The four ukulele strings are called G, C, E, A, from top to bottom – that is, from your chin towards the floor. You will need this order all the time: for tuning, for chord charts and for reading tabs. So it is worth learning it right away.
Memory tricks
A short sentence in which each word starts with a string name makes it easy:
- Goats Can Eat Anything.
- Grumpy Cats Eat Apples.
String numbers
Strings are often numbered too. String 1 is the A string, closest to the floor. String 4 is the G string at the top. Note that chord charts show the strings as vertical lines side by side – G on the far left, A on the far right – as if the ukulele were standing up in front of you.
The secret of the high G
On a guitar the strings get higher from top to bottom. Not on the ukulele: the G string at the top sounds higher than the C and E strings, and only the A string is higher still. This is called reentrant tuning. It creates the bright, cheerful sound that makes a ukulele instantly recognisable. So the lowest string is actually the C string.
Some ukuleles are strung with a low G. It sounds fuller but does not always match school books and picking patterns. For beginners and ukulele classes the high G is the norm. The baritone ukulele is the exception: its strings are D, G, B, E. To learn more about how notes are named, see notes and note names.
Once you know the names by heart, you are ready to tune your ukulele and read tabs.
To the tuner