That was so beautiful! Thank you for the lovely explanations. I have been playing for about 5 years and have ventured into chord melody and instinctively noticed that I much preferred the low G for my chord melodies and now I know why! That extra octave range is so beautiful on the ukulele. Thank you again!
You are right. It is the personal choice of sound that matters. The gCEA tuning is for my ears the SOUND of the Ukulele. Put a low G on and it becomes a little guitar. Yes, there is more flexibility but it loses that vitality which attracted me to the instrument in the 1st place. There are limitations, sure, and that gives my brain a workout on chords, inversions, & music theory. The UKE is hard to play well.
I agree Deryck .. Also .. I like to play Campanella (ala John King ) style which is virtually impossible .. I also like the upstroke for chord melody .. like playing F+2 by leaving the 4th string open.
I started playing the ukulele 8 months ago and was instantly hooked. I got a second concert ukulele of better quality 4 months ago and decided to change my original ukulele to a low G. I have not been able to find many, if any at all, chords or tabs to songs that I like on the web that are arranged in low G so I barely ever use my low G ukulele when I practice. This video and your right hand technique video now give me some kind of direction to go with my low G ukulele and begin to practice playing melody and harmony together. I enjoy watching you share your vast knowledge of the ukulele on your videos. Thanks Kimo!
Thank you, Janzaldo80! The more you play your low G uke, the greater your appreciation will be in terms of the added range that tuning provides. Let's keep our dialogue going regarding low G ukes as we BOTH can learn more about it.
Thank you so much for this discussion. It convinced me to try my tenor ukulele with a low G and it's like getting a new instrument. (Why wouldn't you want more range?) I'm going to keep my concert uke at high G because I find some charm in the that tuning but the low G on the tenor is expanding my options as I embark on learning jazz on the ukulele. Thank you for all your generous offerings on TH-cam, they keep me inspired and learning. Tom Nixon
Kimo, I am relatively new to ukulele and have both high and long tuning tenor and concert instruments. I too am intrigued by the complexity of sound you achieve from what you make look so smooth and effortless. I also know that this comes from years of patient practice but with an ear for hearing the melody and accompanying harmonies. Thank you for the series and the demonstrations. I have been trying to lay the melody foundation first on a limited number of strings and the find the harmonies for my thumb. But, along with other players, easier said than done. Anyway, many thanks for the insights. Ben
Hello, Ben! Thank you for your insights as well. You're headed in the right direction so keep it up. One thing you might add to your practice is to set the ukulele aside and just listen very attentively to a recording of the song you're learning. The reason for listening very critically to what you're learning is to firmly implant the composite sound of melody and harmony within you. When you do this, it establishes a very clear GOAL for you to achieve. The clearer the goal, the faster you'll learn the song. Let me know how it goes. Aloha, Kimo
Rich, thank you. I'm a frustrated "almost" music teacher as the Vietnam war and conscription took me on a tangent that turned into an alternate career. Now that I'm fully retired, it's really nice to come back to music through ukulele. Aloha, Kimo
I just got my first ukulele, a baritone in GCEA (because it fit my big hands and fingers better) for my 60th birthday. I love the way you teach: you're so expressive and your enthusiasm for the instrument shines brightly. Mahalo!
Mahalo back, Tony, and congratulations on your new acquisition. Baritone size makes great sense for a person with big hands. Good luck with your new uke and let me know if I can help.
Kimo, thank you so much for your thoughtful, informative videos. I appreciate your clear explanations and your gentle, beautiful playing style. Best wishes from the San Francisco Bay area.
Yours are such kind words and I thank you for them, Stella. Truth be known, people like you are there for me as well. Teaching would go nowhere were it not for people like you who seek knowledge and proficiency. Thanks for that as well.
Thanks Kimo....your advice on not power strumming all 4 strings is so true...and sometimes difficult to achieve for us who have grown up with rock music all our lives. Simplicity is a beautiful thing.
Thanks, Ukeonio! Your background in rock music can be a very good thing. What you might try is choosing a song with a slower tempo and continue to strum all four strings, but do so in a way that makes the overall sound quieter. Let me know how this goes.
Thank you for your advice, it opened my mind. I am just learning to play, I´m south american of spanish tradition and was raised in Germany. I have little knowledge about hawaian culture and what I want to play has no hawaian sound (german lied, spanish songs, easy rock, pop, blues,....). That´s why I need those low five notes of the low G string. I bought a (toy?) ukelele Hohner Kids soprano with black strings like rubber, didn´t like the sound and changed them for a new set of D´Addario nylon strings with high G string. I could not find other strings in the music shops I visited. Achieved the sound I wanted using A and E strings from the new ukelele string set and for the C and the low G string, gitar G strings (metal covered or metal wrapped common old gitar G strings). A gitar G string sounds better than the original D´ Addario C string on such a little soprano ukelele.
Hello, Omar!!!! You're doing a great job, especially if you've just started to play. It's good that you make the effort to do your own research and experimentation with strings in order to find what works best for you. Keep going as it is all wonderful education that will help increase your joy in playing. Let's continue our dialogue and use it as a means of helping you continue to make good progress. Where do you live????
Thank you for your reply. We live in Montevideo - Uruguay. My daughter is 13 and I am 49 jears young. Both of us have the right age for learning and having fun with music.
omar silva Wonderful, Omar! Keep going. If there is anything I can help you with concerning ukulele, please let me know. You are my very first friend from Uruguay and I think that's very exciting.
Kimo Hussey Beeing my daughter in a Scout camp and having some sad news in my family my "toy" ukelele is a fine company to me. The last string configuration for the best sound and less difference of tension between strings I found is 1st. and 2nd. strings normal ukelele nylon strings, for the 3rd string a 4th. gitar metal wound nylon string, for the 4th string a 5th. gitar metal wound nylon string. This is what works best (for me) low G with this soprano 12 fret ukelele, The 4th. and 6th. gitar strings were too thick and didn´t match the sound of the other strings. Having this ukelele for us the right size (hiding is important) it has a nice sound. Now the sound doesn´t depend on the instrument, but on exercise, determination, natural skill and the fun of playing music. As an example of the benefit of having low G I could play the riff of Deep Purple´s "Smoke on the Water" note by note, a note lower (beginning with low G) what gives as result a powerful sound, the same playing it with the correspondent chords (in slow motion for now) but strumming with the fingernails of the whole hand like a gitar. I was able to play some easy german Lied, some easy parts of Vivaldi which came on my mind, tried some Bach tabs and american folk songs, took - and take - a few video lessons from you, explored some theory in the internet..... The sound of the Pacific won´t be forgotten, I like it very much. It´s incredible how this little instrument can sound from powerful to lovely pure and clean. I have my fun and for now enough skill for making wolves to howl the moon. Thank you for your lessons, they are of great help.
omar silva Omar, you are a treasure and I appreciate your feedback and love of ukulele. Most importantly, I think you are exactly right in the way you are approaching your own development in ukulele. What I like best about what you've said is that your attitude in learning about the instrument will permit the instrument's POTENTIAL to become more available to you. As you continue on, I'm positive you will be amazed at what this simple little instrument can do. It sings BEAUTIFULLY.
