TIL (Today I Learned)...

UkeStuff

UkeStuff

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Hey everyone...this thread could exist in Uke Talk or here in the Ukulele Tips, Tricks, and Technique thread.

Here's the idea: if you learn something new on ukulele (beginners will have to choose one or two things), share what that is, and if you learned from a source, name the source.

I'll begin: last night I was just looking up Ukulele on the Web and landed (as I often do) on the theukulelesite.com. There is a resource page there, and there are some video lessons there. In the beginner area, Kalei Gamiao discusses the basics of harmonics on the ukulele.

This was new to me, and I have been starting to play those harmonics (both with two hands and one hand, as he shows in the video). I don't play anything like he does AFTER showing how to do it. :)

https://youtu.be/6UOypfd00Hw
 
For a few months now I've been noodling around with a baritone restrung and tuned for FIFTHS tuning in GDAE, like an octave mandolin.

Of course, since I am an auditory learner, working my way around the fretboard is the most effective way for me to understand this new area...as opposed to videos, books, or an in-person teacher who is painfully slow.

Just give me a chord chart and a fretboard chart and I am good to go. (Most teachers annoy me except for Sarah Maisel, Lil' Rev, James Hill and Aldrine. These folks are great teachers, and I've had workshops with all of them save for Aldrine.)

One of the things I have been doing is taking lots of the songs and chord progressions that I ALREADY know from 35+ yrs of guitar and now 3.5 yrs of ukulele, and working them out in FIFTHS tuning, which is totally different fingerings. No books or tab, just BY EAR. I find the process of discovery this way, not only enjoyable, but also more permanent in my memory afterwards. Like it gets burned into my muscle memory and brain pathways quicker and deeper...

There are TWO things I learned:

1. Because FIFTHS tuning is symmetrical, i.e., all strings tuned to the SAME intervals, as opposed to the modified FOURTHS tuning of ukulele and guitar, any pattern started on the deepest pitch string, can repeat with the SAME fret intervals all the way up to the highest pitch string, and vice versa. This symmetry simplifies both melody lines and chord shapes, and literally every chord shape is a moveable chord shape. There are really only about 9 different chord shapes in fifths tuning (that I know of now).

2. Certain songs from guitar, that I was NEVER able to transpose yet to my satisfaction into ukulele are now actually almost stupid simple in fifths tuning, such as the two songs by The Police, 'Message In a Bottle'. which makes extensive use of minor-9th and diminished chords, is actually very easy in fifths tuning, and 'Every Breath You Take' which is the typical 'Fifties Chords' progression, but also using add9 chords. Mind you I am not talking about DUDUDUD strumming, I am talking about the fully articulated arpeggios as played on the record. On guitar it is quite a stretch to make m9 and add9 chords, but in fifths tuning on the baritone, it is a bar chord with one other note fretted and is easy enough to actually feel like cheating.
 
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Choirguy said:
Hey everyone...this thread could exist in Uke Talk or here in the Ukulele Tips, Tricks, and Technique thread.

Here's the idea: if you learn something new on ukulele (beginners will have to choose one or two things), share what that is, and if you learned from a source, name the source.

https://youtu.be/6UOypfd00Hw
Click to expand...

Great idea for a thread. And that link you showed was way cool. I probably won't be doing it for a while though. lol

Can i just ask a special request of everyone, with your permission choirguy -Could posters include either a link or make a demonstration recording and link it so that we readers, particularly beginner readers, can quickly get a feel for what you are spouting about Presumably this thread is meant to be a learning tool for everyone.

I'm sure most people know how to make demo recording but for anyone who doesn't have the tools, i find Soundcloud to be very simple and easy. https://soundcloud.com

As yet I haven't learnt anything new today. :)
 
Booli said:
For a few months now I've been noodling around with a baritone restrung and tuned for FIFTHS tuning in GDAE, like an octave mandolin.
.........
Just give me a chord chart and a fretboard chart and I am good to go.
.........
Because FIFTHS tuning is symmetrical, i.e., all strings tuned to the SAME intervals, as opposed to the modified FOURTHS tuning of ukulele and guitar, any pattern started on the deepest pitch string, can repeat with the SAME fret intervals all the way up to the highest pitch string, and vice versa. This symmetry simplifies both melody lines and chord shapes, and literally every chord shape is a moveable chord shape. There are really only about 9 different chord shapes in fifths tuning (that I know of now).
...........
Click to expand...


