a few questions

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hi!!! im a musician..obviously...anyways i doin some studio work and i am looking for that one last thing too put my music over the top...i was thinking about investing in a nice uke and teaching myself too play ...is this a good background instruement that will add a nice feel to a slow pop/rock ballad feel music?? thanks:D
 
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hi!!! my name is dan alber, im a musician..obviously...anyways i doin some studio work and i am looking for that one last thing too put my music over the top...i was thinking about investing in a nice uke and teaching myself too play ...is this a good background instruement that will add a nice feel to a slow pop/rock ballad feel music?? thanks:D

Ummm yes:) obsession might be my favorite delirious song of all time. I use only a uke now and it accompanies the guitar and other instruments well.
 
I think the ukulele adds a nice texture to songs. Since it is tuned higher than guitars, it can give an added sparkle to the upper end. And the non-metallic strings add a different character to the arrangement. You can also use it in contrast to stringed instruments that have a lot of bass. It's like adding more colors to your paintbox.

–Lori
 
hi!!! my name is dan alber, im a musician..obviously...anyways i doin some studio work and i am looking for that one last thing too put my music over the top...i was thinking about investing in a nice uke and teaching myself too play ...is this a good background instruement that will add a nice feel to a slow pop/rock ballad feel music?? thanks:D
Can't go wrong with a uke. Don't be affraid to put it front and center, either!

Shameless plug example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIZqO756Mk8

Teaching yourself is fine, too, but also let Aldrine show you some of the shizzle in the online lessons here.:music:
 
yes yayy for obsession..my favorite is investigate:D anyways am buying tomorrow morning!! i will look into letting this site teach me...oo yes and for what am looking to do, soprano, baritone or tenor...and pineapple or original??

thanks
 
I'd say tenor just b/c they generally have more volume. I'm not a fan of baritones but that is just me. Why not a concert and what company are you thinking of getting?
 
I'd say tenor just b/c they generally have more volume. I'm not a fan of baritones but that is just me. Why not a concert and what company are you thinking of getting?


not sure yet which brand...something affordable yet nice...whats e difference between soprano and tenor?? and which would be best for what im doing??

thanks:p
 
yes yayy for obsession..my favorite is investigate:D anyways am buying tomorrow morning!! i will look into letting this site teach me...oo yes and for what am looking to do, soprano, baritone or tenor...and pineapple or original??

thanks
The general rule is, the bigger the uke, the more guitar-like the sound. On the small end, sopranos have the "classic" uke sound, and are more portable. They can be louder than some tenors, depending on the brand. I tried a Fender tenor once, a solid mahogany, and my kid's $30 Leolani soprano blew it out of the water, volume-wise. For many reasons, I returned the Fender, completely dissatisfied and ultimately ended up with the Mainland concert. Funny thing - I never see any chatter about these Fenders on the Underground. On the large end, baritones are excellent in group settings with other ukes, bass ukes, too - keeps everyone in the same family. If I was just getting into uking, I wouldn't choose one to start with, but that's just me, plus I have kinda small hands, so I like a concert or soprano. If Mainland made a long-neck soprano, I would have opted for that, because I love the "pop" of the soprano.

Good luck and happy ukerageness!
 
hmm well i DO NOT want it to sound like a guitar at alll so i guess i will go with a soprano...although thatis all ive played so i will play the others b4 i buy;)
 
Funny thing - I never see any chatter about these Fenders on the Underground.

They've had the odd mention here and there, I don't think the Fenders are quite as widely distributed, so I was surprised to see them start making inroads here in NZ - there hasn't been much in the way of choice here for a long time. Lanikai has recently shown up here too, which is great :)

So when I was made redundant at my last job a couple of months back, I took my big severance pay and went uke shopping - UAS first, job hunt second :cool: - and I attempted to like the Fenders that I tried, but I just came away feeling completely underwhelmed, especially vs the cost. Eventually I settled on a Kala KA-SC which had a solid case and a pack of hilo strings thrown in.

Dan - what's your budget? I'd recommend that you get a reasonable cost beginners uke to see if it's for you. Something made by Kala is usually a good bet, but if you have a higher budget you might want to check out the flukes and fleas...
 
hmm well i DO NOT want it to sound like a guitar at alll so i guess i will go with a soprano...although thatis all ive played so i will play the others b4 i buy;)

I don't think my tenors sound anything like a guitar. I went with a tenor after owning two concerts for the more neck room. I have fat fingers and I liked the more space. My koaloha soprano long neck is louder than my mele tenor and my koaloha scptre is louder than any of my ukes. The concert size is a happy medium. I prefer my tenors anytime I'm playing with others because I get more volume. If you are playing plugged in it doesn't really matter because you can control your volume. But if u have a 200 budget you can get a nicer soprano than tenor.
 
