Indoor Sound vs. Outdoor Sound

Anyone find they prefer a certainly uke more indoors or outdoors?

Reason I ask is that I took both my Dolphin (with D'Addario strings), and my Kala Concert (laminate mahogany) camping this weekend and far prefereed playing the Dolphin.

Outdoors, the Dolphin sounded so much better to my ear. Brighter, clearer.

The Kala sounded quite dull in comparison (same strings).

This wasn't a case of volume at all.

I wondered if anyone else had similar experiences?

fwiw, my "good uke" the Islander Tenor, sounds great inside or out.

I think the outdoors makes all ukes sound more poorly, there's so much to compete with...wind, voices, ambient noise, animals, traffic etc. plus in the wide open space there's no walls and ceiling to amplify the sound and help it resonate...it literally disappears into thin air. I can't really think of any uke I own that sounds very good outside.

But Jon, you have many videos when you are playing outside. And they all sound fabulous.

I think I sound better inside, but I prefer playing outside.

Inside? Outside? A bit vague. Where exactly inside do you mean? The sound in my kitchen - with stone and metal and tile surfaces - is very different from that in the living room with its soft furniture and plants. Outside? My front porch is a plastic with glass fencing, so sound reflects better than on my back deck which is wood and open.

Mandalyn said:

I think I sound better inside, but I prefer playing outside.

Click to expand...

I completely agree. Something about playing outside makes the playing experience better for me.

Outside would be sitting in my backyard, or while camping, perhaps on the beach. Obviously volume is going to be effected by reflective objects.

Inside is sitting in my living room, in a room at the library where Uke Club meets, etc.

Maybe this is less about the Kala sounding "dull" then the Dolphin being pleasantly bright? I had both out camping this weekend and the Dolphin just really sounded great.