Keef
Well-known member
are their any uke payers playing the blues like this? links please I am still trying to find my nitch in uke music :drool:
http://youtu.be/4Ny5ajCn0xw
http://youtu.be/4Ny5ajCn0xw
can this be done on a uke ? BB king
- Thread starter Keef
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DangerLaef
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stevepetergal
Well-known member
Sorry, I disagree with daech. Can't be done without B.B. King. You can play amazing blues, but you can't be The King of the Blues.
ukuleletim
Well-known member
After hearing Jake do Bohemian Rhapsody I am convinced anything can be done.
I must agree with Tim. Once one gets past the "ukuleles are magical devices delivered by fairies to spread happiness - but don't dare play it over the sound hole/with a pick/slung too low/add cliche here," and recognize that they are a box with strings and frets designed to make sound - then it becomes evident that one can really play anything on them.
It's an instrument. Make noise. Have Fun.
It's an instrument. Make noise. Have Fun.
OP
OP
Keef
Well-known member
I find my self atracted to this kind of music and I really like the idea of improvazation <--?
OldePhart
Well-known member
You can certainly play blues on a ukulele but B.B. King's style depends on a lot of sustain without crushing gain. You're just not going to get there on a nylon string ukulele (notice the video above was of a steel string electric ukulele which is more similar to a small guitar than it is to a ukulele and even then they had to use a fair amount of overdriven gain to get even close to the sustain B.B. gets playing "clean").
Also, B.B. plays "up the neck" almost all of the time on Lucille - that's much of what gives him that really sweet tone. Playing the same notes even on a steel string electric ukulele is not going to give you that same fat, smooth, "niceness."
Also, B.B. plays "up the neck" almost all of the time on Lucille - that's much of what gives him that really sweet tone. Playing the same notes even on a steel string electric ukulele is not going to give you that same fat, smooth, "niceness."
OP
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Keef
Well-known member
I have my eye on the new Kamoa full hollow " Evolve " steel string uke right now the E3 is out but not the full hollow version I have my eye on :drool:
Yeah - they sure look nice.
The Big Kahuna
Well-known member
The thing that makes people listening to a track say "yep, that's BB King" is his vibrato technique. Very deep and fast. You'll never do that on a Uke'. Can't really see anyone pulling off a rake convincingly either.
deach
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No, you probably won't be able to do this acoustically with your grandfather's dusty soprano Kamaka but it can be done with a ukulele. Just connect a couple pedals to a uke and you're in business.
To all those who say it can''t be done, YOU will never do it. Free your mind....
To all those who say it can''t be done, YOU will never do it. Free your mind....
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Keef
Well-known member
I like this and aim to try
ukuleletim
Well-known member
I guess you need to qualify what "can this be done" means.
Can it be arranged for ukulele and sound cool? Yes. Deach is right. Free your mind....
But can it be played note for note and sound the same on a ukulele (electric or not)? Probably not. So what?
I have a fine time imitating other instruments on the ukulele but I don't expect it to sound exactly the same. The fun is that people get the idea. I would just get one of those other instruments if it came to that.
The beauty and fun of arranging for uke is... arranging for uke.
Can it be arranged for ukulele and sound cool? Yes. Deach is right. Free your mind....
But can it be played note for note and sound the same on a ukulele (electric or not)? Probably not. So what?
I have a fine time imitating other instruments on the ukulele but I don't expect it to sound exactly the same. The fun is that people get the idea. I would just get one of those other instruments if it came to that.
The beauty and fun of arranging for uke is... arranging for uke.
OP
OP
Keef
Well-known member
yes a uke will never sound like a guitar and I don,t want it to but I would like to use it to play the blues and contribute to the blues as only a uke can
Sorry, BK, but I must disagree. I aggressively use these techniques on my ukulele – along with sweep picking, pinch harmonics, and a slew of other “non-ukulele” techniques. I perform all of these on an acoustic, concert size ukulele, since my Kamoa Evolve has not arrived yet. (Technical note: I use much higher string tension than most players.)
I have lately been arranging New Orleans style piano pieces (Professor Longhair, Fats Domino) for ukulele. Challenging, but very fun.
Personally, I'm still waiting for someone to make a uke with a whammy bar.
