Playing Smaller Ukuleles...

rt1965

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As a guitar player, I struggled with my first ukulele, a really nice KoAloha Soprano. I replaced it with a KoAloha Tenor which I love. I can't help but think I should still give the smaller size ukes another chance. Their tone is so distinct. I guess I would start with a Concert size and see how it goes. Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?
 
As a guitar player, I struggled with my first ukulele, a really nice KoAloha Soprano. I replaced it with a KoAloha Tenor which I love. I can't help but think I should still give the smaller size ukes another chance. Their tone is so distinct. I guess I would start with a Concert size and see how it goes. Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?

prior to picking up the ukulele, bass was my first choice in instruments. it will always always always be in my top two. :)

but yes, the frets being so small and close together made things hard to get used to at first for me. especially since it had been a while since i had picked up my guitar and played that, prior (heck, even playing between bass and guitar was hard for me, at times. had to think about what i was playing!)

i play mostly a tenor right now. i do own two sopranos, as well.. and do play them occasionally. especially my cordoba.

from my personal experience, i have realized that after you pick up a smaller uke just to play a few songs.. you get used to the positioning of the frets. especially if you keep playing and swapping, you will soon aquire a memory for each instrument.

i guess it just depends. i play a tenor mostly because i like the sound of a tenor more for the type of music i play/enjoy playing. there are some things that i love to play more ona soprano uke, or a baritone uke.

it just depends.

my opinion::: don't set down the soprano forever. if you like the sound, then definitely stick with it. you're allowed to play more than one :) and trust me... you'll get used to it, soon enough.
 
I agree with Heather. For me, the change is always about the sound (except for the instances when you need more frets). It just seems like different tunes sound better on different ukes (Hey, I just found a new excuse to buy more...what is that, excuse #38?) :uhoh:
 
Yeah, Miss Heather is right. If you stick with it a little bit, you will develop the finger memory for positioning.

But I'm also mainly going from concert to soprano depending on which side of the house I'm currently sitting in. (the concert is next to me now by the computer. the soprano's in the living room in front of the tv) It's not a huge scale leap, but there's a definite difference in how I approach playing them (which is based somewhat on how I end up holding each) that took a bit of getting used to.

If you like the soprano sound stick with it.
 
I'm in a band and we play hawaiian and rock. I jump between my sopranino (for hawaiian) to my baritone (for rock). I have only been playing since January but I made a conscience decision not to get stuck on one size. If you keep working on it your brain will adapt.
 
I like the sound of the smaller bodied ukes and have come to appreciate soprano ukes with a concert scale. I prefer playing the concert length neck, but just dig the sound of sopranos. I also like the tone of concert ukes too.

Tenors sound real different to me, and frankly I can't bring out the best in them like others can. So I'd prefer a concert uke with a tenor scale... but that's really because of my lack of skill!

Anyway, I find myself playing a little differently with each ukulele because of the way it sounds - the tone of a ukulele can really affect how a song feels and plays...
 
Thanks for the replies so far. I do have a KoAloha Pineapple Sunday which is basically a Super Concert size, but again, just keep thinking about that really cool sound of a Soprano. Maybe I'll just pick up an inexspensive one to play with and see how it goes.
 
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Well I have an excess of ukes...

if you're interested in a KoAloha soprano with a concert length neck and upgraded Gover open back geared tuners, let me know!
 
Well I have an excess of ukes...

if you're interested in a KoAloha soprano with a concert length neck and upgraded Gover open back geared tuners, let me know!
"an excess of ukes"?.....there's no such thing......
 
I am just on week 9 of playin, I started with a Soprano and at the time I didn't know trere were other sizes.

I now have a couple of Soprano's and a Tenor, I use the Tenor to figure out chord changes (gives me more room) then switch to a Soprano which is what I am mostly playin (that might change this week I'm thinking of getting a Concert).
 
At home I play my tenor, but when I'm out and about on the weekends I normally have my soprano flea in the car so I can play whenever/wherever. Two totally different sounds, but both are equally amusing.
 
I am just on week 9 of playin, I started with a Soprano and at the time I didn't know trere were other sizes.

I now have a couple of Soprano's and a Tenor, I use the Tenor to figure out chord changes (gives me more room) then switch to a Soprano which is what I am mostly playin (that might change this week I'm thinking of getting a Concert).

That's really similar to what I've been doing lately-- I practice on my tenor and then switch over to my Soprano... The soprano's a better fit for my freakishly small hands, so it sounds cleaner and more polished, but the tenor's good exercise.
 
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