More than 4 strings?

mendel

mendel

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Simple question here... Why?

I do not mean to sound simple, but I genuinely want to understand it. I am relatively new to Uke, so please forgive my ignorance.

Mendel
 
A different sound.
 
Heresy I say!!! Heresy! They're not little mandolins or little guitars. They are Ukuleles hot dang it!!!! We don't need more than 4 strings!!!!!!!!!! Aaaaaaaaaarrrgh......... :p
 
Are you talking about a 6 string ukulele with the 1st and 3rd doubled, or an 8 string with all double courses? Either way the fingerings are the same and you get a much fuller sound; It is similar to a standard 6 vs 12 string guitar configuration.
 
How does fingerpicking work? Pluck only one, or both strings? I know that my Charango gas10 strings, but only 1 set is tuned to octaves while the other sets are all unison.
 
When I pick on my 8 I try to hit both strings. It doesn't always work though.
 
The real reason is it justifies UAS.
The same goes for High/Low G.
Banjo, soprano,concert, tenor & baritone.
All part of the master plot to make us buy more.
Thank goodness I can keep buying :).
 
4 strings is enough for me........for now.
 
Yeah, it's the fuller and different sound... not that I have anything more than 4 strings myself yet. If I were playing with my electric bass-playing husband, it would be an excellent option to plug in with. He's one of those who can do crazy riffs, which would put the strumming in my corner.

Now if we're talking a 6 string that's tuned like a guitar, like the Koaloha D-VI, there are two good reasons: interesting different sound, and it makes it easier for guitar players to pick up. My husband liked what he heard from that little beast very much. He claims he'd play uke if he could sound like Bosko. He's always shied away from uke because he can't be bothered to learn how to play it. Something like the D-VI solves that. And then you get this bonus of a nice and different sound and something else in the arsenal to choose from.

I'm mostly happy with either 4 strings or doubling up to 2 of them one of these days. :cool:
 
I bought an 8-string thinking I just had to have one. It will be in the marketplace soon. Nothing wrong with it it just sounds too much like a small guitar to me, and I have plenty of guitars. 4 strings 4ever!j

John
 
My understanding is that an 8 string isn't just all four strings doubled. It can be strung differently.

G can be strung with one G an octave higher/lower than the other G
C can be strung with one C an octave higher/lower than the other C

E and A are strung double at the same octave.

When you hear one strung this way the sound is very different than a straight four string.
 
i bought an 8-string because that's what got me back into the uke. it was a while after i got back into it before i bought, but i will keep this beast forever. i love my instrument because of the fuller sound.

8-strings are usually octaves on the g and c strings and unison on the e and a. i noticed several people above have said it sounds too much like a guitar, but i think that has to do with the wound g string (and c on some instruments). my friend who had the 8-string i played had an unwound low g and it sounds quite a bit less guitarish. i need to find out where his dad (ray villaverde ;)) got the aquila unwound low g.

as for picking, i think most people play both strings (i do). however, taimane seems to do well with the 8-string and picking individual strings.
 
Carl Ray Villaverde does the trick that Iz made popular.

C turns to low g.
E turns to C.
G turns to E.
A stays A.

It makes the g, C and E strings floppy while the A string is tight. He prefers the tone of the wound string but doesn't like that it wears out so much faster.

He strung my eleuke this way after doing some work on it and I don't like the feel of it, but to each their own. :)
 
yeah, i was going to ask his son how his dad set it up. the tension of the low g string didn't seem much different than mine now (same model instrument). i did like how mr. villaverde lowered the action, however. i do love my 8-string, but my friends 8-string feels much better than mine.
 
Because the more the strings, the greater the range of tones (pitch). Try doing Jerry Jeff Walker's song, "Mr. Bojangles", without the walking bass riff the guitar produces. It can be done, but it isn't the same. Ditto with the Beatles' song, "Blackbird."
Workarounds simply don't always give equal results. Not better, not worse: just different. More can offer additional compexity, but not necessarily more richness.

Imagine yourself a dulcimer or Strumstick player looking at the uke and asking, "why four strings when three are sufficient?" Or an autoharp player looking at the uke and wondering, "how can so few strings produce anything worthwhile"?
 
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