The wonderful world of ukuleles, many decisions; no worries help is here thanks to Hal and Neil

willem
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Sat Jul 09, 2011 10:28 am

hI Michele,,lot of fun practice ukulele songs,, i don't have a good uke right now but practice them on guitar putting the capo on the 5 fret,,a lot of nice songs out there..

I wonder how it would sound if i play it together with normal guitarplaying,,i must try that out on a friends night..
well its not sound like uke but practice it that way is awesome,,you get familair wit the uke chords..






what a coincidence in one of the links after playback my vid there is awesome uke/harp,,never saw that,,looks intresting.. and a story a baut ''california dulcimers'',well kind of,


michelew
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Sat Jul 09, 2011 9:19 pm

Way to go to prepare for the ukulele Willem.

I've been having fun transposing the chord shapes I know (working out what they are on the uke) by thinking in fourths. Coolio.

M.


michelew
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Thu Jul 14, 2011 8:09 am

willem wrote:


Hi Michel,,,,it would be nice to offer us some of your experience in progressing: in litlle bits,,short video's???

I geuss the weekend is flying by for you,,,

Well no short videos yet. But, soon - it's the old singing issue and nerves of course.

But, I thought I'd offer a little from my journey so far.

Well it is a fun little instrument. And I have been enjoying playing something a little different. It's more playful. You can help but smile when playing it, it's cheerful sound.

I am finding, however, that my head keeps yearning for the richer sound of my guitars. Maybe it's the lack of bass strings.

Today I change strings to Aquila Ukulele stings with a low G and they do sound nicer and the low G feels fuller and more satisfying too. The Ukulele feels more resonate somehow too. I suspect the sound will improve over time as the top loosens up.

Strumming is fun. I've been working through some strumming songs. But, I think Hal is right and there will be a limit to the amount I'll want to just strum. Finger picking actually sounds quite nice, so I'll start the solo songs at some point.

If any of you are planning on getting a uke, definitely look for one with a wider than normal neck and try it out. Mine is about 34mm at the nut, which is fine, but wider would be better.

Gee when you pick up a guitar after playing a uke for a while they seem so big and heavy. It's all relative I guess.

It's been fun. But, I agree with Jim that my guitars will continue to get the bulk of my practice time.

Of course being so light it will definitely be coming on holidays with me.

Journey so far. Video to come.

Michele


willem
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Thu Jul 14, 2011 8:27 am

michelew wrote:
willem wrote:


Hi Michel,,,,it would be nice to offer us some of your experience in progressing: in litlle bits,,short video's???

I geuss the weekend is flying by for you,,,

Well no short videos yet. But, soon - it's the old singing issue and nerves of course.

But, I thought I'd offer a little from my journey so far.

Well it is a fun little instrument. And I have been enjoying playing something a little different. It's more playful. You can help but smile when playing it, it's cheerful sound.

I am finding, however, that my head keeps yearning for the richer sound of my guitars. Maybe it's the lack of bass strings.

Today I change strings to Aquila Ukulele stings with a low G and they do sound nicer and the low G feels fuller and more satisfying too. The Ukulele feels more resonate somehow too. I suspect the sound will improve over time as the top loosens up.

Strumming is fun. I've been working through some strumming songs. But, I think Hal is right and there will be a limit to the amount I'll want to just strum. Finger picking actually sounds quite nice, so I'll start the solo songs at some point.

If any of you are planning on getting a uke, definitely look for one with a wider than normal neck and try it out. Mine is about 34mm at the nut, which is fine, but wider would be better.

Gee when you pick up a guitar after playing a uke for a while they seem so big and heavy. It's all relative I guess.

It's been fun. But, I agree with Jim that my guitars will continue to get the bulk of my practice time.

Of course being so light it will definitely be coming on holidays with me.

Journey so far. Video to come.

Michele
Thanks Michele for the update on your yourney,,,it is fine that you discover things that is refining the fun of your uke playing,, i think also that picking is a nice way and sound,,

Oh Yeah the nerves and singin,,,the best way is to relax everything (also the throat,,make a half jaw) and make faces..lol,,,can't wait but take your time..

ps a nice song you know on guitar is ''here comes the sun'''maybe nice on the uke too...


michelew
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Sun Jul 17, 2011 1:59 am

Hi everyone. Well ask promised, I've recorded my first ukulele song. It's a start. You'll find it at the link below.

http://www.totallyguitars.com/forum/149 ... html#81777

I'm hoping that other ukulele players and those just starting out will contribute to the thread too.

