Learning low G (any recommend books?)

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sculptor

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I'm starting off with a Tenor tuned to Low G and I was wondering if there was any book that was specifically recommended? Why I'm wondering this is while I'm awaiting my HMS setup I got to looking a various sources on playing the ukulele and I eventually got so confused with the various advice that I ended up reading Wikipedia on chords. After that I used a fret diagram which I constructed and started constructing some chords. I became clear that the ideal chord patterns are not the same.
 
If you are thinking more fingerpicking style, I just got the pekelo book 1 and it is excellent. Very well suited for beginners with a nice learning curve, very informative but not too heady.

Aaron keims fingerpicking book also has some low g but overall it is an excellent introduction into fingerpicking style.
 
the abov link is fine but misses a very very important point. Low-g is fine for more advanced things like picking patterns and fingerstyle. If you just want to strum i find that the low-g annoyingly drones, needing more skill to compensate.

I currently don't have a low-g tuned uke but at times I do wish I had one available. Maybe a low-g tenor since I seem unable to bond with my bari (scale length).

the pdfminstrel is the best site i know of for free ones.

many of the tony mizen arrangements can be easily adapted to low-g.
 
I think its better to learn on high G. Once you've gotten comfortable with high G and understand the fingering patterns, the chords and the musical attributes of a ukulele, you can add in a low G.
 
Katysax, could you elaborate on this please. I am not a new uker but I am going to start the Pekelo Book soon and really work on my picking. I was going to start this lesson on my low G tenor and bari. But I could use my high G concert. Thank you.
 
I don't find the picking patterns between hi and lo g to be that different from each other. The biggest difference I've found has been whether the 3rd or 4th strings starts the pattern. On Hi G, many of the patterns I've learned lead with the 3rd string, but on low G most of the patterns seem to lead with the 4th string. There have been a few fingering differences, and you end up using your pinky more to play B on 4th string many times, but so far going through pekelo book 1 he really makes it a smooth gentle transition.

I agree with the above poster about strumming on low g. If the technique is not there the low g will really drone and dominate, when I first tried low g within my first week of playing it sounded terrible, now after months of playing and lessons on hi g, my Low g strumming is more balanced sounding.
 
I like the low G sound more...

katysax said:
I think its better to learn on high G. Once you've gotten comfortable with high G and understand the fingering patterns, the chords and the musical attributes of a ukulele, you can add in a low G.
Click to expand...

I like the low G sound a lot more and the instrument is in setup already so that's how I'm going regardless of whether the other way is better or not. :)
 
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Well I'm getting a Pono MT so at least it will be a beautiful droning sound... ;) I guess I'll just have to put in some more work on strumming...
 
sculptor said:
I like the low G sound a lot more and the instrument is in setup already so that's how I'm going regardless of whether the other way is better or not. :)
Click to expand...

Yay! It's a lot of fun. I don't regret delaying my low g playing, but I enjoy it and it definitely brings a fullness to the sound. I also love the sound of a nice wound string, on my stansell even this lowly Aquila low g just has so much sustain. I am waiting on a set of south coast string where the low g and the c are both wound, which should be fun.
 
sculptor said:
It's obvious if the chord's root in on the G string then you're going to have an inversion of the chord and not the chord itself. An inverted chord doesn't sound bad but it sure does not sound the same as the chord.
Click to expand...

Did you mean to say this? An "inversion" is a chord where the root is NOT the lowest note. Even with high G tuning, many chords are inversions (or would be called that if played on a piano). For example, a first position F (2010) has C as the lowest note, and G (0232) has D as the lowest note. So what we ukers think are normal chords are often inversions.

Yes, chords sound different with low G tuning. Droning of the low G string may be reduced by changing strumming technique and/or changing strings to find a better balance.
 
Thanks ubulele. I am definitely starting to prefer low g for finger picking. Most of my fingerpicking is in the thumb index middle finger style, where the thumb does alternating bass lines between the 3rd and 4th string. Most of that style that I am playing, instead of going 3rd string to 4th string and back, I am simply reversing the two and going 4th to 3rd and back. Also, most of my fingerpicking is still simple major and minor chords, and the low g definitely adds a fullness as you get the lower octave doubling.
 
An obvious ploy: string one uke in low-G, another in hi-G. Another ploy: string a hi-C next to the low-G for a different re-entrant experience. (We don't see enough talk of GcEA around here IMHO.) I'm likely to soon have a batch of ukes all strung differently. Yes, I have little stickers on each axe's headstock to remind me of its tuning. Gotta have *some* method to my madness!
 
I agree with the recommendation for Pekelo's book 1. This would be a good book if your goal is to learn fingerstyle on the low G uke. Fingerstyle on low G tenor is very nice.

If you want to learn how to strum the uke, I kind of agree with Katy - I like high G better for strumming. But anything goes...
 
Hi

I posted a few low-G instrumental (solo) pieces here. Search "chiefnoda". I've been meaning to update my site as well

http://www.chiefnoda.com/ukulele

These pieces range from "fairly easy" to "crazy (I can't even play)". Free, of course

Cheers
Chief

PS: Two arrangements almost ready, "Both Sides Now" and "Honesty". Stay tuned...... But don't hold your breath
 
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