Size Matters ?

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I started playing the uke with an Applause soprano (UAE 20). I found it to be a nice little uke once strung with Aquilas. Travelled well, fairly bulletproof and just plain fun to learn and play. Afflicted with UAS, I thought a tenor would be nice and ordered an Ohana. Turns out the Ohana I had in mind was hard to get (6 months for it to arrive) so while waiting I bought an Applause tenor. I played it a few times and went back to mostly playing the soprano. It just "felt" better. It was easier to play it seemed.

Anyway, after a week with the Ohana, I picked up the soprano and now it feels awful. My forearm cramped up from playing the smaller instrument. The Applause tenor now feels fine.

Does anyone else have trouble switching back and forth between the two or is it me?
 
I used to have the same problem. I started on soprano and eventually tried a tenor. I had a really hard time switching between them, until I got a concert. The concert is just a really nice middle ground for me, and just felt right. Now, with that being my main player, I can float in between all 3 sizes without a hitch.
 
I play three sizes of guitar, three sizes of ukes, and three sizes of the mandolin family on a regular basis. Yep. It's sometimes hard to adjust - particularly if I ignore one of them for a few days. You get used to it it though. Like anything else in music, it takes practice.

So swap them out often and it will start to feel natural to switch.
 
I started with a tenor cuz I thought my hands would be too big for the narrower frets, then went to concert then soprano without much problem. I think it depends on what you play though. I can strum ok on all sizes, but sopranos are tougher for picking.
 
i switch between 2 scale sizes of bass, classical electric and acoustic guitar, 3 sizes of uke and mandolin. i find i need to thrash them for 5 minutes before my fingers remember the distances.
 
I play three sizes of guitar, three sizes of ukes, and three sizes of the mandolin family on a regular basis. Yep. It's sometimes hard to adjust - particularly if I ignore one of them for a few days. You get used to it it though. Like anything else in music, it takes practice.

So swap them out often and it will start to feel natural to switch.

It's all about muscle memory. The muscles will indeed "forget" when not used, over time. I have this problem whenever I pick up my guitar, because the current line up I'm in has me playing only uke. before the uke came into my life, I would experience the same adjustment problems going from electric to acoustic guitar, and even from a Fender to a Gibson. The Grumpy One is spot on. I try to keep the guitars out of their cases, so I'm more inclined to pick them up, but it's definately an effort lately.
 
I have a concert and tenor and play the concert more for no particular reason other than I just like the way it feels. Sometimes when I play my tenor, I muffle the strings, but I'm sure that would change if I practiced on it more.
 
I play a concert and a soprano and barely notice the difference. I'll soon be playing a tenor and have been wondering how the transition will go.
 
To justify my UAS, I have to at this point play 4 instruments nightly. 3 Sopranos (Makala, Martin Type 3M 1940's or so and a cigar box I built) and a tenor. Honestly the cigar box is my favorite, but I tend to learn on the tenor and then move to the little guys. The trick? Switch often and play often...but given the lack of need to defend my addiction, I would say I am a tenor player (fortunately wifey plays the soprano)
 
I like to learn things on soprano and then move up in size. The initial stretches on soprano are easier which makes it easier to get quick chord changes in chord soloing, even if some movements are more cramped. Once I have the changes, stretches and timing down I can enjoy the greater space and richness of tone of the larger instruments while I push myself to get the longer stretches. This isn't to say that there aren't special qualities of tone to each size.
 
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To justify my UAS, I have to at this point play 4 instruments nightly. 3 Sopranos (Makala, Martin Type 3M 1940's or so and a cigar box I built) and a tenor. Honestly the cigar box is my favorite, but I tend to learn on the tenor and then move to the little guys. The trick? Switch often and play often...but given the lack of need to defend my addiction, I would say I am a tenor player (fortunately wifey plays the soprano)
Aloha TCK,
I thought I was bad with UAS, you have 4 ukes already.....now I'm feeling a little better....onlly kidding, enjoy them ukes..
I wish I could have afforded it when I first started...but then again, it would be scary thinking about that now......
Take Care and "Keep strumming them strings" MM Stan...
 
I alternate between Tenor and Soprano and have found that what I play on each varies. The soprano seems better suited to some styles and vica-versa. I prefer picking on the tenor, and strumming on the soprano.
You get use to this after a while!!
 
I don't have a problem switching between different instruments of varied size, like uke or banjo or guitar. But I do have a problem playing different sizes of uke. I play mostly soprano, but I have a concert and a sopranino.

One of my sopranos is 14 frets to the body, and I'm finding it difficult to play tunes I've learned on a 12 fret soprano. Same with the concert, which is 14 frets. Apparently I use the body joint as a reference point and get confused.

I also have several sizes of clarinet, from contra-alto to "eefer", and have problems only with the Bb size.
 
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