For the past month, I have been playing ukulele exclusively. Today, I picked up my acoustic guitar for just a little while, and observed some interesting comparisons. First, the guitar seemed, BIG and heavy by comparison, and sounded HUGE (it is a high end acoustic).
However, it does not seem as "friendly" as a ukulele. When playing it, there is the guitar and then there is me. When playing the ukulele, I seem to sort of wrap around it and it becomes almost a part of me - a very comfortable co-existence.
That probably sounds weird, but I don't really know how else to describe it.
Looking at the guitar fretboard, there seem to be an awful lot of strings, after playing on the ukulele's four strings. It just seems easier to get around on the ukulele's four strings, both physically and mentally knowing where I am going and what I am doing.
The guitar is clearly a fine instrument to make music on, and a lot of people do. But the ukulele is something special in a way that the guitar simply can't be.
In the local Craig's List recently I saw a ukulele that had 6 strings for sale. It was a "boutique" instrument that has been mentioned in these forums somewhere and I think either Daniel Ho or Jake Shimabukuro had one made. I wonder if it is as "friendly" as a typical four string ukulele. I think it is sold by now, so I am not thinking of buying it, but it did look really nice and "high end" in the picture with its hard shell case. But if the guitar with its 6 strings looks "busy" for me now, I would think a 6 string ukulele would look that way too. So maybe the simplicity of four strings that help make the ukulele particularly inviting.
Anyway, though I doubt I will ever quit playing guitar altogether, the ukulele really is becoming my "go to" instrument of choice. There is just something about it.
Tony
However, it does not seem as "friendly" as a ukulele. When playing it, there is the guitar and then there is me. When playing the ukulele, I seem to sort of wrap around it and it becomes almost a part of me - a very comfortable co-existence.
That probably sounds weird, but I don't really know how else to describe it.
Looking at the guitar fretboard, there seem to be an awful lot of strings, after playing on the ukulele's four strings. It just seems easier to get around on the ukulele's four strings, both physically and mentally knowing where I am going and what I am doing.
The guitar is clearly a fine instrument to make music on, and a lot of people do. But the ukulele is something special in a way that the guitar simply can't be.
In the local Craig's List recently I saw a ukulele that had 6 strings for sale. It was a "boutique" instrument that has been mentioned in these forums somewhere and I think either Daniel Ho or Jake Shimabukuro had one made. I wonder if it is as "friendly" as a typical four string ukulele. I think it is sold by now, so I am not thinking of buying it, but it did look really nice and "high end" in the picture with its hard shell case. But if the guitar with its 6 strings looks "busy" for me now, I would think a 6 string ukulele would look that way too. So maybe the simplicity of four strings that help make the ukulele particularly inviting.
Anyway, though I doubt I will ever quit playing guitar altogether, the ukulele really is becoming my "go to" instrument of choice. There is just something about it.
Tony