Standard Ukulele Tuning: G C E A
Standard ukulele tuning is G C E A: G4 at 392.00 Hz, C4 at 261.63 Hz, E4 at 329.63 Hz and A4 at 440.00 Hz. The G is tuned higher than the C next to it, which is called re-entrant tuning. Soprano, concert and tenor ukuleles all use it. Use the tuner below to set each string.
G C E A tuner
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Press Start tuner and allow the microphone
String (Auto finds it for you)
Reference pitch: A4 = 440 Hz
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G C E A reference tones
Reference tones need JavaScript.
Press a string to hear its note, played as a plucked string. Press it again to stop.
How to use it
- Press Start tuner and allow the microphone when your browser asks.
- Hold the ukulele near the microphone and pluck one string. Let it ring.
- Read the note and the needle: left of center is too low, right is too high.
- Turn the tuning peg slowly until the needle is in the green zone and the screen says In tune.
- Repeat for the other three strings, then check them all once more.
The four strings
| Tuning | String 4 | String 3 | String 2 | String 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard G C E A | G4 392.00 Hz | C4 261.63 Hz | E4 329.63 Hz | A4 440.00 Hz |
String 4 is nearest your chin when you hold the ukulele, string 1 nearest the floor. Frequencies use equal temperament with A4 = 440 Hz.
- String 4, G4: the G above middle C. Thin string, tuned higher than string 3.
- String 3, C4: middle C, the lowest note in standard tuning.
- String 2, E4: the E above middle C.
- String 1, A4: the A above middle C, 440 Hz, the note orchestras tune to.
What re-entrant tuning means
On a guitar the strings go from low to high across the neck. On a ukulele in standard tuning the pitch goes down from G to C, then up through E to A. The G "re-enters" above the C. Chords then have their notes close together, which sounds bright and full on a small instrument.
If you want a deeper sound with a real bass note, you can put a thicker string on and tune it an octave lower. That is low G tuning.
Checking the tuning by ear
Once one string is right, you can check the others against it: the C string at the 4th fret gives E, the E string at the 5th fret gives A, and the C string at the 7th fret gives G. The tune by ear page explains it step by step.
How the tuner hears a note
A plucked string vibrates at one main frequency, its pitch, plus weaker overtones. The tuner takes a short slice of sound from the microphone (about a tenth of a second), and uses the YIN method, a well-known pitch detection algorithm, to find how often the waveform repeats. Several readings in a row are combined so the needle does not jump.
The result is compared with the target note and shown in cents. A cent is a hundredth of a semitone, the step between two neighbouring frets. The tuner shows "In tune" within 5 cents of the target, which is closer than most people can hear.
Frequently asked questions
What is standard ukulele tuning?
G C E A. From the string nearest your chin: G4, C4, E4 and A4. It is used on soprano, concert and tenor ukuleles. The G is higher than the C, which is called re-entrant or high-G tuning.
What frequencies are G C E A?
With A4 at 440 Hz: G4 is 392.00 Hz, C4 is 261.63 Hz, E4 is 329.63 Hz and A4 is 440.00 Hz. These are equal-temperament values, the system almost all tuners use.
Why is the G string higher than the C?
That is the traditional ukulele tuning. The high G keeps all four notes inside a small range, so chords sound bright and close. It is called re-entrant tuning, because the pitch goes down and then up again across the strings.
Is standard tuning the same on soprano and tenor?
Yes, the notes are the same. Tenor players use low G more often than soprano players, but both can use either. Only the baritone ukulele has its own standard tuning, D G B E.
What does My Dog Has Fleas mean?
It is a phrase people sing to remember the four notes G, C, E and A, one word per string. Some older songbooks use it with D tuning instead, where the same tune is a whole step higher.
Last updated: October 15, 2026