Tuning a tenor ukulele takes just a few seconds once you know which notes and which tuning you're aiming for. The standard tuning is called GCEA and it comes in two forms: classic High-G with a high G string and linear Low-G with a low G string. The two sound very different, even though the strings share the same names.
This guide shows how to tune your tenor ukulele, how High-G and Low-G differ in sound, when the low tuning makes sense and which tool you need. If you're still deciding which tenor to get, start with our [tenor ukulele buying guide](/blogs/klang-kontext/tenor-ukulele-kaufen) and the [ukulele sizes overview](/blogs/klang-kontext/ukulele-groessen-sopran-konzert-tenor).
01Understanding the standard GCEA tuning
The tenor ukulele is tuned by default to the four notes G, C, E and A, read from the thickest to the thinnest string. That's the same note sequence as on the soprano and concert, so you can carry over your chord shapes directly. If you already play a smaller ukulele, there's nothing new to learn, only the longer fretboard takes a little getting used to.
The notation matters: the lowercase g in gCEA signals that the G string sounds higher than the neighbouring C string. This high, so-called re-entrant tuning is the usual factory setup. It makes the tenor sound bright and pearly, typical of the ukulele. That's exactly what High-G means.
02High-G or Low-G: the difference in sound
With High-G, the pitch jumps back and forth between strings instead of climbing steadily from low to high. The high G string sits above the C string in pitch. This creates the characteristic, bright strumming sound where all four strings stay close together. For classic accompaniment and the typical ukulele sound, it's the first choice.
With Low-G, you replace the high G string with a low G string an octave lower. The scale then runs linearly from low to high. The range reaches further down, and the sound becomes fuller, rounder and more guitar-like. It's especially popular for fingerstyle, melody playing and solo arrangements, because low bass notes and runs become possible. The tenor suits Low-G particularly well, because its longer scale carries the low string cleanly and under good tension.
| High-G (re-entrant) | Low-G (linear) | |
|---|---|---|
| G string | high, above the C string | low, one octave down |
| String layout | jumps back and forth | linear low to high |
| Tonal character | bright, pearly, typical ukulele | fuller, rounder, more guitar-like |
| Range | compact, upper | reaches further down |
| Ideal for | accompaniment, classic strumming | fingerstyle, solo, melodies |
03When Low-G pays off and how the string change works
Low-G makes sense if you play melodies and solo pieces, practise fingerstyle or come from guitar and miss the full bass range. For plain chord accompaniment and the bright, pearly ukulele sound, you're better off staying with High-G. Many players simply keep two instruments or switch the set depending on the piece.
The key point: you can't just tune a normal high G string down. A low G string needs a different, thicker or wound string type, otherwise it rattles and gives no usable tone. So you need a dedicated Low-G set or a single Low-G string. To change it, you loosen the old G string, thread the new one in, tune up slowly and let it settle over a few days. The matching set is here: D‘Addario EJ65TLG Saiten für Tenorukulele Low G. If you stay with the bright standard tuning, a quality High-G set such as D'Addario EJ87T Titanium Ukulelensaiten Satz, Tenor serves you well. You'll find a wide choice in the Ukulelen - Saiten collection.
04Tuner, clip-tuner or app
To tune, you need a reliable pitch reference. The most practical option is a clip-tuner that sits on the headstock and picks up the string vibration directly. It works even in a noisy room because it senses vibration rather than listening through a microphone. Make sure the tuner has a chromatic or ukulele mode so it recognises the notes G, C, E and A.
Tuning apps on a smartphone are a free alternative and perfectly adequate at home. They listen through the microphone, so they need a quiet environment. In every case, tune each string individually, turn the peg slowly and approach the target note from below, so the tuning holds more steadily. A freshly fitted string, especially the new Low-G string, will need retuning several times at first.
05DGBE: the baritone tuning on the tenor
Besides GCEA there's another option: DGBE tuning, that is D, G, B and E. It matches the four high strings of a guitar and is the standard tuning of the larger baritone ukulele. Some players tune their tenor to DGBE as well, especially guitarists who want to transfer their familiar shapes directly.
DGBE sounds lower and fuller than GCEA and is rarer on a tenor. The same rule applies: for the lower tuning you usually need adapted strings, otherwise the tension is wrong. If you mainly play guitar and use the ukulele as a small second instrument, DGBE can be the most comfortable entry point. For the typical ukulele sound, stay with GCEA.
Tuning a tenor ukulele is quick with the right tuner. The choice between bright High-G and full Low-G shapes the character of your instrument more than any other setting. Try both, pick the right string set for Low-G, and you'll get two very different sound worlds from the same tenor.
Frequently asked questions
What notes is a tenor ukulele tuned to?
What's the difference between High-G and Low-G?
Can I just tune the normal G string down to Low-G?
Which tuner suits the tenor ukulele?
What does DGBE tuning mean on a tenor ukulele?
Explore strings and tenor ukuleles
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