Low G Ukulele Tuner
Tune a low G ukulele to G3 C4 E4 A4 using your microphone. The tuner below is already set to low G — press Start Recording and pluck a string.
Auto-select string
Switches to string automatically
Target 196.00 Hz
Action Required
Start tuner and pluck highlighted note.
Peg Rotation & Offset
Standby
Headstock Alignment
Tap a peg to tune that string specifically.
Instrument
Tuning Preset
Reference Pitch
Concert pitch for A4. 440 is the standard; many orchestras use 442.
Quick Tuning Guidelines
- 1.Tap the Start Recording button at the top to initialize your microphone.
- 2.Pluck one string cleanly at a time. Let it vibrate naturally to get a continuous frequency reading.
- 3.Adjust your tuning pegs until the dial centers in the green zone (around 0 cents).
- 4.Watch indicators: amber is the currently selected note, green is the automatically detected audio feed.
String-by-String Frequency Chart
These are the exact target frequencies this tuner listens for, at A4 = 440 Hz equal temperament. In low G tuning string 4 really is the lowest note: G3, an octave below standard ukulele's G4.
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 3 | C4 | 261.63 Hz |
| 2 | E4 | 329.63 Hz |
| 1 | A4 | 440.00 Hz |
How to Use This Low G Ukulele Tuner
- Fit a low G string first. A standard G string cannot be tuned an octave down.
- Press Start Recording on the tuner above and allow microphone access. The tuner is already on Ukulele with Low G selected.
- Tune the G string to G3 (196.00 Hz), then C, E and A as normal.
- A new wound low G stretches a lot. Retune it several times over the first day.
A check by ear: the 5th fret of the low G is C4 and should match the open C string. On a standard high G ukulele, that check does not work, because the G is above the C.
High G or Low G?
Standard ukulele tuning is reentrant: the G string is tuned to G4, above the C and E, so the open strings go up, down, and up again. That is what gives the ukulele its bright, tight strum and lets scales ring across strings like a harp — a sound often called campanella.
Low G tuning is linear: the G is G3, an octave lower, and the strings run low to high. You lose some of the classic sparkle and gain a lower range and a fuller chord. Fingerstyle players, jazz chord players and singers who accompany themselves often prefer it, because the ukulele can play a bass line under the melody.
- Choose high G for traditional Hawaiian music, bright strumming, and most beginner songbooks, which assume it.
- Choose low G for fingerstyle arrangements, accompanying a voice, and anything with a bass line.
Fitting a Low G String
Low G strings are thicker than the rest. If the string does not seat in the nut slot, or buzzes in it, the slot needs to be widened very slightly — a quick job for a technician, and a delicate one to do yourself. Wound strings can also squeak under your fingers; unwound fluorocarbon low G strings avoid that at the cost of being very thick.
Related: standard ukulele tuner, baritone ukulele tuner, and the ukulele chord library, whose shapes all work in low G.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is low G ukulele tuning?
GCEA with the G string an octave lower: G3, C4, E4, A4. Standard ukulele tuning puts the G above the C (G4), which is called reentrant tuning. Low G makes the strings run from lowest to highest, like a guitar, which is called linear tuning.
Can I tune my normal G string down an octave?
No. The standard G string would be so slack an octave down that it would barely sound. You need a string made for low G — usually a wound string, or a thick unwound fluorocarbon one. They are sold singly or in low G sets.
Do I need to change my chord shapes?
No. The note names are the same, so every chord shape and every chord chart works unchanged. What changes is the sound: chords gain a bass note, and melodies can go five semitones lower.
Which ukuleles suit low G?
Tenor ukuleles most of all — the longer scale gives the low string enough tension to sound full. Concert ukuleles work well with the right string. On a soprano the low G tends to be weak and floppy, and most players keep sopranos in standard high G.
Why does my tuner say my low G is in tune when it sounds wrong?
Many tuners only read the note name, so a G3 and a G4 both show as G. This page listens for G3 specifically. If you put a low G string on and tune it to G4, it will be dangerously tight — and if you tune a high G string to G3, it will be floppy.