Volume equals good uke??

Dan Uke

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Hi guys

As I read lots of posts, being loud is usually mentioned as a sign of being a good uke. Is it that important to have a loud uke?

I usually play by mself and in a ukulele group, I would think everyone would want to blend in unless you have a solo.

Is volume overrated?
 
Aloha nongdam,
Different strokes for different folks as they say. I suppose what the application is called for, playing by yourself, with people outdoors or in a room, background noise, etc. etc.
For me, I sing better than I play, so accoustly, I want a lower volume......but that's just me........................BO............
 
If I ever get the kahunas to play at an open mic, the uke will have a pickup
 
I spend a lot of my playing time at school with lots of kids. Volume is hugely important.
 
I play alone or in group of more ukes then singers so volume is not a plus in my book. Sound of course is important but being loud is a negative for me. I find these discussions so interesting because we all have such different opinions. May be frustrating for the shopper trying to figure out what to buy. Buy one of each.
 
I tend to think less in terms of volume and more about the "fullness" of the sound. I've found that when I get impatient and strum too hard, I actually interfere with the natural vibrations of the uke. At a certain point you must let the uke vibrate. I have also played thicker bodied ukes that seemed rather small in their sound: I wonder if "volume" became a criteria because some cheaper ukes just were too thick and heavy?
 
The volume from the instrument doesn't mean anything to its quality. I usually play along and kinda play softer even when I strum. I prefer softer sound rather than louder. I can feel the resonation through the instrument to my chest, no need to bend it hard to make the volume up.

So nope, I don't consider a loud uke is good for my preference.
 
I don't think that it adds to quality, but it is a fringe benefit as far as I'm concerned. You can certainly strum or pick softer, but when you want it to be louder, it is a nice addition. I wouldn't buy one because it was louder, but that is one of the things I like about my KoAlohas for when I want volume. Different strokes for different folks I guess.
 
In terms of sound most people are concerned with dynamic range and sound quality. A good ukulele has a large dynamic range, it will respond to a light touch and get louder as you increase your attack. Sound quality is subjective, some like a brighter punchier sound, and others prefer warmer and richer. That's why there are a lot of builders and manufacturers.

Brad
 
In terms of sound most people are concerned with dynamic range and sound quality. A good ukulele has a large dynamic range, it will respond to a light touch and get louder as you increase your attack. Sound quality is subjective, some like a brighter punchier sound, and others prefer warmer and richer. That's why there are a lot of builders and manufacturers.

Brad


Yeah - what he said!

Having the ability to get significant volume from an instrument does not equate with doing so. My Fluke, KoAloha, and Ohana all have the capability of playing very loud, very bright music; that being said, I generally tend to strum or finger pick at a much lower, more mellow volume.

Except when I don't - but that is primarily on one of the banjo ukes.


-Kurt​
 
In terms of sound most people are concerned with dynamic range and sound quality. A good ukulele has a large dynamic range, it will respond to a light touch and get louder as you increase your attack.
Right on! I would only add that it's also important that the sound does not distort as you approach maximum volume.

Sound quality is subjective, some like a brighter punchier sound, and others prefer warmer and richer.
What muddies the water further is that one person can listen to a sound sample and describe a uke as "bright", while another person says it's "warm". So even the adjectives we use are based on subjective standards.
 
Tone is formost for me....but a muted ukulele can dampen my motivation... maybe I'm spoiled... having volume with poor tone is the pitts for me...
 
Dynamics are important to me,

Using them appropriately is up to me.

If it's not there, I can't manufacture it.
 
answer YES

Probably why we like different guitars, never held or heard a Martin I liked but almost all the old gibsons and guilds appeal to my ear. different strokes. I didn't even know I liked concert ukes.
The Honu concert I have will have to be twisted from my dead hands lol. Yet the tenor is just very nice. I've heard other ukes of even the same brand that were good but not the SAME. So to me its all about the flavor MY ears hear lol.
 
It's been my impression that when someone says an ukulele is loud, he or she is using some sort of shorthand for it being able to fully avail itself of the vibration of the strings in the soundmaking process. For example, many inexpensive ukuleles have been described as being over-braced, which prevents the soundboard from vibrating as much from the strings being struck as when there is lighter bracing, and that in turn reduces the volume or fullness of the sound. I think the same would be true with an ukulele where the soundboard was too thick. As Bradford (who, as an ukulele builder, knows way more about this stuff than I do) points out, a player can control volume through the force with which he or she moves the strings, and a quality ukulele will respond, volume-wise, to the touch of the person playing it. If I were to take two (or more) ukuleles and strike the string on each with the same force, I would measure quality by whether the resulting sound is louder and clearer or softer and more muffled. When someone lists loudness as a positive quality of his or her ukulele, what I imagine he or she is saying is that the ukulele was built well enough (among other things, the soundboard is not overbraced and is not too thick) that the sounboard is able to take full advantage of the vibration of the strings and the body is designed well enough (for example, the Kala thinline travel ukuleles have a curved back to compensate for the thinness of the body) to permit the sound to fully reverberate and project. For the same reason, the ukulele's loudness and fullness might be a reflection of the quality of the bridge and the care with which it was attached to the soundboard.
 
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Hi guys

As I read lots of posts, being loud is usually mentioned as a sign of being a good uke. Is it that important to have a loud uke?

I usually play by mself and in a ukulele group, I would think everyone would want to blend in unless you have a solo.

Is volume overrated?

I have played some ukuleles that were too loud and harsh until they were tamed by the right set of strings. Typically, I prefer a sweeter sound.
 
As has been brought up before, dynamics and responsiveness are things that any musician likes to have in an acoustic instrument. I also like to be able top feel the uke's vibrations in my chest when I play. It needs to feel active and alive. Otherwise I may as well be strumming on a 2x4. Also when leading groups and performing, it helps to hear and be heard.

An ukulele that is well made is going to be able to make the most of the string vibrations and consequently is going to be louder than a less well made and overbraced instrument. Volume isn't always your best indication of quality (intonation etc.. still need to be there), but it's going to be something that a quality instrument is capable of.

And to repeat for emphasis, you can play a loud instrument softly, but you can't play a soft instrument loudly.


I mean, When I play and sing, I play and sing to be heard. A pickup is nice, but I really only want it for times when I can't fill the space up with the natural sound I can make.
 
I consider the uke to be a travellers instrument. So, yes, a proper uke should be definetely loud enough to be heard in any given outdoor environment.
 
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