Ukulele In a Day For Dummies by Alistair Wood

Author:Alistair Wood
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2012-05-18T00:00:00+00:00

g-string

E-string third fret

C-string

B-string first fret

E-string

E-string open

A-string

E-string fifth fret

To a piano or keyboard

Pianos might not be the most glamorous instrument around, but they do come in handy.

They hold their tuning much longer than most string instruments. Keyboards are even better, because their notes are produced digitally and are always spot on.

So if there’s a piano, keyboard, or keytar handy, it’s the perfect tuning source. (Note: pianists are above being bribed, instead, distract them with a particularly fascinating quadratic equation.)

The C-string of a ukulele is the middle C on a piano (slap bang in the middle of the keyboard).

To the ukulele itself

If you’re stuck with nothing to help you tune, you can always tune the ukulele with itself. This method is the trickiest method of tuning, so get comfortable with a couple of the other methods before attempting this one. However, it’s well worth practising this method of tuning. You never know when you’re going to get caught without a tuner.

You can start with the C-string because it tends to hold its tuning best.

1. Play the C-string at the fourth fret and pluck it.

2. Now play the open E-string and compare the sounds. When you’re in tune, these notes sound the same. If the E-string is too low, tune it up a little (if it’s too high, tune down), then try again. Repeat until they sound the same.

3. Play the E-string at the third fret, then play the open g-string. Adjust the latter until it’s in tune.

4. Play the E-string at the fifth fret and tune the A-string to that note.

New ukulele strings slip out of tune quickly. When they’re put on the uke, they stretch a little and lose their tuning. It can take two weeks or more before they bed-in (stop stretching and stay in tune longer).

You can speed this process up. Tune your ukulele, then pull one string away from the ukulele and gently tug it a few times. Play the string again and it is probably be out of tune. Tune it up and repeat the process. The string should be less out of tune each time you try it. Repeat this process with each string and your ukulele should stay in tune better.

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