D Tuning: Some Thoughts

pdxuke

pdxuke

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Lately, I have been using D tuning for many of my ukes.

I started with Sopranino. Once I went to that tuning, it seemed like everything improved: intonation, playability.

So I tried it on my Jenny. Same thing. Next I tried the Mango Mainland Pineapple. Ditto.

Am I imagining these changes? Anyone else just feel like D tuning sounds and plays better on soprano ukes?
 
I used this tuning with my soprano when I started out, but in the end it was easier to just tune down to C to get everything in the correct key. Anyway, I think that you are right about the sound, and so does wikipedia:

wikipedia said:
Tuning

The standard tuning for soprano, concert, and tenor ukuleles is C-tuning, g'c'e'a'. The g string is tuned an octave higher than might be expected. This is known as reentrant tuning. Some prefer "Low G" tuning, with the G in sequence an octave lower. The baritone is usually tuned to d g b e' (low to high).

Another common tuning for sopranos and concerts is D-tuning, a' d' f#' b', one step higher than the g'c'e'a' tuning. D tuning is said by some to bring out a sweeter tone in some ukuleles, generally smaller ones. This tuning was commonly used during the Hawaiian music boom of the early 20th century, and is often seen in sheet music from this period. D tuning with a low 4th, ad'f#'b' is sometimes called "Canadian tuning" after its use in the Canadian school system, mostly on concert or tenor ukes.

Hawaiian ukuleles may also be tuned to open tunings, similar to the Hawaiian slack key style
Click to expand...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukulele#Tuning
 
pdxuke said:
Lately, I have been using D tuning for many of my ukes.

I started with Sopranino. Once I went to that tuning, it seemed like everything improved: intonation, playability.

So I tried it on my Jenny. Same thing. Next I tried the Mango Mainland Pineapple. Ditto.

Am I imagining these changes? Anyone else just feel like D tuning sounds and plays better on soprano ukes?
Click to expand...

You are not imagining these changes. Sometimes D tuning can really bring an instrument to life. Sopranos particularly benefit from D tuning.

Firstly, tighter strings often mean louder strings. Also, remember that the tenor tuned to C has both longer and tighter strings and tuning the soprano to D somewhat compensates for this. There is also the natural resonance of the instrument. A sopranino really starts to come to life in D tuning. It sounds even better in Eb or even E tuning.

The only reason that D tuning on a soprano is not the standard is that most people get confused as to what chords they are playing. The secret is, just play it and don't worry about the names of the chords.
 
when you use D tuning on a soprano you are getting the same tension as a concert, just in a smaller package. I have some 1920's sheet music with uke chords published, and they are in D tuning.
 
I love the sound of my mahogany soprano in D tuning :) It makes the instrument sound really bright and clear.

Interestingly, I prefer Worth strings in C, but Aquilas in D. Just another facet to the ongiong Worth/Aquila debate!
 
Same here. I never loved the lack of tension on my sopranos in C tuning so I rarely played them. Since I tuned to D, they sound better and they play better and they're getting much more use than they used to.
 
Yep, when I first switched to D tuning on my Honeybee, I was blown away. I loved it. I have since switched it back, but I still really like it. I'm going to try it on my Martin and see how that sounds...
 
Some do some don't . The sopronino definitely. Ever tried it up another 1/2 or while step? The scale is short enough. I have one concert that sounded "freaked" at ADF#B, had to tune it down. All the other Concerts I have I tune to D. Mix and match the sopranos. Lot's of fun messing with the tuning for sure. Every try going down 1 step to FBbDG (Bb tuning)? Old Ukulele Ike played in that tune a lot. Now you got me thinking....I think I might mess around a little this weekend with tuning, weather is supposed to be bad down here.
 
Ukuleleblues said:
Some do some don't . The sopronino definitely. Ever tried it up another 1/2 or while step? The scale is short enough. I have one concert that sounded "freaked" at ADF#B, had to tune it down. All the other Concerts I have I tune to D. Mix and match the sopranos. Lot's of fun messing with the tuning for sure. Every try going down 1 step to FBbDG (Bb tuning)? Old Ukulele Ike played in that tune a lot. Now you got me thinking....I think I might mess around a little this weekend with tuning, weather is supposed to be bad down here.
Click to expand...

Yes, it has been fun. I have the following tunings at present, all soprano:

Sprucehouse--C
Sopranino--D
Mainland mahogany--C
Mainland Mango pineapple--D
Bushman Jenny--D
Dolphin--C
Watermelon--C

The new Ohana SK35 just arrived, and I haven't opened the box yet.

I think this weekend I'll mess with the novelty ukes and tune them to D. Will report.

Let me know the results of your experiments!

Thanks all, I've loved reading your comments.
 