Very informative! I'm buying a tenor in the near future and I've been reading and watching videos about the Low G vs High G debate. Also, your voice coupled with Danny Boy is incredibly soothing! Thanks so much
Thanks, back, Ryan! What have you decided about low G or high G???? I real meaningful plan to address this choice, budget willing, is to get two ukes. :)
I mean optimally two ukes would be great, but as I can only get one, I think what I'm going to do is, because I'm upgrading from a soprano (a crappy one at that,) I'm going to try the high G for now and once I've gotten used to the tone and the uke itself I might go back in and see if my local music store can switch over the strings. I'll be sure to be back in a couple weeks with feedback:)
Hey Kimo, I ordered in the low G last week, and got it this morning. I've been playing it all afternoon, and I'm really happy with it. Thanks for the video!
Kimo, first of all, gorgeous version of Danny Boy. Wow! I'm a very new student of the ukulele and as a professional singer of standards, I'd like to accompany myself. Do the chords change if you have the low G??? I'm almost afraid to to do it and blow my mind apart by having to learning new chords. (Yikes!) I've learned the chords to "Dream A Little Dream Of Me". I really like the sound of the low G a lot. Where do I get a low G string for my concert ukulele???
Mia Hess Aloha, Mia! Thank you for your post and interest in ukulele. Using a low G string will be very transparent save for sound. You will NOT have to change any chords at all. What the low G string will do for you is to give the instrument a bit more range especially on the bass side of things ----- and I think this is good on a concert uke with a singer. Strings can be bought either in low G sets or individually. Do let me know how the transition goes. I'd be glad to help.
Mia Hess Learn the best instrument on the planet (THE UKULELE) using revolutionary new techniques that cut down learning time by about one tenth. Go here ==> ukuguides.blogspot.com/
Fantastic video. I absolutely love low G ukulele. I love the use of the lower register not to mention the signature of any good musician which is the ability to recognize and use volume for expression and emotion. Beautiful playing.
Kimo Hussey I was a guitar player for many years. I remember picking up a ukulele from the local instrument shop and realizing for the first time what I had been missing. It really gave me the freedom that I needed to express my music in the way that I wanted. I play the instrument with great respect but I also play it very unconventional because that is who I am. You can be the fanciest player in the world and it means nothing if you do not feel when you play. It wasn't until I allowed myself to slow down and to stop trying to sound like everyone else that the real melody and beauty of my own playing was allowed to breathe for the first time. I always try and tell younger musicians. "I've heard a thousand notes that mean nothing and at the same time 7 of those notes that mean everything." Many blessings to you and yours and thank you for these informative videos.
I believe that most guitar players who gravity (or uplift) to a uke use a low G string instead of a high G string because they are used to having the lowest sounding note closer to their nose than their toes. I know, that in the beginning of learning the uke, it would irritate me to hit a high note where I expected a much lower pitched note. A person who never played a guitar probably wouldn't know the difference.
Kimo, I love the way your playing sounds. I look forward to the video series each week. I am intrigued by the '2 finger' kind of playing you use, but can't quite seem to get it myself. Any pointers on using the "pincher" movement? I like the softer tone it produces.
Ben, thank you. You're already on the right track just by trying it out and remaining consistent in that kind of practice. Every time you strum a chord, listen to it as you already do and ask yourself what can you do to make it sound the way you would like it to sound. I know this sounds very simplistic but it is true and will be brought to realization through patience and practice. Let me know how it goes as I'd love to help.
This is crazy!! I love the sound of the low g! But I have a question, if you buy a low g ukulele, can you tune it to a high g? Or do you need to buy new chords? I love the sound of the low g ukulele, but I'm afraid my chords won't sound the same as my ukulele teacher's, which can be an issue since we usually learn songs off by ear. Great video!! I love how you play : )
Hello Kimo thanks for a very informative video. I've only just found you on TH-cam and find your videos very helpful. I have a Kanile'a K1 which I bought for it's beautiful sound and I'm trying your technique with the low G. I found there were some songs which required a B, A or G below middle C and the high G doesn't have the range to complete the melody. In particular, La Vie en Rose in C doesn't quite sound right without a low B (the C substitute is possible but not quite there) And as you say, if you are not pounding the instrument with percussive strums, there is such a sweet sound to be searched for and extracted. What a wonderful instrument the ukelele is.
Hello Kimo, so glad I found this video (and your channel)! I am blown away by your song Danny Boy!!! What a beautiful performance! Currently I'm looking to buy my first uke but frankly I am overwhelmed by all the different choices. I think I'm pretty set on a tenor (you're playing a tenor in this video, right? It has validated me in that choice). But I'm really not sure if I, as a total beginner with the uke, should go with the low g or high g option. I would immediately take the low g option, but then I can't play songs that are meant to be played on a high g uke, can I? I mean, let's say the song is in C - the tonic on the low g uke would then be G3-C4-E4-C5. So a C major chord but with the G in the bass instead of the C. That will alter the sound of the chord right? Same with the other chords. What are your thoughts on that?
Hello, ULSWC! Thanks for your inquiry and interest in ukulele. My advice relevant to Low/High G is to go with the SOUND you prefer. Listen to several examples of each and make your choice based on what most rings your bell. There is no such thing as a uke that has a meaningful compromise so don't be afraid of making a choice now as you can always change later if you want.
Thanks for your quick reply! I think I do prefer the sound of the low g. I really do. But I'll have to see how I can still make songs for a high g uke sound nice regardless. Now, tenors are supposed to be a little louder than concerts. Noticably so? Because I want to be able to play at night in my room without being heard by the person in the next room trying to sleep!
One of my favourite songs of all time. You play it with great sensitivity, and simplicity that enhances the classic quality of the song. Well done. What Uke is that one? Thanks.
Thanks for your comments, Simon. One of the reasons I LOVE playing some slower songs on the uke is that many of these songs show a different aspect of ukulele which is so beautiful. The uke I'm using is a prototype of a Chinese uke destined for the high-end, custom ukulele market.
Hello from Montevideo (Uruguay), Kimo!!! First things first: your version of Danny Boy simply moved me to tears. BEAUTIFUL! Congratulations! I cannot agree more to what you say about simplicity and beauty. I'm a musician (piano and synth) and I know this is completely true. But, although I have a life of experience with keyboards, I'm a complete newcomer to ukulele. I recently bought a concert one with high G... and after seeing this video I'm convinced... I'll switch to low G. 😊 If you don't mind, I'd really like to learn your version of Danny Boy. Did you publish it? Is there any music publisher where I can buy the score with tablature? Hope my request won't bother you. Thank you! Cheers! Pablo Martínez
Hello, Pablo! Thanks for your post and interest in ukulele. I'm thrilled to know someone in Uruguay. I've always been way too lazy to do tabs so don't have any for Danny Boy. But learning this as I do it is very easy. Start only with the melody in the key of C and add in the chords when the melody just flows effortlessly. I'd love to keep in touch and help you in any way I can. Aloha Kimo
Thanks, Kimo!!! I'll follow your advice! I'll start with the melody! Music, as you also may know, is a matter of love, dedication and patience. Well, I'm also thrilled to know someone from the beautiful land of Hawaii. Take care and keep on playing (and teaching) your wonderful music!