You make it sound so tempting - never thought about mandolin! :D

(Tuning that is - not buying one - too many ukes already. ;) )
 
uke1950 said:
You make it sound so tempting - never thought about mandolin! :)

(Tuning that is - not buying one - too many ukes already. :))
Click to expand...


Aquila has pre-made string sets for GDAE tuning on Soprano, which are the same exact pitches as a mandolin, AS WELL AS a different set made for CGDA MANDOLA (or tenor guitar) tuning on a Concert scale, which is a FIFTH below the mandolin in the same way that a standard G6-tuned baritone uke is a fifth below a C6-tuned tenor and smaller scale uke.

I tried the Aquila CGDA strings on tenor uke and found the tension too high for my liking and very very hard to play as the strings were VERY taught under the fingers.

To get strings to do CGDA on tenor uke and GDAE as octave mando on baritone you CANNOT use these 2 different Aquila string sets, the longer scale length will create too much tension and the strings will SNAP. Yes, tried it already.

However, you CAN use certain gauges of classical guitar strings for tenor and baritone ukes for fifths tunings, which I have documented previously, but I'll have to search for that thread to find the link.

For fifths tuning, I do not like nylon strings nor nylguts, so I use fluorocarbon classical guitar strings as well as the Thomastik-Infeld, chrome flatwound classical guitar strings, because there's just no way you are getting a C3 on a 17" scale nor the G2 on 19-20" scale unless you use a wound string.

Why not just buy a mando?

1- Steel strings are an anathema to me

2- I already own ukes and a set of strings is MUCH cheaper than mid-level mandola (I refuse to play anything smaller than 17" currently)

3- Single-course uke (or classical guitar strings) will ALWAYS have less tension and be easier to play than double-course steel strings

4- I prefer the sound and feel of my ukes as opposed to the mando-family instruments I've tried

Also, I should say that fellow UU brother SteveZ has been very helpful with regards to getting started with fifths tunings, so Kudos to SteveZ!
 
Booli, you are too kind.

As far as strings for fifths go, I use mainly Aquilas because of convenience. Their 30U set for soprano GDAE is okay, but the E string is quite thin and pops easily, so I've replaced it with 20-pound test monofilament fishing line for soprano ukes.

CGDA is a lot easier. Aquila's 31U CGDA set is good on both concert and tenor.

On my concert, soprano and sopranino ukes I've found that the low-C string on CGDA really doesn't sound that hot on the smaller-bodied ukes. So, I've gone "reentrant" with high-C. The chords patterns are still the same, and the sound is sharper. Picking-wise, it's easy since working around the top string is not hard at all. Also, to set it up, one only needs a "standard" low-G GCEA string set. Simply invert the G and C strings, detune the E to D and leave the A as-is. This way there are no tension problems and string choice (brand, color, etc.) is much broader.
 
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Booli I think you have inspired me to try fifths tuning on a old 17 fret tenor banjo I am currently restoring to playable condition. CGDA if the typical approach, but I could do the octave mando GDAE thing too. So many possibilities!

Do you or Steve have a recommendations on putting some strings together from a classical set or similar or should I just buy a tenor banjo set?
 
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For the price I just get them from Juststrings.com. They sell Deering strings for tenor banjo (CDGA and ""Irish" GDAE). I believe D'addario packages the strings for Deering, but could be wrong about this.

Good luck with the restoration. Banjo restoration is a lot of work? However, if it's a classic, then it's a sweet end.
 
librainian said:
Booli I think you have inspired me to try fifths tuning on a old 17 fret tenor banjo I am currently restoring to playable condition. CGDA if the typical approach, but I could do the octave mando GDAE thing too. So many possibilities!

