The Extremes of Ukedom

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luvdat

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First, I have to say I primarily play sopranos and prefer them. Fine. But when listening to my body, hands, playing and the ukes themselves minus "thinking" I have to say I also like tenors with not much exuberance ultimately for concerts. Not meant to offend concert lovers here.

Anyone else out there who while preferring one end of the spectrum also like the other (as their second choice?) With concerts maybe not even a third choice?

The need to own all 3 BTW...OK...even if you own all 3...I'm talking really liking sopranos and tenors...and minus perceived needs for "applications." In short, just playing the thing and liking!!! Tenor players whose 2nd choice is soprano?
 
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I am on the opposite end of the spectrum, my main squeeze is a baritone. Although as a second, I go concert. Instead of playing a tenor, I grab for a tenor-necked soprano.
 
I started out liking sopranos, played a tenor and hated it.

Got a concert, didn't like it for 2 weeks.

Now I love it, and don't really enjoy sopranos as much.
 
Having a Hard Time Adjusting to Tenor

I started out playing guitar and then bought a flea (soprano) about 4 months ago. I got a tenor fluke for christmas. I was really expecting to love the extra room on the fret board, but I am having a much harder time adjusting to it than I expected. I thought maybe it was the strings. So I changed from the black strings it came with to the gold Ko'olaus -- these made a big positive difference on my flea. It's better, but I still find that I struggle with the increased string tension of the tenor. I'm thinking about tuning it down a whole step and see if that helps. Still too soon for a definitive opinion, of course. The answer is probably more practice. For now I really prefer the soprano.
 
i havent got a concert. i like my tenor baritone and soprano. i was saving for a mainland slotted concert head,i was almost there , another month and i would have it, but then i saw this fretless acoustic bass on ebay and i just had to get it cos it was a total bargain, so it is back to square one saving up for the mainland. one day tho.

really i nterms of preference i don't have one, every time i pick up any of my instruments i am suprised by how much i love them. they all do something different and sound different and you play different accordingly. Its like on my digital piano i have the grand sound it is great but i play different when i change it to the rhodes sound, smoother , mellower. Ukes, and my guitars are exactly like that. my soprano is choppy and fast. my tenor is a great singalong instrument, my baritone is picky with great sustain.
 
As for ukuleles, I've only played sopranos so far so I don't have much perspective to provide. I do love them though. And the fret spacing/size when switching back to guitar or bass doesn't bother me at all, so I'm assuming I'll enjoy concerts and tenors as well when I eventually afford them. I do understand your point though about enjoying the ends of the spectrum more than the middle. A good personal example that comes to mind is beer. My favorites are double bocks, and my next favorites are india pale ales. So my number 1 is at the far edge of maltiness and number 2 is the far edge of hoppiness. :cheers:
 
I love my concert, but it is my nicest uke. I have a Makala soprano and a Makala pineapple and do not mind playing those either. I played a bit on someones tenor and that was nice too. I think I am just not picky. If it plays and is in tune, I love it!!!
 
I guess I'm the opposite of you. I started out on soprano and loved it, so I got a tenor and never could quite get used to it, until I got a concert. The concert, to me, seems to bridge the gap beautifully, and it has become my main player. Now I find I can grab a tenor and just play away without needing to adapt out of "soprano" mode, and when I pick up a soprano I can do just fine too. It was playing in the middle area that helped me with either end.
 
Around the time I got my first soprano, I was playing a Fender Jazz Bass regularly. So I haven't really found a stringed instrument that's too small or too big for me to play yet.
 
I only own a soprano and a tenor, but have played a baritone and a concert as well, I must say, I'm not actually that fond of concerts, having started on a soprano, they just feel strange. It's a personal thing, I prefer tenor, and then soprano as a second, not a big fan of baritone, but I've only had a little play on one, if I got into it I think I'd like it more.
 
Im a tenor person all the way. Even thinking of selling my bushman just because it's not a concert and doesn't get any play time.

I haven't really tried a baritone too much.. although If I'd get one I'd tune it GCEA and possibly then would be a 2 sized person (that sounds weird)

but for now im all tenor
 
I love sopranos. But I surprised myself by playing a tenor and really enjoyed it too. I think I'll need to have a tenor soon. I like extremes--good for the brain.

Speaking of extremes, what I REALLY noticed was playing soprano uke for a month, then picking up the Martin guitar I have owned and played since I was 10. I'm not kidding, I was LOST. I could not make my fingers form chords. It seemed crossing that fretboard was like crossing an ocean. It took be at least 20 minutes to adjust, and I gotta tell you, I was happy to put it down and get back to my uke.
 
pdxuke said:
I love sopranos. But I surprised myself by playing a tenor and really enjoyed it too. I think I'll need to have a tenor soon. I like extremes--good for the brain.

Speaking of extremes, what I REALLY noticed was playing soprano uke for a month, then picking up the Martin guitar I have owned and played since I was 10. I'm not kidding, I was LOST. I could not make my fingers form chords. It seemed crossing that fretboard was like crossing an ocean. It took be at least 20 minutes to adjust, and I gotta tell you, I was happy to put it down and get back to my uke.
Click to expand...

For me, both soprano and tenor seem "defined." I realize this is a personal thing, but I think it's fair to say there's also an objective basis for this sense of things.

The same thing happened to be my New Year's eve...playing my soprano and then switched over to my friend's Martin 000-15 for a few numbers. My favorite Martin's: the OO's.
 
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My UAS flared up upon seeing more footage of the Kala pocket uke, so I'll have to get my hands on one.
 
I play bass guitar and all sizes of ukulele, preferring soprano lately. BTW, I have started a group here for bassists who also play uke. I have seen several folks here who seem to be bassists, but I am not sure how to get their attention for the new group. It's called "Opposites Attract".
 
What brought me to the ukulele in the first place was it's small size, so I like soprano. The uke I grab and go to the most however, is my sopranino. It's my favorite axe.
Ernest

PS: That may change once the pocket uke goes into circulation!
 
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