Yes, playing outside will make the sound seem so "small" at times. Even when I play inside in my living room, very open and with high vaulted ceilings, the sound is different. As opposed to the den, a smaller room with surrounding walls where the sound can bounce and come back to me. If you ever want to hear what your uke sounds like while you play, just sit next to and facing a wall.[/QUOTE]
The issue of the sound is that it was "horrible" and this we think is because of wood expasion and contraction outdoors .....so if it contracts in the cold the strings may go slack and out of tune.....however you make an excellent points in all your post ,but especially the last line .....Robert Johnson used to do his National Archive recordings in that manner.....
Cheers
CJ