by Kathy Morrison, Director

The ukulele is one of the most popular instruments for kids and adults. If you are considering ukulele lessons, or a ukulele camp, or even learning on your own, you’ll want to learn how to tune it properly.

The strings of the Ukulele are tuned to the pitches of:

G – C – E – A, with C being middle C on the piano and the other three notes being the G, E, and A above middle C. (If you are already a musician, then the G is on the 2nd line of the treble clef and the C is the first ledger line below the staff, etc.)

You have options for tuning your instrument – tune by ear with an instrument like a piano or a glockenspiel OR tune using an app. There are also Ukulele Tuners that you can buy and clip on the instrument.

As a teacher, I love teaching kids to tune their own instruments using something that’s easy and accessible like a piano or a glockenspiel.

See this video we created for our Ukulele Camp that walks through the steps of tuning. We strongly recommend that parents are close by when tuning because strings can break. Please take care! CAUTION: If a string is stretched too tight, it can pop and snap up injuring your face or your hands. Twist or turn the tuning pegs just a little at a time until the pitch is accurate.

For those who love using technology as a resource  there are a wide range of options. These apps are highly recommended:

Top 5 Online Ukulele Tuners

  1. Ukulele Tuner by UkuTuner
  2. Web-Based Ukulele Tuner by UkeBuddy
  3. Free Online Ukulele Tuner by Uke Tuner
  4. Another Free Online Ukulele Tuner by Ukulele Tabs
  5. Online Ukulele Tuner by Ukulele Tricks

Top 5 Ukulele Tuner Apps for Android

  1. Ukulele Tuner
  2. Pocket Ukulele Tuner
  3. Ukulele Tuner Free
  4. Master Ukulele Tuner
  5. Strings Tuner

Top 5 Ukulele Tuner Apps for Apple iOS

  1. Tunefor Ukulele Tuner
  2. DoubleTune – Ukulele & Bass
  3. Uke Pal
  4. Tune This!
  5. Ukulele Tuner For Dummies

Credit to MerriamMusic.Com for these app recommendations.

Enjoy the process of learning to tune your instrument and we’ll see you soon for some strumming and singing. You’ll find use teaching Ukulele all summer long in a variety of camps as well as in lessons year round.