LowG Soprano Poll

I'm interested to know how many use a low G soprano.

(I have recently fitted a tenor C string & tuned it to low G on my Kala KA-S, & I am liking how it sounds.)

Thanks for the link.....off to read it now.

As a general rule, I prefer the low-G tuning.

I did use this tuning on a Soprano for a while.

It had the advantage of giving me the versatile linear low-G tuning in an ultra portable package.

However, I changed it back to high-G after a while, realising that it sounds much more full and alive that way when strumming.

Henceforth, I only tune Concert and Tenor sized ukes in low-G, and prefer to keep Sopranos as high-G.



Maybe the tone would be better on a high-end Soprano like the one Ohta-San uses (and his mad skillz too).
But I do feel that the Soprano body is not an ideal match for the low-G.

Had a Kamaka soprano with Alohi low G that sounded terrific. Currently only 1 soprano in my possession, tuned reentrant.

As a longtime Ohta-San fan, I've tried it on several sopranos - a Kiwaya, a Kamaka, and a Koaloha longneck. It sounded passably decent on the Koaloha, but that's technically concert scale so - I've never gotten it to work for me. For low G, I stick to my Kamaka HF-2 concert uke.

I don't know how to respond. The only soprano I have, only has 3 strings.

John

70sSanO said:

I don't know how to respond. The only soprano I have, only has 3 strings.

Click to expand...

Either you have or haven't, or you might. :rofl:

(Is it minus the G string?)

I don't currently have a soprano strung low G, but have in the past. I liked it, and will probably get around to doing so again in the future.

uke1950 said:

Either you have or haven't, or you might. :rofl:

(Is it minus the G string?)

Click to expand...

Yeah, it was built that way. But that is a different story.

John

I have two sopranos tuned "low-G", both "economy-class" pineapple shaped ... I tried a conventionally-shaped soprano tuned "low-G" but just couldn't get the degree of bass response I was wanting ... sounded more like "thud thud thud".

One pineapple is tuned GCEA (conventional ukulele) with Aquila "reds", the other is GDAE (like a fiddle or mandolin), again with an appropriate set of Aquila strings.

I might anticipate a "quality-class" conventionally-shaped instrument may be a little more responsive for the lower notes ... I don't have the budget to find out

My Kiwaya laminate soprano is currently tuned to low G with a wound Aquila. I only play it when I run across a low G arrangement that looks interesting. I haven't done a deep dive into any low G arrangements yet so it's still a novelty thing for now.

I'm surprised that it is working out close to 50/50 at the moment, I was expecting it to be a minority interest.

I would also wonder about intonation of the low-g string. I notice sopranos struggle enough with getting decent intonation on the C string as it is.

bnolsen said:

I would also wonder about intonation of the low-g string. I notice sopranos struggle enough with getting decent intonation on the C string as it is.

Click to expand...

With a wound G, the intonation is far better than the average thick C string. Try it.

The sopranos I have are reentrant and will stay that way. I like the statico, percussive, syncopated sound. It is the stereo typical ukulele sound I have in my head. I love linear tuning but on tenors and baritones.

The low G seems a little lost on the soprano. It still sounds nice and adds some subtle breadth. But the high G is louder and seems to create a more ringing, clustered voicing. I gather Ohta-San, who played linear C on soprano, was usually amplified and probably boosting the volume of that low G. (Was just reading about this today on Southcoast Ukes.)

Three yrs in now since taking up ukulele and I relaize that I dont care for low-G at all.

If I want linear tuning I'll use a baritone or get out my guitar.

To my ear and my preference, the re-entrant tuning is what makes the ukulele sound magical.

I do not think about nor care about the extra five notes at the lower frequency range.

Mind you, this is all coming from a 35+ yr guitar player, and someone who was completely stupefied by re-entrant tuning in the first 3-4 months when I started playing uke and had to have it in linear tuning, but one day on a whim switched to re-entrant and within minutes it was like a veil had been lifted and the sound was transformative for me.

Since those early times, I have occasionally put a low-G on a tenor, but within a few days just grew tired of it, and reverted back.

Booli said:

Three yrs in now since taking up ukulele and I relaize that I dont care for low-G at all.

If I want linear tuning I'll use a baritone or get out my guitar.

To my ear and my preference, the re-entrant tuning is what makes the ukulele sound magical.

I do not think about nor care about the extra five notes at the lower frequency range.

Mind you, this is all coming from a 35+ yr guitar player, and someone who was completely stupefied by re-entrant tuning in the first 3-4 months when I started playing uke and had to have it in linear tuning, but one day on a whim switched to re-entrant and within minutes it was like a veil had been lifted and the sound was transformative for me.

Since those early times, I have occasionally put a low-G on a tenor, but within a few days just grew tired of it, and reverted back.

Click to expand...

What do you mainly play on a re-entrant ukulele though?
I like how re-entrant sounds when it is a strum instrument.

However, playing guitar as well, some instrumental pieces I play relies heavily on that low 4th string.
So when I have an ukulele, I can play all the songs I know how to play on guitar.

When I have a re-entrant ukulele, suddenly that low-4th is gone and my repertoire of instrumentals are limited. Sure I can play that high-G instead of the low-G, but it doesn't always sound right

kissing said:

What do you mainly play on a re-entrant ukulele though?
I like how re-entrant sounds when it is a strum instrument.

Click to expand...

At the risk of going off-topic, I will answer, but if further discussion is needed, either PM me or we should make a new thread out of courtesy to the OP...

Since the primary functions of my musical instruments serve as tools for my songwriting, the first role for their use is when I write or play song that I've written, which are currently in my own style that is a melange of Campanella and Flamenco.

The second role for their use is if/when I am learning/practicing/preforming a song for the UU 'Seasons of the Ukulele' Weekly challenges in order to submit a video.

In addition to the above two points, I need to point out that there are melodic lines only ever possible with a re-entrant uke, which would require a third hand or a 5th string above the A were the instrument strung linear instead.

If I require lower notes I will split that musical 'part' off to be in counterpoint on another ukulele, (concert or tenor) strung either CGDA in 5ths tuning like a Mandola or Viola, or (baritone) strung GDAE in 5ths tuning like a cello, or DGBE linear on a baritone or EADG on a piccolo bass or U-Bass. On increasingly rarer occasions, there are parts written for 6-string guitar in EADGBE tuning...

It is a different way of writing music than just jamming it all into very tight note clusters...and helps me to focus on the ukulele in re-entrant GCEA as the lead voice or 'melody' instrument with everything else if/when used as either support or counterpoint.

There is no singing nor any vocal parts in any of this music that I've written in this style and that is by intent, and to have the re-entrant ukulele serve the role of main melodic theme delivery.

Think of it as an 88-string Celtic Harp, but the note frequency spectrum spread out across five or six different instruments, each with their own voice and color to the sound...

Currently no songs are available for listening yet. Still working them out and will be recording them soon once perfected, and at that point will have them available online for all to enjoy...:music:

I just put a low G string on my soprano the other day. The strings really haven't settled in yet, but I'm digging the sound. I've never really understood re-entrant personally (see my other threads) and it makes the instrument more of a "travel baritone" which is the uke I'm playing most of the time. Currently, I'm keeping it at GCEA, since I like the tension to mimic that of the baritone, but I do like the sound of D6.

The instrument is a Kala travel soprano with Aquila new nylgut strings (wound G string).