...I was made redundant at my last job a couple of months back, I took my big severance pay and went uke shopping - UAS first, job hunt second...
People are apparently expendable, but ukuleles are not! Ukers of the world, UNITE!!!:cool:
 
Dan - what's your budget? I'd recommend that you get a reasonable cost beginners uke to see if it's for you. Something made by Kala is usually a good bet, but if you have a higher budget you might want to check out the flukes and fleas...


ummmm...not really sure if at all possible i would like to stay around 75$..but i would be willing to go higher if it ment a better deal..hmmm kala wil check that out
 
ummmm...not really sure if at all possible i would like to stay around 75$..but i would be willing to go higher if it ment a better deal..hmmm kala wil check that out

Kala is your best bang for the buck in that range. You are looking at either a concert or a soprano. Check out UkeRepublic and tell him I sent ya. He will take care of you but so will MgM. What other christian bands or performers do you listen to?
 
Dan,

A question like this is going to get responses all over the map. Understand that generally, mainland players gravitate to Standards (and that "classic" `ukulele sound), while here, we gravitate to low G Tenors. Again, generally.

In Hawaiian music, its not odd to have an `ukulele punching through and in line with the rest of the band. If you are looking for something to blend in on a lower level, a low G Tenor, or a Baritone. The Baritone is tuned DGBE (sound familiar?), so you'll go right into it. A Standard may sound like, hmm, a Subaru WRX with the BIG spoiler on the back, you know, looks like it was added on rather than designed to be there in the first place. If you listen to say, Makaha Sons of Ni`ihau, you'll hear Iz's Tenor right up there, but nothing overpowering (he plays a Tenor).

At the $75 range, you are looking at a cheap high G Standard, that may potentially punch through at a range that is going to be overpowering. I would search in your area and borrow someones at least midrange instrument (like a factory Kamaka, KoAloha, Kanilea) for your track (since you need it right away), and then go from there. If you were in Hawaii, no problem with that hunt.

I've said nothing about volume or projection (for now), because you're doing studio work. I would recommend focusing on what will give you the right tone and timbre for your arrangement.
There are many more vidoes you can see, but here's a "slow" one:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Kekani427#p/u/12/0OHE5ugqwd4

Keep in mind the `ukulele Ramon is playing is a custom 6 string, with Octave G and double high A, so its actually a bit more "punchy" than a normal low G Tenor, but not as high pitched as a Lili`u tuned 6 string. He also plays an alternate tuning (ACEA), so don't look at his chording too much.

Just my $.02. - Aaron
 
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I think its strange when people say they are going to use a uke in a studio recording and then restrict budget to low end range beginner instruments. As Aaron mentioned at least try to beg or borrow a koaloha or kamaka so you can hear what real sopranos should sound like before jumping in a entry level which may dissapoint you.
 
Dan,

A question like this is going to get responses all over the map. Understand that generally, mainland players gravitate to Standards (and that "classic" `ukulele sound), while here, we gravitate to low G Tenors. Again, generally.

In Hawaiian music, its not odd to have an `ukulele punching through and in line with the rest of the band. If you are looking for something to blend in on a lower level, a low G Tenor, or a Baritone. The Baritone is tuned DGBE (sound familiar?), so you'll go right into it. A Standard may sound like, hmm, a Subaru WRX with the BIG spoiler on the back, you know, looks like it was added on rather than designed to be there in the first place. If you listen to say, Makaha Sons of Ni`ihau, you'll hear Iz's Tenor right up there, but nothing overpowering (he plays a Tenor).

At the $75 range, you are looking at a cheap high G Standard, that may potentially punch through at a range that is going to be overpowering. I would search in your area and borrow someones at least midrange instrument (like a factory Kamaka, KoAloha, Kanilea) for your track (since you need it right away), and then go from there. If you were in Hawaii, no problem with that hunt.

I've said nothing about volume or projection (for now), because you're doing studio work. I would recommend focusing on what will give you the right tone and timbre for your arrangement.
There are many more vidoes you can see, but here's a "slow" one:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Kekani427#p/u/12/0OHE5ugqwd4

Keep in mind the `ukulele Ramon is playing is a custom 6 string, with Octave G and double high A, so its actually a bit more "punchy" than a normal low G Tenor, but not as high pitched as a Lili`u tuned 6 string. He also plays an alternate tuning (ACEA), so don't look at his chording too much.

Just my $.02. - Aaron

I agree with Aaron. I'm a mainlander that prefers the low G sound.
 
In the original post, there was a mention of getting a "nice" uke. Then there was mention of spending $75. While ukes are are typically less expensive than guitars, $75 still doesn't buy much new. If you are restricted to under $100 and you want something with good sound for recording, look for something used or vintage on ebay. A year or so ago, I got an old Favilla for under $100. Favillas are sometimes called a poor man's Martin. It sounds better than anything I've played that costs under 500 new. Definitely adequate for recording.
 
I started with a Pono mahogany soprano with the same idea in mind. Sounds very nice on recordings, mellow with a light touch. What I like best so far is a "boom-chick" guitar part with the uke on a ride-cymbal pattern. When I tried to strum a guitar that much it got boomy and noisy quick. Ukes are great.
 
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