Ukuleles are similar to acoustic guitars, but have important tuning differences.
The ukulele is a member of the guitar family, but there are many important practical differences between ukuleles and traditional guitars. A ukulele has four strings, guitars have six. For the purposes of tuning a ukulele with an electric guitar tuner, this is a crucial difference. It is possible to easily and accurately tune a ukulele with an electric guitar tuner, provided that you follow the right method. It may take a little time to perfect the tuning method, but it is always worth the effort to get an instrument perfectly in tune.
Instructions
1. Find the right tuner. Only some types of electric guitar tuners can be used to tune a ukulele. The tuner you use must have either a microphone for acoustic tuning or a vibration sensor. Since ukuleles are acoustic instruments, these types of electric guitar tuners are the most suitable devices as the instrument doesn't need to be plugged in direct to the tuner. You can't plug an acoustic ukulele in to an electric guitar tuner.
2. Familiarize yourself with the standard ukulele tuning. The standard tuning for a ukulele, low to high, is G, C, E and A. This is important as guitar tuners are normally set to tune to E, A, D, G, B and E. The different tuning isn't a problem, provided that you are aware of which notes to which you must tune your instrument.
3. Position the tuner so that it can pick up the notes from the ukulele. The tuner will either have a small microphone that picks up the note or a vibration sensor that translates the vibration in to a pitch. In the case of the former, place the tuner as close to the ukulele as possible. In the case of the latter, clip the tuner on to the ukulele headstock using the built-in clip.
4. Strike your G string and observe the dial. Chromatic tuners indicate which note is nearest to the pitch of your string as well as indicating whether your string is flat or sharp. Tighten or relax the tension on the string accordingly. For example, if you strike your G string and the tuner gives a reading of F sharp, you know that you need to tune up a half step to reach G. Do this by gently tightening the G string.
5. Strum a chord to make sure the strings are all in tune. Once all of the individual strings are in tune, play a simple chord. If there are any clashing or dissonant notes, check the strings again as they can sometimes slip out of tune during the tuning process.
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