Ukulele tuning

D tuning (A-D-F#-B)

D tuning raises the whole reentrant standard by a tone, giving A-D-F#-B. It keeps the same relationship between strings, so the chord shapes do not change, they just sound a tone higher.

The tuner opens already preconfigured; you only need to allow microphone access.

Strings and frequencies

How it sounds

It is a traditional tuning, widely used on old soprano ukuleles and in classic Hawaiian music. It sounds a little brighter and more sonorous than standard C tuning, with a sweet, slightly tenser timbre.

Styles and genres

Recommended string gauges

Since you are tuning up a tone, a standard set holds but sits at higher tension; on old or delicate ukuleles, consider a slightly lighter set to avoid stressing the bridge.

Tuning tip

Many old ukulele scores and method books are written for this D tuning: if an old song sounds odd in C, try it in D, which may be the original tuning.