Too High (can't get over it)

XK50

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Aloha,

I bought a soprano uke on Monday (end up with a neat Martin OXK, after an issue with a U'Uku), and have surprised myself by making good progress, in just a week. The left hand will get there but right hand strumming will need much more brain programming (I would have thought it would have been the other way round!).

But to my newbie questions; I've been attempting all the usual beginners pieces and suppose they're in the Key of C (?). However, to my ears, they sound high (uke's in tune). I feel I want to play them lower. Now, this might be just beginner's compromise stuff and things will become better, later, but:

1) Would it be a question of just playing (eventually) closer down the neck? (I see NukeDoc's "sticky" on "uke theory for noobs". It's way ahead of me right now but I see the underlying principle).

2) Would swapping out the higher G for a lower G string assist?

3) Would retuning the uke from GCAE to some other system assist?

4) Am I asking the wrong thing of a soprano and should I have simply bought, all things being equal, a tenor uke?

As I say, all "newbie" questions. I'n not, necessarily, looking for precise practical answers, at this stage, I just need to understand what's going on.

Many thanks

XK50
 
That's just the way the ukulele sounds! Nature of the beast...

Beginners songs are often in the key of C because that key is easy to play on the uke. The question really is whether you can sing them comfortably in that key. If not, then later you can think of moving them to another key. Other keys won't really sound any lower on the uke, but it may move the melody into a better range for your voice.

Changing to a low g will create a somewhat lower sound for sure, but at the loss of some uke-ness. But it's a personal choice.

Buying a tenor uke wouldn't really change anything. The sound is different, but the tuning is actually the same. I think you just need time to adjust to this uke sound, and you'll love it once you get the hang of it!
 
You need to learn to "transpose" the song from one key to another. I sing most songs in "F" or "G" sometimes "C" but usually the melody in "C" is too high for me too. It is not as simple as moving chord shapes up or down the neck, unless you are playing barr chords.
Don
 
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Thanks, both, for your replies

Best wishes
 
1) Would it be a question of just playing (eventually) closer down the neck? (I see NukeDoc's "sticky" on "uke theory for noobs". It's way ahead of me right now but I see the underlying principle).

The ukulele's voice is higher and more narrow than most other instruments. Take a look at this graphic. In it, you can see where various instruments' ranges lie across the pitch spectrum. Ukulele isn't listed, but its range is two octaves, from C4 to C6, when tuned normally (gCEA - the lowercase g denotes a high g tuning).

2) Would swapping out the higher G for a lower G string assist?

It would. Switching to a low G tuning would expand your ukulele's range on the lower side. Your new lowest note would be a G3.

3) Would retuning the uke from GCAE to some other system assist?

The 2nd most popular tuning for ukuleles is aDF#B, especially for sopranos. This is higher than normal though, so this solution would not be to your benefit.

I would not recommend a beginner tune a soprano ukulele to any other tuning other than the two mentioned above.

4) Am I asking the wrong thing of a soprano and should I have simply bought, all things being equal, a tenor uke?

In my opinion, yes, you are asking the wrong thing of a soprano. A soprano ukulele is limited, but wonderful in its limitations. For a taste of what the soprano ukulele can do, check out the late great Mr. John King.

A tenor ukulele would not be the answer either. Its lowest note is the same as the soprano's lowest note.

If you really want a lower sound, I would suggest trying a baritone ukulele. They are tuned like the 4 bottom strings of a guitar. It may be the sound you're going for.
 
Thanks, seeso. The engineer in me really appreciated that graphic. IMHO, it should be up front in every beginner's tutorial.

Meanwhile, I've started to sing along a little higher!

Best wishes,
 
Don't strain your voice to sing higher if it's not comfortable for you. You need to try and find your comfortable range.

If you have an electronic tuner with a mic or a tuner app on your computer or mobile phone, try singing a note that feels comfortably in the middle of your range and see what it is. Then try going up the scale and down the scale from there until you reach a limit that you are comfortable with, then see what range you have. Match this against the range of the uke. If your comfortable range extends significantly below middle C, then maybe you need to think about a baritone. If you have a comfortable range above middle C then you should be OK with soprano/Concert/Tenor size ukes.
 
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