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What Are the Four Ukulele Strings? Notes, Names & Tuning Explained

The ukulele’s simplicity is part of its charm — just four strings, a compact design, and a sound that instantly lifts your mood. But to really understand and play the instrument well, it’s important to learn how those four strings work together. In this article, we’ll walk through the ukulele string notes, their order, how they’re tuned, and why the G string is sometimes higher than the C. We’ll even compare

Table of Contents

Ukulele String Notes and Names

When you pluck a string, it produces a note with a specific pitch. Pressing down on a fret raises the pitch of that open string. By pressing different frets and plucking their strings, you can play various notes and create ukulele lines that support the harmony in a song.

Ukulele strings are typically numbered from the bottom (closest to you) to the top (farthest from you) when holding the instrument in playing position. In standard tuning, these strings are G (4), C (3), E (2), and A (1). Unlike a guitar or bass, the 4th string (G) is actually tuned higher than the 3rd string (C), which is called reentrant tuning. This unique tuning gives the ukulele its bright, chime-like sound.

Mnemonic: Good Cats Eat Apples

Ukulele string notes

Understanding Reentrant Tuning

Reentrant tuning means that the strings are not ordered from lowest to highest pitch. On a standard ukulele, the 4th string (G) is tuned higher than the 3rd string (C), which gives it a brighter, jumping tone when strummed.

Comparing Ukulele Strings to the Piano

To better understand the layout of the ukulele fretboard, let's compare it to the layout of a piano keyboard. On a piano, each key is laid out in perfect linear sequence — 12 half steps from one note to its octave. On a ukulele, each fret = 1 half step (like moving from one key to the next on a piano).

One octave on piano

Octaves on the Ukulele Fretboard

Let’s zoom in on the 4th string (G). It starts on the note G and spans a full octave by the 12th fret:

Octave on ukulele

An octave spans eight musical alphabet letters, counting only white keys, which simplifies note memorization. On the ukulele fretboard, an octave spans 12 frets on a single string.

The Musical Alphabet and Fret Skipping

The ukulele fretboard contains all the notes of the piano, but unlike a keyboard where white and black keys are visually separated, the ukulele arranges them in a continuous sequence along each string. This layout can make memorization more challenging.

To play the musical alphabet (A-B-C-D-E-F-G) on the ukulele, you need to recognize where these natural notes occur and where gaps exist between them. Most notes are separated by two frets (a whole step), except for B-C and E-F, which are just one fret (a half step) apart.

Musical alphabet on ukulele

Quick Takeaways

  • Standard ukulele tuning is G-C-E-A (4th to 1st string).
  • Ukulele strings are numbered from bottom (1st) to top (4th).
  • The G string is tuned higher than the C string (reentrant tuning).
  • Each fret on the ukulele raises the pitch by one half step.
  • There are no black keys on ukulele — fret skipping mimics piano black keys.

FAQs

What are the four ukulele strings called?

They are G (4th), C (3rd), E (2nd), and A (1st).

Why is the G string higher than the C string?

This is due to reentrant tuning, which gives the ukulele its bright sound.

How many strings does a ukulele have?

Standard ukuleles have four strings.

What do the ukulele string numbers mean?

They refer to their physical position from bottom (1st) to top (4th) when held in playing position.

How is ukulele tuning different from guitar?

Ukulele uses reentrant tuning and has fewer strings — tuned G-C-E-A instead of E-A-D-G-B-E like guitar.

Want to Learn More?

For a deeper dive into ukulele fretboard theory, get your hands on our Ukulele Theory Simplified Book. And if you're a visual learner, the Ukulele Theory Cheat Sheet Mousepad is a great practice companion.

Let’s Hear From You

Did this guide help you understand ukulele string names or tuning better? Leave a comment below and share this post with fellow uke lovers. What tuning do you use — standard or low G?

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