Ukulele

[BMD]

I bought an el-cheapo Aklot tenor a while ago and I'm really enjoying playing it. The fact that it's tuned a perfect fourth above a guitar took a bit of getting used to.

 

I removed the saddle and sanded it down a few millimetres. It now plays like a dream. 

 

I have small hands, so the tenor size and four strings suit me well. Concert and soprano would be too small, and baritone is too similar to a guitar.

 

Any other uke players/fans here?

[KuruPrionz]

I don't currently own an uke but I've owned a few in the past.  

A tenor would be my choice, having tried all of them. I have large hands but a baritone is just a bit too big, for me the point of an uke is that it is very portable. 

Soprano and concert are too small for me although I love the sound in an ensemble. A friend has a Kala Uke Bass and that is a fantastic instrument. If you weren't looking you'd think it was an upright bass. 

 

[surfergirl]

Ukulele was my first instrument, I started when I was 5. I played a soprano at first, now I'm playing a concert. The Mitchell is an electric and the Fender an acoustic.

[KuruPrionz]

Just now, surfergirl said:

Ukulele was my first instrument, I started when I was 5. I played a soprano at first, now I'm playing a concert. The Mitchell is an electric and the Fender an acoustic.

Uke was my first instrument too, my uncle played one and Mom got us a plastic soprano uke when I was 6 or so. I loved that thing even though I had no idea what to do with it or any lessons. It started me on my guitar path, no doubt about it. I still love ukes but they've come and gone. I do keep an eye out, I'd like a tenor. I played a tenor with double courses on the 2 low strings recently but it was really nice and $600 so I passed. 

 

[Anderton]

27 minutes ago, BMD said:

Any other uke players/fans here?

Big time! My Simplicity album has soprano ukulele all over it...the most ukulele-centric songs are "The Gift of Goodbye," "Play the Game, Spygirl," "Before the Princess Arrives," "Our Independence Day," "Aim for Me, Amy," and "Lucky Weather."

 

One day I was waiting for a program to update, and picked up a ukulele I'd gotten as a gift that was lying around. I became quite addicted. It made me think of songwriting in a different way - like how when I write on keyboards, it's different from guitar.

 

Since that project, I've continued to use ukulele on my songs although not as much as Simplicity. It was acoustic/storytelling-oriented, so the ukulele fit perfectly into most of it. Ukulele is also one of the few instruments I mic, instead of taking it direct. 

 

I want to expand my collection with a tenor at some point. Hey Surfergirl - what's your opinion on the merits of the Mitchell vs. the Fender?

 

Given the size of my hands, it's hard to keep ukulele parts in tune. Melodyne has turned out to be a lifesave!

[RABid]

I have one but don't play it much. I have given 2 as gifts. The Uke seems to be a better entry level instrument than the guitar. Very popular with the college crowd.

[BMD]

15 minutes ago, Anderton said:

Big time! My Simplicity album has soprano ukulele all over it...the most ukulele-centric songs are "The Gift of Goodbye," "Play the Game, Spygirl," "Before the Princess Arrives," "Our Independence Day," "Aim for Me, Amy," and "Lucky Weather."

 

 

I think I might give that another listen, actually

[Anderton]

15 minutes ago, BMD said:

I think I might give that another listen, actually

 

You might find it inspiring in terms of what you can do with ukulele, like what happens when you put delay on it, or eq it so it almost sounds like a nylon-string guitar. Some people still think that ukuleles are good only for slack key Hawaiin music or whatever, but it's a versatile instrument.

[BMD]

35 minutes ago, Anderton said:

 

You might find it inspiring in terms of what you can do with ukulele, like what happens when you put delay on it, or eq it so it almost sounds like a nylon-string guitar. Some people still think that ukuleles are good only for slack key Hawaiin music or whatever, but it's a versatile instrument.

Indeed. Having just listened to it, it's a fine album. Did I hear you sing 'Bloody weather'? That's a common phrase here in the UK! 

 

How on earth did you manage to play a soprano uke? Those things are so tiny. Fingering an E chord must be almost impossible!