Thank you, Pablo. I don't publish music or even create any tablature. Ukulele is strictly a means of fun for me. I do believe your background with keyboards will guide you through learning Danny Boy on the ukulele. The essence of this song really is beautiful simplicity and that's what makes it so learnable.
Kimo, I got another Concert uke just so I could do a low G on it. I love it, as it's really nice with singing! Question: Can you do a Low G on a Soprano?? Or does it sound stupid?
Of course, it will sound wonderful!!!!! You'll hardly believe the amount of sound that will come out of that little box. Of course, you're asking a real die hard low G everything kinda guy!!!!!! Only way to go!!!!!!
@@KimoHusseyUkulele I have a Soprano Flight travel uke with an extended neck. I changed the strings to Martin's and all strings now sound pleasant except the G, which sounds dull to me. I am wondering if perhaps a low G just might solve the problem. It would have to be a string that is not wound as it is a plastic instrument. Any suggestions for a good brand for this little uke? I have a low G on my tenor, which I love .
@@colson8327 Hello, C!!!!! An unwound low G string sounds like a great idea. There are several on the market so what I would do is just buy one of them, string up your uke and start playing. If you like what you hear, keep going. Please do let me know how this goes as I'd be glad to help as best I can.
Thanks for your video series Mr. Hussey. Was wondering what your opinion was about various types of ukulele strings. Both my Kala tenor solid mahogany and Kala tenor spalted maple came with Aquilla strings. Any benefit to trying out other strings?
Hello, Dulcimerdan, thank you for your post. I have no favorite strings and welcome the amount of research and development currently continuing with them. I've used Aquila strings a lot and do enjoy them. I have a tenor I use now that has an Aquila set on it except for the low G string. I'm using a classical guitar D string for that. At other times, I've used the first four strings of a classical guitar set to put on a tenor uke and loved the result. My favorite string activity is to use different brands to see how they change the sound of the uke. The string is the "motor" of the uke in that it's what drives the instrument. I therefore think ukes respond differently to the strings we use and that provides me lots of ways to have fun with differing sounds.
I live in Northern California.now. But I actually.come from Kailua. As a teenager I played in a Balalaika band. The balalaika has 3 strings and 2 are the same. I also.play 5-string banjo. So I can't wait for my concert ukulele to.arrive from The.Ukulele Site! It'll be fun seeing how.the.skills I already have apply to the Ukulele.
Mugsy, there is a LOT going on with ukulele in the Bay Area and I feel the different programs and activities going on there make it the most fertile area for learning ukulele. Let me know if you need some referrals.
I love the added range of the low G, but when playing a song with the tonic in C it puts the tonic onto a second position chord, which doesn't sound as stable as if it were in root positon. Still, I love the tone and balance so I'm going to have to try it out. :)
ObamaoZedong Thank you, Obamaozedong!!!!! As much as I really adore the low G sound, it certainly isn't a perfect tuning capable of solving any problems which arise. But the SOUND of this tuning is what I like best. As you try it out, do some songs where you put the melody onto the low G string and you'll be richly rewarded. Let me know what you think of this tuning as you try it out.
Hello, Mugsy!!! Where do you live? Are there lots of ukulele players there? One thing I recommend people do is to play your friends ukes to hear how differently ukuleles can sound. It's a better education and a LOT less expensive to learn this way. You're right about finding good internet teachers largely because it's very difficult to teach ukulele when the person is not sitting right in front of you. But we can make the best of the internet situation by creating and maintaining good dialogue about techniques and procedures. Let me know how I can help. The T-shirt came from an ukulele person/business in San Diego.
the song you played is so beautiful! Can you help me with this, the g string on my ukulele is the high G and the thinnest one, so if i want the low G, should i use that same string and just tune it down or i have to use another that thicker, maybe as thick as the C string?
You would have to use a different string ----- generally called a low G string. But the best option would be to get another ukulele that is tuned using a low G string.
Last question (I swear, I swear) what are your thoughts about colored strings? Aquila makes some, but howz the sound, howz the strength, etc. ?? Mucho MAHALO!!!!!
No problem with questions, Mugsy! I enjoy colored strings though most of my experience with them has been with guitar rather than ukulele. I do think colored strings are a novelty and work best when the color matches the instrument.
Hi, Deroy!!! I got these T-shirts at an ukulele festival in San Diego. I really love them but it's been way too long since I've had contact with the person who sold them. So sorry for being too forgetful. Aloha, Kimo
Mugsy G I'm out here in Pittsburgh, they have the same shirt, you can order them from music stores, but there are more retailers. But I will continue to search online.
It's a bit difficult for me to figure out how to get you to play more fluently because I would first need to hear you play. But my initial idea is if you're not able to play fluently yet, perhaps your music is now NOT so fluent. If this is the case, practice more and your music will smooth out. If this is not the case, tell me more about your playing and I bet we can figure out some things to help.
Hello, Dead Poolz! I appreciate your interest in ukulele. Not being able to play anything FLUENTLY is a lot better than not being able to play melody at all. My best guess is for you to practice very consistently. I think it's the best way to improve on fluent playing.
Hello, Deroy! Thanks for your post. My preference has always been a four string uke although I do now play a six-string baritone in which the two lower courses are doubled in octaves. I really like this configuration and think the mellow sound it produces is FANTASTIC. What I also like about this configuration is that melodies come out very wonderful and defined. Overall, it's one of the most beautiful ukulele sounds I've ever heard. I'll do a video on it so you can see and hear how beautiful it is.
Thanks for your interest in ukulele, Erin!!!!! What you'll need do in order to achieve a low G tuning is to get the proper G string for the lower tuning. Any music store that sells ukulele strings can help for you can go online to get it. Low G tuning has always been my preference and I think you'll enjoy the sound. Let me know how it turns out.
+MissAbbyTimm Aloha, Miss Abby ----- Indeed I do come to the Seattle area and it happens to be one of my favorite places to visit. I'll be there in March to do some workshops and a concert. In July I go to Cortes Island for my annual 5night/6day workshop at Hollyhock. I'm planning to go back in August to do another series of workshops and concerts which at that time will feature Kinnard ukuleles. I'd be glad to provide you more specific information and put you in touch with the event planner with whom I work for Seattle area events. My email is: kimohussey@gmail.com. Thank you for your inquiry.