Chas - I told you it would be less than 2 years. Got a ukulele?

Cori - I know you've got one. SO what are you playing on it.

Suzi - dust off that ukulele we need to see you again.

ta

Michele

BTW - I'm planning to get strap buttons and a strap for the ukulele. The strap is OK, but not stable enough for my likely. Hal was right again.


clydeortego
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Mon Jul 09, 2012 11:52 pm

Hey Michel:

CLyde here from New Orleans and I was just thinking when you start to look for a new ukulele you might want to consider the OHANA brand.

That is the brand I play and it was very resonable the Site is OHANA.COM.

Good luck and happy strumming.

CLyde


michelew
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Wed Jul 11, 2012 2:21 am

Thanks for the suggestion Clyde.

As you can see from the quote below, which is added to the front page of this thread, I'm the proud owner of a Tenor Kala. You can see the exact model in the link below. However, if I decide I need to add another cute little member to my stringed instrument collection I'll check out the Ohana brand ...if I can find them here in Sydney.

Thanks again and happy playing.

How about posting a video of your ukulele playing? In fact there is a ukulele party going in the Busking ukulele songs thread, which you can find here.

http://www.totallyguitars.com/forum/149 ... songs.html

Vanessa added a couple of fantastically inspirational and WOW! Numbers just recently. You'll love them.

You need to use the busking video uploader. For Band find "ukulele songs" in the list, then Bob's your uncle.



It would be great to see you play.

Michele


michelew wrote:
Thanks for the advice Jim.

Well I just purchased a Kala tenor ukulele KA-ST, solid spruce top and mahogany body. Here are the specs and a photo if anyone wants more info.

http://www.kalaukulele.com/detail.asp?product_id=KA-ST



It's a sweet sounding little thing. And while I tried a heap of more expensive ones, none of them sounded significantly better given all of them were at least an additional 80% more in price. Obviously, like Jim, I also have no idea how much I'll play this little uke, but it will be fun giving it a burl. It doesn't have a wide neck. The wider neck models started at double the price. I can wait. If I really get into the ukulele then I'll look for that feature in any upgrade I consider.

I've got a low G string (the bridge hole looks big enough), a soft case and a strap that goes underneath like a sax strap ( it's a little unstable but I'm sure it will be fine). So I'm all set to do some learning and playing.

I'm going to a ukulele performance and workshop on Monday night so I won't be changing out the high G string to a low G string (which both sound very uncomfortable ;) ) just yet.

SO cute!!

Hi, ho, hi, ho, it's off to play I go. Woo Hoo!


Off to strum.

M.


clydeortego
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Mon May 19, 2014 9:04 am

ALOHA NEIL:


I disagree with Hal the tenor is not tuned close to the guitar, the Baritone is tuned the same as the top four strings to the guitar (DGBE).

I know this because I own and play one.

I fell in love with it on my last trip to the Islands as the wife and I stayed at Turtle bay on the north shore of Oahu.

Mahalo

Clyde


clydeortego
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Mon May 19, 2014 2:43 pm

:huh: Hey All:

I play a Baritone Ukulele which is tuned to (DGBE) and these are exactly the same as the top four string on any guitar on the market.

I know guitar players like the tenor but the Baritone is literally a small guitar in the sense of it and is sometimes call a small tenor guitar cause you can tune a tenor guitar to the same tuning.

Thanks
Clyde Ortego


michelew
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Mon May 19, 2014 5:45 pm

Hey Clyde,

Thanks for dropping by and telling us about your uke. I'd love to see it, better still I'd love to hear it. Feel like playing a song for us?

I don't know what Hal's statement was. I'm wondering whether you may have misinterpreted what he meant.

You're right that a baritone is often tuned the same as the four top strings of a guitar. But lots of people restrings their ukes so they can tune them gCEA, the same as the other members of the ukulele family too. I not too long ago got one for a man in my family who's a big guy with large hands. He needed the extra space in the fretboard and between the strings. I just changed the strings to an gCEA set for made for baritone ukes and he was very happy with the result. It produces a bigger sound too.

So it depends what you prefer I guess.

Want to show of your beauty?

Thanks again.

M

Edit: Clyde I just reread your second to last comment. I think I missed your point the first time...maybe this time too.

If you put a capo on the fifth fret of a guitar, then the first four strings are pretty much what you have with a tenor uke, especially if you change out the G string for a low G as Hal recommends. Maybe that's what Hal meant.

Of course a lot of ukes use the high G string which is characteristic of the ukulele.


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