[George Toledo]

I have a Fender like Surfer Girl’s, in darker blue. Really great uke! Also an older Harmony that’s so hard to keep in tune.

 

The high stringing of the fourth string really breaks routines in a way that tickles the brain.

[surfergirl]

1 hour ago, Anderton said:

Hey Surfergirl - what's your opinion on the merits of the Mitchell vs. the Fender?

They were both MF SDOTD.

I wouldn't pay the retail price for the Mitchell, but for my purposes it serves me well. I use busking and I don't have to worry about. I like the Fender, it's a great ukulele to take to the beach or sit on the back porch and play and I love the look. Now am I biased towards Fender? Yes. 

[Anderton]

1 hour ago, BMD said:

How on earth did you manage to play a soprano uke? Those things are so tiny. Fingering an E chord must be almost impossible!

 

Melodyne polyphonic pitch correction is my friend. I can fret the notes, but have a hard time not bending them slightly.

[Anderton]

27 minutes ago, George Toledo said:

The high stringing of the fourth string really breaks routines in a way that tickles the brain.

 

Maybe that explains why it bends my songwriting in different directions?

[Anderton]

1 hour ago, BMD said:

Indeed. Having just listened to it, it's a fine album. Did I hear you sing 'Bloody weather'? That's a common phrase here in the UK! 

 

Thanks, it's one of my favorite albums because I liked telling stories in the lyrics. FWIW it's "Lucky Weather," but it can be whatever you want  Hey! You could do a UK-specific cover version!

[BMD]

23 minutes ago, Anderton said:

 

Thanks, it's one of my favorite albums because I liked telling stories in the lyrics. FWIW it's "Lucky Weather," but it can be whatever you want  Hey! You could do a UK-specific cover version!

Ah. Two countries separated by a common language....

[GovernorSilver]

Had a nephew who was really fascinated by guitars, but was a bit too young and small to handle any.  So my mom suggested I get him a ukulele.

 

I happened to be on vacation in Cebu, Philippines.  We got on a tour that took us to a luthier's shop in Mactan.  Found a ukulele there that just blew away all the ukes I saw in souvenir shops in playability and sound quality, yet barely cost more than any of those souvenir ukes.  Some really good quality (imo") acoustic guitars as well.

 

Nephew was pretty happy to get the Mactan-made uke.  He was really into it for a while.

[Notes_Norton]

My father played ukulele, violin, trumpet and later in life organ (with bass pedals). I have his violin and his uke (made in Chicago). I don't play the uke, (although, someday) … but I did replace the tuners with period correct ones.

 

The only instruments I heard him play are the ukulele and the organ. He picked up the organ after I became an adult, and I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly he picked it up. He was a talented man, who made is living working day jobs.

 

I have fond memories of my dad getting the uke out, sitting on the couch with a music book open, and playing those old, corny songs while we children sang along.

 

Finding out that the ukulele was a Portuguese instrument was a surprise. The Hawaiian people certainly made it their own.

 

Although I don't play it, I appreciate a good uke player.

 

Insights and incites by Notes ♫

 

 

[Joe Muscara]

🤣

 

That’s how I really feel, but rationally I try to stick with the idea that is good that people are learning and playing a real instrument.   

 

[I’m sure the first time I saw the commercial, the friend put the uke in the fire. I both agreed and disagreed with that take. I’ll say out loud we should not be destroying musical instruments, even if I don’t care for them.  ]

[Anderton]

5 hours ago, Joe Muscara said:

That’s how I really feel, but rationally I try to stick with the idea that is good that people are learning and playing a real instrument.   

 

You should check out some of my music that uses ukulele. It's a real instrument - in a mix, it has a bit of nylon-string guitar vibe but the frequency range on my soprano uke lets it slide into an arrangement where other instruments don't hang out so much. It did take me a while to figure out its proper place, however. A lot of it has to do with the playing style. I treat it more like the way I play Nashville-tuned guitar.

[Notes_Norton]

For those of you who haven't heard this yet, here is something I never would have thought a uke player could do, until I heard Jake play this piece of music.