@Fr. Wm. Tom Davis, OSA Aloha, Fr. Wm Tom Davis ----- I apologize for taking so long to respond. I've had a techinical problem with you and another in my "reply" mode and so have been advised to try this methodology. I have no preferences with any low G string. I love changing strings on ukes I play quite often and look for differences in sound rather than try to identify a brand I like best. There are so many different issues one can use in order to alter the sound of the ukulele and I have found there is no such thing as the ultimate ukulele. So, continue on as you do and try different brands of strings. In terms of your own preferences, your ear is infinitely more accurate than mine. Trust your instincts as they are quite accurate. Please do let me know how things go for you. Aloha, Kimo
I apologize, Piano Buzz, as I don't have any tabs. I play this song just for fun and never play it the same twice in a row. For me, it's a noodling song that's really simple yet nice.
Indeed, Jono, it's all about personal preference and that is one of the many wonderful things about ukulele, that it has an incredible capacity to let all of us enjoy what we like best about it.
Kimo Hussey Thank you! Will a concert uke also sound good enough with low G string? For sinning along. For all songs not only with happy ones )) I would like to replace a guitar with uke ))
Your concert uke would sound great with a low G. I've done this many times myself and have always loved the result. If you do try it, let me know how it turns out.
I still do not have a uke I'm trying to decide which is better to buy a concert or a tenor for playing and singing along songs of different genres. Earlier I played only on acoustic guitars. ) And I think I will replace high G string with Low G because the sound will be more rich and universal for different genres ) As it seems to me ) Maybe I just have to go to a music shop and listen to them by myself )
I just ordered some new strings that come with A low g so exited! I'm putting it on my tenor but keeping high G on my soprano and if I don't like it I can always just change the string but I'm sure I will like it also how do I tune the low g? Like on a clip on tuner do I just tune it like the regular G?
would learned chords finger positioning change? or would it be the same note but just a bit of a different sounding note? New to ukulele and learning pretty fast! but this instrument throws me curve balls. I keep trying to treat it like a guitar only to learn differently when I try something. which is why i have so many questions! I have a little soprano but I am really set on investing in a concert or tenor. I really love ukulele much more than the guitar and I have only had 2 short months with the ukulele.
Hello, Homoglobin! Definitely try a tenor and let me know how that feels. Your guitar experience will come in very handy ----- just don't try to play the uke the way you played your guitar or that will be confusing.
Oh...sorry to keep babbling...But, my Uncle George could play anything with strings on it :) !! He was Amazing. I now have his Martin Soprano uke. GREAT condition, nice sound. Is there a low G string I could use on a soprano? Or would it ruin its natural sound and possibly warp the neck??...I think it at least 20 years old. So I think it's about time to change the strings anyway.
I bought the ukelele for various reasons, I want my daughter to play an instrument, she expressed her wish to play gitar but she showed no will to find any melody by herself. The gitar at home is an old good sounding expensive gitar so I thought she might have fear to damage it. I bought a cheap chinese gitar and changed strings for better sound (it did the trick, sound has a lot to do with strings), proposed her to learn gitar together but had no success, she didn´t want. I can´t pay her a teacher, I have sports and social activities of her to pay, we must learn by ourselves and we are common people. I begun to learn gitar by myself showing her that it is possible without a teacher but without success with her. My next idea was to put instruments at home so she can choose one when she is bored. I bought a flute and the ukelele because of price, size, because it´s easiear to learn than gitar and because a ukelele is a funny little instrument. I have to be a step before my daughter, I have to be her teacher and the size of the ukelele makes it possible to take it to my job where I am often a lot of time in the midd of the nothing without having anything to do. To motivate my daughter I forbade her to touch my ukelele. For now she shows curiosity, forbidden fruits are sweeter.
Omar, I think you're doing just fine and I bet your daughter will someday appreciate very much the love you are sharing in opening avenues of learning music. How old is she?? As parents and teachers, we never know when it is that the directions we provide will really take hold. So keep going. What seems really obvious to me is how you share your love with and for her.
The title of this video is "High vs. Low G Ukuleles," so I thought it would be a COMPARISON of the two. But you personally like Low G, so you didn't mention anything about High G tuned ukuleles, or even play one. Besides making your instrument sound more like an ukulele and less like a little guitar, High G tuning gives you TWO melody strings, 1st and 4th, so you can alternate strings (campanella) instead of relying on the first string so much. One melody note rings into the next. That's something you can't do on a Low G tuned uke.
Hello, UkuleleMania! Thank you for your feedback. Your thoughts relevant to making a more meaningful comparison of high and low G ukes is absolutely appropriate and I appreciate your thoughts in that regard. You are correct in that I should have made a better comparison of the two. My feeling regarding this issue is that it is not a matter of objectively choosing one over the other but rather is a choice of which SOUND the player prefers.
That was so beautiful! Thank you for the lovely explanations. I have been playing for about 5 years and have ventured into chord melody and instinctively noticed that I much preferred the low G for my chord melodies and now I know why! That extra octave range is so beautiful on the ukulele. Thank you again!
Pam, you're my kind of ukulele player!!!!! Thank you for your post and please do let me know if I can help.
You are right. It is the personal choice of sound that matters. The gCEA tuning is for my ears the SOUND of the Ukulele. Put a low G on and it becomes a little guitar. Yes, there is more flexibility but it loses that vitality which attracted me to the instrument in the 1st place. There are limitations, sure, and that gives my brain a workout on chords, inversions, & music theory. The UKE is hard to play well.
I agree Deryck .. Also .. I like to play Campanella (ala John King ) style which is virtually impossible .. I also like the upstroke for chord melody .. like playing F+2 by leaving the 4th string open.
I started playing the ukulele 8 months ago and was instantly hooked. I got a second concert ukulele of better quality 4 months ago and decided to change my original ukulele to a low G. I have not been able to find many, if any at all, chords or tabs to songs that I like on the web that are arranged in low G so I barely ever use my low G ukulele when I practice. This video and your right hand technique video now give me some kind of direction to go with my low G ukulele and begin to practice playing melody and harmony together. I enjoy watching you share your vast knowledge of the ukulele on your videos. Thanks Kimo!
Thank you, Janzaldo80! The more you play your low G uke, the greater your appreciation will be in terms of the added range that tuning provides. Let's keep our dialogue going regarding low G ukes as we BOTH can learn more about it.
Thank you so much for this discussion. It convinced me to try my tenor ukulele with a low G and it's like getting a new instrument. (Why wouldn't you want more range?) I'm going to keep my concert uke at high G because I find some charm in the that tuning but the low G on the tenor is expanding my options as I embark on learning jazz on the ukulele. Thank you for all your generous offerings on TH-cam, they keep me inspired and learning. Tom Nixon
+Thomas Nixon Good on you, Tom, enjoy the low G. After you've used this tuning for a spell, I'd love to get your feedback on it. Aloha.
That's just so beautiful. This is one of my very favorite songs of all time.
