Ukulele Low G Tuner — Tune to Low G in Your Browser
Mic-based chromatic tuner pre-set to Low G. No download, no sign-up, works in your browser.
Tuning summary
- Notes (low to high)
- G3 · C4 · E4 · A4
- Instrument
- Ukulele
- About this tuning
- Replaces the re-entrant high G with a wound low G string for an extended bass register.
Start tuning
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About Low G on ukulele
Low-G ukulele tuning replaces the high re-entrant G with a wound G string an octave lower: G3, C4, E4, A4, low to high. The C, E, and A strings stay at their standard pitches. The result is a true low-to-high pitch progression, much like a tiny four-string guitar, instead of the re-entrant pattern where the fourth string sits above the third.
Low-G changes the instrument's character significantly. Strumming open strings now produces a clear low G as the bottom note, giving chords a deeper foundation. Bass-line and chord-melody work becomes possible in a way that re-entrant tuning prevents — you can play a walking line on the low string under chord voicings on the upper three. The trade-off is the loss of the campanella effect: melodic lines no longer ring across all four strings the way they do with a high G.
Tenor ukulele is the most common home for low-G; the longer scale length supports the lower string better than a soprano or concert. Many fingerstyle and jazz ukulele players prefer low-G for its expanded harmonic range, and contemporary singer-songwriters who use the ukulele as a primary instrument frequently choose it for the fuller chord voicings.
If you are switching from re-entrant standard, the chord shapes are unchanged — every fingering you know still works. The only difference is the bass note of each chord. A C major chord that sounded with C as the lowest note now has G as the lowest note (since the open G string is included in most C strums). For some chords this is a revelation; for others it changes the voicing in ways the original songwriter did not intend. Many low-G players selectively damp the low string on chords where it does not belong, keeping the option of either voice.
Frequently asked questions
- Will I need a different string for low-G tuning?
- Yes — you need a wound or fluorocarbon low-G string, sold separately or as part of a low-G set. A standard high-G string cannot be tuned down an octave; it will be too loose to play.
- Does low-G work on a soprano ukulele?
- It can, but the short scale makes the low G feel and sound less defined than on a tenor or concert. Most low-G players use tenor ukuleles.
- Can I play standard ukulele songs in low-G?
- All chord shapes work, but the bass note of each chord changes. Some songs sound better in low-G; others lose the bright re-entrant character that defined the original arrangement.
- Why does low-G sound 'fuller' than re-entrant?
- The low G adds a true bass note to every chord that includes the fourth string. Re-entrant tuning keeps every note in roughly the same octave, which is why the standard ukulele sounds bright and compact.
- How do I quickly switch back to re-entrant standard?
- Replace the low-G string with a high-G string and tune it to G4 (an octave above the low G). The other three strings stay where they are.