Tuning on a deserted island

AndrewKuker

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When I change strings, or grab a uke out of the box, I usually just tune by ear up to whatever sounds and feels best. Do you guys do this? Before grabbing a tuner, right? Well my question is this; Is GCEA the sweet spot for you, or is it just the "correct" pitch? There's a lot written on this, but I'm not looking for logic or reason. More just curious as to where you land without thought.
 
Hi Andrew, I am looking forward to see what people have to say on this topic...because more and more I am finding that I fall back on F, A#, D, G tuning, simply because it just sounds better to my ears....but, of course when I play with anyone I have to tune back to G,C,E,A....
 
I have no ability what-so-ever to tune by ear, I have to use a tuner. I've added a preamp/tuner to all my ukes that did not have them.
 
When I change strings, or grab a uke out of the box, I usually just tune by ear up to whatever sounds and feels best. Do you guys do this? Before grabbing a tuner, right? Well my question is this; Is GCEA the sweet spot for you, or is it just the "correct" pitch? There's a lot written on this, but I'm not looking for logic or reason. More just curious as to where you land without thought.

the instruments I play usually use specific tunings
so I always stick to a tuner. but if I'm playing a. standard e tuned

guitar I'll tune it to whatever.
I think gcea is ideal for me overall I have one uke
that's tuned in d because it's cheap and the higher tuning seems to stay I tune better
than I have my baritone I'm g. I think for standard uke
gcea is the nicest tuning I think for baritones
dgbe is ideal I know a lot of people tume them differently
but I like the half uke half guitar feel of baritone.
I think with ukes they are more specific than guitars with
tuning accuracy I've never tuned a uke by ear
and had it sound right a guitar you can tune the e string to whatever
and tune the rest to that and it always seems to work
it's def not gonna be on point to the standard but
if your playing alone for fun it works.
 
It depends. Is there a palm tree growing on this deserted island? Northern or Southern hemisphere? Are there trade winds?

It's a little known fact in the islands that the fronds of the mature "Cocos Nucifera" tree will produce a perfect low G with a northeast trade wind blowing through them at a steady 10 to 15 knots (or megabittles). In the Southern hemisphere of course the trades are reversed and will produce a high G.

At least this is how I tune my ukes. No batteries required.
 
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It depends. Is there a palm tree growing on this deserted island? Northern or Southern hemisphere? Are there trade winds?

It's a little known fact in the islands that the fronds of the mature "Cocos Nucifera" tree will produce a perfect low G with a northeast trade wind blowing through them at a steady 10 to 15 knots (or megabittles). In the Southern hemisphere of course the trades are reversed and will produce a high G.

At least this is how I tune my ukes. No batteries required.

Hey that is how Stan tunes too!....haha
 
It depends. Is there a palm tree growing on this deserted island? Northern or Southern hemisphere? Are there trade winds?

It's a little known fact in the islands that the fronds of the mature "Cocos Nucifera" tree will produce a perfect low G with a northeast trade wind blowing through them at a steady 10 to 15 knots (or megabittles). In the Southern hemisphere of course the trades are reversed and will produce a high G.

At least this is how I tune my ukes. No batteries required.

hey, I said no thinking, lol. I should be banned from the forum after 2pm every night. It just came to mind because for me, f# is just way too low, but up to g is just horrifically bright. Im just a lone cowboy. A micro tone in the western scale....
 
When I change strings, or grab a uke out of the box, I usually just tune by ear up to whatever sounds and feels best. Do you guys do this? Before grabbing a tuner, right? Well my question is this; Is GCEA the sweet spot for you, or is it just the "correct" pitch? There's a lot written on this, but I'm not looking for logic or reason. More just curious as to where you land without thought.
Aloha Andrew,
Yes it is faster to tune initially with a tuner to get a ball park on tuning and go straight to C tuning... see how it sounds ...bright or warm and select tunings from there..
either a semi tone down or two if bright... F A# D G or F# B, D#, G# or if its too warm go the up a semitone... this is the selection of the semitones.. almost like selecting spouses....which one
works best for you.... LOL
 
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It depends. Is there a palm tree growing on this deserted island? Northern or Southern hemisphere? Are there trade winds?

It's a little known fact in the islands that the fronds of the mature "Cocos Nucifera" tree will produce a perfect low G with a northeast trade wind blowing through them at a steady 10 to 15 knots (or megabittles). In the Southern hemisphere of course the trades are reversed and will produce a high G.

At least this is how I tune my ukes. No batteries required.

It depends which way the palm trees fronds are swaying too and that is my indicator Chuckie....
If there are cute Tahitian girls there, I may get distracted.... he he :)
 
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Aloha Len,
Nope, I use the M0'0 (Lizard) and crickets sounds for my bearings.....LOL I'm a simple guy thats why.. :)

When Jake played here a couple of weeks ago it was with the accompaniment of a coqui frog that go in through the side stage door of the Palace Theater. Jake swore he was in Bb. The curious thing was that the coqui kept perfect time. True dat! So on your desert island, if you happen to have a coqui frog, you will have a reference point. Of course it'll drive you crazy and you won't get any sleep either.
 
When Jake played here a couple of weeks ago it was with the accompaniment of a coqui frog that go in through the side stage door of the Palace Theater. Jake swore he was in Bb. The curious thing was that the coqui kept perfect time. True dat! So on your desert island, if you happen to have a coqui frog, you will have a reference point. Of course it'll drive you crazy and you won't get any sleep either.
Hey Chuck, the first time I ever heard coqui was the same trip I went to visit your place. It was a bit like being on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise!
http://youtu.be/iZbQ0w5EAq4

Hopefully the next time I make it back to your island I will come home with a beautiful hand-crafted souvenir!
 
Hey Chuck, the first time I ever heard coqui was the same trip I went to visit your place. It was a bit like being on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise!
http://youtu.be/iZbQ0w5EAq4

Hopefully the next time I make it back to your island I will come home with a beautiful hand-crafted souvenir!


Damon,
That was Starship Enterprise meets Blair Witch Project. I kept waiting for something to jump out at me.:D
 
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