Ukulele Tuner for beginners..!

UkuTuner offers you the most advanced and easy-to-use ukulele tuner to keep your ukulele in tune without the need of a tuning device. It is completely free and very versatile. By default UkuTuner is using standard or 'C' tuning (GCEA), but you can freely choose one of the popular (and less popular) preset tunings. After you have chosen your tuning, hit the play button for each string to hear the note. You can easily switch between a real ukulele playing or digital notes (beep).

https://ukutuner.com/

You know, I think it's a pretty good idea to get beginners started tuning by ear. I've been a musician for 67 years, started long before there was any such thing as an electronic tuner. Nowadays, the electric tuners are ubiquitous and cheap. Everyone uses them. I fear the art and discipline of tuning by ear may disappear. That would be a shame. Hey beginners, don't think that those electric tuners are better than your ear. They're not. I use a very accurate tuner, a polytuner clip on. It has a measured accuracy of +- 0.02 cents. That compares to your typical electric tuner which is accurate to +- 1.0 or sometimes +- 0.5 cents. But even with the extrmemly accurate tuner, I still check the tuning, and often make slight adjustments by ear. You may be very surprised at how good your Ukulele sounds if it's really in tune. Almost in tune gets you by. Really in tune makes the instrument sing! So, I applaud the idea of starting out tuning by ear. Use the linked app. Once you get quick and relaxed doing that, then buy an electronic tuner, but always check it by ear, and make those final adjustments yourself. You will be a lot happier with the way your playing sounds!

It is indeed useful to be able to tune by ear. I remember the old days of using my A tuning fork (still keep it in my gigbag), or a landline dial tone (F) to tune up guitars. Still fun to try occasionally, but my Snarks do the job these days. In a pinch, I'll use the GuitarTuna app on my smartphone too.

I still remember seeing Little Feat in the late 70s, before electronic tuners. They took what seemed like 5 minutes between songs to tune up; man, was that tedious!

VegasGeorge said:

You know, I think it's a pretty good idea to get beginners started tuning by ear.

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Amen! I can't tell you how many beginning students have snapped strings while tuning because they have no idea what octave they're in. They just keep cranking while staring at a tuner.

The problem with technology is that people view it as a replacement for skill rather than a convenience for the skilled.

I use GuitarTuna app because it's the fastest one, it automatically detects the string and it's super clear to understand. I am able to tune by ear (both the ukulele and guitar) but I must admit that technology made me lazy... I only tune by ear when my smartphone isn't around.

I use a Kala clip on tuner....easy to use and it is pretty accurate.

I ran a beginners group a few years back, and whilst everyone who turned up there had some kind of tuner, one thing I insisted upon was that they all knew how to use 'relative tuning'. I would de-tune their instruments,then tune ONE string only with a tuning fork,and get them to retune their ukuleles to match the pitch of that string. There was much grumbling that 'electronic tuners were easier' but the thing was, they all managed to do it!

Ukecaster said:

It is indeed useful to be able to tune by ear. I remember the old days of using my A tuning fork (still keep it in my gigbag), or a landline dial tone (F) to tune up guitars. Still fun to try occasionally, but my Snarks do the job these days. In a pinch, I'll use the GuitarTuna app on my smartphone too.

I still remember seeing Little Feat in the late 70s, before electronic tuners. They took what seemed like 5 minutes between songs to tune up; man, was that tedious!

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Jim D'Ville sells a tuning fork that gives a 440hz A string tone on his website: www.PlayUkuleleByEar.com
It was $18 USD. It's fun to use and very accurate.

His lessons, are all oriented towards learning to tune your uke and play by ear by training your ears to listen and remember the sounds. His site's worth checking out.

I have run into a lot of people who think that you have to tune exactly to a particular frequency. If you are just playing by yourself you can just ping the A string wherever you think an A is and tune the rest of the strings to it by ear. Or start with any string for the matter. But I just hum an A where I think it sounds close enough and go from there. You don't even need a tuning fork. It sounds fine as long as the four strings are in tune with each other.

I've done that a lot of times, even at things like open mics and busking. But that is how a lot of musicians used to do it. Woodie Guthrie didn't walk around with a tuning fork or a pitch pipe in his pocket. If they were in a group the leader tuned up and everyone else tuned to him, or her. The first guy I busked with used to do that. I use a digital tuner whenever I'm playing with other people. It is just easier. But doing it old school like that is fun and it works. The ultimate tuning by ear experience.

Eno ET-33, that's the tuner I use. Cheap and I assume accurate enough for anyone but the most discerning.

Rllink said:

If you are just playing by yourself you can just ping the A string wherever you think an A is and tune the rest of the strings to it by ear. Or start with any string for the matter. But I just hum an A where I think it sounds close enough and go from there. You don't even need a tuning fork. It sounds fine as long as the four strings are in tune with each other.

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I agree with what you said.

The point that D'Ville makes is to train your ear and brain to hear that tone in your head. So what you remember is reasonably close. And that it helps with your singing and learning to play by ear as well. The tuning fork is a tool to help with this and breaks the reliance on electronic gadgets in the process. Helping players develop their listening skills. And building a strong foundation upon which to build.

Besides, the tuning fork is a lot of fun to use.

Thanks to all in this thread for encouraging the practice of tuning by ear. This is something a guitar teacher told me I must do years ago but I didn't listen.

Working on tuning my uke by ear today has already helped me hear more tuning nuances and get my uke sounding better. Thanks!

Ukecaster said:

It is indeed useful to be able to tune by ear. I remember the old days of using my A tuning fork (still keep it in my gigbag), or a landline dial tone (F) to tune up guitars. Still fun to try occasionally, but my Snarks do the job these days. In a pinch, I'll use the GuitarTuna app on my smartphone too.

I still remember seeing Little Feat in the late 70s, before electronic tuners. They took what seemed like 5 minutes between songs to tune up; man, was that tedious!

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Ah, the good ol’ days when we spent half our time tuning and the other half playing out of tune

Ukecaster said:

It is indeed useful to be able to tune by ear. I remember the old days of using my A tuning fork (still keep it in my gigbag), or a landline dial tone (F) to tune up guitars. Still fun to try occasionally, but my Snarks do the job these days. In a pinch, I'll use the GuitarTuna app on my smartphone too.

I still remember seeing Little Feat in the late 70s, before electronic tuners. They took what seemed like 5 minutes between songs to tune up; man, was that tedious!

Click to expand...

Ahhh, I remember that too, now that you mention it.