Does switching to a different size ukulele help improve faster?

Hear me out.

My first ukulele was concert size. I kept practicing and after a while bought a soprano. I played it for a couple of days and then switched back to concert. Somehow those couple of days had lead to a significant improvement! Playing a soprano made it easier to play concert.

So I recently received my first tenor ukulele. After playing it for a weekend I switched back to concert. And the same thing had happened again!

Could it be that changing ukulele sizes helps to get over plateauing?

(If so, then this is a great argument for UAS! Because buying all those ukues...helps!)

OMG, yes. I switched from a bari to a concert, and it made all the difference in the world. At first, I couldnt play a tenor at all, but now, it's easier. I might even buy one someday.

I've been thinking about getting a concert uke, wondering if it would make the finger stretches easier and you're helping me decide.

The more ukuleles you own the easier it is to play..............everyone should own more :cheers:

The more ukuleles you own the easier it is to play..............everyone should own more

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Interesting concept

Certainly, from my experience, having a multitude of instruments (not necessarily all ukuleles), means I play more, so I read more, so reading becomes easier, so I play more, then I try it on something else, and so the circle goes around ...

YMMV but enjoy the journey

Yep. I don't even think it is size specific. Rotating instruments often helps me get past a rough patch.

Interesting observation, and one I recently made myself as well, at least in terms of switching from a bigger to a smaller uke.

I have three ukes in three scale lengths - soprano, concert, and Ohta-San (which has a scale length right in between concert and tenor). I got the Ohta-San back in March and have played it, and my concert uke, nearly exclusively since then. A couple days ago I was tackling a chord that spanned 4 frets in first position, and I just couldn't get it on the Ohta-San because I have teeny little hands. So I got out the soprano and - piece of cake! I started feeling guilty about having neglected my little soprano for so long, and played through some of my recent challenging pieces, and - yep, played them all better and more easily than on the bigger uke.

My theory is that it's a matter of less fretboard space to cover and less tension on the strings on a smaller uke - I like high tension, a lot, but it does tend to make things more difficult.

But as for the other way around - playing a smaller uke and then switching to a bigger one - I haven't had the experience of it ever getting easier. I blame my stubby midget hands for that.

I have the opposite problem. Big fat fingers. When I make a D chord on my Kala tenor I can't do it with three individual fingers I have to bar it with a bent finger, to miss the A string. My Córdoba tenor has a slightly wider fretboard and I can make a D chord either way. I have picked up and played concerts and sopranos and find them uncomfortable to play, but maybe I have not given them a fair trial. I do find my tenors roomy after squishing my fingers on a concert
Cliff

Anything larger than a soprano is cheating .

This is very interesting.
I got a tenor because I thought it would have more volume (and it probably does) and I thought it would be easier to play with all that room for fingers.
But, if I'm reading correctly, to get to the same pitch, the longer strings have to be a higher tension, which makes them a bit harder to fret with my weak, arthritic hands.
I've had no trouble fretting D chords on my tenor uke, nor have I had any trouble with the E chord because of my narrow fingers. I am having a bit of trouble reaching chords spanning 4 frets.

It sounds like I should be on the lookout for a soprano uke!

I started with a soprano, and had difficulties with some chords that appeared frequently such as "D" 2220.

Went to a concert within a month, and those difficult chords were a piece of cake. But, now had I trouble with fingering clear sounding barre chords.

Within 7 months, went back to a soprano, and all is easier. I probably don't play much better, but it is easier to get there.

Moving from a tenor to a concert helped me but that is probably due to a condition that caused my fretting hand to contract somewhat. The tenor felt fine when I started.

I am finding this discussion fascinating. I am a beginner, with limited knowledge of ukulele in general. When I make misstatements please correct me.

It is my impression that the soprano and concert ukes have the same scale length, ie distance from nut to bridge is the same. And that the concert uke just has more frets and a longer fretboard length. If this is the case there shouldn't be a qualitative difference in playing a soprano or concert uke. The fret spacing and neck width should be approximately the same from instrument to instrument.

I have a Melody Jr Banjolele, 17 frets - 13 inch scale length. I don't know if this would be classified as a soprano or concert sized instrument. My Tenor uke has ~17" scale length - 20 frets. My newb, arthritic, spatulate fingers are more easily accommodated on the Tenor fretboard. I sound better on the tenor, but I play different tunes on each instrument so perhaps this is a case of apples and oranges. I expect as I equalize my playing time on these instruments I will improve both my chording intonation and speed on both ukes.