Thank you, Jean!!!!! I LOVE that song as well and think it's perfect for ukulele.
You play so wonderful!! Thank you!!!
Thank you, Bai P!
Kimo, I am relatively new to ukulele and have both high and long tuning tenor and concert instruments. I too am intrigued by the complexity of sound you achieve from what you make look so smooth and effortless. I also know that this comes from years of patient practice but with an ear for hearing the melody and accompanying harmonies. Thank you for the series and the demonstrations. I have been trying to lay the melody foundation first on a limited number of strings and the find the harmonies for my thumb. But, along with other players, easier said than done. Anyway, many thanks for the insights. Ben
Hello, Ben!
Thank you for your insights as well. You're headed in the right direction so keep it up.
One thing you might add to your practice is to set the ukulele aside and just listen very attentively to a recording of the song you're learning. The reason for listening very critically to what you're learning is to firmly implant the composite sound of melody and harmony within you. When you do this, it establishes a very clear GOAL for you to achieve. The clearer the goal, the faster you'll learn the song.
Let me know how it goes.
Aloha,
Kimo
I've been a music teacher for 12 years. I absolutely love and enjoy watching you teach.
Rich, thank you. I'm a frustrated "almost" music teacher as the Vietnam war and conscription took me on a tangent that turned into an alternate career. Now that I'm fully retired, it's really nice to come back to music through ukulele. Aloha, Kimo
I just got my first ukulele, a baritone in GCEA (because it fit my big hands and fingers better) for my 60th birthday. I love the way you teach: you're so expressive and your enthusiasm for the instrument shines brightly. Mahalo!
Mahalo back, Tony, and congratulations on your new acquisition. Baritone size makes great sense for a person with big hands. Good luck with your new uke and let me know if I can help.
Kimo, thank you so much for your thoughtful, informative videos. I appreciate your clear explanations and your gentle, beautiful playing style. Best wishes from the San Francisco Bay area.
Thank you, Tim!!!!!!
Thank you KIMO, your lesson is wonderful as usual, thank you for always being there for all of us, that are learning to play ukulele.
Yours are such kind words and I thank you for them, Stella. Truth be known, people like you are there for me as well. Teaching would go nowhere were it not for people like you who seek knowledge and proficiency. Thanks for that as well.
Thanks Kimo....your advice on not power strumming all 4 strings is so true...and sometimes difficult to achieve for us who have grown up with rock music all our lives. Simplicity is a beautiful thing.
Thanks, Ukeonio! Your background in rock music can be a very good thing. What you might try is choosing a song with a slower tempo and continue to strum all four strings, but do so in a way that makes the overall sound quieter. Let me know how this goes.
You make that look so easy! Beautiful!
It is NOT difficult. It's simply a matter of adopting the right practice methodologies.
Thank you for your advice, it opened my mind. I am just learning to play, I´m south american of spanish tradition and was raised in Germany. I have little knowledge about hawaian culture and what I want to play has no hawaian sound (german lied, spanish songs, easy rock, pop, blues,....). That´s why I need those low five notes of the low G string. I bought a (toy?) ukelele Hohner Kids soprano with black strings like rubber, didn´t like the sound and changed them for a new set of D´Addario nylon strings with high G string. I could not find other strings in the music shops I visited. Achieved the sound I wanted using A and E strings from the new ukelele string set and for the C and the low G string, gitar G strings (metal covered or metal wrapped common old gitar G strings). A gitar G string sounds better than the original D´ Addario C string on such a little soprano ukelele.
Hello, Omar!!!! You're doing a great job, especially if you've just started to play. It's good that you make the effort to do your own research and experimentation with strings in order to find what works best for you. Keep going as it is all wonderful education that will help increase your joy in playing. Let's continue our dialogue and use it as a means of helping you continue to make good progress. Where do you live????
Thank you for your reply. We live in Montevideo - Uruguay. My daughter is 13 and I am 49 jears young. Both of us have the right age for learning and having fun with music.
omar silva Wonderful, Omar! Keep going. If there is anything I can help you with concerning ukulele, please let me know. You are my very first friend from Uruguay and I think that's very exciting.
Kimo Hussey Beeing my daughter in a Scout camp and having some sad news in my family my "toy" ukelele is a fine company to me. The last string configuration for the best sound and less difference of tension between strings I found is 1st. and 2nd. strings normal ukelele nylon strings, for the 3rd string a 4th. gitar metal wound nylon string, for the 4th string a 5th. gitar metal wound nylon string. This is what works best (for me) low G with this soprano 12 fret ukelele, The 4th. and 6th. gitar strings were too thick and didn´t match the sound of the other strings. Having this ukelele for us the right size (hiding is important) it has a nice sound. Now the sound doesn´t depend on the instrument, but on exercise, determination, natural skill and the fun of playing music. As an example of the benefit of having low G I could play the riff of Deep Purple´s "Smoke on the Water" note by note, a note lower (beginning with low G) what gives as result a powerful sound, the same playing it with the correspondent chords (in slow motion for now) but strumming with the fingernails of the whole hand like a gitar. I was able to play some easy german Lied, some easy parts of Vivaldi which came on my mind, tried some Bach tabs and american folk songs, took - and take - a few video lessons from you, explored some theory in the internet..... The sound of the Pacific won´t be forgotten, I like it very much.
It´s incredible how this little instrument can sound from powerful to lovely pure and clean. I have my fun and for now enough skill for making wolves to howl the moon.
Thank you for your lessons, they are of great help.
omar silva Omar, you are a treasure and I appreciate your feedback and love of ukulele. Most importantly, I think you are exactly right in the way you are approaching your own development in ukulele. What I like best about what you've said is that your attitude in learning about the instrument will permit the instrument's POTENTIAL to become more available to you. As you continue on, I'm positive you will be amazed at what this simple little instrument can do. It sings BEAUTIFULLY.
I was debating with myself about whether to buy low G strings for my first ukulele, but those final chords sold me on it! Thank you!
I think yours was a great choice! Happy Strumming!
Very informative! I'm buying a tenor in the near future and I've been reading and watching videos about the Low G vs High G debate. Also, your voice coupled with Danny Boy is incredibly soothing! Thanks so much
Thanks, back, Ryan! What have you decided about low G or high G???? I real meaningful plan to address this choice, budget willing, is to get two ukes. :)
I mean optimally two ukes would be great, but as I can only get one, I think what I'm going to do is, because I'm upgrading from a soprano (a crappy one at that,) I'm going to try the high G for now and once I've gotten used to the tone and the uke itself I might go back in and see if my local music store can switch over the strings. I'll be sure to be back in a couple weeks with feedback:)
Good plan!!!!!
Hey Kimo, I ordered in the low G last week, and got it this morning. I've been playing it all afternoon, and I'm really happy with it. Thanks for the video!
Kimo, first of all, gorgeous version of Danny Boy. Wow!
