Ukulele D tuning (A D F♯ B)

Players of vintage sheet music, soprano players who like a brighter sound, and anyone following a Canadian or older method book.

D tuning raises every string of the standard ukulele a whole step: A D F♯ B, with the A on the fourth string still reentrant, above the D. It was the standard ukulele tuning for much of the 20th century, especially in the 1920s and 1930s, and the one most older sheet music assumes.

It is brighter and tighter than G C E A, and it is still common on soprano ukuleles and in Canadian school programs.

Notes and frequencies

From the fourth string to the thinnest, at concert pitch (A4 = 440 Hz). Changed strings are highlighted.

From standard tuning

1. String 4: raise G4 up a whole step to A4.
2. String 3: raise C4 up a whole step to D4.
3. String 2: raise E4 up a whole step to F♯4.
4. String 1: raise A4 up a whole step to B4.

Tuning to D tuning in TuneGlass

1. Open Settings and choose ukulele.
2. Tap any string circle to open the tuning editor and choose D tuning from the presets. Presets beyond the thickest string are part of TuneGlass Pro, a one-time purchase.
3. Play one string at a time. The needle turns green and the scale fills when the string is in tune. Hold a string circle to hear its reference note.

Tips

• Every string goes up a whole step, which adds tension. Use strings meant for D tuning or a light set, and raise them gradually.
• All chord shapes are identical to standard tuning; everything just sounds a whole step higher.

Questions

Related tunings

English