Why does my ukulele sound out of tune?
What is the reason for your ukulele sound out of tune? The most common reason is the problem of ukulele strings.
Ukulele strings are nylon strings, so they are elastic. They will continue to stretch after the first tuning and make your ukulele out of tune. Or your ukulele is so old that the strings have lost their elasticity. That also causes tuning issues.
How to solve this problem?
If you use a new ukulele or new strings, remember to tune before playing. But new strings will stretch and you have to tune your ukulele up again.
After playing for a while, strings will continue to stretch and make the ukulele out of tune. You will have to retune. This process will repeat until the strings achieve their stability. You can also stretch this string to make them stable faster.
To do this, first, tune your ukulele up to the pitch. Then, hook the first string with your index finger and pull it up. While pulling, press your palm on the bridge to keep it from popping out. Hold on for 4-5 minutes. Next, repeat the process with the remaining strings. Finally, tune the ukulele up again.
Even when the strings have already stabilized, you still have to tune your ukulele a lot. Many strummers usually do the tuning before they play any song. They will keep re-tuning until they change new strings to ensure the sound quality of their songs.
In case you have an old ukulele and it doesn’t stay in tune, consider replacing the strings with new ones. After that, you can stretch the new strings as mentioned above so that they can quickly “settle in”.
When changing the strings, make sure that you find the proper strings for your ukulele. Wrong strings also lead to tuning problems.
Other reasons why the ukulele is out of tune
Besides the strings’ problem, there are other causes for a ukulele’s tuning issues.
1. Influence of temperature and humidity
The main material used to make a ukulele is wood. So, changes in temperature and humidity make the wood stretch or shrink.
This can affect the tune of the ukulele. To prevent this, you should store your ukulele in a case and ensure the moisture is at a proper level. If it is too dry, the ukulele can crack or break.
2. Quality of the ukulele and the tuners
Not every cheap ukulele is of poor quality. But a high-quality ukulele is less prone to out-of-tones than cheap ones.
Thus, you won’t regret investing in a high-quality ukulele. It will be more expensive, but overall it will save you more money.
If you can’t afford an expensive ukulele, you can upgrade your ukulele’s tuners. Using good tuners on a cheap ukulele is a way to keep it in tune.
You can buy a set of good tuners that are compatible with your ukulele. You can install them yourself, or ask a professional for help.
3. How you play the ukulele
The way you play the ukulele also affects its tuning. The ukuleles of light strummers are less likely to be out of tune than those of heavy strummers. Heavy strummings make the strings stretch more and drop-in pitch.
But don’t worry, because, for every ukulele player, tuning always comes with playing. Heavy strummers may have to tune more, but it is normal. Just play with your usual style and tune when necessary.
4. The strings are not wound properly
When your ukulele doesn’t stay in tune, check whether you have properly wind the strings or not. You will have to wind the strings from the inside to the outside of the headstock.
If you do the opposite, the strings will have a hard time staying in tune. So, pay attention to the way you wind the strings around the tuning peg.
Final Words
So, you have to know why your ukulele sounds out of tune and how to fix it. Many reasons make your ukulele not stay in tune. You should find the exact cause to have a proper solution.
We hope that with the useful information provided, your ukulele will always hold its tune.
