Professional Documents
Culture Documents
the
Ukulele
Fingerboardby
Curt
Sheller
www.curtsheller.com
Introduction
Memorizing the notes of the ukulele fingerboard is not as
hard as one would think. Although there doesn't seem to
be any pattern and the same letter can be found on every
string. There is a systematic approach that can be used to
help remember the notes for each of the tunings.
There are four different sized ukuleles in common use
today using any one of three different tunings.
Soprano Concert
Tenor
Baritone
Introduction
Introduction
Contents
Introduction ..............................................3
Common Tunings .....................................7
C Tuning - G C E A ................................. 7
D Tuning - A D F# B ................................ 8
G Tuning - D G B E .................................. 8
C Tuning ..............................................11
Learning the Frets .................................... 11
Transposing to D Tuning ....................... 14
Transposing to G Tuning ...................... 14
D Tuning ...............................................15
Learning the Frets .................................... 15
Transposing to C Tuning....................... 18
Transposing to G Tuning ...................... 18
G Tuning ..............................................19
Learning the Frets .................................... 19
Transposing to C Tuning....................... 22
Transposing to D Tuning ....................... 22
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Common Tunings
There are three common tunings used on the various
sizes of ukuleles. For the Soprano, Concert and Tenor
ukuleles the "C" and "D" tunings are common as well as a
low "G" variation of the "C" tuning and a low "A variation
of the "D" tuning. These variations do not affect the
names of the notes, just the pitch of string four.
The Tenor ukulele can also be tuned using the G tuning
with a high or low D string four.
The Baritone ukulele always uses a "G" tuning with a
low "D". This tuning is the same as the high four strings
of a standard tuned guitar.
Here are the common tunings* for the ukulele:
C Tuning - G C E A
Common Tunings
F#
G Tuning - D G B E
All the above tunings are the same, containing the same
relative intervals. G to C for the C tuning is the same
distance or interval as A to F# for the D tuning and D to
G for the G tuning.
* G Tuning, Low D Variation is shown one octave
higher than sounded.
Common Tunings
Common Tunings
10
Common Tunings
C Tuning - G C E A and g C E A
This tuning is common for the Soprano, Concert and
Tenor ukulele. When string four is tuned to a low G, it
is referred to as a Low G tuning.
For a ukulele using the "C" tuning, the open strings and
frets (5) and (7) have no sharp or flat notes.
fret (5)
fret (7)
C Tuning
11
fret (1)
G#*
C#
E#
A#
fret (4)
Cb
Fb*
Ab
Db
fret (5)
fret (6)
C#
F#
A#
D#
fret (6)
Db
Gb
Bb
Eb
fret (7)
fret (8)
D#
G#
B#
E#
12
C Tuning
F#
fret (10)
A#
Frets (1), (3), (9) and (11) can be referenced relative to fret
(2) and fret (10) by flatting or sharping all the notes of the
those frets.
fret (1)
Ab
Db
Bb
fret (2)
F#
fret (3)
A#
D#
B#
fret (9)
Fb
Db
Gb
fret (10)
A#
fret (11)
F#
D#
G#
C Tuning
13
In D tuning
fret (3)
Transposing to G Tuning
To determine what fret the same notes appear at in
G tuning add 5* to the C tuning fret number.
In C tuning
fret (5)
In G tuning
fret (10)
14
C Tuning
D Tuning - A D F# B and a D F# B
This tuning is common for the Soprano, Concert and
Tenor ukulele. When string four is tuned to a low A, it
is referred to as a Low A tuning.
F#
F#
For a ukulele using the "D" tuning, frets (3), (5) and (10)
have no sharp or flat notes.
fret (3)
fret (5)
D Tuning
15
Frets (1), (2), (4), (6), (9) and (11) can be referenced
relative to the open strings and fret (3), fret (5) and fret
(10) by flatting or sharping all the notes off those frets.
open
F#
fret (1)
A#*
D#
B#
fret (2)
Cb*
Fb
Ab
Db
fret (3)
fret (4)
C#
F#
A#
D#
fret (4)
Db
Gb
Bb
Eb
fret (5)
fret (6)
D#
G#
B#
E#
fret (9)
Gb
Cb
Eb
Ab
fret (10)
fret (11)
G#
C#
E#
A#
16
D Tuning
A#
From fret (8) we can get fret (7) and fret (9).
fret (7)
Fb
Db
Gb
fret (8)
A#
fret (9)
F#
D#
G#
D Tuning
17
In C tuning
fret (5)
Transposing to G Tuning
To determine what fret the same notes appear at in
G tuning add 7* from the D tuning fret number.
