Ukes often go out of tune because new strings naturally stretch a bit, so giving them a manual stretch with your hand can be a good idea to keep your new ukulele in tune. You can also try tightening the pegs to maintain the tension in the strings when you tune your ukulele.

When I first got my ukulele and learned how to tune it, I was frustrated that it keeps getting out of tune so frequently. Even if my ukulele is tuned when I store it, there’s a good chance that it’ll go out of tune the following day.

Here, I share a couple of tips and tricks that can help you keep your ukulele in tune, for as long as possible, at least.

1. Stretch the Strings

Ukulele strings are usually made of nylon. Being a synthetic material, nylon tends to naturally stretch when it’s tensioned. The good news is this is normal for any new uke; it doesn’t necessarily mean that your uke is a defective unit or something.

You can either give the strings some time to set in or speed up the process by pulling the strings to stretch them more aggressively. Just make sure that you put one finger at the nut to hold the string in place and avoid ripping it out.

2. Tighten the Tuning Pegs

If your tuning pegs are loose, you’ll always end up with your uke going out of tune after tuning it. This is because your loosely-tightened pegs aren’t keeping in the tension in the strings. 

To fix this, use a screwdriver to tighten the 4 pegs on your ukulele. From my experience, keeping the pegs tightened up can make a world’s difference in maintaining your uke’s tuning.

3. Keep Your Ukulele in a Case

Slight changes in temperature or humidity can make your ukulele go out of tune. Wood, for example, can expand or contract when subject to temperature and humidity changes. And since 95%+ of your uke is made out of wood, it’s no surprise that your uke will keep getting out of tune on its own. 

Storing your ukulele in a case can mitigate the effect of slight temperature fluctuations since it won’t be directly exposed to the surrounding environment. You still need to make sure your uke is tuned every time you take it out from the case and start playing, though.

Personally, I prefer to store my ukulele in a case that’s kept in a large drawer, and it rarely goes out of tune unless I haven’t used it for more than a few days.

4. Nail Your Strumming Technique

Some ukulele players are hard strummers, and if you’re one of them, you’ll probably end up with an out-of-tune uke more than other players. I, myself, used to strum my uke as if I were chopping a fat piece of steak with my bare hands. I know this can be hard if you’re used to a particular strumming technique, but try not to strum the strings too hard to maintain your uke’s tuning. 

It might take you a while to get it right, but at least you won’t have to tune your uke as much!

Final Words

Alright, so these were some of the common reasons ukuleles go out of tune. 

Stretching the strings, tightening the pegs, and proper storage are some of the best ways to keep your ukulele in tune for as long as possible.

But remember, it’s normal for stringed instruments to go out of tune occasionally, and it’s always a good idea to test your uke’s tuning every time you start playing. Strum on!