im not sure if this is the right place to post this (not being about guitar)- so i understand if it needs moving
today i went to a guitar fair and bought my daughter a ukulele - it was great value (£8 - and it came with a bag!!).
its pretty sturdy and sounds great.
Anyway, i have been having a fiddle with it and i just have one or two questions.
1) it came tuned as GCEA - but on internet searches i have found different variations of "standard tuning" for a ukulele - which is correct?
2) I am used to my bottom strings being the thickest, obviously because that is how they are on the guitar - but on this ukulele, the middle 2 strings are a thicker gauge than the outer two, meaning the pitch of the notes on the bottom string (the string nearest to my head when i play), is higher than the next string down? is this right, it seems odd to me - do i need to restring it with different gauge strings?
Anyway, this purchase really was for my daughter, and as she is only 1 i doubt she will be too fussy, and i have no other intention than learning the very basic chord shapes and every now and again having a bit of a strum in front of the tv (i have too much guitar to learn before taking up something else :D )- but i do just want to make sure it is set up correctly first :D
"I like to play that guitar. I have to stare at it while I'm playing it because I'm not very good at playing it."
Noel Gallagher (who took the words right out of my mouth)
1. GCEA is standard. Other tunings are used, but most use that relationship (lots of folks use ADF#B - that's like putting a capo on the 2nd fret of standard). Some folks use open tunings - just like some guitarists do, especially for slide guitar.
2. Yep, the highest string is the 4th one - that's called reentrant tuning... same as a five-string banjo. Some folks restring it so it matches a guitar (G an octave lower), which makes playing 'lead' easier, but Hawaiian ukulele is basically a chordal instrument - if she'll be playing it in a traditional style, reentrant tuning gets you the right sound.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
You have definitely noticed all the confusion, discrepancies or opportunities, options and plain ol' fun in Ukelele tuning, especially the small 13" scale tenor model. This below is actually the standard or "C" tuning, from Wiki which I think explains why it is "C" in their link, or maybe it's in the other link from SetupnCare.
Edit: and please pardon the repetition, good job NoteBoat, couldn't help it, I started the post 20 - 30 minutes ago. :oops:
Tuning
The standard tuning for soprano, concert, and tenor ukuleles is C-tuning, g'c'e'a'. The g string is tuned an octave higher than might be expected. This is known as re-entrant tuning. Some prefer "Low G" tuning, with the G in sequence an octave lower. The baritone is usually tuned to d g b e' (low to high).
Another common tuning for sopranos and concerts is D-tuning, a' d' f#' b', one step higher than the g'c'e'a' tuning. D tuning is said by some to bring out a sweeter tone in some ukuleles, generally smaller ones. This tuning was commonly used during the Hawaiian music boom of the early 20th century, and is often seen in sheet music from this period. D tuning with a low 4th, ad'f#'b' is sometimes called "Canadian tuning" after its use in the Canadian school system, mostly on concert or tenor ukes.
Hawaiian ukuleles may also be tuned to open tunings, similar to the Hawaiian slack key style.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukulele
http://www.ukuleles.com/SetupnCare/TenorTune.html
I tried to copy the images in the link below, and from others as well without success. So I have to use their words and letters to convey the following. Both illustrate that the 4th or top string is thinner or lighter guage in both tunings.
1st B
Rectified Nylon
.024
8.1
2nd F#
Rectified Nylon
.032
7.3
3rd D
Rectified Nylon
.034
5.5
4th A
Rectified Nylon
.028
9.5
That's just a typical set, D'Addario's 24 - 28, while another follows
1st A
Black Nylon
.028
12.8
2nd E
Black Nylon
.036
11.9
3rd C
Black Nylon
.035
10.6
4th G
Black Nylon
.032
13.3
from the link below:
http://www.juststrings.com/dad-j53.html and http://www.juststrings.com/d-addarioukulele.html
Like a bird on the wire,
like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.
