Concert Ukulele Tuning: SMART Method

Halfway between the Soprano and Tenor ukuleles is the concert.

In this way, it can be seen as the happy medium of ukuleles (ignoring the Baritone, which is sort of an outlier among ukes).

Anyway, once you have your new Concert-sized uke, one of the first steps to being able to play it is to get the sucker tuned up.

In this article we’ll go over every topic related the tuning process of a concert-sized ukulele.

How Are Concert Ukuleles Tuned?

Concert ukuleles are typically tuned to G-C-E-A with a re-entrant high G string. Less common tuning systems include Low G linear G-C-E-A tuning and A-D-F#-B tuning.

Tuning a Concert Ukulele with Online Tuner Notes

The following helpful video plays the four pitches used when tuning a concert ukulele to re-entrant GCEA tuning:

To tune your uke to these pitches, start with your strings loose.

Then, one by one, tighten each string along with that same string in the video.

As you tighten each string, pluck it so its pitch is played along with the pitch in the video until the two pitches sound identical.

You will know the pitches are identical when there is a hollow echo to the combine pitches and a lack of “warble”. This warble is caused by your ear hearing two similar, but not identical, pitches at the same time.

Step-By-Step Tuning a Concert Ukulele to Itself by Ear

1. Tune Your C String to a Reference Note
   
2. Tune Your E String to the 4th Fret of Your C String
   
3. Tune Your G String to the 3rd Fret of Your E String
   
4. Tune Your A String to the 2nd Fret of your G String

Alternative Concert Ukulele Tuning Systems

Re-entrant GCEA tuning is no the only option for your concert uke. The following are a couple other less-commonly used tuning systems:

Low G GCEA Tuning

Low G ukulele tuning is similar to re-entrant GCEA (high G) tuning, except that the top string (G string) is an octave lower.

Where High G tuning is re-entrant, Low G tuning is linear, meaning the strings from top to bottom are tuned from lowest pitch to highest.

Check out the Low G vs. High G Tuning Tango article for a deep dive comparison of Low G and High G Tuning.

ADF#B Tuning

Another option for tuning your concert ukulele is ADF#B or D tuning.

This tuning system was more popular in the early 20th century, but has since fallen out of fashion and been mostly replaced with re-entrant GCEA tuning.

ADF#B tuning is essentially identical to re-entrant GCEA tuning, except everything is tighten up one whole step (C to D).

What Frequencies are Used in Concert Ukulele Tuning?

The following are tables of tuning frequencies for high G, low G, and ADF#B tuning for the concert ukulele:

Re-Entrant GCEA Concert Ukulele Tuning Frequencies

The following are the frequencies used when tuning a concert uke to High G (re-entrant GCEA) tuning:

Low G GCEA Concert Uke Tuning Frequencies

And here’s the tuning frequencies for tuning one to Low G (linear GCEA) tuning:

String Tensions of Tuned Concert Ukuleles

How does Concert Ukulele Tuning Compare to Soprano, Tenor, and Baritone?

Soprano and Tenor Tuning Comparison

Concert ukuleles are traditionally tuned identically to soprano and tenor ukes.

Baritone Ukulele Tuning Comparison

Baritone ukuleles are generally tuned almost an octave lower than other ukes.

How are Concert Banjo Ukuleles Tuned?

Concert Banjo ukuleles are typically tuned using the same system as standard wood-body concert ukuleles.

Check out the Banjo Ukulele Tuning article for a more complete guide to tuning Banjo ukuleles in general.

How are Concert Pineapple Ukes Tuned?

Pineapple ukuleles are tuned identically to their standard shaped relatives.

For an in-depth comparison of Pinapple ukuleles to the standard figure-eight body-style, check out the Pineapple Ukulele vs. Standard article.

Tuned Concert Ukulele Fretboard Notes

The following is a chart of the notes of the concert ukulele tuned in GCEA tuning.

Notice that the notes repeat at the 12th fret.

Common Chords Used on a Tuned Concert Ukulele

The following is a table of common chord shapes on a concert ukulele tuned to GCEA tuning:

Here’s the old version in lower resolution:

Concert Ukulele Chord Chart for D Tuning (ADF#B)

And here’s a concert ukulele chord chart for ADF#B tuning.