What's your favorite tuning?

VaGoddess

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Hey! I have a Cordoba Tenor (low g) with Aquila strings...loving it so far, but I'm looking for a even more "mellow" or "guitary" sound. I want the "guitar-like" sound, but on my Tenor, so it still has a little ukulele sound and the GCEA chord shapes, also! I hope that's not to confusing, ha ha! I've heard of all types of tunings for a Tenor uke, so is there one that meets the sound that I'm looking for, other than DGBE?
 
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I'll be a smart Aleck....for a great guitar sound, try EBGDAE. ;)

Sorry, can't give you the uke advice you are looking for.
 
I'll be a smart Aleck....for a great guitar sound, try EBGDAE. ;)

Sorry, can't give you the uke advice you are looking for.

Not really all that smart alec. There's a serious point there.

If you want a guitarry sound, then get a guitar. If you only want four strings, then get a tenor guitar. I have a friend who has a tenor guitar and it definitely sounds like a guitar and not a bit like a uke.

I like re-entrant tuning whatever tuning you use. It gives the proper uke sound. Another friend of mine has a low "G" tenor which she tunes DGBE because it makes it easy to play in keys that suit her voice best. It has really nice sound but to me, it just doesn't sound right.

However, there are no hard and fast rules and maybe you should just experiment a bit with different tunings. Tuning up or down a tone can make quite a difference.
 
Hey! I have a Cordoba Tenor (low g) with Aquila strings...loving it so far, but I'm looking for a even more "mellow" or "guitary" sound. I want the "guitar-like" sound

....... Perhaps you don't need to change the tuning... but need to experiment with different strings?
Aquila strings aren't "mellow" strings.. in fact they're quite the opposite - bright and punchy.


I would suggest D'addario Pro-Arte strings if you want something that sounds mellower and "guitary".
Pro-Artes are also a popular choice on classical guitars.
 
Not really all that smart alec. There's a serious point there.

If you want a guitarry sound, then get a guitar. If you only want four strings, then get a tenor guitar. I have a friend who has a tenor guitar and it definitely sounds like a guitar and not a bit like a uke.

I like re-entrant tuning whatever tuning you use. It gives the proper uke sound. Another friend of mine has a low "G" tenor which she tunes DGBE because it makes it easy to play in keys that suit her voice best. It has really nice sound but to me, it just doesn't sound right.

However, there are no hard and fast rules and maybe you should just experiment a bit with different tunings. Tuning up or down a tone can make quite a difference.

Thanks for the suggestions!
 
I tune down to Bb sometimes, if I'm playing a song in a non-uke-friendly key. It works better with higher tension strings because they won't flop around as much when you're tuned down.

Baritones are fun if you like to experiment with tunings. I have one in normal DGBE and one in GCEA, but an octave lower than standard uke tuning. Check out this thread for a description and sound samples.
 
Tenor tuned dGBE or DGBE

Keep the Aquila strings. With a linear tuning of low d, drop it a whole tone to a c. move the 2nd string (B) up a half step to C. CGCE finds the F chord by barring across the 5th fret, or, if you want to shape a chord, use 0 2 0 1. Fminor is 0101. Gmajor can be the 7th fret barred or 2423. It really is just barring the 2nd fret and playing2423. It is a wonderful tuning. If you want a different tuning, drop the E string a half step, so you are playing Cminor. the 5th fret 5555 would be Fminor and 7778 would be Gmajor7th. I f you tune to the minor and remember to play the first fret on the e string, you can get some nice half step bending without having to knock the strings sideways and out of tune.
 
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Keep the Aquila Strings and go Re entrant B or Bb.....if you are new
I have never played a cordoba but I know it is probally good starter uke.....but I decide on what tuning on the way a uke sounds in GCEA and make adjustments with tuning and strings
to what I want it to sound like...having not played a cordoba, it would be a hard assist you...
 
Keep the Aquila strings. With a linear tuning of low d, drop it a whole tone to a c. move the 2nd string (B) up a half step to C. CGCE finds the F chord by barring across the 5th fret, or, if you want to shape a chord, use 0 2 0 1. Fminor is 0101. Gmajor can be the 7th fret barred or 2423. It really is just barring the 2nd fret and playing2423. QUOTE]

Dear TheCraftedCow. I also discovered the beauty C tuning baritone (C-G-c-e). Maybe you interesting. I made tabs.
http://osos.sweb.cz/tabulatury.html Open C tuning Baryton ukulele.pdf Open C tuning Baryton ukulele-1.pdf
 
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