A fourth between D and G, a third between G and B, and a fourth between B and E. This tuning has the same intervals between strings as the standard gCEA (or GCEA) tuning. So to keep normal string tension on a longer scaled instrument, you naturally tune down. Because of the increased scale length (the distance between the nut and the bridge saddle), they can’t support the tension from a higher tuning. If you do, you’re ready to move onto the next tunings.īaritone instruments in general are tuned differently than their non-baritone counterparts. I’d say learn all of your Major and minor chords in this tuning before moving on. Since this is the standard tuning, it’s the core of learning to play the ukulele. You should definitely be well versed in this tuning before moving on to others. If you look up chord charts on the ukulele, they’re going to be in this tuning more often than not. This is helpful because C Major is a very common key across many instruments. This tuning is optimized for the key of C (Major). The combination of the tension (pitch) and specific chord voicing needs (pitch intervals between strings- to make chords that are easy to play and pleasant to the ears) is probably why we settled on this. ![]() Original ukulele strings were made of gut (sheep or cow), so you could only make a string so thin or thick. More than likely it was a combination of the strings and ease of chord voicings. As for the reason for the specific tuning (gCEA), that’s a little more ambiguous. Since the ukulele was descended from the Portuguese guitar specifically (a whole article in itself), it made sense to carry this idea over to the ukulele. Instruments like the Baroque guitar, Lute, and later the Portuguese guitar used this tuning. The lowest string is the thickest, and the highest string is the thinnest.īut why do we use re-entrant tuning on ukuleles, and where does this tuning come from? Re-entrant tuning is a traditional tuning on really old instruments, dating back to the 1600s. So the bottom string is the lowest in pitch, and the top string is the highest in pitch. Most other stringed instruments, like guitars and mandolins, go low to high. Ukuleles are unique in that the higher strings are on the outside, with the lower strings in the middle. The ‘g’ is lowercase to indicate that it’s at a higher pitch. So why do instruments like ukuleles use so many different tunings?Įvery instrument has a standard tuning. You can, just like you can change the tuning on the previously mentioned instruments, but it just doesn’t happen. Heck, mandolins don’t even really change tuning. I’m assuming it has something to do with those instruments not playing full chords so there’s no value in it. Outside of tradition and reading sheet music I'm not really sure why. You know someone would buy that for the novelty! Dibs on the idea).Įven stringed instruments like violins, violas, double basses, and cellos can be tuned differently. I did have the thought of making a left handed piano when I was younger. That’s always stuck out to me, but that’s neither here nor there. There is no left or right handed, just the one way. ( They also have a fixed way of playing them. If you think about flutes, clarinets, saxophones, and any horn instruments, they have a fixed tuning. Stringed instruments are unique in the instrument world.
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