D Tuning (ADF#B) Tuning
Tune your ukulele to D Tuning (ADF#B) — A4, D4, F#4, B4
About D Tuning (ADF#B) Tuning
D tuning (A4-D4-F#4-B4) raises all four strings one whole step above standard GCEA. Also called traditional or soprano tuning, this was actually the original standard ukulele tuning before GCEA took over in the mid-20th century. The higher pitch produces an even brighter, more sparkling sound than standard tuning.
D tuning was the dominant ukulele tuning during the instrument's first wave of popularity in the 1920s and 1930s. Legends like Roy Smeck and Cliff Edwards ("Ukulele Ike," the voice of Jiminy Cricket) performed in D tuning. Many vintage ukulele songbooks and sheet music from this era are written for ADF#B, which can confuse modern players expecting GCEA.
Today, D tuning is favored by players who want a brighter sound from their soprano ukuleles, or by those performing vintage repertoire from the ukulele's golden age. Since all the intervals between strings remain identical to GCEA, every chord shape works the same — they just sound one whole step higher. A C shape becomes a D, an Am shape becomes a Bm, and so on.
String Notes
Recommended Strings
Standard ukulele strings can handle D tuning on soprano ukuleles, since the shorter scale length compensates for the increased tension. On concert or tenor ukuleles, the higher tension from D tuning may feel stiff — consider lighter gauge strings or a dedicated D tuning set. Aquila makes specific D tuning strings that are calibrated for the higher pitch.
How to Tune to D Tuning (ADF#B)
- 1.Start from standard GCEA tuning. You'll raise every string by one whole step (two frets).
- 2.Tune the 4th string up from G4 to A4 (440 Hz). This is concert pitch A — easy to find on any tuner.
- 3.Tune the 3rd string up from C4 to D4. Verify by fretting the 4th string at the 5th fret — it should match the open 3rd string.
- 4.Tune the 2nd string up from E4 to F#4. Fret the 3rd string at the 4th fret — it should match the open 2nd string.
- 5.Tune the 1st string up from A4 to B4. Fret the 2nd string at the 5th fret — it should match the open 1st string.
- 6.Be cautious when tuning up — increase pitch gradually and listen for any signs of excessive string tension. If strings feel very tight, stop and check that you're in the correct octave.
Common Chords in D Tuning (ADF#B)
D Major (C shape)
Use the standard C chord shape (3rd fret, 1st string). In D tuning, this produces a D major chord.
Bm (Am shape)
Use the Am shape (2nd fret, 3rd string). Now sounds as Bm — the relative minor of D.
G Major (F shape)
Use the standard F major shape. In D tuning, this produces G major.
A7 (G7 shape)
Use the G7 shape from standard tuning. Produces A7, the dominant seventh that resolves to D.