Anybody play Soprano out there ?

david98116 · May 13, 2008

I have several beauties in my collection right now and have yet to bring a soprano uke into the family. So far I seem to enjoy the concert sound/size the most. I like the tenors too. Anybody here play or have played soprano before. What do you like about them? What don't you like? Let me know.....

tad · May 13, 2008

I have two sopranos and three concerts.

I love my sopranos. Honestly, to me, the soprano is a "real" ukulele. I know a lot of people swear by tenors, but to me, the size and the tone-- you're getting dangerously close to a four-stringed mini-guitar. The soprano is the OG of the ukulele world-- the concert and the tenor and the barritone are twentieth-century innovations.

The sound and the look of the soprano, to me, is what ukuleles are supposed to look and sound like. I like the smallness and the high pitch and the cramped fingerboard.

And I know, I know, it's got fewer frets. But you know what? Sometimes constraints are the best inspiration for true art. When we limit ourselves, we're forced to innovate to find workarounds, solutions, to feel through things and find new ways to make things work. And that's where innovation comes from.

deach · May 13, 2008

+1 What tad said.

Must be a Virginia thing.

david98116 · May 13, 2008

I see I see....a couple of purists out there. I like the sound of that. I see a few super sopranos out there that sound tempting due to the extra fretboard space (fat finger syndrome).

Plainsong · May 13, 2008

I don't think music moves forward by being a purist. Music is about breaking rules, not about sticking to them. It took until 1750 but they finally got bored with baroque. If all musicians were purists, then orchestras would sound VERY different then they do.

Nah, it all moves forward, and that's ok.

tad · May 13, 2008

Plainsong said:
I don't think music moves forward by being a purist. Music is about breaking rules, not about sticking to them. It took until 1750 but they finally got bored with baroque. If all musicians were purists, then orchestras would sound VERY different then they do.

Nah, it all moves forward, and that's ok.

But would you extend that to say that the only way anything new can be done on a ukulele is if it's done on a tenor?

Personally, I think that music-- and art in general-- moves forward as much in reaction to constraints as it does by constant innovation and the addiction to the "shock of the new."

Ian Boys · May 13, 2008

I'm agreeing with tad on this....

And as far as playing soprano.... I own one (along with two concerts and a tenor), and like it a lot. It's, in my view, better for entertaining if you are only going to be strumming chords and singing, as it has a much more traditional and 'cute' look because of its size. As far as instrumental stuff, if it goes higher than the number of frets on the soprano, it's time to take a concert out. It just depends on what you're playing, and what uke it works out best on.

Plainsong · May 13, 2008

tad said:
But would you extend that to say that the only way anything new can be done on a ukulele is if it's done on a tenor?

Personally, I think that music-- and art in general-- moves forward as much in reaction to constraints as it does by constant innovation and the addiction to the "shock of the new."

No, I'm saying that there are are several (counting super sopranos and super concerts and all that) voices to choose from and that to not make use of them just because "soprano is the only proper uke" would be a shame.

There's nothing wrong with having a favorite size. Not at all. I think it's the reason why that bothers me. If you prefer it because you like the sound and like the feel, then that's great. If you prefer it because you think it's the only proper uke, then that's just wrong.

Modern instruments aren't what they were even in the 1920s. Why then, should the uke be excluded from that? The more, the merrier. The more instrumentation to choose from, the more exciting the music can be.

david98116 · May 13, 2008

Wow...were off and rolling here. As for mentioning that I liked the (what I interpreted as ) the purist mindset as it pertains to the soprano ukulele, I think purists must exist to protect the foundations of something. I love tenors, concerts and all other sizes because they all sound beautiful. Hell some people think that its a shame to play non hawaiian music on the uke. They have there place in this as well as the Jakes and the Aldrines out there. One builds and holds a strong foundation.....the others job is to be bold and expand the boundries. Nothing wrong with being a purist...I myself am not, but I can respect those of you who are. It all boils down to what you wanna hear and how it fits your hands I guess.

I think I may be going off on a tangent so I'll pause now and take my ADD medication.

deach · May 13, 2008

david98116 said:
Wow...were off and rolling here. As for mentioning that I liked the (what I interpreted as ) the purist mindset as it pertains to the soprano ukulele, I think purists must exist to protect the foundations of something. I love tenors, concerts and all other sizes because they all sound beautiful. Hell some people think that its a shame to play non hawaiian music on the uke. They have there place in this as well as the Jakes and the Aldrines out there. One builds and holds a strong foundation.....the others job is to be bold and expand the boundries. Nothing wrong with being a purist...I myself am not, but I can respect those of you who are. It all boils down to what you wanna hear and how it fits your hands I guess.

I think I may be going off on a tangent so I'll pause now and take my ADD medication.

