Does size matter? ukulele edition

So i guess i always assumed the a concert was an octave lower than a soprano and a tenor and octave lower than a concert and bari an octave and the half steps lower....but it seems to me that my new concert is the same octave as my soprano...just fuller...can someone set me straight on this i'm a tad confused...

Soprano/concert/tenor are all generally tuned GCEA in the same octave, while baritone is generally tuned DGBE (a fourth below the others). So mostly the difference is deepness in timbre, not pitch. I think that answers your question.

ukeatan said:

Soprano/concert/tenor are all generally tuned GCEA in the same octave, while baritone is generally tuned DGAE (a fourth below the others). So mostly the difference is deepness in timbre, not pitch. I think that answers your question.

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it sure does...so obviously string diameter matters....but would concerts and tenors then have higher string tension? one thing i don't like about sopranos in gCEA tuning is that the strings are all floppy...my concert certainly seems to be tighter than the soprano (i think my soprano is even a little short)

The only thing that's important to me about the sizes is that I must have at least one of each. Haha.

But yeah, same tuning, same octave. Difference "timbre" (great word choice, ukeatan)

OK, I'm a noob but from my understnading: The scale (length of the fingerboard and nut to saddle) is longer, so the strings are tighter. The concerts generally use the same strings as sopranos. My sopranos are mostly softer tension compared to all my concerts (all two, LOL!) except one soprano that has Ko'olau Golds on it, which I found out later are high tension, and I can really feel it, they fret more like my tenor. They will be replaced soon, I think they are sort of strangling the uke's voice too.

Strings do make a difference too, a lighter tension (thickness) string on a tenor can make a big difference in how it feels and how hard it is to fret. Different materials the strings are made from also affect feel, sound level and response of the instrument. I think it might be safe to say strings can literally make or break a uke.

I agree with Link, any excuse to have more ukes, like one of each size to start, then two of each size so you can have some re-entrant, some low 4th, or in the case of sopranos different tunings, then also factor in different woods = mahogany, koa, mango, spruce top, cedar top, etc., that's like 18 minimum....

At another point in time also Sopranos were more generally tuned ADF#B which is the same intervals as GCEA just a step higher. You'll often see that specified on old sheet music.

The main difference really is in tone and scale length. You're also going to be able to squeeze in a few extra frets with a larger instrument. It's mostly about what sound you're looking for, what you're looking to play and what you're comfortable with. That's it really.

While some would have you believe that you "graduate" to a tenor when you "get really serious", it's really a load of nonsense. I'm pretty sure that nobody ever stood around and wondered why Charlie Parker played an alto saxophone when he could have "graduated to a tenor"...

Lanark said:

While some would have you believe that you "graduate" to a tenor when you "get really serious", it's really a load of nonsense. I'm pretty sure that nobody ever stood around and wondered why Charlie Parker played an alto saxophone when he could have "graduated to a tenor"...

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Seriously. I actually used to believe that when I was a n00b. Because the big 3 (Jake, Aldy, James) play tenor. But I enjoy playing my concerts way more than my tenor. My tenor is the best sounding.. but that's only because it's the highest quality materials, etc., out of all my ukes.

Link said:

Seriously. I actually used to believe that when I was a n00b. Because the big 3 (Jake, Aldy, James) play tenor. But I enjoy playing my concerts way more than my tenor. My tenor is the best sounding.. but that's only because it's the highest quality materials, etc., out of all my ukes.

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2nd this...

I enjoy playing the concert more too but love the sound of the tenor...

ukeatan said:

Soprano/concert/tenor are all generally tuned GCEA in the same octave, while baritone is generally tuned DGAE (a fourth below the others). So mostly the difference is deepness in timbre, not pitch. I think that answers your question.

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You're right, but I must point out that baritones are generally tuned DGBE.:shaka:

Captain Google said:

You're right, but I must point out that baritones are generally tuned DGBE.:shaka:

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hey, good catch! thanks, I'll fix my post

Shhesh i thought this was going to be one of those infocommercials.....does size matter LOL!

bornagainjeeper said:

one thing i don't like about sopranos in gCEA tuning is that the strings are all floppy

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This really annoys me, especially on songs that have some picking. A lot of times I tune a half step up to G#C#FA# to add some tension. It also gives you a bit of that D tuning sound without having to learn new chord names.

FourChordWonder said:

This really annoys me, especially on songs that have some picking. A lot of times I tune a half step up to G#C#FA# to add some tension. It also gives you a bit of that D tuning sound without having to learn new chord names.

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Well, whether ya like it or not, if you tune half a step up to G#C#FA#, you're playing different chords too.