I think I will give D tuning a try on my sopranos. I bought the soprano principally to play in the old style, and many of the books in Ianchadwick's massive library of ukulele books and sheet music from the golden age of ukuleles (1920s-1940s) use D tuning on the chord charts. If the soprano sounds better tuned to D, that's another reason to use it. I suppose the only disadvantage would be when playing with other players tuned to C, if you want to use the same tabs.
 
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D tuning can increase the volume with the higher string tension.
I once heard the tuning was commonly used in vaudville theatres before amplification to give the tiny uke a louder voice.
When I was a kid, many years ago, D was the standard tuning and first tuning I learned.
 
I'd never really given any thought to D tuning. I've seen older method books that are for D tuning, but I didn't know that anyone really used that tuning. The only tunings I was really familiar with were high/low G or Bari tuning. I'm going to have to try that today on my soprano!
 
Well, I did it.... I was amazed at how sweet and bright it made my uke sound! But now I'm going to have to get another soprano to have in C tuning or learn the chords in D tuning or tune back down when I do any jamming with others.
 
SweetWaterBlue said:
I think I will give D tuning a try on my sopranos. I bought the soprano principally to play in the old style, and many of the books in Ianchadwick's massive library of ukulele books and sheet music from the golden age of ukuleles (1920s-1940s) use D tuning on the chord charts. If the soprano sounds better tuned to D, that's another reason to use it. I suppose the only disadvantage would be when playing with other players tuned to C, if you want to use the same tabs.
Click to expand...

I think for the sound you've been talking about D tuning is IT.

The advice Ken Middleton gave about "not thinking about the names of the chords but just playing?" Great advice. This is esp. true when you're doin' it solo with vocals.

With most figure 8 sopranos you pretty much need it...for that Golden Age sound.
 
It's certainly a nice option to have around when you're playing by yourself. It can sometimes be all I need to put a particular song within my singing range.

It can be problematic when playing with other people tuned to C though. (I cannot transpose quickly in my head.) And High Tension strings help with C tuning and slackness.

I may have to try the sopranino in Eb and see what that does for me.
 
luvdatuke said:
I think for the sound you've been talking about D tuning is IT.

The advice Ken Middleton gave about "not thinking about the names of the chords but just playing?" Great advice. This is esp. true when you're doin' it solo with vocals.

With most figure 8 sopranos you pretty much need it...for that Golden Age sound.
Click to expand...

Actually, I did try it soon after I posted. I didn't really like it. Maybe it was too much golden age for me lol. My SK-35G is already so plunky (in a good way) that the D tuning made it too much like my banjo uke. The extra tension also made the strings harder to press down, so I went back to C. The D is a bit harder to play, because the extra tension in the strings makes them harder to push down.

Here are two sound files from my SK-35g for comparison. I am using the same fingering for both - IOW, I am just ignoring the fact that I am in D tuning on one and playing the chords as if I were in C:

D Turning

C Tuning

Now, that I listen to them again, I am not sure which I like better. The D definitely has more pop, perhaps because all the notes are full tone higher.

Excuse my sloppy playing this afternoon.
 
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pdxuke said:
Yes, it has been fun. I have the following tunings at present, all soprano:
Sprucehouse--C
Sopranino--D
Mainland mahogany--C
Mainland Mango pineapple--D
Bushman Jenny--D
Dolphin--C
Watermelon--C
The new Ohana SK35 just arrived, and I haven't opened the box yet.
I think this weekend I'll mess with the novelty ukes and tune them to D. Will report.
Let me know the results of your experiments!
Thanks all, I've loved reading your comments.
Click to expand...
I love my Martin S-O tuned to D. It really barks, but I never thought to try any of my other sopranos. I just tuned my Mainland Mahogany Pineapple. OMG!!!!! Different result than the Martin, but I really like it. Very crisp. It's like a totally different instrument. I played through some instrumental pieces and even strummed Sweet Georgia Brown. WOW!!!! This one stays in D too. I'm glad I read this discussion.
Regards,
Ray
 
For me, the big picture of D tuning is this: that in the Golden Age of Ukulele there were ukulele songs being written in great number and they were a significant part of popular music. The same came not be said of this current wave. Instead, we have ukulele sitings here and there...outside of the YouTube community....and sold out concerts of Jake S.. Hawaiian music continues to tap and see the ukulele as a given. We ignore Hawaiian music at our own peril. It remains the most fertile source of inspiration, IMO. Much of the rest is showing how you can "play a lot of stuff" on the ukulele...which bores me. What would not bore are more songs being written.

The virtuosity of a relative handful of individuals in no way compares to the Golden Age of Ukulele...nor to its continued presence in Hawaiian music.
 
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