Return from the dark side?

Hammond

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I am currently experiencing strong temptation to returning from the dark side. Take off the low G string, put on the high G string.

To anyone had already returned, how does it happened to you? What makes you return?:eek:



Me, focus on one ukulele, so I always choose one tuning.

My ukulele is a all myrtle tenor, I thought the low G would give a bit balance to its already somewhat bright sound. It turns out great, powerful sound. However, half year after, I suddenly miss the cheerful high G. My playing style is slowly turning toward a lighter, faster, happier strums. So the low G now is not very match the style.

**Added: It doesn't has to be an either/or proposition. My intention was happy sharing on each other's stories. :)
 
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Congrat's! Welcome back to the bright side! All I can say is just do it!!!
 
I like both high-g and low-G. I find I prefer low-G works well for finger style, where you really need those extra bass notes, while high-g gives me that light, airy feel I often want when strumming.
 
Currently have my tenor strung Low G but none of
my concerts or sopranos. Dabbled with low G as a
former guitarist, but always come back to re-entrant!
 
Currently have my tenor strung Low G but none of
my concerts or sopranos. Dabbled with low G as a
former guitarist, but always come back to re-entrant!

Ditto, that's me as well. I guess I like the bright re-entrant sound better for strumming. I pull out the tenor when I try to attempt some note picking.
 
I keep trying to love low G and it never quite happens. I think you need a special instrument to make it sound good. I have a Pono tenor in low G and it sounds luscious. When I string my Clara low G I like it for awhile, then the novelty wears off. It lasted about 3 months this time.
 
Hammond, I respect your commitment to one ukulele. But you have just made the perfect argument in favor of owning more than one. I have 3 tenors, two in Low G and one in High G. My concerts and sopranos are all High G. I truly enjoy the sound of all of them and I play what I am in the mood to hear. Some days the booming Low G just really bugs me than I grab a happy little soprano.

You can always order another Covered Bridge tenor for high G, a nice mahogany perhaps.
 
I am currently experiencing strong temptation to returning from the dark side. Take off the low G string, put on the high G string.

To anyone had already returned, how does it happened to you? What makes you return?:eek:

I found I wasn't using my Aquila red-equipped "low-G" pineapple nearly as much as I thought I would, but the bass response was too good to ignore, so I installed a set of Aquila 5th's instead and use it primarily as a melody instrument ... nearly 3 octaves overall range in just twelve frets :) and there's all those tunes already tabbed for a mandolin just waiting to be played ;)
 
Actually I have one concert (MB) with High G and one (KPE-C) with Low G. Like Dave said there are certain songs that only sound good on one or the other. That said, for music I play, High G is played much, much more frequently.
 
I quit using low-G because the darned, worthless Aquila Red string snapped. And I wasn't even playing it!

My hi-G Ukes have enough notes for me to fingerpick; I'll get by. :eek:ld:
 
I've never understood why it has to be an either/or proposition, if one has more than one uke anyway. I use low G for specific arrangements and ensemble playing, but my main ukulele (one, and the same one I've been playing daily since I bought it 4 years ago) is reentrant.

If I only had one uke though, I'd probably go for reentrant - both because there's a lot more out there written for reentrant, and also because to me that really brings out what is unique about the ukulele vs. other stringed instruments.
 
I love the Fremont Soloist wound Low-G - a golden string in color, tension, and sound. I use it on all my tenor ukuleles since I play mostly jazz standards and Broadway tunes in chord-melody arrangements.

And I love strumming my reentrant sopranos too.

I agree with Janeray that it doesn't have to be either/or. That's what makes this hobby fun!
 
I think you need good technique for strumming a low g uke. It has to be more across the strings instead of descending on the low G or it will be overpowering, even with wound strings.

Either way, have fun!
 
Many great sharing.

UkerDanno:
Thank you :) It reminds me Nike. Haha.

RichM:
I feel the same on the fingering part! It is just I am turning toward strumming more now. No right and wrong, only how we like it at certain moment.

Manalishi:
I am not a guitarist, I am interested on how do you like re-entrant tuning as a former guitarist.

vanflynn:
I am interested in the same way as above. Because people around me always step forward from ukulele to guitar.

PereBourik:
If it didn't happen, let it be, no forcing yourself.

DownUpDave:
Thank you Dave. Maybe someday I will do what you said, who knows ;)

kypfer:
Nearly 3 octaves range, almost a guitar. Do you have video or soundtrack recorded? I am interesting to hear it.

HBolte:
Yes, it is true. I love some low g arrangements on my books. Fortunately there are some great high g arrangements I want to try.

Down Up Dick:
Thats your story quitting low g! Interesting.:D

janeray1940
It doesn't has to be an either/or proposition:) You are right. My intention was happy sharing on each other's stories.
 
I agree with Janeray that it doesn't have to be either/or. That's what makes this hobby fun!
I agree both.

I think you need good technique for strumming a low g uke. It has to be more across the strings instead of descending on the low G or it will be overpowering, even with wound strings.

Either way, have fun!
Thanks, this is the technique I not yet have. Inspiring advice.
 
Many great sharing.
...

janeray1940
It doesn't has to be an either/or proposition:) You are right. My intention was happy sharing on each other's stories.

Thanks for the comment - yeah, I get that :) And I will say that it took me forever to warm up to low G. When I first started playing and was in simple strum-and-sing groups, every time I heard someone strumming a low G it made me cringe; I thought it sounded awful and would go so far as to change seats to sit next to a reentrant strummer! At some point I realized one of my favorite players (Ohta-San) played low G. My instructor transcribed Ohta-San's version of Bach's Minuet in G Minor for me, which required some of the low G notes, and it sounded so amazingly beautiful that I finally saw there was a purpose for both.

(Uh... well... it sounded so amazingly beautiful when my teacher played it. And when Ohta-San played it. Me, not so much; it's probably the most challenging piece I've ever taken on and I doubt I'll ever do it justice!)
 
janeray1940:
Thanks, I have just watched some Ohta-San's videos on youtube, beautiful music. In uke class we face similar "it sounds so nice when teacher play it" experience :D Don't give up, you will eventually beat the challenge.;)
 
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I play both, but right now my two main players are both low g. I really like the Worth brown all plain low g strings. I also grab my mini concert re-entrant when I want that bright ukulele sound. Plenty of room for both sounds!
I play a lot of traditional Hawaiian music, and lately for a couple of songs I play I have some arrangements where that lower note just sets a different mood for the music, which I like very much.
 
Hammond wrote :
Nearly 3 octaves range, almost a guitar. Do you have video or soundtrack recorded? I am interesting to hear it.

Yes, the same range as a 6-string guitar up to the 12th fret, except for the three lowest semi-tones ... of course, it's an octave higher! For melody work I find this range perfectly adequate and use it for many tunes that were originally published for mandolin or fiddle.

Unfortunately I don't feel my performance skills are up to a video or soundtrack, I play purely for "my own amazement", as another contributor was noted to have written, but I do enjoy myself ... and my cat doesn't seem to mind either :)

It is still quite possible to strum chords in this tuning (GDAE), they're just different shapes and a lot of them are just two fingers, so it's just like learning a new key ;)
 
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