By Peter Edvinsson
How can you be in tune with your ukulele? The ukulele is a fantastic little instrument with many possibilities. You can play chords and melodies on it but a requisite is that your ukulele is in tune.
The most common ukulele tuning is the standard C tuning. It is of course preferable to use a tuner or piano or tuning fork to tune the ukulele but it is not necessary to tune exactly to the concert pitch if you don't play with others.
You can tune the ukulele by ear, using the method outlined below.
The strings on the ukulele are numbered from the highest pitched string. When you hold your ukulele in playing position string number one will be the string nearest your feet.
Now I will show you the steps to use to learn ukulele tuning.
1. Tune your first string to an A or a pitch that sounds good to you
2. Press down a finger on the fifth fret on the second string. Tune the second string until the pressed down fret will have the same pitch as the first string.
3. Press down a finger on the fourth fret on the third string. Tune the third string until the pressed down fret will have the same pitch as the second string.
4. Press down a finger on the third fret on the second string. Tune the fourth string until it sounds the same as the pitch of your pressed down fret on the second string.
You can test if your ukulele is in tune by playing the first part of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
The first notes you will play are on the third string without pressing down any finger. We will use ukulele tab to find the notes on the ukulele.
Ukulele tablature has four lines representing the four strings. The top line shows you the first string with the highest pitch. It is the bottom string on your ukulele when you play. The number zero tells you to play the string without pressing down a fret.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
1. --------------0--0------
2. ------------------------
3. --0--0------------------
4. --------0--0--------0---
The last note can also be played on the second string third fret. It should sound the same.
Hear are the next line of the song:
how I wonder where you are
1. ------------------------
2. --1--1--0--0------------
3. --------------2--2--0---
4. ------------------------
The number 1 tells you to play the first fret on the second string.
P.S. Why not try to find out the rest of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star by ear!
Peter Edvinsson is a musician, composer and music teacher. He invites you to download your free sheet music and ukulele tabs at http://www.capotastomusic.com