Why does low G tuning make so much difference?

Hi, folks.

The more I try and delve into chord melody stuff on uke, I'm coming up against problems. The biggest database of chord melody stuff on YouTube is played by a guy with low G tuning, and I don't understand the difference. I get the 4 extra notes thing, but it shouldn't make that much odds, right? Surely I have access to them, albeit in a higher register?

Please help resolve this confusion.

Thanks,

Shady

it changes everything, gives you an actual bass register to work with and changes a beautifully unique instrument into a high-strung two thirds of a guitar...

chrimess said:

it changes everything, gives you an actual bass register to work with and changes a beautifully unique instrument into a high-strung two thirds of a guitar...

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.........

Shady Wilbury said:

I get the 4 extra notes thing, but it shouldn't make that much odds, right? Surely I have access to them, albeit in a higher register?

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That's exactly right, but that's exactly the difference. You get different chord voicings with low G than high G - not saying better or worse, but different. I'm liking the low G as it makes more sense to me. All you reentrant people are just wrong (ducking - just kidding - don't hurt the newbie )

So, what are my options, other than restringing? (I'm a wimp, and I don't know how...can't tie a knot to save my life.)

Dear Shady, I do think it is more about personal taste more then anything else. What your preferred sound-tone is....It seems that for my taste I prefer the low G on most songs....but some things sound better with the "high G" for me too. I have a soprano with the High G for when I want that sound. Some people like the high, plucky sound and others like the lower range.... I believe neither one is better then the other. Try both and see what you think...

High and low G both have their place. Low G for picking and high g for strumming and clawhammer. I have a couple soprano's with high g, a couple concerts with low G, tenor with low G and an 8 string tenor that has both. I have a concert size banjouke on the way with high g too.

Jim Hanks said:

That's exactly right, but that's exactly the difference. You get different chord voicings with low G than high G - not saying better or worse, but different. I'm liking the low G as it makes more sense to me. All you reentrant people are just wrong (ducking - just kidding - don't hurt the newbie )

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You may be new but it's obvious you know what you're talking about.

To me my ukes sound better with a LowG on um..and you can play more songs with it,strumming and picking

Low g works better for me since I play mainly instrumental fingerpicking pieces. The extra notes come in handy. I also like the low g strumming for blues, rock and most Hawaiian songs. I do keep two ukes high g for Tin Pan Alley stuff but very rarely play them.

As a guitar player, I started out with a low G just because it felt comfortable to me..... I switched to a high G to start learning clawhammer and enjoyed it very much for a variety of tunes..... I kind of go back and forth now, depending on what I'm playing. You can change only the G string and put the high G back on any time.

You could also use this as an excuse to buy another ukulele - keep one strung both ways. I have a laminate Kala that I started out playing and a nicer Kamoa instrument I got last year. I told myself I would keep one strung each way, but I enjoy playing the Kamoa so much more, I'm back to switching out strings when the need arises. Looking to get another modestly priced upgrade like the Kamoa so I can have one of each while I'm saving up for twin custom Collings, lol.....

As far as the difference..... those extra few notes in the lower register make all the difference on some tunes, just as certain tunes/voicings/styles sound odd with the low G. I'd experiment and see what you like.

And changing strings is easier than you might think - you can buy single low G strings to experiment. I'd recommend ordering two just in case, as well as a back up set of reentrant strings. This video is pretty clear and easy to follow:



Good luck!

chrimess said:

it changes everything, gives you an actual bass register to work with and changes a beautifully unique instrument into a high-strung two thirds of a guitar...

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BWAAAA-HAAAA! My feelings pretty much exactly.

Seriously though there is more to it, of course. Basically, it changes the "inversion" of every chord you play by changing which note of the chord is in the bass. For example, your typical G chord (i.e. 0232) on a reentrant uke is actually a G/D chord because the D on the third string is the lowest note. When you switch to linear tuning the G on the fourth string is now back in the bass.

For many people music is easier to "follow" if the bass line follows the chord progression (i.e. few or no inversions) but personally I think it is the very inversions brought by reentrant tuning that really give the uke it's charm. Otherwise, you really might as well capo a guitar at the 5th fret and play that - and you'll have the advantage of a couple more bass strings available when you want them.

Of course, many guitar chords are also inversions but then there are almost always enough strings to double up on the root to help the ear "follow" the music. Also, most people are a lot more used to hearing and "following" guitars than they are ukuleles.

At the end of the day it is very much a personal preference kind of thing. Almost anything that can be picked on a low G can also be picked on a high G - but you need to change the entire arrangement or it may not sound right - that's why trying to make low-G arrangements work on high-g (and vice versa) can be so frustrating.



John

OldePhart said:

For many people music is easier to "follow" if the bass line follows the chord progression (i.e. few or no inversions) but personally I think it is the very inversions brought by reentrant tuning that really give the uke it's charm. Otherwise, you really might as well capo a guitar at the 5th fret and play that - and you'll have the advantage of a couple more bass strings available when you want them.

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I think it's more than this, though..... the low G just allows you to play a wider variety of styles/tunes. I definitely dig the unique voice of the ukulele and the sound of reentrant tuning, but there are certain things that just don't sound right to my ears without a low G. I guess some folks might just say 'then don't try to play it on the ukulele', but I find sticking to one or the other limiting.... I guess I swing both ways when it comes to my G string.

23skidoo said:

.... I guess I swing both ways when it comes to my G string.

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:stop:

TMI!!!

I think low G changes a ukulele to something else...high G for me!

I'm pretty new to ukes & can't play guitar. My instinct as an ex-cello player was to have the bottom string as the lowest. Sounded great on my tenor - until I joined a group. My uke sounded different to everyone else's because of the inversion thing that John talked about. Teacher commented that it made it into a guitar.

I'm using re-entrant now but plan to switch to low G on at least one uke when I am able to finger pick better. It does give much more options for picking. Otherwise it's like having two A strings to pick.

So I could be wrong but I think when Aldrine came up to the NW he told us that he did not usually use low G due to his playing style. Perhaps that's changed but I don't think so

Guys, did not want to upset anyone, in fact I am building a solid-body uke so I can go low G for slack-key and Daniel Ho music.

hapuna said:

So I could be wrong but I think when Aldrine came up to the NW he told us that he did not usually use low G due to his playing style. Perhaps that's changed but I don't think so

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That is correct, he plays high g, so does Jake. A lot of other professional uke players use low g (Herb Ohta Jr., Brittni Paiva, Daniel Ho among them). I think for them it is just like us...personal preference.

ur right hapuna; adlrine says it in the clip above.

as staci says, many use low g. to my ear, an open low g drones. but, it might be my ear

Example: Here's the always amazing Lil Rev playing an always amazing Mya Moe ukulele in low G. To my ear, whenever he avoids the G (like during the intro where he plays strings 1-3 only), it's all good. When he plays any closed (i.e. fingered) G, it's fine. But, watch his fretting hand...whenever he picks or strums an open low G...drone, drone drone. (to my ear).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp8Km_TtFJY

Everyone thinks differently about it, certainly. I'm with Aldrine and UkeDan (below). Gerald Ross states in his Bosko and Honey video--and I tend to agree--that the re-entrant tuning is quintessential ukulele; it's what makes the uke unique.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLIWRfY66A0
(see approx 2:10 min--then gerald drones the c on purpose---he's a madman, he's that good)

But many adore low G

(why, I can't imagine )