In D tuning
fret (3)
In G tuning
fret (10)
18
D Tuning
G Tuning - D G B E and d G B E
This tuning is common for the Tenor and Baritone
ukulele. When string four is tuned to a low D, it is
referred to as a Low D tuning and is the same tuning as
the high four strings of a standard tuned guitar.
For a ukulele using the "G" tuning, the open strings and
frets (5) and (10) have no sharp or flat notes.
fret (5)
fret (10)
G Tuning
19
fret (1)
D#*
G#
B#
E#
fret (4)
Gb
Cb
Eb
Ab
fret (5)
fret (6)
G#
C#
E#
A#
fret (9)
Cb
Fb
Ab
Db
fret (10)
fret (11)
C#
F#
A#
D#
20
G Tuning
A#
fret (7)
F#
Frets (2), (4), (6) and (8) can be referenced relative to fret
(3) and fret (7) by flatting or sharping all the notes of
those frets.
fret (2)
Fb
Db
Gb
fret (3)
A#
fret (4)
F#
D#
G#
fret (6)
Ab
Db
Bb
fret (7)
F#
fret (8)
A#
D#
B#
G Tuning
21
In C tuning
fret (5)
Transposing to D Tuning
To determine what fret the same notes appear at in
D tuning subtract 7* from the G tuning fret number.
In G tuning
fret (10)
In D tuning
fret (3)
22
G Tuning
Enharmonic Equivalents
Enharmonic equivalents are where the same pitch can
have multiple names.
Sharps to Flats
A# is the same pitch as Bb
B#
C#
Db
D#
Eb
E#
F#
G#
Gb
Ab
Flats to Sharps
Ab is the same pitch as G#
Bb
Cb
A#
Db
C#
Eb
D#
Fb
Gb
F#
Enharmonic Equivalents
23
24
Enharmonic Equivalents
Fingerboard Charts
"C Tuning
D Tuning
G Tuning
Fingerboard Charts
25
open
Gs
Cs
As
Fs
As
Ds
Gs
Cs
Cs
Fs
As
Ds
Ds
Gs
Cs
Fs
10
As
11
Fs
Ds
Gs
Frets
STRING
12
26
same assame
open as
strings
onestrings
octave higher
open
open
Af
Df
Bf
Gf
Bf
Ef
Af
Df
Df
Gf
Bf
Ef
Ef
Af
Df
Gf
10
Bf
11
Gf
Ef
Af
Frets
STRING
12
same assame
open strings
onestrings
octave higher
as open
27
open
Fs
As
Ds
Gs
Cs
Cs
Fs
As
Ds
Ds
Gs
Cs
Fs
As
Fs
Ds
Gs
10
11
Gs
Cs
As
Frets
STRING
12
28
open
Gf
Bf
Ef
Af
Df
Df
Gf
Bf
Ef
Ef
Af
Df
Gf
Bf
Gf
Ef
Af
10
11
Af
Df
Bf
Frets
STRING
12
29
open
Ds
Gs
Cs
Fs
As
Fs
Ds
Gs
Gs
Cs
As
Fs
As
Ds
Gs
Cs
10
11
Cs
Fs
As
Ds
Frets
STRING
12
30
STRING
open
Frets
Ef
Af
Df
Gf
Bf
Gf
Ef
Af
Af
Df
Bf
Gf
Bf
Ef
Af
Df
10
11
Df
Gf
Bf
Ef
12
31
32
Fingerboard Charts
A
As
B
C
Cs
D
Ds
E
F
Fs
G
Gs
A
Gf
B
C
Df
D
Ef
E
F
Gf
G
Af
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