Great post. Can I have some meds too?

tad · May 13, 2008

Plainsong said:
No, I'm saying that there are are several (counting super sopranos and super concerts and all that) voices to choose from and that to not make use of them just because "soprano is the only proper uke" would be a shame.

There's nothing wrong with having a favorite size. Not at all. I think it's the reason why that bothers me. If you prefer it because you like the sound and like the feel, then that's great. If you prefer it because you think it's the only proper uke, then that's just wrong.

Modern instruments aren't what they were even in the 1920s. Why then, should the uke be excluded from that? The more, the merrier. The more instrumentation to choose from, the more exciting the music can be.

I was careful to say, multiple times, "to me."

I'm not trying to tell anyone else what to do or think.

If anything, I'm really just trying to defend the soprano, when there's a lot of people on this board who think it's "tiny," "weak," and doesn't sound good. Not too many people jump up to defend the Soprano when things like that are said-- it's a general consensus among a lot of people here that the tenor is the superior instrument, PERIOD.

In a post about playing the soprano, can't I say why I like it best?

I hope you take what I'm saying in the spirit it's meant-- it's not supposed to be an attack on anyone else, or a simple "this is good, that is bad." I was just discussing my aesthetic reasons for liking the instrument. The things I like about the ukulele are all the most true about the soprano. It's small, it's simple, it's quiet...

I really don't think that one hobbyist's voicing his preference for the traditional soprano size-- liking a little less resonance and having five fewer frets-- is really hampering "the progress of music" as a whole.

pinchmips · May 13, 2008

Soprano 4 Lyfe!

Jacman Rasta Bicycle · May 13, 2008

i have a couple of Tenors, a concert, and a few sopranos. my favorite is the concert, but i do go thru phases where the tenors or sopranos are played the most.
to me, the soprano has the real "ukulele" sound.

after watching John King play such beautiful music on sopranos no longer say i like the concert or tenor because i have a big 'ol hand and it's more comfortable to play.

UKISOCIETY · May 13, 2008

david98116 said:
I have several beauties in my collection right now and have yet to bring a soprano uke into the family. So far I seem to enjoy the concert sound/size the most. I like the tenors too. Anybody here play or have played soprano before. What do you like about them? What don't you like? Let me know.....

Soprano? Heck, who needs that big ol' thing? Give me a sopranino uke and now we're talking!
Check it out!:
Exhibit A

Jack33@ · May 13, 2008

Sopranos are small, light, they can be cheap (and still give a fair enough sound) they fit into a bag or rucksack, they are easy to play, they can withstand rough treatment and they make people smile.

Everyone should have one somewhere (or would that spoil it?)and get it out at parties.

You can play serious music on a soprano but they really come into their own when you and some mates are just dicking about.

They truly are the people's instrument, fun and subversive at the same time and in equal measures.

Jack33

uber_goober · May 13, 2008

I've got a nice locally made soprano, Koaloha concert and Koaloha longneck pineapple. I just play whichever one I'm feeling that day. Some days I want that soprano sound, and other days I want something different. Variety never hurts.

Ukuleles are small, you need a couple.

-John

bof · May 13, 2008

Got 3 Sopranos. If I want something bigger i pick up my guitar.

koa · May 13, 2008

Personal preference for soprano and concert scale uke. Thought when 1st picking up the uke the tenor would be the uke of choice. Wrong. Just prefer the characteristics of a soprano sound tuned C reentrant. Own a concert scale soprano KoAloha (KSM-02) and King std scale soprano. Distinctly different in character, but both are definitely bright little sopranos. The King has a warmer bright tone with more resonance. The KoAloha is more of a brassy bright.

seeso · May 13, 2008

koa said:
Personal preference for soprano and concert scale uke. Thought when 1st picking up the uke the tenor would be the uke of choice. Wrong. Just prefer the characteristics of a soprano sound tuned C reentrant. Own a concert scale soprano KoAloha (KSM-02) and King std scale soprano. Distinctly different in character, but both are definitely bright little sopranos. The King has a warmer bright tone with more resonance. The KoAloha is more of a brassy bright.

I'd love to see some pictures of your King, if you don't mind. Pretty please?

UKISOCIETY · May 13, 2008

I've found that I need (want) at least one uke of each size, sopranino, soprano, concert and tenor. I play a particular size depending on what I'm playing. Strumming along to pop, oldies, etc is best on sopranino and soprano. I pick out hymns on my concert size (although sometimes on soprano too) and I NEED a tenor with low G tuning to play the country blues music of Gary Davis and Mississippi John Hurt.

I'm somewhat of a purist, though, in that I refuse to touch a baritone uke. I'd like to have a nice guitar someday..

Is that so wrong?!

Anybody play Soprano out there ?

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