bbkobabe
Well-known member
Don't believe everything you think, I always say...
Baritone Ukulele?
- Thread starter Down Up Dick
- Start date
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Down Up Dick
Well-known member
This thread has turned into a bevy of deep and serious posters a pondering what’s in a name. Poof! Everyone go make some music.
I started with a tenor uke (getting dust) and then I find out the wonderful baritone. I have 3 of them tuned DGBE. I was considering changing one of them to a different tuning. I have several sets of DGBE strings. Can I use those sets to try a different tuning besides DGBE and dGBE? If so, and correct me if I'm wrong, the chord shapes would be different I suppose.
Just an observation: Wouldn't be nice to have a section here in UU forum just for the baritone uke? I keep using the search button to read threads about the baritone. Just a thought.
Have a nice 2023 friends.
Just an observation: Wouldn't be nice to have a section here in UU forum just for the baritone uke? I keep using the search button to read threads about the baritone. Just a thought.
Have a nice 2023 friends.
Charles Guy
Well-known member
A baritone specific board would be definitely appreciated. Although I have learned a lot that I would not have found otherwise by searching threads that aren't bari specific.
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Down Up Dick
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I played my Baritone yesterday and again today. I’m workin’ on the C and D chords to sing with. I haven’t sang or played the baritone for a little while, so I’m a bit rusty.
I was thinking of retuning my baritone to GCEA, to lessen the chord confusion, but I decided against it. I have enough GCEA ukes, and I like the low D.
I was thinking of retuning my baritone to GCEA, to lessen the chord confusion, but I decided against it. I have enough GCEA ukes, and I like the low D.
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Down Up Dick
Well-known member
Yeah, Jimpro, I agree. I guess being easily confused is just part of the “Golden Years.”
Nickie
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"I'll believe it when I see it", isn't the proper wording. "I'll see it when I believe it" is.
Nickie
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A tenor guitar is about the same size as a 6 string guitar, it just has 4 strings. A friend of mine played one in his band. A baritone uke, of course, is much smaller.
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Down Up Dick
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Sorry, Nickie, I think you’re on the wrong thread.
rustydusty
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My tenor guitar is the same size as my “Baby Taylor” which is about a “3/4” size guitar. Quite a bit smaller than my other guitars…
rlgph
Well-known member
You could try tuning your baritone to GCEA, but an octave lower than your other ukes. That would put it in a range roughly midway between a bass uke and tenor uke -- close to the range of the middle four strings of a classical guitar (which would give you a string set to try out). If you like the low D, you may really respond favorably to this tuning since it is a 4th lower than DGBE.
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Down Up Dick
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I’m keeping the baritone a baritone for now, but I’ll keep your post in mind. Thanks for your help.
BUT . . . if I did change the baritone to gCEA would it be in the same general pitch as a tenor or concert uke? Just wondering.
rlgph
Well-known member
The g would be the same pitch as a low g on a tenor, but the C, E, and A would each be an octave lower than the corresponding notes (strings) on the tenor.
SweetWaterBlue
Well-known member
I've got sopranos, concerts, tenors and baritones. I first got a baritone because I thought the lower tones fitted my voice better.
Baritone ukulele's are harder to strum like a ukulele than smaller ukuleles (at least for me). This is mostly because the strings are farther apart. If they have a low D, they also don't sound as good strummed as smaller ukuleles. Even if yo put a high D on it, its still harder to strum. For all those reasons, I usually mostly finger-pick my baritones. My observation is that most YT videos I have watched of baritone ukulele players that I like are also mostly finger-picking.
If you have a baritone with a low D, you tend to want to play it like a guitar, using the lower string to create a simple bass line. Unfortunately, this doesn't work as well on a baritone as it does on a guitar.
Baritone ukulele's are harder to strum like a ukulele than smaller ukuleles (at least for me). This is mostly because the strings are farther apart. If they have a low D, they also don't sound as good strummed as smaller ukuleles. Even if yo put a high D on it, its still harder to strum. For all those reasons, I usually mostly finger-pick my baritones. My observation is that most YT videos I have watched of baritone ukulele players that I like are also mostly finger-picking.
If you have a baritone with a low D, you tend to want to play it like a guitar, using the lower string to create a simple bass line. Unfortunately, this doesn't work as well on a baritone as it does on a guitar.
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Down Up Dick
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Hey, thanks for the help, guys. I really appreciate it. I guess I’ll leave well enough alone; Chords aren’t my cup of tea anyway.
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Down Up Dick
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Well, I’m still thinkin’ about changin’ after all, but where do I get a low G (set?) string?
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Down Up Dick
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Well?
rlgph
Well-known member
The middle 4 strings of a set for a Cordoba Mini (I) should work for a low GCEA set -- e.g. Aquila 189C.
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Down Up Dick
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Thanks a lot, rigph, I dunno if I’m gonna change the strings though. I’ve had another change. I bought a book for Blues Ukulele, and I was gonna try a mini banjo with steel strings with it. However, I didn’t like the sound, then I tried the baritone, but it was too much trouble and confusion unless I changed it’s strings. So now I’m gonna try my Gold Tone Tenor Banjolele. The Aquila strings will be better for now, and I can already play it. It needs some playin’ time anyway. It’s tuned FBbDG, but, either way, that won’t hurt anything.
I’m gonna use the banjolele to learn what I need (blues with slide), and then maybe get a real blues instrument to play. Anyway, that’s the plan now. So, thanks again, and we’ll see what happens.
I’m gonna use the banjolele to learn what I need (blues with slide), and then maybe get a real blues instrument to play. Anyway, that’s the plan now. So, thanks again, and we’ll see what happens.
