pdxuke
Well-known member
Anybody have the Southcoast cuatro strings on your Barry? I have a set i want to put on but I'm confused about the octaves and would love to hear a sound sample of each string sounded out.
Cuatro Strings on Barry
- Thread starter pdxuke
- Start date
southcoastukes
Well-known member
Hey Thom -
Go to our Cuatro string sets page. There are two sound samples in D tuning: "high reentrant" - the traditional ukulele set-up - on a Soprano, and "low reentrant" - the traditional Cuatro set-up - on a Baritone. Those samples give a pretty good read on the differences.
Just think about the difference between a high 4th and a low 4th set-up. You drop the 4th string an octave. With the Cuatro, it's like a low 4th, but now you drop the 1st string an octave as well. Instead of the Ukulele reentrant set-up with the otside strings being the highest, with the Cuatros, they are dropped an an octave, and are the lowest.
It's a great way to get a full, deep sound out of a higher tuning, and often do it without using wound strings.
We've added a new set to do it in C tuning on a Baritone as well. Again, just think of a linear C set-up on a Baritone - now drop your 1st string an octave. As the linear C is a very light sound on a Baritone, the "low 1st" gives it a lot more depth.
We've added an option to one of our most popular sets - the LL-NWs (Light Linear - no wound strings), so now you can get it with an extra "Cuatro 1st" string to try both ways.
Chording is the same - picking is different, of course, as when you switch from Ukulele reentrant to linear.
Well, that was one of those wordy explanations, better just to listen to the samples, or maybe some Leonardo Lozano.
Go to our Cuatro string sets page. There are two sound samples in D tuning: "high reentrant" - the traditional ukulele set-up - on a Soprano, and "low reentrant" - the traditional Cuatro set-up - on a Baritone. Those samples give a pretty good read on the differences.
Just think about the difference between a high 4th and a low 4th set-up. You drop the 4th string an octave. With the Cuatro, it's like a low 4th, but now you drop the 1st string an octave as well. Instead of the Ukulele reentrant set-up with the otside strings being the highest, with the Cuatros, they are dropped an an octave, and are the lowest.
It's a great way to get a full, deep sound out of a higher tuning, and often do it without using wound strings.
We've added a new set to do it in C tuning on a Baritone as well. Again, just think of a linear C set-up on a Baritone - now drop your 1st string an octave. As the linear C is a very light sound on a Baritone, the "low 1st" gives it a lot more depth.
We've added an option to one of our most popular sets - the LL-NWs (Light Linear - no wound strings), so now you can get it with an extra "Cuatro 1st" string to try both ways.
Chording is the same - picking is different, of course, as when you switch from Ukulele reentrant to linear.
Well, that was one of those wordy explanations, better just to listen to the samples, or maybe some Leonardo Lozano.
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pdxuke
Well-known member
Hi Dirk:
Thanks for the speedy reply. The cuatro on barry sounds lush and beautiful. What would be helpful on sound samples would be each string plucked so we can hear the intervals. Especially since it's a tuning new to many of us. Just a suggestion.
So, with the old MY DOG HAS FLEAS as a model with cuatro you get LOW HIGHER HIGHER LOW? Does that make sense? and for Barry it's in D, so A, D, F# B?
southcoastukes
Well-known member
You've got it, Thom (LOW HIGHER HIGHER LOW).
On the sound samples, listen to the last 4 notes - those are D chords (what would be C chords in C). The strings are plucked in this order: Ukulele set-up: 3-open / 2 -open / 4-open, and then only the 1st string fretted (in the 3rd position); Cuatro set-up: 4-open / 3-open / 2-open & 1 again fretted at the 3rd.
And yes, as you would write it in standard notation: a d' f#' b . There is, BTW, on our site - page 2 of "Tunings", a complete chart of Ukulele reentrant, Cuatro reentrant and Linear Tunings for an entire octave: "from G to shining G".
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pdxuke
Well-known member
Thanks for the info, Dirk! The Barry and yours strings sets is opening a new world of sound. No wonder barry players need half a dozen
southcoastukes
Well-known member
You were typing while I was typing, Thom. Look back up at the edited version for the right order of the strings on the samples.
And yes, none of the Ukuleles have as many possibilities - as wide a range of expression - as the Baritones.
And yes, none of the Ukuleles have as many possibilities - as wide a range of expression - as the Baritones.
southcoastukes
Well-known member
Dirk:
Don't let some spoilsport make you feel overly wordy.
Me? Shortchange on words? Not likely! (thanks for the sentiment)
Dirk:
Don't let some spoilsport make you feel overly wordy.
I agree. I learn something from all your wordy posts and sometimes wish they were wordier.
TheCraftedCow
Well-known member
Though the bari has the largest volume in the body, we ought not to think that cuatro tuning doesn't make a remarkeable difference even in a little soprano. Don't shy away from this tuning just because you don't have a baritone.
