Tone and Player Dynamics

AndrewKuker

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I get asked about tone all the time and, while every uke has it's own sound and range, much is determined by your playing and attack. You may be thinking, duh, but I will state the obvious anyway.

Kris and his mom Keiko came by the workshop and recorded some songs yesterday. Kris has a Kamaka custom and here duels with himself by producing different tones from his attack. The same uke goes from a warm, fat, sweet to a brighter, thinner, punchier.. A nice display of dynamics and their tonal effect.



This setup- I ran a chord into my recorder but dumped that track and only used the Earthworks QTC 40 mic into the Earthworks ZDT preamp. Both noted for a clean and uncolored signal. I had another mic in front of the piano but dumped it also and only used the plug in from it. So the uke sound is coming fully from that one mic. By the way, Kris is insanely versatile, gotta check him out sometime.
 
Hey

Really enjoy your web site, its one of the best, good job.

Wondering what kind of strings if you know that.

Thank you

Eor
 
Wow. I've been looking for some inspiration. That definitely did the trick!

Thanks so much. I needed that. :)
 
This topic is particularly interesting to me, Andrew, because I am in the process of choosing tonewoods for an upcoming uke build. Currently, I find myself wondering if I should choose a top that would brighten the tone, or one that will warm it up. There are reasons for both, of course. My thought process made me look at my own playing style and what I expect I'll be doing. For me, it's finger style and jazz chord solos, mostly. Of course there's a part of me that says I will end up playing in every style I can imagine and I'm looking for that one top wood that will excel in every style. It's fun and it can sometimes make my head spin.
 
Holy cow! I'd be tickled pink if I could get the first slow intro down!

As for the "picking near the bridge" trick for more treble and attack it's something I've known about for years (I use it all the time on bass) but this is probably the best illustration of it I've ever seen.

Of course, UAS sufferers need to remind spouses from time to time that we still need ukes in every tonewood and bracing pattern because some will have deeper, fatter "round tones" and others will have brighter janglier "bridge" tones and... LOL

John
 
Wondering what kind of strings if you know that.

That Kris was playing? I gotta ask, maybe the pro arte just like jake, seemed like it.

Currently, I find myself wondering if I should choose a top that would brighten the tone, or one that will warm it up. There are reasons for both, of course. My thought process made me look at my own playing style and what I expect I'll be doing. For me, it's finger style and jazz chord solos, mostly. Of course there's a part of me that says I will end up playing in every style I can imagine and I'm looking for that one top wood that will excel in every style. It's fun and it can sometimes make my head spin.

I think the maker is more defining of tone than the woods, and the higher end you go the more the builder will be adjusting get his sound with different wood densities. The better ones are more veritable and have a wider range with any wood.

As for the "picking near the bridge" trick for more treble and attack it's something I've known about for years (I use it all the time on bass) but this is probably the best illustration of it I've ever seen.
Of course, UAS sufferers need to remind spouses from time to time that we still need ukes in every tonewood and bracing pattern because some will have deeper, fatter "round tones" and others will have brighter janglier "bridge" tones and... LOL

Good point John, Where you place your hand very much affects the tone, also sometimes it will cause/prevent fret buzz, and ability to do some techniques like tremolo picking is affected. But ya, this is only for you guys to think about. Don't go tell your mate that one uke can get any tone. At least not one you already have.
 
Very nice, it reminded me of the same song and same technique that Alistair Wood uses on his video. Much more simple version though, even me and other old pharts can play Alistairs version.
tabs:http://ukulelehunt.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/DuelingBanjos.pdf

[video=youtube;ZWd-PnQx6Js]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZWd-PnQx6Js[/video]
 
incredible demo. Thanks for the post Andrew. For myself, I feel I'm always chasing that deeper, fuller, more rounded tone but end up sounding like the more abrasive one. Not bad ukes, wood or construction...just poor playing technique. The flexibility and control that Kris displays here is sure something to strive for.
 
incredible demo. Thanks for the post Andrew. For myself, I feel I'm always chasing that deeper, fuller, more rounded tone but end up sounding like the more abrasive one. Not bad ukes, wood or construction...just poor playing technique. The flexibility and control that Kris displays here is sure something to strive for.

Ack! Jon, I've got dibs on your current "poor playing technique" when you trade it in for something better, okay! :biglaugh:
 
Wow, thanks Andrew. Great video and great thread.
I have had the pleasure to meet Kris at the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station some years ago.
He is one of the reasons I bought my first uke... I don't understand why he's not getting more attention. He's an impressive artist.

I have Kris's second CD that has "Dueling banjos" on it... and I always thought there was a guy playing the Banjo beside him !!!

wow
 
Andrew, thanks so much for this post. The technique of changing the picking location to change the tone is new to me, and since I am one of those extremely rare (and clearly bizarre) uke players who is happy with one uke at a time, this is welcome information! I look forward to experimenting with it!
 
Andrew, thanks so much for this post. The technique of changing the picking location to change the tone is new to me, and since I am one of those extremely rare (and clearly bizarre) uke players who is happy with one uke at a time, this is welcome information! I look forward to experimenting with it!

If you slowly move your right hand up and down the strings, you'll find a lot of different tone colours. And they are different from ukulele to ukulele, though it's always the case that the further up the neck, the warmer, the closer to the bridge, the brighter. But both of my ukuleles have a sort of "sweet spot". I'm about 1/20 as good as Kris at it, but I think once you get the concept, it's worth experimenting with. It can breathe new life into an instrument which you thought you knew.
 
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