The baritone ukulele is the biggest and lowest ukulele. It is tuned exactly like the four highest strings of a guitar: D, G, B and E. New strings stretch a lot at first, so tune every time you practise. With a little experience it takes about a minute.
The target notes
- String 4 (top, the lowest): D (D3)
- String 3: G (G3)
- String 2: B (B3)
- String 1 (bottom, the highest): E (E4)
Unlike a soprano ukulele there is no “high G” here: the notes get higher from top to bottom. The D and G strings are usually wound with fine metal wire so they sound deep and full.
With a tuner
- Open the tuner and allow the microphone.
- Pluck one string and let it ring.
- If the note is too low, turn the peg to tighten the string. If it’s too high, loosen it a little.
- Turn in small steps and keep plucking as you go, so you don’t overshoot.
By ear: string against string
Once the D string is in tune, you can tune the others to it. Fret the given position and compare it with the next open string – both should sound the same:
- D string at the 5th fret = G string open
- G string at the 4th fret = B string open
- B string at the 5th fret = E string open
Finally, strum all strings open. You’ll hear a soft, slightly dreamy chord: Em7.
Em7