Bb TUNING:

I have my tenors tuned re-entrant dGBE and use appropriate strings for them. One reason was the high tension of GCEA on a tenor. One exception is my recently acquired 6 string and it really rings out and I've not found the tension to bad. Maybe I'm just getting adapted more.

I've recently re-tuned by concert down to Bb and find I prefer the sound and like the lower tension. Capo 2 brings it back to GCEA should I want to so no problem. I use the Planet Waves NS mini ukulele capos. They are excellent; well made and unobtrusive. It's the only one I've found that doesn't interfere with my left hand at all. Paul has a point; capoing sometimes sounds better than re-tuning. I'd not thought about capo 1 to make playing in E or B easier partly because I so rarely sing in those keys so rarely have need for them. Tuning down to A makes playing in E easy too, btw.

A bit off topic but E is not a particularly easy key on guitar (B7 is OK but B brings the same problems as E on a GCEA tuned uke) Quite a few guitarists I know capo 2 to play in E using D shapes.
 
Since high tension seems to be something that comes up for a lot of us frequently, it's probably worthwhile to mention that lower tension strings do exist. I just picked up some of the new aNueNue Black Water fluorocarbon strings that reportedly have lower tension (they are thinner), so this might be an alternative to tuning down if the main reason for doing so is the tension. I do really like the sound of Bb tuning on my tenor, though. Well, sometimes at least. It does take away some of the chirpiness that I often cherish. :)
 
I am tuning my 20.25 inch scale length Hoffmann Bari to b flat using Southcoast HML-WB: Heavy Medium Gauge Linear Set w/ wound basses and absolutely love them no matter if I'm playing finger style by myself or if using a capo on the 2nd fret to transpose the B flat tuning to C6 when I play with others.
My perfect situation for my Bari would be to find a resource that will help me transpose my groups songbook into b flat tuned Bari chord diagrams. I have a line on a computer program that is supposed to do that but it only works on Windows computers and I have a Mac.
 
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All the time, A tuning also. Whatever suits the individual ukulele, that's the way I tune, there are no rules.

Lots of good posts on this thread. And as Cam says - whatever sounds best, but also consider how you want to play. For most folks, B flat is great, as you can capo to C tuning without losing much fretboard. Tune to A and you lose two more frets if you capo to C, but it was also pointed out that B flat is not a friendly Key if you're playing with guitar players.

Many years ago I corresponded a bit with a fellow named Alex Richter, the author of "The Ukulele Handbook" (hope he's still around). It was a simple chord book, but unique in that it included complete chords for a lot of tunings that weren't in common use. I questioned him a bit about A tuning, one that I had never heard of being used before. He said he included it because he mostly played with a bunch of guitarists, and A tuning was very easy to transpose with in that setting.

So don't overlook A tuning either. I'd recommend the Ukulele reentrant form on a Tenor body, but it's a great sound in Linear form on a Baritone.
 
I play pretty much exclusively with Bb tuning now, mainly because I play a jazz with horn players and Bb is a common key. It's amazing how many old jazz standards make more sense on a Bb tuned uke. Also, I play linear Bb (low F) on a baritone and re-entrant Bb on my tenor. At that tuning, I find both sizes are within their native range, and I don't have to transpose when I switch sizes or switch between linear/re-entrant.
 
Tune however you want. My hands are messed up with an obscure disease. I'm now playing lap steel Ike and harmonicas. .
 
I play my tenors mostly in A tuning. As I'm a one man band it doesn't matter that much however what I have found is that many guitarists that I'm covering such as Gordon Lightfoot and others often play with a capo on the 2nd fret. What they are doing is playing in the key of E but using Key of D chord shapes. In A tuning I'm already in the right key to play D shape chords for the key of E.

The key of E is common so this works for many songs. For songs in the key of D you play C chords and for the key of A you play G chords.

The Key of G isn't so easy yet I find that I don't like singing in the key of G and I usually transpose them down to E. Again, very easy on an A tuned ukulele.

Anthony
 
I play my tenors mostly in A tuning. As I'm a one man band it doesn't matter that much however what I have found is that many guitarists that I'm covering such as Gordon Lightfoot and others often play with a capo on the 2nd fret. What they are doing is playing in the key of E but using Key of D chord shapes. In A tuning I'm already in the right key to play D shape chords for the key of E.

The key of E is common so this works for many songs. For songs in the key of D you play C chords and for the key of A you play G chords.

The Key of G isn't so easy yet I find that I don't like singing in the key of G and I usually transpose them down to E. Again, very easy on an A tuned ukulele.

Anthony

On guitar, I would capo the first five strings on the second fret and play with D shapes. This would give me the low E string when I wanted it and a full sound on the higher strings.
 
On guitar, I would capo the first five strings on the second fret and play with D shapes. This would give me the low E string when I wanted it and a full sound on the higher strings.

My guitar playing friends describe it as a way of getting Drop D without retuning. Strictly Drop E but I'm sure you get the idea.
 
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