Why Low G?

rowjimmytour

rowjimmytour

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I have a kpk cutaway tenor w/ clear worth strings and I just ordered worth brown strings w/ a extra low g string. I really want to see what the low g does for playing but was wondering why some folks here like low g and how it works for fingerpicking or certain songs? Thanks in advance.
Aloha and Happy New Year '14!
 
The biggest reason why people get a low G is because it add a couple more notes and allows one to go lower in songs. I personally tried a low G for awhile and did not like it, but I am thinking of trying it again. The reason it bothered me is because first of all, not sure if this had to do with the ukulele itself, was because, since Low G strings are metal wound, it caused buzzing. Second of all it just did not produce a ukulele like sound. If I were you I would try it out and see if you like it. Putting a low G on cannot do any damage and doing so would give you some more experience concerning low G strings.
 
Just for clarification PhD,Living waters,Oasis,and many others make unwound low G string sets. I started out playing reentrant for the first few years. It was a very weird change for me when I started using low G. Now low G is my preference for tone. However, some songs sound better with reentrant. The best would be to have both. I have both in my house. We have lots of uke players here. That being said I play low G all the time. Others will talk about the different notes and a lower octave on the string. For me it is just my heavily preferred tone. It is really just what you personally prefer. Currently,I play southcoast wound ML-SWs the most,but you never know that my change. I am always open to trying different sets. I have unwound low G PhDs on another tenor. The Pekelo's Hawaiian ukulele method book is for Low G fingerpicking, and there are low G tabs out there on sites like Dominator's.
http://dominator.ukeland.com/index2.shtml
 
I was originally a guitar player and I was used to fingerpicking from a linear tuning. Adapting arrangements from guitar was pretty easy because it just involved dropping two strings if using a low G. However, over time as I learned more uke tablature and go used to the uke I learned to like the unique voice of the reentrant and I almost never use low G any more. It kind of depends on the type of music. A lot of jazz players use a low G. On the other hand, players who use claw hammer techniques use a high G.
 
Coming to the uke from guitar, the re-entrant tuning really threw me off.

Adapting finger-picking arrangements of songs on guitar from a linear tuning to high-G ukulele, when played sounded really strange when it was expected that the thumb is plucking a lower-pitched note, and instead the sound is a note HIGHER than from the C-string.

When strumming it's no really no issue for me either way.

Also it seems that tenor size and concert size benefit more from a low-g than a soprano might due to the larger sound-box and larger top that make up the body being able to better respond and resonate to the lower frequencies. I probably would not try a low-g myself on a soprano sized or smaller ukulele, even thought they are offered with string sets for soprano.

Having a background in live audio production and DJ-ing has taught me that if you want more BASS response (like a sub-woofer), you need to have a larger resonant enclosure in which for the initial air to move, which is usually the actual speaker cabinet (i.e., the sound-box of a uke) and a larger vibrating diaphragm to resonate and project the sound forwards which is usually the actual speaker cone element in the individual speaker driver such as woofer, mid-range or tweeter (which the equivalent would be the top or soundboard of a uke) and smaller of each would tend towards higher frequencies. It's all part of the limitations of physics and how sound energy is produced (related to the wavelength or frequency), and travels through the air, and eventually causes our own eardrums to vibrate. Not every person has the same hearing perception.

Having said that all, my soprano is high-G, as is one concert, and the rest (several concerts and one tenor) are low-g.

I don't mind high-G re-entrant tuning for just strumming, but the non-linear tuning/pitch interferes with my brain when finger-picking.

I have really tried to beat it but sometimes the arpeggio patterns you expect to hear get in the way of just forcing your fingers to pluck the strings and learn to expect something different. This is something I hope to figure out how to overcome one day.

-Booli
 
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I only play low G for fingerpicking arrangements that require those extra few low notes - never just for strumming (I don't care for the sound). And I had a much easier time learning the fretboard with a linear tuned uke than reentrant since it was a little bit more straightforward.
 