I'm a very new student of the ukulele and as a professional singer of standards, I'd like to accompany myself. Do the chords change if you have the low G??? I'm almost afraid to to do it and blow my mind apart by having to learning new chords. (Yikes!) I've learned the chords to "Dream A Little Dream Of Me". I really like the sound of the low G a lot. Where do I get a low G string for my concert ukulele???
Mia Hess Aloha, Mia! Thank you for your post and interest in ukulele. Using a low G string will be very transparent save for sound. You will NOT have to change any chords at all. What the low G string will do for you is to give the instrument a bit more range especially on the bass side of things ----- and I think this is good on a concert uke with a singer. Strings can be bought either in low G sets or individually. Do let me know how the transition goes. I'd be glad to help.
Mia Hess Learn the best instrument on the planet (THE UKULELE) using revolutionary new techniques that cut down learning time by about one tenth.
Go here ==> ukuguides.blogspot.com/
Kimo Hussey .
Fantastic video. I absolutely love low G ukulele. I love the use of the lower register not to mention the signature of any good musician which is the ability to recognize and use volume for expression and emotion. Beautiful playing.
Thank you, John! You and I definitely see eye to eye on music, ukulele and interpretation. Thank you for your post.
Kimo Hussey I was a guitar player for many years. I remember picking up a ukulele from the local instrument shop and realizing for the first time what I had been missing. It really gave me the freedom that I needed to express my music in the way that I wanted. I play the instrument with great respect but I also play it very unconventional because that is who I am. You can be the fanciest player in the world and it means nothing if you do not feel when you play. It wasn't until I allowed myself to slow down and to stop trying to sound like everyone else that the real melody and beauty of my own playing was allowed to breathe for the first time. I always try and tell younger musicians. "I've heard a thousand notes that mean nothing and at the same time 7 of those notes that mean everything." Many blessings to you and yours and thank you for these informative videos.
I believe that most guitar players who gravity (or uplift) to a uke use a low G string instead of a high G string because they are used to having the lowest sounding note closer to their nose than their toes. I know, that in the beginning of learning the uke, it would irritate me to hit a high note where I expected a much lower pitched note. A person who never played a guitar probably wouldn't know the difference.
I love your videos!!!😃😃😃🎵🎶😍 hugs from Brazil
Kimo, I love the way your playing sounds. I look forward to the video series each week. I am intrigued by the '2 finger' kind of playing you use, but can't quite seem to get it myself. Any pointers on using the "pincher" movement? I like the softer tone it produces.
Ben, thank you. You're already on the right track just by trying it out and remaining consistent in that kind of practice. Every time you strum a chord, listen to it as you already do and ask yourself what can you do to make it sound the way you would like it to sound. I know this sounds very simplistic but it is true and will be brought to realization through patience and practice. Let me know how it goes as I'd love to help.
This is crazy!! I love the sound of the low g! But I have a question, if you buy a low g ukulele, can you tune it to a high g? Or do you need to buy new chords? I love the sound of the low g ukulele, but I'm afraid my chords won't sound the same as my ukulele teacher's, which can be an issue since we usually learn songs off by ear. Great video!! I love how you play : )
Beautifully played good sir
Will low g strings work on CONCERT ukalele
yes
Hello Kimo thanks for a very informative video. I've only just found you on TH-cam and find your videos very helpful. I have a Kanile'a K1 which I bought for it's beautiful sound and I'm trying your technique with the low G. I found there were some songs which required a B, A or G below middle C and the high G doesn't have the range to complete the melody. In particular, La Vie en Rose in C doesn't quite sound right without a low B (the C substitute is possible but not quite there) And as you say, if you are not pounding the instrument with percussive strums, there is such a sweet sound to be searched for and extracted. What a wonderful instrument the ukelele is.
what brand name ukulele is this? such a pretty ukelele
wow. That is beautiful. I would love to play like that...I am barely mastering a few chords.
Thank you, Biz! You're doing well ----- just keep going and all will be fine! Let me know along the way if you need any help. Aloha Kimo
Hello Kimo, so glad I found this video (and your channel)! I am blown away by your song Danny Boy!!! What a beautiful performance! Currently I'm looking to buy my first uke but frankly I am overwhelmed by all the different choices. I think I'm pretty set on a tenor (you're playing a tenor in this video, right? It has validated me in that choice). But I'm really not sure if I, as a total beginner with the uke, should go with the low g or high g option. I would immediately take the low g option, but then I can't play songs that are meant to be played on a high g uke, can I? I mean, let's say the song is in C - the tonic on the low g uke would then be G3-C4-E4-C5. So a C major chord but with the G in the bass instead of the C. That will alter the sound of the chord right? Same with the other chords. What are your thoughts on that?
Hello, ULSWC! Thanks for your inquiry and interest in ukulele. My advice relevant to Low/High G is to go with the SOUND you prefer. Listen to several examples of each and make your choice based on what most rings your bell. There is no such thing as a uke that has a meaningful compromise so don't be afraid of making a choice now as you can always change later if you want.
Thanks for your quick reply! I think I do prefer the sound of the low g. I really do. But I'll have to see how I can still make songs for a high g uke sound nice regardless. Now, tenors are supposed to be a little louder than concerts. Noticably so? Because I want to be able to play at night in my room without being heard by the person in the next room trying to sleep!
One of my favourite songs of all time. You play it with great sensitivity, and simplicity that enhances the classic quality of the song. Well done. What Uke is that one? Thanks.
Thanks for your comments, Simon. One of the reasons I LOVE playing some slower songs on the uke is that many of these songs show a different aspect of ukulele which is so beautiful. The uke I'm using is a prototype of a Chinese uke destined for the high-end, custom ukulele market.
Hello from Montevideo (Uruguay), Kimo!!! First things first: your version of Danny Boy simply moved me to tears. BEAUTIFUL! Congratulations! I cannot agree more to what you say about simplicity and beauty. I'm a musician (piano and synth) and I know this is completely true. But, although I have a life of experience with keyboards, I'm a complete newcomer to ukulele. I recently bought a concert one with high G... and after seeing this video I'm convinced... I'll switch to low G. 😊 If you don't mind, I'd really like to learn your version of Danny Boy. Did you publish it? Is there any music publisher where I can buy the score with tablature? Hope my request won't bother you. Thank you! Cheers!
Pablo Martínez
Hello, Pablo! Thanks for your post and interest in ukulele. I'm thrilled to know someone in Uruguay. I've always been way too lazy to do tabs so don't have any for Danny Boy. But learning this as I do it is very easy. Start only with the melody in the key of C and add in the chords when the melody just flows effortlessly. I'd love to keep in touch and help you in any way I can. Aloha Kimo
Thanks, Kimo!!! I'll follow your advice! I'll start with the melody! Music, as you also may know, is a matter of love, dedication and patience. Well, I'm also thrilled to know someone from the beautiful land of Hawaii. Take care and keep on playing (and teaching) your wonderful music!
Declaring with MiniMoog. Kimo plays real smooth and seasoned. Real nice tone.
