I only play sopranos: What am I missing out on?

Sanfe · Oct 25, 2015

I dunno, somewhere down the line years ago, I must've read that when it comes to ukuleles, sopranos is the size. So for this, I've only paid attention to sopranos. I own a sopranino but it is not inspiring, and own a Fluke (triangle-shaped) which I think is a tenor size and requires me to stretch for certain things.

I met a guy once who was 6'2" that said that sopranos have him playing in an awkward position so he sticks to tenors. So is size mostly an issue of your physique? (I'm 5'5" on a good day.)

Just the sheer volume difference between a soprano and tenor must (all other factors being the same) have a difference in tone and response.

The compactness and portability of a soprano scream ukulele to me. Really, if I'm going to play anything bigger like a tenor or a baritone, I figured I might as well play the guitar.

mountain goat · Oct 25, 2015

I agree. Although baritones are kinda nice for a totally different sound and playing experience and require a very different playing style. Concerts also are a nice body size in a uke- still have the bark of a sopranos but a slightly fuller, more rounded tone.

Bob-in-Alberta · Oct 25, 2015

I've got sopranos, concerts and tenors. Each size has their own time and place. I like sopranos for the traditional sound and like a low g tenor for the fuller sound and the lower notes only obtainable from a low g string.

bnolsen · Oct 25, 2015

I'm 6'2" with largish hands and I mostly play soprano. I do have a bari I finally started playing a couple of months ago (I use totally different material with it) and am looking to get a tenor with a 1.5" nut for reentrant picking up the fretboard. I'd stick with soprano except some chords above the 7th fret get pretty unmanageable.

Ukulelerick9255 · Oct 25, 2015

It's not just about volume it's about tone also, a tenor is much fuller and depending on the wood much warmer.

ukuleleden · Oct 25, 2015

Agree each size has it's own purpose and voice. I started with both a Tenor and a Soprano. I found I played the Tenor most often. Therefore most of my subsequent purchases have been in the Tenor size. Concerts offer a nice balance between the two. Also, after recently playing a long neck Soprano, that configuration has grown on me too and I've been looking around for one that speaks to me the best to join my "ukulele family".

bunnyf · Oct 25, 2015

To each his own, but for me, I've gotten rid of all my concerts and tenors. Not that I don't like to listen to tenors, I do! Seems some of the very best players choose them and they have a lovely sound but I love the tone and supreme portability of my soprano. For guitary stuff I play my baritone or tenor guitar.

igorthebarbarian · Oct 25, 2015

I kind of agree in that Soprano is theeee true ukulele sound. I'm mostly onto sopranos now. I have a baritone for a different sound-- and a banjolele too.
I'm 6' 1" with girlish small hands so sopranos actually work well for me. I like the portability too.

ukuleleden · Oct 25, 2015

Funny how some threads make you go back and look at things a bit closer. This one did. So I Went to my music room and uncased a soprano and started to play... 25 minutes and a big smile later, I had to come back to report that I still enjoy playing the Soprano size as much as I do the Tenors.

You mentioned size, I'm 6'2" and my big fingers work as well on the Soprano as they do on the Tenor. I noticed I may even be doing chord changes and fingerstyle picking more fluidly on the Soprano... Go figure, ha!

coolkayaker1 · Oct 25, 2015

Sopranos rule.

Tenors are louder, but that's the only "advantage" to offset their many disadvantages (heavier, longer fret spacing, non-ukulele sound, silly looking, laughable, a soundhole one can get a hand stuck in, a big fat neck like a mother-in-law, and so on).

Baritones are a different animal altogether, and concerts are in a "Jan Brady" no-mans-land that is better at nothing.

PS Anyine who says their hands are too big for a soprano does not know how to play the ukulele yet.

ukuleleden · Oct 25, 2015

coolkayaker1 said:
Sopranos rule.

Tenors are louder, but that's the only "advantage" to offset their many disadvantages (heavier, longer fret spacing, non-ukulele sound, silly looking, laughable, a soundhole one can get a hand stuck in, a big fat neck like a mother-in-law, and so on).

Baritones are a different animal altogether, and concerts are in a "Jan Brady" no-mans-land that is better at nothing.

PS Anyine who says their hands are too big for a soprano does not know how to play the ukulele yet.

Surely you jest....

