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CipherMeister
Aloha
USA
19 Posts |
 Posted - 04/09/2003 : 4:55:04 PM
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Hi;
I'm still finding conflicting opinions/practices regarding the Tenor Ukulele tuning. Some say to use an Octave high G string, some say use Low G (more like Guitar or Baritone uke). Is there a standard? What do you folks use for Tenor uke?
Thanks
Roger
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http://www.TheCipher.com
"Blumberg's Music Theory Cipher
for Guitar and other Stringed Instruments"
[Free online tutorials for Guitar, Bass,
Mandolin, Banjo, Ukulele, and more]
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Kahalenahele
Lokahi
USA
102 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2003 : 5:37:56 PM
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| Mine came in low-G. Due to the peculiarities of resonator instruments, it's got a funny resonance when I play an A on the low-G. I restrung with high-G strings, and I find I prefer the sound and tone much better. I think re-entrant tuning is pretty cool - I like the tighter chords. |
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2003 : 6:21:27 PM
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And I prefer the low G. I've heard that low G is more the norm in Hawaii. On other ukulele forums a low G is fighting words!  I have a book on slack key ukulele; iirc the 1st string is tuned down from A to G. Standards? Ha ha! |
Pauline |
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Kahalenahele
Lokahi
USA
102 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2003 : 6:55:27 PM
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| Pauline, what's the slack key ukulele book? |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2003 : 7:52:49 PM
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| I use a low G on my 4 string tenor. Sheila has been using a low G on her soprano since aloha camp last Aug. |
Dusty |
Edited by - wdf on 04/09/2003 7:53:32 PM |
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catheglass
Lokahi
USA
312 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2003 : 12:06:00 AM
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<perk> slack Key 'ukulele book?
Does that come in Baritone flavor?
Tell us all, Pauline!!! Mahalo. |
cathe |
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2003 : 01:52:48 AM
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Aloha,
The book is How to Play Slack Key Ukulele by Heeday Kimura, c.1986, ISBN 0-917822-17-X. It's short, 22 pages, and discusses just one tuning (low GCEG), is fingerstyle with a little strumming, has some vamp runs and endings, has chimes exercises, and includes about 6 songs. I have to admit I haven't studied it much, although it looks like it's worth it. Heeday's notation system and beat indications are something I struggle with.
I ordered it from, I think, Elderly. They had a number of books on sale, possibly a close-out.
Cathe, I think the music and concepts could easily be transposed to baritone tunings.
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Pauline |
Edited by - Pauline Leland on 04/10/2003 01:57:38 AM |
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CipherMeister
Aloha
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2003 : 07:29:22 AM
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Thanks everyone so far.
>I've heard that low G is more the norm in Hawaii.
Any Ideas how I might verify that Pauline? Any other good Uke boards perhaps? Any actually in hawaii maybe? Anyone?
Keep um commin
Thanks
Roger |
http://www.TheCipher.com
"Blumberg's Music Theory Cipher
for Guitar and other Stringed Instruments"
[Free online tutorials for Guitar, Bass,
Mandolin, Banjo, Ukulele, and more]
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2003 : 09:47:36 AM
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| My observation is that the low G is probably the norm in Hawai`i - for tenor `ukuleles, anyway. |
Andy |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2003 : 11:59:24 AM
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My tenor is strung with low G and I keep the 1st string in g, too. That way the fingering is just Taro Patch as if it were a guitar capoed at the 5th fret. Mostly I use the uke for discovering melodies and licks that I then can tab and use on a guitar (on which my thumb knows what to do, unlike when I "play" the uke :-). The nice thing about the uke, is that I can recline on the sofa, fool around and have my spine be comfy.
About the Low G being the norm in Hawai`i: Hilo Luthier David Hurd's web pages say that, and explain that the air resonance of the tenor is very near that frequency. So, if you take him as an authority, and he probably is, then that is a form of verification.
...Reid |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2003 : 01:03:55 AM
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On the topic of low-G tuning, a couple of questions...
Is the low G usually a wound string? Does anyone know what size that string is? I'd like to scrounge through my pile of uke strings and try to find something close so I can try low G before I go buy a whole set for my Kamaka concert.
Jesse Tinsley |
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oaklandslacker
Aloha
China
47 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2003 : 05:11:45 AM
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Low G will be a wound string. Don't know the gauge though.
My question is: will a fluke play a wound string OK? It has the plastic fretboard and I suspect it might not...dunnow. |
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2003 : 11:17:09 AM
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Oaklandslacker,
A poster on the Fleamarketmusic.com BB reported fret wear using a wound string. The frets are so short anyway, I'd hate to have perceptible wear on them.
BTW and IIRC, the upcharge for a wood fretboard with metal frets is $75. Someone sent their Fluke back to the makers to have the plastic board replaced with wood and the charge was also about $75. |
Pauline |
Edited by - Pauline Leland on 04/11/2003 11:18:26 AM |
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Tim M
Aloha
6 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2003 : 11:57:38 PM
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Last summer on the Big Island out of the dozen or so tenors I saw played, most all were in high G tuning. I certainly came back with the impression that that was the norm.
TM |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2003 : 12:11:34 AM
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IMHO, the high G is what makes a uke sound like a uke (that and the small body resonance), especially when strummed solo, and it helps it stand out from the guitar when played together. I'd never heard low G played until I was trying to tab out Iz's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and figured out my uke was missing something. Low G gives you more options for picking, obviously, but doesn't have the distinctive plinkiness I associate with the instrument.
Jesse Tinsley
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2003 : 01:03:05 AM
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Recently, someone posted that high G is used because it gives a similar sound on both the upstrum and downstrum. So where ukes are mainly strummed, you'll find mostly reentrant tuning. Where they are fingerpicked, you'll find mostly low tuning.
Good theory, huh? I wonder if it holds water.
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Pauline |
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