Chord question, same note twice in the chord why?

Look at the simplest of chords like C and F. They both have duplicated notes so I stand by what I said. Also if are wanting to play a simple chord why in the heck would you tweak one of the duplicated notes to get another chord???? It's simply not the chord you want and won't sound the way you wanted it to. Note, I'm not saying you can't Jazz things up like by playing a 9th instead of a 7th (not the best example for this discussion since there aren't duplicate notes in a 7th) but in doing so you are Jazzing things up and not playing the original tune.

-- Gary

I totally see where you're coming from, Gary. For me, it's only an issue because the "duplicated" notes (be they identical, or the same note but an octave apart) seem to always sound slightly out-of-tune with each other, which makes me wince a little when it happens. Otherwise I'd be all for the occurrence of occasional "identical notes" in various chord shapes, because I do in fact like that "doubled" effect-- IF the two doubled notes are precisely ringing with each other. Unfortunately, because of the nature of the instrument, they often ring slightly "off" with each other despite careful tuning. Does that make at least some sense?
 
This thread seems to have it's own life.
The short answer is that we often dublicate a note because it is the easiest when strumming with a three note chord and four strings.
Anyone is free to play the chords in another way if they like the sounds of that better. For any reason. Either if someone has good enough pitch to hear they are not completely in tune, If it sounds weird travis picking the same note back to back, you want to emphasize the note on the 2nd string or whatever. And you can jazz it up by adding a 7th or whatever.
And if you like the sound of the dublicate note and cannot hear the slightly wrong pitch, strum the easy way.

It is the creative part of music.
 
Last edited:
Ukulele is not some perfect music instrument in a sense that not all chords are lets say in having the root note at them bottom, some have them on top.

It is to me when strummed a very folksy instrument that lacks much finesse, but provides the rhythm and harmony as accompaniment needed. Much better than nothing. And if combined with some other musical instruments some really great music can be made. Only problem is the low sound volume, which today can of course be taken care of with electronic ways.

There is more error in our ukes with say 3rds being out of tune naturally by 12 tone equal temperament than some pulsating unisono doubled notes. And do remember it is a folksy instrument. And way we strum we can reduce if wanting them. More I think it is important not muting any notes erroneously by the left fingering hand. Leaving the root out etc. stupid that can happen, instead emphasizing it.
 
Good ears...

I totally see where you're coming from, Gary. For me, it's only an issue because the "duplicated" notes (be they identical, or the same note but an octave apart) seem to always sound slightly out-of-tune with each other, which makes me wince a little when it happens. Otherwise I'd be all for the occurrence of occasional "identical notes" in various chord shapes, because I do in fact like that "doubled" effect-- IF the two doubled notes are precisely ringing with each other. Unfortunately, because of the nature of the instrument, they often ring slightly "off" with each other despite careful tuning. Does that make at least some sense?

Bill, that's some really good ears you've got. To be honest, if two notes in a chord are off by a cent or two I can't hear it. The tuning of our scales in Modern Western Music are well tempered which means all the notes are off by a little bit by design making perfect chords impossible and the ukulele makes things worse with all the strange resonances that are occurring. I seriously suggest you buy a ukulele with really great intonation because that might help.

-- Gary
 
Bill, that's some really good ears you've got. To be honest, if two notes in a chord are off by a cent or two I can't hear it. The tuning of our scales in Modern Western Music are well tempered which means all the notes are off by a little bit by design making perfect chords impossible and the ukulele makes things worse with all the strange resonances that are occurring. I seriously suggest you buy a ukulele with really great intonation because that might help.

-- Gary

I think you're right, Gary, about the inherent imperfection of our musical "system", if you will, and I readily admit that I'm not conversant with the technical aspects of that! And yes, it certainly appears that the uke, with its unique resonances, has a tendency to magnify that effect. The funny thing for me is that on the (increasingly rare) occasions that I play electric or acoustic steel string guitar, I will "double" notes all the time, often by design, and they typically ring together perfectly! It seems clear that the ukulele leaves less margin for error when it comes to matters of intonation. That does not, however, in any way diminish my love for the uke!
 
I think you're right, Gary, about the inherent imperfection of our musical "system", if you will, and I readily admit that I'm not conversant with the technical aspects of that! And yes, it certainly appears that the uke, with its unique resonances, has a tendency to magnify that effect. The funny thing for me is that on the (increasingly rare) occasions that I play electric or acoustic steel string guitar, I will "double" notes all the time, often by design, and they typically ring together perfectly! It seems clear that the ukulele leaves less margin for error when it comes to matters of intonation. That does not, however, in any way diminish my love for the uke!

That is in my opinion mainly because ukulele is tuned a fourth above guitar and also that the re-entrant G string really does make the doubled notes that the guitar has not.

Both of those things and perhaps also some more intonation errors compared to a classical guitar. And those odd resonances you mentioned. And yes the electric guitar intonation can be setup and tuned so perfectly compared to acoustic guitar and even more so to a classical guitar.
 
That is in my opinion mainly because ukulele is tuned a fourth above guitar and also that the re-entrant G string really does make the doubled notes that the guitar has not.

Both of those things and perhaps also some more intonation errors compared to a classical guitar. And those odd resonances you mentioned. And yes the electric guitar intonation can be setup and tuned so perfectly compared to acoustic guitar and even more so to a classical guitar.

Yes, Jarmo, and so we would perhaps agree that we love the ukulele for the wonderful instrument that it is, and we accept it with whatever limitations or "quirks" it may have-- kind of like the people we love in our lives (and we hope, of course, that they accept us with our limitations in the same way!)
 
Top Bottom