PhilUSAFRet · Oct 25, 2015

I have all sizes except a bari. People of all sizes, big hands, little hands, prefer one size over another. Some play them all. No one ukulele sound. Play what you like, what feels good in your hands and sounds good to your ears, regardless of size.

igorthebarbarian · Oct 25, 2015

Haha lol- the Jan Brady of ukes - I love that

coolkayaker1 said:
Sopranos rule.

Tenors are louder, but that's the only "advantage" to offset their many disadvantages (heavier, longer fret spacing, non-ukulele sound, silly looking, laughable, a soundhole one can get a hand stuck in, a big fat neck like a mother-in-law, and so on).

Baritones are a different animal altogether, and concerts are in a "Jan Brady" no-mans-land that is better at nothing.

PS Anyine who says their hands are too big for a soprano does not know how to play the ukulele yet.

jollyboy · Oct 25, 2015

ubulele said:
Total bullship, but I'm sure it was intended mainly to provoke.

Worked pretty well then.

It does seem like the OP's intention was to have people discuss the virtues of sizes other than soprano, rather than inciting out-and-out scale warfare.

I'm enjoying playing my tenor at the moment but may well go back to concert size when I next succumb to UAS. And one deciding factor will be the smallish size of my hands.

NewKid · Oct 25, 2015

I agree with Steve that sopranos rule. No doubt about it. I have a 1920s Martin 2 complete with mojo and it's as loud as my tenors. Nothing better.

That said, tenors are my main size right now, and once in a while I'll play my baritone. One day I would like to have a Howlett Concert Vita, Earnest Concert Paddlelele, and Pohaku Koa Concert.

However, I'll never need another soprano.

Oh, and what is the OP missing? Spending lots of money buying every size of ukulele to find out that sopranos are best. That's what my buddy coolkayaker did!

CeeJay · Oct 25, 2015

I think it all depends on what music style or genre you are playing.

I have been playing Soprano, a long time, mainly in the classic UK style of strumming . In fact didn't even know it was called a soprano or that was anything other , except a Baritone which George Harrison had . It was my first instrument and led to other stringed instruments, eventually becoming more or less neglected.

So coming to UU after coming back to an abandoned instrument was a culture shock . Finger picked ukulele ...well yes I did that ,but only as a joke, I thought, a novelty trick.....

For me the Sop IS the uke and uke music is Formby, Tin Pan Alley, Vaudeville, Old Time Music , Jug Band and similar old stuff.......but I am beginning to appreciate that it has been stretched (in size) and moulded to other styles and genres of playing .

I don't like all of them ,and in fact I seem to be pretty much out of step with many on this forum as to who and what "stars" of the Uke I appreciate. But as La Francais dit " vive la difference".

I'll take a Johnny Foodstamp over a Jake Shimabukuro thanks.

BUT I will have a go and do post concert ,tenor ...not bari...pieces so I don't dismiss them as instruments. Just prefer the plucky punchy and fast strummed Soprano.

CeeJay · Oct 25, 2015

Bill1 said:
Coolyacker is right, sorry thst it is such an inconvenient truth. Everyone who seriously wants to play ukulele properly aspires to playing the soprano size well.

Define "properly". I dare you . Just watch as the can of worms opens . :biglaugh:

Camsuke · Oct 25, 2015

I love all ukuleles, large or small. It's impossible for me to say that one size is better than another, each size has so many special qualities.

Ukejenny · Oct 25, 2015

I have a soprano that I love to play, purchased from and set up very nicely by Mim.

I have a concert that I love to play, purchased from and set up very nicely by Blackbird.

Tenors are nice, but my fingers seem to naturally enjoy the soprano/concert scale. My husband prefers tenors. Each instrument has its own soul, own voice, and own feel/sound. I try not to judge anything just based on size.

Tootler · Oct 25, 2015

My properly is (mainly) strummed accompaniment to songs. If I want to play instrumental stuff I have other instruments for that.

To say the soprano is less accurate and harder to fret seems to me just plain wrong. If anything I find the tenor harder to fret and the intonation of a decent soprano is just as good as any tenor. Agreed, tuning is more critical and this is true of any small instrument. It's perfectly possible, in fact not too difficult to tune a soprano accurately, even with standard friction tuners.

I only play sopranos: What am I missing out on?

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