I started playing with a low G on a tenor uke when I formed the band I am in, it gave a warmer depth to the music we played and much needed bass overtones/undertones, it gave our sound more depth, when I play for my own personal enjoyment or solo I usually use a high G, I have quite a deep voice and the low G does compliment my voice a lot better than reentrant tuning, although if you want the authentic ukulele sound stick with high G, because the low G does alter the sound quite dramatically
 
Dumb newbie to low g question but do you tune the low g the same way as the high g w/ electronic tuner?
Aloha
 
rowjimmytour said:
Dumb newbie to low g question but do you tune the low g the same way as the high g w/ electronic tuner?
Aloha
Click to expand...

Yes, the tuner should be able to sense the note name and tune just fine, in either octave. Some tuners with a more sophisticated display will tell you the octave (low-g is G3, and high-G is G4) and also the audio frequency, if memory serves, low-g is like 197 hz and high-G is like 394 hz there abouts, similarly with the concert-pitch 'A' which is 440 hz, which is A4 and an octave below, A3 is 220 hz. with the octave above A4, which is A5 is 880 hz.

These are all 'harmonic' frequencies, and as such the tuner should be able to understand them unless the batteries are weak.

Just in case if you are not sure what is on your uke, tune it up and then fret your C string (3rd up from bottom) at the 7th fret, if that fretted note is the same pitch and octave as your G string (4th up from bottom), then you are in high-G tuning (it will be what is called a 'unison'), but if the notes are similar but not quite the same, then you probably have a low-G string, and are in low-g tuning.

Also if your G string is 'wound' like the fatter strings on a guitar, then, you have a low-g.

If you are still not sure, and have an iPad or iPhone, there is a free instrument tuner app that can help, if you use the info above about octaves and frequencies, it's called 'insTuner' and it can use the built in mic to listen to your instrument so you can tune it.

-Booli
 
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booli said:
Yes, the tuner should be able to sense the note name and tune just fine, in either octave. Some tuners with a more sophisticated display will tell you the octave (low-g is G3, and high-G is G4) and also the audio frequency, if memory serves, low-g is like 197 hz and high-G is like 394 hz there abouts, similarly with the concert-pitch 'A' which is 440 hz, which is A4 and an octave below, A3 is 220 hz. with the octave above A4, which is A5 is 880 hz.

These are all 'harmonic' frequencies, and as such the tuner should be able to understand them unless the batteries are weak.

Just in case if you are not sure what is on your uke, tune it up and then fret your C string (3rd up from bottom) at the 7th fret, if that fretted note is the same pitch and octave as your G string (4th up from bottom), then you are in high-G tuning (it will be what is called a 'unison'), but if the notes are similar but not quite the same, then you probably have a low-G string, and are in low-g tuning.

Also if your G string is 'wound' like the fatter strings on a guitar, then, you have a low-g.

If you are still not sure, and have an iPad or iPhone, there is a free instrument tuner app that can help, if you use the info above about octaves and frequencies, it's called 'insTuner' and it can use the built in mic to listen to your instrument so you can tune it.

-Booli
Click to expand...
ThANKS for the long answer and I use a intell and a snark uke tuner for my uke.
 
I play both low G and re-entrant. If I were to make a broad generalization, I would say that if I am playing rock-n-roll or something that one would normally play on guitar I play that with low G. If I am playing traditional Hawaiian music I tend to play re-entrant.
Of course, that often goes right out the window, as there are days when I play lots of Hawaiian music on low G. It really comes down to mood for me. There are plenty of Hawaiian musicians who use low G, and Aldrine plays many rock songs with re-entrant.
I do not like the boom that can accompany wound strings on an ukulele, so I will usually go with a set that has no wound strings - I currently use Worth Clear.
I like your avatar! By the way, here's "Deal" played on a re-entrant super soprano.
http://youtu.be/QrGxaQ5c07c
And here is a Hawaiian song "Mahina O Hoku" played with Low G
http://youtu.be/4TAC0PJFPyk

So it comes down to however you feel, there are no rules!
 
