# Foundations

Four strings, nylon, **GCEA**. Shared harmony: [Western theory](/theory/western/). The order here is:
play one chord today, tune it yourself, then learn what your hands are doing.

## First: one chord, one finger

C major is one finger — ring finger on the A string, fret 3, other three strings open. Strum down
across all four with the index finger. Add Am (middle finger, G string fret 2) and you have a loop.

## Parts and hold

Body against you, neck slightly up. Fretting tips; right hand near the soundhole (index strum or *pima*).

## Tuning

G · C · E · A (“My dog has fleas”). Use the [shared tuner](/tools/guitar-tuner.html?i=ukulele&t=high-g).

By ear, once the tuner has you close — three checks, each a fretted note against an open string:

- C string fret 4 = open E
- E string fret 5 = open A
- G string fret 2 = open A (the reentrant G sits two frets below the A string)

Play the pair together and listen for the wobble; when it stops, you are in tune. New nylon strings
will not hold pitch for a day or two — tune, play a minute, tune again.

See [Sizes](sizes.md) for high G vs low G and [Tunings](tunings.md) for alternatives.

## Reentrant tuning

On standard high-G the string nearest the ceiling is not the lowest note — the C string is. In string
order the four sound G–C–E–A: up, down, then up again. That dip is why ukulele chords sound bright and
close, and why "low on the instrument" does not mean "nearest the ceiling" when you read TAB.

## TAB

Four lines, A on top → G at the bottom. Numbers = frets.

## When it buzzes or thuds

| What you hear | What it is | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Rattle or fret buzz | Finger too far behind the fret | Move the fingertip up against the fret wire |
| Dead thud | Not enough pressure, or the pad instead of the tip | Fret on the tip, nail short, thumb behind the neck |
| One string silent in a chord | A neighbouring finger leaning on it | Stand the fingers up steeper; check each string alone |
| Sharp, sour notes | Squeezing — nylon bends under pressure | Least pressure that gives a clean note |

Press less than you think; place closer to the fret than you think.

## 4-week plan

1. C Am F G + downstrokes
2. Changes + G7 + island seed DDUUDU
3. Song loops + Dm Em
4. Chuck + one fingerpicking pattern + movable peek

## Ten minutes a day

2 min tune (one pair by ear) · 3 min one chord change slowly · 3 min the same change on the
metronome · 2 min play something you already know.

Next: [Open chords](chords.md) · [Strumming](strumming.md) · [Play along](songs.md)