Now for the monkey-wrench! I try different ways of holding my uke, to improve my posture and intonation. Rotating the uke anti-clockwise makes it easier to chord with my mangled old hand. Pitching the uke along its long axis to a vertical position, (good posture) sounds better than pitching the uke up, (poor posture but I can see my fingers while chording). when I change the pitch of the uke my chord intonation is lousy. I am over or under estimating the proper finger positioning. I hope and expect that my muscle memory improves where this isn't such a problem. The fingers will gradually make minor modifications to sound better unconsciously. It may be this very process that improves ones playing when different sized ukes are used.

I recently saw posted somewhere that one should always look at one's chording fingers. I of course do this when something sounds wrong; but normally I do not look at my fretting hand at all on any instrument, (better for posture and better performance technique). I am in a tizzy about this one.

I of course concur with the consensus expressed here; that more, different ukes in one's stable will improve one's playing. Donations will gladly be accepted in this regard at ...

.....the soprano and concert ukes have the same scale length, ie distance from nut to bridge is the same. And that the concert uke just has more frets and a longer fretboard length......

Yep - I used to think that the Concert was 'easier' to play as it had 'more space' on it - but if you measure the distances between the frets on your Soprano and Concert, as Iamnoman says - they are basically the same! Some MAY have a wider neck tho, which could give more 'space' .....

A few in my group have purchased Tenors - which definitely has more space between the frets for those who have difficulty forming some chords!

I think a more important thing is to make sure that the uke you play has been 'set up' as best as it can - if the action is too high - it will always be more difficult to form some chords, particularly on the first & 2nd fret, where the strings are a tad 'higher' and tighter, making them harder to press down for clear notes!

cheers

RP

May I express my gratitude to the OP? I had been considering a soprano as a more "traditional" instrument but didn't feel I could justify a third uke. His post might swing it.

IamNoMan said:

It is my impression that the soprano and concert ukes have the same scale length, ie distance from nut to bridge is the same. And that the concert uke just has more frets and a longer fretboard length. If this is the case there shouldn't be a qualitative difference in playing a soprano or concert uke. The fret spacing and neck width should be approximately the same from instrument to instrument.

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arpie said:

.....the soprano and concert ukes have the same scale length, ie distance from nut to bridge is the same. And that the concert uke just has more frets and a longer fretboard length......

Yep - I used to think that the Concert was 'easier' to play as it had 'more space' on it - but if you measure the distances between the frets on your Soprano and Concert, as Iamnoman says - they are basically the same!

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I suppose it may depend on the manufacturer. I play Kamakas, and the soprano is definitely smaller and tighter than the concert. From Kamaka's site:

Soprano scale length: 13-9/16"
Concert scale length: 15"
Ohta-San ("concert deluxe") scale length: 15-15/16"

The soprano and the concert both have the same number of frets (16). The Ohta-San (and the tenor) has 18 frets.

So the difference in scale length is roughly an inch from size to size. For me, the difference is really noticeable.

My Ohana soprano is a little closer feeling than my Ohana concert. My KPK tenor is definitely a little wider feeling.

I think shaking things up can definitely help you get through a snag in technique. I play different sizes quite a bit, but my soprano is my "grab it" uke. My concert, though, is so fun to play when I take the time to get the case and get it out.

I started on tenor and wanted to have a concert scale to work on technical things. Got a concert and loved it and made a lot of progress. Then decided I wanted a cute, little mahogany soprano, so I got one. Made a ton of progress on it as well. Now I'm working on finger picking, mainly with the soprano and the concert, but several arrangements I have call for low G, so I use my tenor as well.

Just going from one size instrument to another adds some concentration and agility. I have an entire arsenal of stringed instruments similarly tuned. As a result, my play on all of them improves regardless of which I play, since they all reinforce the other. By keeping the tuning uniform, going from one size to another is smoother.

(all in fifths - Two Mandolins tuned GDAE; All Ukes (two tenors, a concert, a sopranino and a banjolele), Tenor Guitar, Tenor Banjo, one Mandolin tuned CGDA)

IamNoMan...........you had asked for corrections so here are the dimensions for soprano vs concert. Soprano scale length is usually 13-1/2" and Concert scale length is 15" . The average neck length from nut to body for a Soprano is approx. 6-7/8", where a concert is approx. 8".The distance between frets for the first three frets is approx 3/32" wider on a concert. In summary a concert has a longer scale length, longer neck and more space between each fret. Average neck length on a tenor is 9-1/2" and scale length of 17". As you can see as you go up in size you go............up in size, more length, more room and longer spacing. For some it is an advantage and some a hinderence.

Thanks for your clarifications. I think I'll adjust the scale length to 13.5" on my soprano banjolele and check it's intonation. Should improve my intonation anyway. I'm uncertain as to the significance of the nut to body length. I don't expect I'll be playing that high on the neck anytime soon. what's the skinny on the nut to body length?