Before you press a single string down, your ukulele already makes sound. The four open strings give you real, playable notes - and learning them is the step between holding the instrument and actually playing it.
This is also where your ear starts to develop alongside your fingers.
The Open Strings
Your ukulele has four strings. From the string closest to your chin down to the string closest to the floor:
- G - closest to your chin (slightly higher-pitched than C)
- C - the lowest-pitched string on the ukulele
- E - just below A in pitch
- A - closest to the floor, highest-pitched
A way to remember the order: Good Children Eat Apples - G, C, E, A.
One thing that surprises beginners: the G string is not the lowest-pitched one. C is. This is called re-entrant tuning and it gives the ukulele its distinctive bright, round sound - different from a guitar or bass, where strings always go from lowest to highest pitch.
How to Pluck a Single String
For now, use your thumb. Rest the pad of your thumb on the string, then let it slide off downward in one smooth motion. You are aiming for a round, clear tone - not a thin ping or a muted thud.
A few things affect the tone:
- Where you pluck. Plucking over the soundhole gives the fullest sound. Near the bridge sounds sharp and thin; near the fretboard sounds dull and loose.
- How much thumb. The fleshy pad gives a warmer tone; the nail edge gives a brighter one. Try both and notice the difference.
- Arm tension. If your strumming arm is tense, the sound will be too. Keep your forearm resting lightly on the body of the ukulele.
Playing Each String in Order
Pluck each string once and let it ring until the sound fades completely before moving on:
- G string. Notice the pitch - it is not the deepest.
- C string. This is the lowest note. Notice how much deeper it sounds than G.
- E string.
- A string. The brightest of the four.
Then go back in reverse: A, E, C, G. Then skip around: C, A, G, E. Randomizing the order forces your ear and your hand to work together rather than just repeating a pattern by memory.
Practice Exercise
- Pluck each string four times with your thumb, letting each note ring cleanly before the next.
- Say the string name quietly as you play it: "G... G... G... G..."
- Move to C and repeat. Then E, then A.
- Spend five minutes doing this. Then close your eyes, place your thumb on a string by feel, and name it before you pluck it. Check how often you are right.
When you can name each string by ear most of the time, you are ready to start combining them into chords.
Common Questions
- What are the names of the four ukulele strings?
- The four strings on a standard ukulele are tuned to G, C, E, and A. From the string nearest the ceiling when held in playing position, the order is G-C-E-A. The C string is the lowest in pitch, and the A string is the highest.
- Why does the G string on a ukulele sound higher than the C string?
- Standard ukulele tuning uses re-entrant tuning, meaning the strings do not go from lowest to highest pitch in order. The G string is tuned one octave higher than you might expect, which gives the ukulele its characteristic bright, bouncy sound. This is normal and not a tuning error.
Next up: Notes, Rhythm, and Basic Music Concepts
