The high G string seems to be unfit for soloing :(

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peterng_20

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Speaking in GCEA (high G) tuning...

The high G string seems to be excluded in riffs and solos :(

If a low G string was used, then you can move up and down the frets through all four strings and make crazy riffs or solos like a guitar. But with the high G string, it does not work well when I do solos, so I basically use the CEA strings since it is suitable for moving up and down the frets. The only thing I use the high G for is to form chords, make the ghost note in between strumming patterns, and to add that extra note for finger picking. If I start a solo on the high G, then the riff stays on the G since moving to the next string instantly changes octaves which doesn't flow well, but still sounds interesting.

Does anyone agree with this? And is there a better way to get this lonely string involved?

However, I can change the string to low G, but that always irritates me since I only have one uke (pretty embarassing).
 
ya, i have been trying to learn scales all over the fret board and i don't really use the G-string. In fact, I am thinking about taking the g-string off and finding something better.
 
i dunno if mine low or high, how u find out again? :)
 
It is the high G that is mainly responsible for giving the instrument that traditional ukulele sound. With a low G it stars to sound like a little guitar.

Yes, you will get a bigger range of notes to play with if you change it to a low G, but they are only any use when playing a single line solo.

Also, once you change it to a low string you may not be able to chgange back because you have to make the slot at the nut wider. So be careful.

I don't agree at all about the low G being better. I use it all the time. It is rather like the extra string on a 5 string banjo. Try some of my arrangements e.g. Sweet Afton orThe Flowers Of Edinburgh. Find it here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=a18e92d5e21704b1d5a101cf914073b47627c76b3f1e1060

KEN
 
I agree with Ken.
It's a string. There's plenty more notes on it. If you can't figure out how to use them it's hardly the fault of the string.

It's just a little counter intuitive to have a high string in the number 4 position if you're used to other instruments.
 
I have ukes in both tuning and it depends on the song which one I chose. Something like Suzie Q or Smokestack Lightning with a run that goes down to the fourth string is a low G uke. Others - well, I just keep my lead bits on the first three strings.
 
peterng_20 said:
However, I can change the string to low G, but that always irritates me since I only have one uke (pretty embarassing).
Click to expand...

I think what your realy saying is its time for another uke!;)
 
Ken Middleton said:
Also, once you change it to a low string you may not be able to change back because you have to make the slot at the nut wider. So be careful.
Click to expand...

I never thought about that. Thanks for the info; although, now I don't know whether or not I should put my new low G set on my soprano. >_<
 
peterng_20 said:
Speaking in GCEA (high G) tuning...

The high G string seems to be excluded in riffs and solos :(

If a low G string was used, then you can move up and down the frets through all four strings and make crazy riffs or solos like a guitar. But with the high G string, it does not work well when I do solos, so I basically use the CEA strings since it is suitable for moving up and down the frets. The only thing I use the high G for is to form chords, make the ghost note in between strumming patterns, and to add that extra note for finger picking. If I start a solo on the high G, then the riff stays on the G since moving to the next string instantly changes octaves which doesn't flow well, but still sounds interesting.

Does anyone agree with this? And is there a better way to get this lonely string involved?

However, I can change the string to low G, but that always irritates me since I only have one uke (pretty embarassing).
Click to expand...

any vids/clips of your solos?
 
Although I don't have a low g on my uke, I've been really feelin it lately.

Now if only I didnt give my other lanikai to my mom... sigh. guess I need another uke ;)
 
Well I know it depends of course, but it's also possible to switch things around in many songs, especially the types where the notes are in the chords already if you get what I mean.

I'm not dissing all of low G. I've got my tenor all Low G'd up, I'm just saying that I tend to think of the high G as a different way to sound, rather than a limitation.

It's as good an excuse as any for another uke. What number excuse would that be? :)
 
Guting said:
any vids/clips of your solos?
Click to expand...

Do you want solos that I failed on because of the high G or just solos that I can play? I know a couple solos to a few songs and I can surely make some up using my knowledge of scales. The thing is that I don't have access to a good camera, only my crappy digital cam.
 
It's so easy, I don't think you need the tabs. The notes are inside the chord fingerings. It's just Am, C, D, F, Am, C, E7, and then repeat but take out the 2nd C - Am, C, D, F, Am, E7, Am.

It's just a scale straight down and up the strings, with the exception of the E7. Or, you can strum it, and then pluck the scale after each strum pattern.

The way I do it, Low G kind of messes that up, but it can still be done of course.

Now as for the melody, I don't know it. I mean it's in there. It's close, but my husband knows it on guitar and keyboard, and I don't yet know it on uke. You can tell what it is with just the scales though.

Ok, 2nd edit. He lied. He can't do that chord/melody thing on guitar. He can on keyboard obviously, I've heard him and there's no trick to it of course.
 
Last edited:
High G string

I sometimes get frustrated when I hear a lovely tab tune and look it up only to find it requires a low G. Dom's "One Note Samba" is an example; there's a song that I'm capable of learning but I can't find it in standard.

Of course, I don't "blame" anyone for creating a low G arrangement, but I wish I was proficient enough to find a way to transfer a low G arrangement to the re-entrant standard <when I wanted>.

I understand that another uke or two with different strings might answer the problem! :)
 
CTurner said:
I sometimes get frustrated when I hear a lovely tab tune and look it up only to find it requires a low G. Dom's "One Note Samba" is an example; there's a song that I'm capable of learning but I can't find it in standard.

Of course, I don't "blame" anyone for creating a low G arrangement, but I wish I was proficient enough to find a way to transfer a low G arrangement to the re-entrant standard <when I wanted>.

I understand that another uke or two with different strings might answer the problem! :)
Click to expand...

Technically, "One Note Samba" uses D tuning with a low A, but a C tuning low G song will just sound a whole step lower.
 
RON<>VA said:
Obvious solution - need all style ukes with both high and low G. Now pull out that plastic and get on the phone!
Click to expand...

This solution would obviously work which brings up a question of my own.

Has anyone here ever figured the exact percentage of problems brought up on this board that can be solved with this exact same advice?

Would explain a lot...just sayin
 
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