So. Central Rain - R.E.M. cover on tiple

uke4ia

uke4ia

UU VIP
UU VIP
Joined
Mar 18, 2011
Messages
3,726
Reaction score
465
Location
Boston area


R.E.M. announced a few days ago that the band is breaking up. Or disbanding. Back in the '80s, I went to see them in concert several times, and played all their albums to death. This was one of their early singles, before they broke into the Top 40. (In fact, my wife gave me this gigantic book called "The Great Rock Discography", which tells me the song peaked at #85 on the U.S. charts in 1984.) I learned to play this on my Martin Style 2 soprano during the '80s.
 
Thanks. I think a lot of times on cover tunes, I subconsciously start trying to sound like the original singer.
 
Scott Stahlecker said:
uke4ia- Nice job, and sorry to hear REM is breaking up. Curious about you uke. Is that a 10 string?
Click to expand...
It's a tiple. North American made tiples (made by such companies as Martin, Harmony, etc) are basically steel string ukuleles with 10 strings. 2-3-3-2 all in octaves except for the last course, or the A strings which are tuned in unison (same octave). It's tuned in D or C.
 
Last edited:
What he said. There are three of each of the C and E strings. The one in the middle is an octave lower than the ones on either side of it.

This one is a Yasuma - a Martin copy. I've had it for over 20 years, but never really known what to do with it. So this year I've been trying out various songs I know on it, to see which ones work.
 
Thanks uke4ia, I hope to strum one some day. I've played an 8 string, and have a six, and both can be a challenge especially when trying to pick notes and strum. I've found my six works best if I just use if for strumming rhythms, guessing this 10 would be the same.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

BluesyUkuleleBabe
MN newbie... Hello from Blizzard Central!
Replies
16
Views
439
ukudancer
U
J
Greetings from Central California
Replies
12
Views
364
Kenn2018
Kenn2018
J
Song Help Request Ukulele central by Fairport convention
Replies
8
Views
556
jean40
J
T
For Sale: Oahu Tenor Case (pick up in Central PA)
Replies
3
Views
318
thaidye39
T
T
Luthier in Central Jersey?
Replies
2
Views
267
Tommydorsey
T
Top Bottom