Why mellow sound?

Kekani

Kekani

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I've noticed a shift recently. Initially here, and certainly on other boards, the sound generally sought after was the bright barky loud in your face tin pan alley only generated from a Standard with Aquila sound of a typical `ukulele.

Usually, the (dare I say) guitarish sound of a low g Tenor (sought after by locals) was not the goal. Yet, lately, I've seen intentions towards "mellow" sound, usually with Worth or D'Addario following.

Also, Aquila was the recommended brand, always (not by me), no matter what. Not so anymore?

Anyone else notice, or is it just me?

-Aaron
 
Some people still like the bright sound...I think it's just whatever style of music you play determines what sound your looking for. Maybe more people are playing the uke in a style that requires the mellow sound?
 
I think the string controversy will never be resolved.Most people simply have their favorites,probably stick with them and never experiment with other brands to the point of being able to have the final word on what is "better". I think all the leading brands have merit and can be called "good strings". For me the string discussions sometimes end up sounding like people describing what the the color blue looks like.Lots of somantics but nothing clearly defineable.
 
I don't mind having a mellow uke because one of mine is really plucky, loud, bright, completely tin pan alley and cool. So it's nice having another sound.
 
Aaron,
Funny you mentioned that, I was just thinking the same thing yesterday when I read a few posts of people looking for strings for a mellow sound, or liking their uke for it's "mellow" sound. As we both know, sound preference is so subjective, yet there had appeared to be a huge following of "loud" and "bright" sounding ukes. It was almost as if an uke had a mellow, deep, or rich sound, it was a bad thing.

I would say that my personal preference varies. I have koa tenor and baritone with cedar top. The tenor is strung with low G and has such a rich sound and great for Hawaiian music or even finger picking that requires the lower octave. Even my concert fluke has a low G tuning for those kick back at the beach while fishing, strumming a tune, knocking back a cold one.

I have a theory that as uke owners experience the diversity of the uke and the richness in sound that can be made from a well built uke, you'll see more here trying out a low G set-up.
 
I pick the uke (and sound) I want according to the song I'm going to play. Lately I've been doing some slow standards with jazz chords. I want a mellow sound so I play my mahogany tenor from Bluegrass Ukuleles.

When I play 5 ft 2, Ain't she Sweet, etc. I want a bright choppy sound so I use a soprano - usually my Mexican Martin S-O (would prefer a pre-1970's Martin, but don't have that in my collection yet :() I never use my Flea for this stuff - to mellow!

For Bluegrass I love my Maple tenor from Bluegrass Ukulele or the Cigar box tenor from same. Bright and loud!
 
i have noticed that too, although i still think everyone still likes aquilas. I, however have never strayed. i like the original flourocarbon strings on my koaloha.
 
The Aquila trend is sorta dying off in these parts, especially since the UU store started carrying D'Addarios. I'm guessing a lot of people made the switch because Aldrine and Jake play them, but they're catching on because they really do sound good. I liked them on my Flea better than the Aquilas that replaced them.

Still, I'd love to give Worths a shot on my Kamaka. The Aquilas sounded fine but were so thick that they buzzed at every point of contact with the uke.
 
for my ears mellow cause i stay deaf...lol .... some of my younger workers fooled me because they have a ringtone on their cells that anyone over 30 can't hear....I said "no way i have perfect hearing "and they put the phone to my ear and made it ring.....I was clueless evryone under 30 could hear it bright as day ......Are these guys pulling my leg or what?
 
I just like the mellow sound because it suits my feelings, I suppose. I see some videos with these bright, rough sounding sopranos and it just isn't my thing. No disrespect to those who love that though, or to the history of the instrument. My concert is even a little too bright for me, I really want a tenor.
 
Last edited:
UKISOCIETY said:
I pick the uke (and sound) I want according to the song I'm going to play. Lately I've been doing some slow standards with jazz chords. I want a mellow sound so I play my mahogany tenor from Bluegrass Ukuleles.

When I play 5 ft 2, Ain't she Sweet, etc. I want a bright choppy sound so I use a soprano - usually my Mexican Martin S-O (would prefer a pre-1970's Martin, but don't have that in my collection yet :() I never use my Flea for this stuff - to mellow!

For Bluegrass I love my Maple tenor from Bluegrass Ukulele or the Cigar box tenor from same. Bright and loud!
Click to expand...

For me it depends on the mood. For a while it was the Aquilias, then Worth golds ,then nylons..... For awhile I thought the Aquilias "squeaked", now I love them , Again...but on only on C tuned ukes (I usually play D tuned). It's funny but on the guitar I'm not such a string freak.
 
Tastes change and shift. (I mean are we done with vocoders and endless Marshall crunch sounds yet?)
This is one shift and later it will shift back or go somewhere else.
I do agree that it does seem like some folks are trying to wrestle a much more guitar like essence out of their uke these days and inject more lower and mid-ranges with a "mellower" tone.
I suppose some of that is that as the uke spreads out, it encounters more people who are less familiar with how it's traditionally sounded and who inevitably try and make it sound more like what they're used to stringed instruments sounding. (I think that also speaks towards the current trend towards tenors beyond Jake's influence.)

Which I personally think is kind of too bad because you lose a certain amount of the uniqueness of the instrument. (Not to mention its ability to punch through an ensemble and be heard.)

It's also why I'm not particularly interested in a low G set up. I've already played guitar for thirty odd years and part of what really attracts me to playing the ukulele is the many ways it's not a guitar. High G does some really interesting things for me.
 
40 yrs old, 20 years of gigging in rock bands and I can still hear it,...just....
yay!
 
I can hear that, clear as day, despite years of music, and working in the audio industry. I'm 36. I'm glad they don't have this out the front of the shops I go to!
 
I do like the bright sound of Aquilas a lot, but I also have a KoAloha strung with Worths. One of the things I like about the Aquilas beyond their bright sound, is also the feel of the string or the texture as opposed to the flourocarbon strings. I haven't touched any of my ukes in over 2 weeks since I've been traveling, so I can't really describe the feel other than from memory...but the Aquilas just had more of a velvety feel which I liked.

I also find Aquilas great for making cheaper ukes sound much better than perhaps the GHS strings that they had been strung with originally. But I also do like the mellowness of the Worths, just depending on my mood.

As for the mosquito sound, that was all the rage a few years ago. Everyone had it on their cellphone and would just play it randomly in the middle of class. It was ridiculous and the older teachers would be so confused as the whole class started groaning and looking around to see who turned it on.
 
I must admit I'm still very enamoured by aquillas and I do love the feel of them,they really are the closest thing to gut strings. Although true gut strings are my all time favourite for sound and they feel sublime, pity they wear out so quick 8-(
cheers fergs
 
experimentjon said:
As for the mosquito sound, that was all the rage a few years ago. Everyone had it on their cellphone and would just play it randomly in the middle of class. It was ridiculous and the older teachers would be so confused as the whole class started groaning and looking around to see who turned it on.
Click to expand...

dude, back in high school it was non-stop. every single class, someone played it. there isnt many things i truly hate, but that is one of them...and mosquitoes. its such a stupid word
 
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