Do you or Steve have a recommendations on putting some strings together from a classical set or similar or should I just buy a tenor banjo set?
Click to expand...


Glad to help. :)

As Steve said there are pre-made sets of banjo strings, but those are all going to be steel strings.

Aquila also has both Nylgut and REDS banjo strings (different from their banjolele strings)...

see:

http://aquilacorde.com/modern-instr...nt/155/timeless-banjo-minstrel-banjo/?lang=en

vs.

http://aquilacorde.com/modern-instrument-sets/modern-instrument/3190/ukulele/?lang=en

If you want a nylon-string type setup, like classical guitar strings let me know, and I will post the link to the thread where I shared this info once before (if I can even find that thread again - LOL), otherwise I can see if I still have my notes...

Apologies to the OP for going so far off-topic.
 
This is a bit of a cheat as I didn't learn this today - I've actually been practicing for a couple of weeks now. Anyway it's the Bo Diddley Beat. I've always been intrigued by this technique due to the fact that, despite being very effective, it only uses one or two chords.

This video is the most useful one that I found in regards to explaining how it works:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1jUMxJINkM

And here's the man himself doing his thing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlcU_CpqNu4

Anyway this is a fun technique for noodling around IMHO - sing along with Bo or make up your own lyrics.

I have personally also found it really works out your fingers. So it doubles as quite a decent hand strengthening exercise I would say.

Edit: Also, the wikipedia entry is pretty interesting...
 
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Jollyboy, it would be good to see you post a link using this rhythm with another song. Can you do that yet ?

I'm a bit surprised that more people haven't posted in this thread.

So anyway today I started work on Take a Walk on the Wild Side by Lou Reed. I'm probably not going to be able to do the nice little strum in this first recording but i found another tutorial. I'll post all of them that have inspired or are helping me here.

This is a nice strum to learn if you are not a beginner. And note he's got his uke pitched to a higer tuning but i guess it works on any tuning. He calls it the 2nd best strum in the world but the demonstration is too fast for me to learn this from it. If anyone gets into coveywoods strum patterns and wants to make a proper tutorial of them to share here it would be appreciated. He has a number of videos on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx10eclYVtU

The song with the nice little strum applied. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cVMZqC2G7s

For beginners like me, this is an easy song regarding the chords. And this link is an easier tutorial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYsbgFieZcM

I started on my theory the other day and now i understand how to write a major scale and know the formula. WWHWWWH
I also learnt about ledger notes and feel good with those now. And reading the bass clef is no longer a mystery to me though i understand i don't need that much in uke playing.

Now its time for me to start my next theory lesson. :)
 
Can we reddit or naww xD

TIL you can take your everyday I-vi-IV-V7 progression and change the last chord into an iv for some flavor. So C-Am-F-G7 becomes C-Am-F-Fm, G-Em-C-D7 becomes G-Em-C-Cm, etc.

Also, TIL that you can do this on a uke without breaking it. Well, I only bent it like 25 cents because I'm too scared to bend it even further, but still. For those songs ending in Am it feels good to just pop those harmonics and bend it liddat xD
 
@Jollyboy thanks for reminding me, I had messed around with the Bo Diddley beat 6 years ago or more, forgot about it, went back to check it out. The wiki was great, I love Springsteen's "She's the One" and listened to that and a lot of the other songs listed to pick it out. Wonderful!

@AndieZ, I LOVE Coveywood, also ran across him years back, need to go relearn his strums, I think my fave was the Third Best Strum in the World.

CasanovaGuy, thanks for the link to Tommy, he's so much fun. Check out Leo Kottke if you haven't yet. I wouldn't bend the neck on your uke too much though, AFAIK that's more a trick for electrics with bolt ons than set neck acoustics. Tommy is hard on his Matons but he gets them for free.

