3 tenor tunings compared

As others have mentioned, sometimes ukes sound better in different tunings. I've found that tenors often sound better tuned down a 1/2 step to B, or a full step down to Bb. My personal favorite on tenors is usually a 1/2 step down to B tuning.

I did a little video of all 3: first standard GCEA, then B, and lastly Bb. B tuning still sounds best to me, on this particular tenor uke, and most other tenors too. To my ears, B tuning just sounds fuller and richer. Bb usually sounds too low to my ears, it loses the lively uke character and ring, and is floppy feeling. YMMV.

When evaluating the tonal character of ukes, I often use the Joel Eckhaus method of humming an increasing scale of notes into the soundhole, from my lowest to highest, listening until I hear the note that harmonically pops, is louder, and really vibrates the uke. It's usually really easy to hear. Then I identify that note. On this uke, the note that pops harmonically is F#, which is the note of the open G string, when tuned down to B tuning, probably why I like that tuning best of these 3. YMMV. What do you think?

I usually default to Bb on tenor but have to admit, that one sounds a bit better in B

B seems to be best as you felt Bb was floppy, but I like the sound of Bb. I have dropped the tuning of my 2 ukes by a half step recently and have never been as happy playing uke as I am now. I was always frustrated by the shrill 1st string & tried different strings to fix it, but the change has mellowed that.

Thanks for doing this test. I think it sounds best in B.

Hi

were the strings "stretched" into GCEA tuning before testing lower tunings? This may affect the result and might be better to start lower and work up.

I have just switched back from GCEA to high dGBE and the d (D4) and B (B3) strings took a couple of weeks to de-stretch and not sound floppy and flappy from previously being E4 and C4 respectively.

I'm a relative beginner, and the extent of my tenor retuning is to go to a low G - if everything is tuned down a half step, would that not change the fretting for each chord? Is it as simple as moving everything up a single fret for each half step of de-tuning?

Or am I showing my music theory ignorance?

Mattharrier said:

I'm a relative beginner, and the extent of my tenor retuning is to go to a low G - if everything is tuned down a half step, would that not change the fretting for each chord? Is it as simple as moving everything up a single fret for each half step of de-tuning?

Or am I showing my music theory ignorance?

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When tuning down, I just play the same standard chord shapes. Sure, when tuned down a half step, but using the same chord shapes as standard tuning, you are technically playing different chords, all 1/2 step lower, but who cares, as long as you are playing by yourself. If playing with others, you'll need to tune back up to match everybody else, who are most likely in standard GCEA. Just find the tuning that sounds best on your particular instrument.

Ukecaster said:

If playing with others, you'll need to tune back up to match everybody else, who are most likely in standard GCEA. Just find the tuning that sounds best on your particular instrument.

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Or throw a capo on and go about your merry way

They all sound good to me, John.

They all sound good to me too. I drop my tuning from one half step down to 3 half steps down. Drop 3 Tuning. My Baritone is tuned two half steps down and my Tenor is three half steps down. With different strings most of the time you will drop or go up to a different tuning to get the best sound. Drop 3 tuning sure makes it easier on ones fingers and voice.