Thank you, Pablo. I don't publish music or even create any tablature. Ukulele is strictly a means of fun for me. I do believe your background with keyboards will guide you through learning Danny Boy on the ukulele. The essence of this song really is beautiful simplicity and that's what makes it so learnable.
Thank you, Mark!!!!!
Kimo, I got another Concert uke just so I could do a low G on it. I love it, as it's really nice with singing! Question: Can you do a Low G on a Soprano?? Or does it sound stupid?
Of course, it will sound wonderful!!!!! You'll hardly believe the amount of sound that will come out of that little box. Of course, you're asking a real die hard low G everything kinda guy!!!!!! Only way to go!!!!!!
@@KimoHusseyUkulele I have a Soprano Flight travel uke with an extended neck. I changed the strings to Martin's and all strings now sound pleasant except the G, which sounds dull to me. I am wondering if perhaps a low G just might solve the problem. It would have to be a string that is not wound as it is a plastic instrument. Any suggestions for a good brand for this little uke? I have a low G on my tenor, which I love .
@@colson8327 Hello, C!!!!! An unwound low G string sounds like a great idea. There are several on the market so what I would do is just buy one of them, string up your uke and start playing. If you like what you hear, keep going. Please do let me know how this goes as I'd be glad to help as best I can.
Thanks for the info, and LOVE the shirt!
+Jan Bobadilla Thank you, Jan. Happy New Year!!!!
+Kimo Hussey Happy New Year!
Thanks for your video series Mr. Hussey. Was wondering what your opinion was about various types of ukulele strings. Both my Kala tenor solid mahogany and Kala tenor spalted maple came with Aquilla strings. Any benefit to trying out other strings?
Hello, Dulcimerdan, thank you for your post. I have no favorite strings and welcome the amount of research and development currently continuing with them. I've used Aquila strings a lot and do enjoy them. I have a tenor I use now that has an Aquila set on it except for the low G string. I'm using a classical guitar D string for that. At other times, I've used the first four strings of a classical guitar set to put on a tenor uke and loved the result. My favorite string activity is to use different brands to see how they change the sound of the uke. The string is the "motor" of the uke in that it's what drives the instrument. I therefore think ukes respond differently to the strings we use and that provides me lots of ways to have fun with differing sounds.
I live in Northern California.now. But I actually.come from Kailua. As a teenager I played in a Balalaika band. The balalaika has 3 strings and 2 are the same. I also.play 5-string banjo. So I can't wait for my concert ukulele to.arrive from The.Ukulele Site! It'll be fun seeing how.the.skills I already have apply to the Ukulele.
Mugsy ----- You'll do quite well with ukulele! I go to the Bay Area a lot during the year and would love to meet you sometime.
It'd be great to meet u too. I live just outside of San Francisco. Do u know if there are any ukulele festivals or gatherings around me? Mahalo!
Mugsy, there is a LOT going on with ukulele in the Bay Area and I feel the different programs and activities going on there make it the most fertile area for learning ukulele. Let me know if you need some referrals.
I love the added range of the low G, but when playing a song with the tonic in C it puts the tonic onto a second position chord, which doesn't sound as stable as if it were in root positon.
Still, I love the tone and balance so I'm going to have to try it out. :)
ObamaoZedong Thank you, Obamaozedong!!!!! As much as I really adore the low G sound, it certainly isn't a perfect tuning capable of solving any problems which arise. But the SOUND of this tuning is what I like best. As you try it out, do some songs where you put the melody onto the low G string and you'll be richly rewarded. Let me know what you think of this tuning as you try it out.
+Kimo Hussey May I ask which brand of low g strings you recommend?
Fantastic!
Thank you, SSS!!!!!
Hello! Is the low string that you used wound or unwound? Which brand do you use?
Is it harder to find music or internet uke teachers if I use the Low G.on my concert.uke? Oh and where can I get that shirt? Mahalo
Hello, Mugsy!!! Where do you live? Are there lots of ukulele players there? One thing I recommend people do is to play your friends ukes to hear how differently ukuleles can sound. It's a better education and a LOT less expensive to learn this way. You're right about finding good internet teachers largely because it's very difficult to teach ukulele when the person is not sitting right in front of you. But we can make the best of the internet situation by creating and maintaining good dialogue about techniques and procedures. Let me know how I can help. The T-shirt came from an ukulele person/business in San Diego.
the song you played is so beautiful! Can you help me with this, the g string on my ukulele is the high G and the thinnest one, so if i want the low G, should i use that same string and just tune it down or i have to use another that thicker, maybe as thick as the C string?
You would have to use a different string ----- generally called a low G string. But the best option would be to get another ukulele that is tuned using a low G string.
+Kimo Hussey thank you for your advice!
Last question (I swear, I swear) what are your thoughts about colored strings? Aquila makes some, but howz the sound, howz the strength, etc. ?? Mucho MAHALO!!!!!
No problem with questions, Mugsy! I enjoy colored strings though most of my experience with them has been with guitar rather than ukulele. I do think colored strings are a novelty and work best when the color matches the instrument.
How do I get that T-shirt? I want one
Hi, Deroy!!!
I got these T-shirts at an ukulele festival in San Diego. I really love them but it's been way too long since I've had contact with the person who sold them. So sorry for being too forgetful.
Aloha,
Kimo
Kimo Hussey ok I bet I can find it on line thanks
Let us all know if you find them :)
Mugsy G I'm out here in Pittsburgh, they have the same shirt, you can order them from music stores, but there are more retailers.
But I will continue to search online.
Is that a Concert Uke?
Rabbit It is a tenor !!!!!
Hi I've been playing the uke for a while now but I've never been able to fluently play it with melody. Have any tips? By the way I'm 13
It's a bit difficult for me to figure out how to get you to play more fluently because I would first need to hear you play. But my initial idea is if you're not able to play fluently yet, perhaps your music is now NOT so fluent. If this is the case, practice more and your music will smooth out. If this is not the case, tell me more about your playing and I bet we can figure out some things to help.
Hello, Dead Poolz! I appreciate your interest in ukulele. Not being able to play anything FLUENTLY is a lot better than not being able to play melody at all. My best guess is for you to practice very consistently. I think it's the best way to improve on fluent playing.
this guy seems like a great dude.. would love to jam with him one day :))
Hey Master Kimo, I was just wondering if you played Guitalele or 6 string ukulele, and had any advice for me on the subject or video about it?
Hello, Deroy! Thanks for your post. My preference has always been a four string uke although I do now play a six-string baritone in which the two lower courses are doubled in octaves. I really like this configuration and think the mellow sound it produces is FANTASTIC. What I also like about this configuration is that melodies come out very wonderful and defined. Overall, it's one of the most beautiful ukulele sounds I've ever heard. I'll do a video on it so you can see and hear how beautiful it is.
Kimo Hussey ok good; I play Baritone too.