TIL to check out where fellow UUer's curiosity may lead me a lot more! I also leaned concert size is too small for me now since I have been messing around with short scale guitars. I picked up a little fave and had trouble squishing onto the fretboard.
 
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I learned how useful a capo is on a ukulele. I play in an ensemble and we are working on "The Logical Song" by Supertramp. The husband of one of our members is an accomplished musician and he worked out the song for us. The song is in Cm which would make for some difficult chords and changes but by capoing on the third fret we are now in Am and he wrote out the song with a more logical chord progression.

It also gives it a tighter more stringent sound which seems to match the recording very well. The use of a capo was very eye opening and seems espeically vesatile with a baritone. I can change tuning to A by capoing the second fret, Bb by capoing the third and B by capoing the forth. Some songs just sound better in Bb on a baritone and I can instantly do that now.
 
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DownUpDave said:
The use of a capo was very eye opening and seems espeically vesatile with a baritone. I can change tuning to A by capoing the second fret, Bb by capoing the third and B by capoing the forth. Some songs just sound better in Bb on a baritone and I can instantly do that now.
Click to expand...


Hi Dave,

Having just purchased a baritone I think that my next purchase is going to be a capo. It always seemed a little excessive to use one on a shorter scale uke but it seems like something worth giving a go on a bari. Since I am using all the same shapes as before I find myself playing in G a lot (easiest chords to form) and I would like to be able to switch down to F without changing the shapes. After some experimentation, I think F might be my preferred key for singing.

What capo are you using? I've read that some don't fit properly on a baritone, especially some of the smaller ones like the Shubb Lite.
 
Hey jollyboy I am using the KYSER capo model KBMBA. If you look at their website they have a capo for a banjo, a mandolin and a ukulele. It is all the same KBMBA model and has worked well for me on a tenor uke, baritone uke and I have used it with my tenor guitar.

20161211_083428.jpg
 
Booli said:
There are TWO things I learned:

1. Because FIFTHS tuning is symmetrical, i.e., all strings tuned to the SAME intervals, as opposed to the modified FOURTHS tuning of ukulele and guitar, any pattern started on the deepest pitch string, can repeat with the SAME fret intervals all the way up to the highest pitch string, and vice versa. This symmetry simplifies both melody lines and chord shapes, and literally every chord shape is a moveable chord shape. There are really only about 9 different chord shapes in fifths tuning (that I know of now).

2. Certain songs from guitar, that I was NEVER able to transpose yet to my satisfaction into ukulele are now actually almost stupid simple in fifths tuning, such as the two songs by The Police, 'Message In a Bottle'. which makes extensive use of minor-9th and diminished chords, is actually very easy in fifths tuning, and 'Every Breath You Take' which is the typical 'Fifties Chords' progression, but also using add9 chords. Mind you I am not talking about DUDUDUD strumming, I am talking about the fully articulated arpeggios as played on the record. On guitar it is quite a stretch to make m9 and add9 chords, but in fifths tuning on the baritone, it is a bar chord with one other note fretted and is easy enough to actually feel like cheating.
Click to expand...

And now you know the struggle those of us have coming from a fifths tuned instrument! I started playing cello when I was 10, I'm now 38 and can pick up ANY fifths tuned instrument - cello, violin, viola, mandolin- and play. When I started playing the uke and guitar, all I could think is, "this is stupid crazy! THERE IS AN EASIER WAY!!" However, I strongly believe it has forced me to start to rely on a little theory to figure things out - a VERY small amount of theory!:p
 
Today I learned a new strum and I'm very excited cos I think it's cool :)

It's actually a very simple strum that gives a "pop reggae" effect. If I was clever-er I could probably use tab notation to describe it. But I'm just gonna have to use my words...

1. Pluck the 4th string on count 1
2. Downstrum on count 2
3. Pluck the 1st string on count 2-and
4. Rest on count 3
5. Downstrum on count 4

FYI: I'm playing it on my new bari. It should sound fine on linear GCEA - I'm not sure about reentrant.

Anyway, to continue the Police theme, it sounds great on 'So Lonely' :)
 
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