Using "Relative Tuning," you only need one reference pitch to get the entire instrument ready to play.
Tune your C string to a reference pitch.
The 3rd string (C) is your anchor. Find the note C on a piano or reference tone generator and adjust the 3rd string until it matches. Turn the tuning peg toward you to raise the pitch; turn it away to lower it.
Tune the G string from the C string.
Hold the 3rd string (C) at the 7th fret and pluck it. This is G. Adjust your open 4th string (G) until it matches this note perfectly.
Tune the E string from the C string.
Hold the 3rd string (C) at the 4th fret. This note is E. Pluck your open 2nd string (E) and tune it to match the pitch of the fretted note.
Tune the A string from the E string.
Hold the 2nd string (E) at the 5th fret. This is A. Pluck your open 1st string (A) and tune it to match.
Tune Each String with a Free Online Tuner
A chromatic tuner listens through your microphone and shows if a pitch is sharp (too high), flat (too low), or in tune. It's the most reliable method for beginners.
- 01Open External tuner: GuitarTuner.io and allow microphone access.
- 02Set mode to Ukulele or Chromatic.
- 03Pluck a single string and watch the display needle.
- 04Tighten peg if flat (left); loosen if sharp (right).
Having Trouble Hearing the Pitch?
Hum the Note
Listen to the reference tone and hum it softly. It's often easier to hear if the string matches or clashes with your own voice.
Alternate Slowly
Pluck the reference then your string back and forth. This direct comparison is much easier than relying on memory.
Let it Sustain
Pluck with force and let it ring. The pitch becomes clearer and more stable during the middle of the note's decay.
Visual Confirmation
If ear-training isn't clicking yet, use a visual tuner. Seeing the needle move trains your brain to recognize 'in-tune' sounds.
What First-Time Tuning Looks Like
New strings go flat quickly. Brand-new strings stretch. They may drop in pitch within minutes. Tune, play, and re-tune; they will stabilize after a few sessions.
A second pass is always worth doing. Changing tension on one string affects the others. Always check your first string again once the fourth is done.
Temperature and humidity shift the pitch. Wood and strings respond to environment changes. Check your tuning if you move to a different room.
Getting close is enough to start. You don't need studio perfection to practice. If you're near the target, you can start learning chords.
Tune Your Ukulele in Seconds
GuitarTuner.io's free online tuner works in your browser—no download, no account required. Get your GCEA strings perfect today.
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Ukulele Tuning Questions
- What is the standard tuning for a ukulele?
- Standard ukulele tuning is GCEA. Held in playing position, the strings run from top to bottom: G (4th), C (3rd), E (2nd), A (1st). The G string uses re-entrant tuning.
- What does GCEA stand for on a ukulele?
- It refers to the target note for each of the four strings. Use the mnemonic "Good Cats Eat Avocados" to remember the order from the string closest to your face down to the floor.
- Why does the G string on a ukulele sound higher than the C string?
- Standard ukuleles use re-entrant tuning. The G string is tuned to the G above middle C—higher in pitch than the C and E strings below it. This creates the bright, high-energy tone ukuleles are famous for.
- How do I know when a ukulele string is in tune?
- On a tuner, the needle will be centered and say "In Tune." By ear, the "beating" or wavering sound between two notes will slow down and eventually disappear when the pitches match exactly.