Ukulele Tenor Standard Tuner — Tune to Tenor Standard in Your Browser
Mic-based chromatic tuner pre-set to Tenor Standard. No download, no sign-up, works in your browser.
Tuning summary
- Notes (low to high)
- G4 · C4 · E4 · A4
- Instrument
- Ukulele
- About this tuning
- Tenor ukulele standard tuning — GCEA, often strung low-G for fuller bass response.
Start tuning
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About Tenor Standard on ukulele
Tenor ukulele standard tuning is GCEA, traditionally re-entrant — G4, C4, E4, A4 — though tenor ukuleles are also frequently strung low-G (G3, C4, E4, A4) because the longer scale length supports the lower string better than smaller body sizes. The tenor scale is around 17 inches, larger than the concert and noticeably larger than the soprano, which gives the instrument the fullest acoustic voice in the soprano-concert-tenor family.
Whether re-entrant or low-G, the chord vocabulary is identical to the smaller ukuleles. Every soprano and concert chord shape transfers unchanged. The difference is timbre and projection: tenor ukuleles have more body resonance, longer sustain, and stronger low-mid frequencies, which is why they are the size most often chosen for amplified work, recording, and chord-melody fingerstyle playing.
Tenor is the size most associated with virtuoso ukulele playing in the modern era. Long-form fingerstyle, jazz chord-melody, and contemporary instrumental ukulele largely happen on tenors because the larger body supports the lower-G string and the longer scale gives more space for complex left-hand work. Hawaiian players going back generations have used tenors as their primary instrument, and the model has become standard for adult performers stepping beyond the entry-level soprano size.
If you are stepping up from a soprano or concert, the tenor will feel almost identical chord-shape-wise, but the wider fret spacing and longer scale demand a small adjustment in left-hand reach. The biggest decision on tenor is high-G versus low-G stringing. Stay re-entrant if you want the traditional ukulele bright voice; switch to low-G if you want more bass register for solo arrangements and chord-melody work. Many tenor players keep two instruments, one of each, for different repertoire.
Frequently asked questions
- Is tenor ukulele tuning different from soprano or concert?
- Re-entrant tenor uses the same GCEA pitches as soprano and concert. Tenor is also commonly strung low-G, which lowers the fourth string an octave to G3.
- Will I need different strings for a tenor ukulele?
- Yes — buy tenor-specific strings, sized for the longer 17-inch scale. Choose a high-G or low-G set depending on which voicing you want.
- Should I use high-G or low-G on a tenor?
- High-G keeps the traditional bright re-entrant voice. Low-G adds a true bass note for solo and chord-melody playing. Many tenor players prefer low-G; many traditionalists prefer high-G. Both are valid.
- Can I play soprano songs on a tenor?
- Yes — every chord shape transfers directly. The pitches are the same; only the body and scale differ.
- How do I quickly switch back to standard from another tenor tuning?
- Bring the four strings to G (high or low, depending on your set), C4, E4, A4. Verify with a chromatic tuner — the G is the easiest to mis-tune to the wrong octave.