The ukulele is a fun, small guitar-like instrument that is perfect for beginners.
Have you ever wondered What are the strings on a ukulele? or What is the ukulele standard tuning?
The uke’s ease of tuning and playing combined with its unique sound make it the perfect instrument to learn first, especially if you are someone who enjoys music but can’t necessarily play it very well.
If you’re thinking about learning how to play the ukulele, or you already know some basic chords but want to take your skills even further, we’ve got just the guide for you!
In this article, we will be going over everything you need to know about ukulele standard tuning and how they work. Let’s get started!
What Is Ukulele Standard Tuning?
At the most basic level, ukulele strings vibrate to create a sound when you strum them, and that’s what makes music!
Ukulele strings are tuned to specific notes, which means that you’ll need to know how to adjust them if you want to play properly.
Even if you just want to learn some simple beginner chords and pluck around on the strings without any real knowledge of how they work, you still need to know ukulele standard tuning.
The four strings are sized to produce the notes of G, C, E, and A, which I will explain more in the next section.
These strings are tuned by wrapping the string around itself in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. The tighter the string is wrapped, the higher the note it will sound, and vice versa.
What Are the Strings on a Ukulele?
GCEA is considered ukulele standard tuning for soprano, concert, and tenor ukuleles.
The ukulele is tuned in what’s called GCEA, which means the first string is tuned to a G note, the second string is tuned to a C note, the third string is tuned to an E note, and the fourth string is tuned to an A note.
These, in turn, create a tuning, how the strings are tuned as a group. This tuning allows you to create chords.
In other stringed instruments like violins, this set of strings and frets is often called “first position”. Positions are the notes and chords that can be made with your fingers without moving your hand down the fretboard.
Instruments like guitars and violins have different tunings. The standard tuning on a guitar would be E, A, D, G, B, and E. A violin’s string tuning is traditionally E, A, D, and G.
If you’re just getting started with the ukulele, you’ll want to become familiar with the GCEA string notes. On the GCEA tuning of ukulele strings, the G on the string closest to your head is the lowest note.
When you’re looking at a diagram or chart of these notes, you’ll see the GCEA letters in the left-hand column. This indicates that these are the notes when the ukulele is in standard tuning.
In other words, if you play a G note on the first string with the ukulele in standard tuning, you’ll get a G note. If you play a C note on the second string with the ukulele in standard tuning, you’ll get a C note.
Sometimes players might choose to change the pitch of the G string to an octave lower. So the string might be called a high G or a low G string. Most new ukuleles will come with a high G string.
To make sure your ukulele is in tune before playing, read our guide to tuning your ukulele.
How Do You Read a Ukulele Chord Chart?
If you’re looking to play a specific song that is strummed with chords, you’ll need to know how to read a chord chart.
The proper name for a chord chart is a tablature. It is a notation system for the placing of fingers on a stringed instrument.
When the music has chords at the top and in the music, the chords commonly are called “tabs” and the songs “tab sheets” or tablature sheet music.
What are the strings on a ukulele when it comes to playing chords? Ukulele chord charts resemble guitar chord charts, but there are a few differences between the two.
Let’s look at the chord chart for a C chord:
In this chart, you will see the four ukulele strings written out from left to right, with dots marking notes.
Usually, the charts are printed (sometimes very small!) at the top of a piece in ukulele books and songs.
If you’re playing the ukulele in standard tuning, the notes on the C chord will be C, E, and G.
Turn the chart 90 degrees counter-clockwise and you get a guide on where your fingers go to play the chord.
To make this chord, you place your third finger on the space between the third and fourth fret. on the A string. This is the string farthest from your head.
Then strum all the strings together.
To make the best sound right on the note, press down firmly and as close to the middle of the two frets as possible.
The G, C, and E strings are “open” which means you strum them without pressing down on them with your fingers.
In this chord, the C note is played twice an octave apart to create a full-sounding chord: once on the A string by holding down the string in the third fret, and then the open C string.
What Is the Difference Between Ukulele Notes and Chords?
So, now that we’ve covered how to read a chord chart and what ukulele notes and chords are, what’s the difference between the two?
Basically, chords are a combination of notes, so you can play any ukulele note on its own, or you can play any chord with a combination of notes.
There are a few ways to play a ukulele note. You can pluck the string, with your thumb or finger, like you would a guitar. You can also strum the string with your thumb.
There are also a few ways that you can play a chord on the ukulele.
Keeping your hand in first position and matching your fingers to the notes in the chord chart is the most common.
For this, you would play notes on the first fret with your pointer finger, notes on the second fret with your middle finger, and so on.
You can use one finger to press down one or more strings at the same time.
Chords like D, which is played with the G, C, and E strings pressed on the third fret, can be played like this. This is called a “bar” chord.
You can also pluck all of the strings with one finger. You can also use two fingers, or two fingers and your thumb, to pluck the strings.
This can be a more advanced technique, so starting with the first position and using one finger to play each note would be much easier.
I’ve also seen people strum with their finger knuckles, but this might create pain in your hand over time.
Now that you know what ukulele strings do, what ukulele notes and chords are, and how to read a chord chart, you’re ready to head out and start playing!
Feeling More Comfortable with 4 String Ukulele Standard Tuning?
We know that this may seem like a lot of information to take in, but learning how to play any instrument takes time. The best thing you can do is practice as often as you can, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
Once you become more comfortable with the ukulele, we’re sure you’ll find yourself wanting to play it more often. Return to this post if you ever want to know about ukulele standard tuning.
After all, it’s a really easy instrument to learn to play, and because of its unique sound, it’s enjoyable to listen to as well!
