Would like opinions on Low G tuning compared to High G Tuning.
I like and use both. I have at least two ukes strung Low G (both tenors) and the rest High G (reentrant) tuning.
Would like opinions on Low G tuning compared to High G Tuning.
I prefer the re-entrant tuning for strumming chords, but the linear tuning is nice for fiddle tunes, finger-style and Carter-style tunes.
For the current Season #347 we were challenged to play songs about the sea. A couple of days ago, I played a waltz that started with the "Mr. Bojangles Lick" which I played on my linear tuned uke. Today I played another waltz and realised that it also started with the same lick, so for variety, I used the re-entrant uke and moved the lick to the treble strings.
This is how I played it on the linear uke:
_________ ____3__3_ ____3__3_ ____3__3_ ____3__3_
_________ ____0__0_ ____0__0_ ____0__0_ ____0__0_
_________ _0__0__0_ ____0__0_ ____0__0_ ____0__0_
_0__2__4_ _________ _4_______ _2_______ _0_______
On the re-entrant uke, I played (the red notes are eighth notes played with thumb, index:
_________ ___3__3__3_ ___2__2__2_ ___0__0__0_
_0__1__3_ ______0__0_ ______0__0_ ______0__0_
_________ ______0__0_ ______0__0_ ______0__0_
_0__2__4_ _0_________ _0_________ _0_________
______3__3_
___3__3__3_
______0__0_
_0_________
I have tried the low G on a uke but always go back to high g. My baritone also has a high d. Makes the baritone sound so much better to me.
I have a background in Classical Guitar but I don’t want my ukes to sound like a guitar.
I prefer the re-entrant tuning for strumming chords, but the linear tuning is nice for fiddle tunes, finger-style and Carter-style tunes.
For the current Season #347 we were challenged to play songs about the sea. A couple of days ago, I played a waltz that started with the "Mr. Bojangles Lick" which I played on my linear tuned uke. Today I played another waltz and realised that it also started with the same lick, so for variety, I used the re-entrant uke and moved the lick to the treble strings.
This is how I played it on the linear uke:
_________ ____3__3_ ____3__3_ ____3__3_ ____3__3_
_________ ____0__0_ ____0__0_ ____0__0_ ____0__0_
_________ _0__0__0_ ____0__0_ ____0__0_ ____0__0_
_0__2__4_ _________ _4_______ _2_______ _0_______
On the re-entrant uke, I played (the red notes are eighth notes played with thumb, index:
_________ ___3__3__3_ ___2__2__2_ ___0__0__0_ ______3__3_
_0__1__3_ ______0__0_ ______0__0_ ______0__0_ ___3__3__3_
_________ ______0__0_ ______0__0_ ______0__0_ ______0__0_
_0__2__4_ _0_________ _0_________ _0_________ _0_________
What's not to like about low G? It takes a three stringed instrument and turns it into a four stringed instrument. It doubles the amount of scales you can play. I do keep one of my ukes in the re-entrant tuning out of a sense of duty to the tradition but it isn't terribly useful to me.
I do have a low G uke but love the ring you get playing campanella style, which is only possible on a re-entrant tuning. Here is Samantha Muir playing The Blarney Pilgrim:
Also Wilfried Welti has some beautiful arrangements of Irish harp music which really exploit the possibilities of re-entrant. It was finding his website that started me on my ukulele journey.