Pueo said:
I play both low G and re-entrant. If I were to make a broad generalization, I would say that if I am playing rock-n-roll or something that one would normally play on guitar I play that with low G. If I am playing traditional Hawaiian music I tend to play re-entrant.
Of course, that often goes right out the window, as there are days when I play lots of Hawaiian music on low G. It really comes down to mood for me. There are plenty of Hawaiian musicians who use low G, and Aldrine plays many rock songs with re-entrant.
I do not like the boom that can accompany wound strings on an ukulele, so I will usually go with a set that has no wound strings - I currently use Worth Clear.
I like your avatar! By the way, here's "Deal" played on a re-entrant super soprano.
http://youtu.be/QrGxaQ5c07c
And here is a Hawaiian song "Mahina O Hoku" played with Low G
http://youtu.be/4TAC0PJFPyk

So it comes down to however you feel, there are no rules!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the smile and your signature says it all.. Man oh man I miss the fat man:) My kpk tenor has clear worths now but I thought I would try brown this time w/ extra low g so I could switch g strings. I really like brown worths on my kala soprano laminate so I thought I would give it a try. Looking forward to trying echoes w/ low g but also curious about finger picking style tunes I learned in Learn to Play Fingerstyle Solos for Ukulele. Only time will tell and fedex (package is coming on Tuesday).
 
rowjimmytour said:
Thanks for the smile and your signature says it all.. Man oh man I miss the fat man:) My kpk tenor has clear worths now but I thought I would try brown this time w/ extra low g so I could switch g strings. I really like brown worths on my kala soprano laminate so I thought I would give it a try. Looking forward to trying echoes w/ low g but also curious about finger picking style tunes I learned in Learn to Play Fingerstyle Solos for Ukulele. Only time will tell and fedex (package is coming on Tuesday).
Click to expand...
Some Dead tunes, like Scarlet and Tennessee Jed (and Ramble on Rose too!) have those cool riffs that just don't come off quite right on re-entrant. They still work, but that octave jump can be disconcerting. Very curious to hear what you do with Echoes. Keep in touch!
 
Pueo said:
I play both low G and re-entrant. If I were to make a broad generalization, I would say that if I am playing rock-n-roll or something that one would normally play on guitar I play that with low G. If I am playing traditional Hawaiian music I tend to play re-entrant.
Of course, that often goes right out the window, as there are days when I play lots of Hawaiian music on low G. It really comes down to mood for me. There are plenty of Hawaiian musicians who use low G, and Aldrine plays many rock songs with re-entrant.
I do not like the boom that can accompany wound strings on an ukulele, so I will usually go with a set that has no wound strings - I currently use Worth Clear.
I like your avatar! By the way, here's "Deal" played on a re-entrant super soprano.
http://youtu.be/QrGxaQ5c07c
And here is a Hawaiian song "Mahina O Hoku" played with Low G
http://youtu.be/4TAC0PJFPyk

So it comes down to however you feel, there are no rules!
Click to expand...

Here is a video of version of echoes I am learning;)
 
Depends on my mood and what type of music I'm playing. Example: if I'm playing a country song or gospel music, I use low g, because I want more of a guitar-y sound out of the uke.

If I'm playing some pop music, or older rock, I play re-entrant because I want to play a little higher on the scale. Does that make sense?
 
UkeKiddinMe said:
I seem to have settled on preferring - low G for fingerpicking, high G for strumming.
Click to expand...

what he said. When strummed, I dislike the low g boom especially with open chords. The Aquila red seemed to lessen the boom, but it popped and I haven't tried another one. If you can afford it you really need both, a high and low g uke, or an 8 string, then you have both on one uke.
 
 
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