All I need for low G is to tune it down? I'm new to playing I just started in October of 2019.
Thanks for your interest in ukulele, Erin!!!!! What you'll need do in order to achieve a low G tuning is to get the proper G string for the lower tuning. Any music store that sells ukulele strings can help for you can go online to get it. Low G tuning has always been my preference and I think you'll enjoy the sound. Let me know how it turns out.
How did it turn out Erin? Still waiting
do you ever come to Seattle/ Olympia area?
+MissAbbyTimm Aloha, Miss Abby ----- Indeed I do come to the Seattle area and it happens to be one of my favorite places to visit. I'll be there in March to do some workshops and a concert. In July I go to Cortes Island for my annual 5night/6day workshop at Hollyhock. I'm planning to go back in August to do another series of workshops and concerts which at that time will feature Kinnard ukuleles. I'd be glad to provide you more specific information and put you in touch with the event planner with whom I work for Seattle area events. My email is: kimohussey@gmail.com. Thank you for your inquiry.
@Fr. Wm. Tom Davis, OSA
Aloha, Fr. Wm Tom Davis ----- I apologize for taking so long to respond. I've had a techinical problem with you and another in my "reply" mode and so have been advised to try this methodology.
I have no preferences with any low G string. I love changing strings on ukes I play quite often and look for differences in sound rather than try to identify a brand I like best. There are so many different issues one can use in order to alter the sound of the ukulele and I have found there is no such thing as the ultimate ukulele.
So, continue on as you do and try different brands of strings. In terms of your own preferences, your ear is infinitely more accurate than mine. Trust your instincts as they are quite accurate.
Please do let me know how things go for you.
Aloha,
Kimo
Thank you for the knowledge! Much appreciated... \m/
Thank you very much, Chagi.
I hope you've had a wonderful Christmas and that 2015 brings lots of fun, blessings and wonderful music.
Sorry uncle Kimo but I like the high g with the wounded c string, but it's to your preference.
Do you have the tabs for Danny Boy?
I apologize, Piano Buzz, as I don't have any tabs. I play this song just for fun and never play it the same twice in a row. For me, it's a noodling song that's really simple yet nice.
I think the jazz players play with a low G?
Some of them do while others don't. Just like the tuning issue, this one is a matter of the players sound preference. Thanks, David.
yeah all preference, one of our players has the low g, he loves it but mono sticks with the high, all personal preference huh?
Indeed, Jono, it's all about personal preference and that is one of the many wonderful things about ukulele, that it has an incredible capacity to let all of us enjoy what we like best about it.
YES! well said!
Is it a tenor ukulele or a concert?
Hello, Alex! It is a tenor.
Kimo Hussey Thank you!
Will a concert uke also sound good enough with low G string?
For sinning along.
For all songs not only with happy ones ))
I would like to replace a guitar with uke ))
Your concert uke would sound great with a low G. I've done this many times myself and have always loved the result. If you do try it, let me know how it turns out.
I still do not have a uke I'm trying to decide which is better to buy a concert or a tenor for playing and singing along songs of different genres. Earlier I played only on acoustic guitars. ) And I think I will replace high G string with Low G because the sound will be more rich and universal for different genres ) As it seems to me ) Maybe I just have to go to a music shop and listen to them by myself )
I just ordered some new strings that come with A low g so exited! I'm putting it on my tenor but keeping high G on my soprano and if I don't like it I can always just change the string but I'm sure I will like it also how do I tune the low g? Like on a clip on tuner do I just tune it like the regular G?
You are a great teacher! Can I be your student?
+Spanish Jo Of course you can!!!!! When do we start?????
I am in Singapore
I really really like the way you teach. Simple and easy to master!
+Spanish Jo I'll be in Hong Kong in February. Can you come????
im a new sub and i love the uke and your vids thank you
would learned chords finger positioning change? or would it be the same note but just a bit of a different sounding note? New to ukulele and learning pretty fast! but this instrument throws me curve balls. I keep trying to treat it like a guitar only to learn differently when I try something. which is why i have so many questions! I have a little soprano but I am really set on investing in a concert or tenor. I really love ukulele much more than the guitar and I have only had 2 short months with the ukulele.
Hello, Homoglobin! Definitely try a tenor and let me know how that feels. Your guitar experience will come in very handy ----- just don't try to play the uke the way you played your guitar or that will be confusing.
Oh...sorry to keep babbling...But, my Uncle George could play anything with strings on it :) !! He was Amazing. I now have his Martin Soprano uke. GREAT condition, nice sound. Is there a low G string I could use on a soprano? Or would it ruin its natural sound and possibly warp the neck??...I think it at least 20 years old. So I think it's about time to change the strings anyway.
Thanks 🍺
I HAVE to get that shirt:)
Been a Low G ukulele man since 1978
Great! Keep Going!
I bought the ukelele for various reasons, I want my daughter to play an instrument, she expressed her wish to play gitar but she showed no will to find any melody by herself. The gitar at home is an old good sounding expensive gitar so I thought she might have fear to damage it. I bought a cheap chinese gitar and changed strings for better sound (it did the trick, sound has a lot to do with strings), proposed her to learn gitar together but had no success, she didn´t want. I can´t pay her a teacher, I have sports and social activities of her to pay, we must learn by ourselves and we are common people. I begun to learn gitar by myself showing her that it is possible without a teacher but without success with her. My next idea was to put instruments at home so she can choose one when she is bored. I bought a flute and the ukelele because of price, size, because it´s easiear to learn than gitar and because a ukelele is a funny little instrument. I have to be a step before my daughter, I have to be her teacher and the size of the ukelele makes it possible to take it to my job where I am often a lot of time in the midd of the nothing without having anything to do.
To motivate my daughter I forbade her to touch my ukelele. For now she shows curiosity, forbidden fruits are sweeter.
Omar, I think you're doing just fine and I bet your daughter will someday appreciate very much the love you are sharing in opening avenues of learning music. How old is she?? As parents and teachers, we never know when it is that the directions we provide will really take hold. So keep going. What seems really obvious to me is how you share your love with and for her.
You have a great Irish Name “Hussey”
The title of this video is "High vs. Low G Ukuleles," so I thought it would be a COMPARISON of the two. But you personally like Low G, so you didn't mention anything about High G tuned ukuleles, or even play one. Besides making your instrument sound more like an ukulele and less like a little guitar, High G tuning gives you TWO melody strings, 1st and 4th, so you can alternate strings (campanella) instead of relying on the first string so much. One melody note rings into the next. That's something you can't do on a Low G tuned uke.
Hello, UkuleleMania! Thank you for your feedback. Your thoughts relevant to making a more meaningful comparison of high and low G ukes is absolutely appropriate and I appreciate your thoughts in that regard. You are correct in that I should have made a better comparison of the two. My feeling regarding this issue is that it is not a matter of objectively choosing one over the other but rather is a choice of which SOUND the player prefers.
Low G is better. Sounds more like a little guitar.
I agree!