Shorebird
Well-known member
I was wondering do you play the same chord configurations with a Low g setup as with the more std "High" G setup?
Low G question
- Thread starter Shorebird
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Yes..........the chord will just sound deeper.
billten
Well-known member
Yes..... and it will sometimes also sound just wrong! At other times it will sound just great 
very dependent on the song, type of play and the arrangement you are playing.
very dependent on the song, type of play and the arrangement you are playing.
Icelander53
Well-known member
That's worth adding for sure. Most of the time it sounds wrong to my ear. I've got one out of eight ukes in low G and I hardly every drag it out due to that. I'm about to restring it. On the other hand with the high G things at least sound OK and usually great. So If I had only one uke or was a beginner I'd stick with the high G. Not everyones going to see it that way however.
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SteveZ
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I've got all mine strung in low-G. It's an "ear" thing and I'm just used to low-G. Also, my singing voice (as bad as it is) rumbles along in a lower pitch, so high-G just doesn't mesh well with it. So, it's a personal thing where everyone is right.
oldcookie
Member
On my Mainland, the low G dominates the rest of the strings when not fretted, so I compensate for that when strumming or picking. Other than that, the chords sounds fine.
I find that it is easier to play songs originally meant for guitars on low G for some reason, but YMMV. I'm contemplating a 5 string as my next uke, cause I always feel I am missing something with just low G or high G tuning.
I find that it is easier to play songs originally meant for guitars on low G for some reason, but YMMV. I'm contemplating a 5 string as my next uke, cause I always feel I am missing something with just low G or high G tuning.
Yes, it's an ear thing. I was no fan of Low G tuning until I got to some second and third position chords. Once you start moving up the neck Low G comes into its own. I'll keep one or two ukes strung Low G now. It goes with the jazz pieces I'm trying to learn to play.
I just tried out a wound low g aquilla string last night. It really seemed to take over and that's all I could hear. Are all low g strings like this? Should I try another? I am leaving it for now, but my first impression is that I did not like it.
coolkayaker1
Well-known member
I learned recently on UU that low-G gives five additional notes, called semitones, compared to re-entrant tuning.
Why anyone would tolerate the occasional cringe-worthy chord sounds, as well as the open low G string thud, similar to a car muffler falling to the roadway, for five more measly notes is hard to figure.
Why anyone would tolerate the occasional cringe-worthy chord sounds, as well as the open low G string thud, similar to a car muffler falling to the roadway, for five more measly notes is hard to figure.
RAB11
Well-known member
I use those five measly notes quite often when picking melody lines. My Low-G Korala is my main uke, I do agree that some songs just need High-G though. Particularly ones that are originally piano pieces I find.
coolkayaker1
Well-known member
I can respect that, Rab. Do you pick melody lines on the lowG string as opposed to the A string? I don't know, I'm asking only.
janeray1940
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LOL! I pretty much use my low G ukes to play arrangements specifically written for low G, exactly because of this cringe-worthiness. I find that most arrangements written for reentrant ukes, particularly simple arrangements with first-position chords, sound really awful on low G, especially when played in a group of other ukes that are all reentrant... which is a situation I find myself in fairly often. Sometimes I bring two ukes, low and high G; other times I travel light with just the low G uke and play different inversions, or just strum the first three strings, to compensate. In general I find that barre chords usually sound OK on my low G uke; it's those simple first-position ones that make me cringe.
Me, I need those five additional semitones
RAB11
Well-known member
It's mainly because I play a lot of guitar songs, a lot of riffs or solos (that I attempt anyway) need four linear strings as opposed to three. Just allows more flexibility in my opinion, no matter where you are on the neck. My own lack of talent probably accounts for that though. I'm sure people far better than me can do the things I wanna do and more on a re-entrant uke just fine. The thudding never really bothers me when I strum to be honest.
I asked my instructors last week about that, both Jason Arimoto and Brad Ranola of U-Space, who said that low G is usually better for finger picking, reentrant for strumming. I know the leader of CC Strummers, Cali Rose, prefers low G, even when we all use high G, but she does a lot of picking during most songs.
Down Up Dick
Well-known member
I had a low G on one Uke, and it buzzed annoyingly so I put it on another where it was okay until it broke. But, since I mostly like to accompany songs anyway, the high G suits me fine. However, when I do pick tunes, I use my baritone or pick them in a higher key.
itsme
Well-known member
Wound strings have a different tonal quality. To my ears, a single wound string sticks out like a sore thumb. I much prefer an all-plain set on tenor.
Baritone is another story. Tried several different sets of all-plain, but the two lower strings were too weak and floppy. For bari, I like a two-wound/two-plain set. That way the tone is more balanced, like on a classical guitar which has three plain and three wound.
janeray1940
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Have you tried using either a classical guitar string, or a Fremont Soloist? I've never found a fluoro low G or low G "set" that I liked, because in both cases I find the low G to sound kind of awful. What brought me around to it was using a wound guitar string, and then when the Soloist "squeakless" strings came out I was sold. I use that plus Martin fluoros and on my ukes, nothing else has come close to sounding as good.
Surprisingly, it allows you to play Jake's songs a little bit easier if there's such a thing. Instead of going for that crazy stretch on the C E A string you play the C note on the G note string so you'll be much closer to the E & A strings.
Also if a song is written in reentrant, you can play the G strings notes on the 2nd or 3rd string, depending on the arrangement. Finally, because of those extra notes you can play a few more finger picking songs without transposing it from the original key.
Steve, you'll be a reentrant player and I'll be a low G player and that's a good thing! :cheers:
coolkayaker1
Well-known member
Interesting replies from Rab, JRay and Nongdam. I never thought of some of that, like the Jake song angle.
If we were both reentrant players it'd be a better thing, but sure.
If we were both reentrant players it'd be a better thing, but sure.
PhD Strings - Low G set.
Discuss
Discuss
