Arthritis took guitar away from me but the short scale length on a soprano ukulele gave me back my music. I'll never be Jake Shimabukuro but I can still make a lot of music with my limited finger movement.
Ditto. Ageing is inevitable but music is forever if one accepts that everyone has their limits. The uke's shorter scale and lighter weight are a big advantage for me too. Plus I have easily enjoyed so MANY interesting alternate tunings with only 4 strings that I would be less likely to attempt with my old six stringer.
I started playing guitar in 93.I was in a workplace accident a few years ago. I struggled with guitar after that, and I still do. But I picked up a uke, and I can play it much more comfortably
When you pull out a guitar everyone expects you to be really good, if you pull out a ukulele and your not that good it's no big deal, but if you are a really good ukulele player everyone is really impressed ( fact ).
I've broken fingers several times on my left hand (my other hobby is horseback riding) and I tried to learn to play the mandolin and the fretboard was too skinny for fingers that don't bend like they used to. The guitar required more finger strength than I was able to produce in my fingers so the ukulele is perfect! I have two, a concert and a tenor and I love them! I bought the second because I was worried about flying with the one so I had one at home and one at my remote work location. Now my tenor is strung Low G and my retirement is perfect!
I came to say something similar. Arthritis gradually took my guitar from me. The soprano uke let me keep playing because I can make the reaches needed once I took 30 cm off the scale length.
I started off learning the electric guitar, and never had an issue, but one day I was looking for a travel guitar and the Uke came up online as a travel guitar, and I knew it wasn't because it only had 4 strings, so I started investigating on youtube and was totally smitten by people like Jake and Taimane and rushed to Guitar center to get my first Tenor and I love both the electric Guitar and Uke, but Uke more.
6:27 What about the mandolin? On the mandolin, which usually has double-string course pairs (4), you can use tremolo, going up and down on the strings, to simulate longer sustain. The courses also give it a unique sound.
Thank you soooo much for having mentioned the campanella style ! This style is so underrated ! It has been a major discovery for me when I realized I could play Renaissance guitar music pieces on my ukulélés : I loved this music but never imagined I could pull it off on a ukulele. I have several instruments all tuned differently (one in dotara style : a Bengali lute), and the versatility of the ukulele is just amazing. At the moment, I'm enjoying re-entrant baritone tuning on my kanile'a tenor pineapple, and playing renaissance music with this tuning is simply out of this world sweet and beautiful. It makes my uke sound a bit like an oud lute. 💜
I’ve tried guitar 3 times and maybe got one song done, so far week and a half with a cheap Uke and I already got 3 full songs in my pocket. Never been able to do bar chords on guitar. I love the sound on guitar but the Uke gets me excited all the time after seeing the fast progress.
Point #3 blew me away. I play folk harp and guitar, and I have never noticed this - although I must have known it somewhere below my awareness, because the minute you showed me the continued resonance on the ukulele I was thrilled. You've got me excited about learning a new instrument....
Hi there. thank you for this video. I started learning to play the guitar before covid Nov 2019, then about 3 months later is when I got interested in the ukulele. and I love it. its easy to play, easy for travel when I go to Florida in the summer and play on the beach. I have a high G use. and after about a year of playing the use I picked up my guitar to try it again and its so big and I forget some of the chords I learned but that's ok cuz I'm sticking to the ukulele.
I find it impossible to play one of my ukuleles and not smile. It is a happy instrument. George Harrison of the Beatles used have multiple ukuleles in the trunk of his car at any given time.
Matt, Really enjoyed this lesson. Ironically I also have a Baby Taylor which i pretty much never use. The two biggest weaknesses of the Uke are sustain and only two octaves (you mentioned this on TUS). The first can be overcome by shaping the tone when playing semi acoustically the second if anything means getting a complex/more dynamic sound out of the Ukulele like Jake is inherently more difficult then the guitar something people don’t consider (they just see the 1 finger chords). For me as a purely instrumental player playing with friends/small gatherings etc I find the Uke to be more social and more engaging. People are often more engaged that i can play Flamenco, Jazz, Trip Hop, Alternate Rock & Classical back to back on my Uke with a looper. Where as you would likely need 3 different guitars to play the above genres. This might be a controversial comment but I found when I bring out my guitar people expect greatness.. where as when I bring out a Uke they expect ‘When I’m cleaning Windows’ and are often blown away by the sounds we can create from the Uke. I guess it’s the same as a car and a bicycle. Nobody saying a car is not bigger or provides more flexibility. Some people enjoy the simplicity of the ride on a bike :)
Tuned a 100 year old 4string banjo like a ukulele with nylon strings, but an octave lower. Had to move the bridge all the way to the end to get the intonation right but OMG she sounds beautiful. Also have a couple ukuleles, several guitars, several bass guitars, a bouzouki. Only started playing ukulele 6 months ago. Ukuleles are awesome because they are so portable, but they sound really happy. Hard to play “hopeless” on them. The happiest instrument ever.
As someone who has been playing ukulele (both High and Low G) and guitar, I always back and forth on which I like better. This video did a great job of highlighting some of the strengths of the high G. Thanks.
What a great video! Didn't expect the authenticity and depth your provided. I was still a bit unsure about buying a uke as I already have a guitar, but the ukulele, as you presented, feels like an instrument of pure creative outlet. Being able to sustain a wide range of finger-plucked notes, due to the high G, is a huge plus. And those camera focus/transitions!
Thank you for the kind words, Ani! Congrats on your soon-to-be uke! When you get it, check out this page for some ideas on where to start learning: rockclass101.com/learning-paths/
Personally, I think the guitar is much easier to play than the ukulele. On the ukulele you have to be incredibly accurate. On the guitar, you can make a mistake and still have a chance of sounding good. I play both instruments, but it's the ukulele that challenges me more.
My husband plays guitar quite well but he found ukulele more of a challenge. In part to him having bigger fingers and wide hands. I only play ukulele (concert and tenor with low G) and I love it. I have small hands and short, skinny fingers. I find playing his guitar challenging since my finger span isn't that great and the strings feel harsher. Everyone and everything has their strengths/ weaknesses or pros/cons
Wow, that is amazing! I never would have thought of these things!… Yeah, no instrument is “better” than another - but I would like to play something different… I feel that there are just too many guitar players out there (I took guitar lessons for 2 months - so at least I have a foundation which should help me going forward). I would like to play mandolin - but now you have giving me a reason to play the uke, as well! :-
As a guitarist, i found the high on the top and bottom weird… makes songs sound weird that i already played… made other songs sound better maybe, and some i couldnt get on guitar sound pretty good on the uke… i think that the reason….
Great knowledge, I can play the guitar, a little banjo and Uke. I prefer high g and I like playing banjo rolls on uke. For example playing strings : g a g a ce or e a g c a g etc.
Love this. I always wondered if I was missing out by not playing the guitar! Could you please share the name of the arrangement by John King that you played? It was absolutely beautiful. ❤
I am "somewhat" obsessed with that song and already learned part of one (not great) version of it but couldn't find this John King fellow's arrangement of it (a person who I now need to learn literally everything about). Maybe it's in one of his books? I'm still trying to find it. 😅 Sorry to ramble on. I'm not good at being normal. I'm glad someone else brought this up so I seem less crazy! Thank you! 😉😅
I love my ukulele for the unique sound and the portability (that was for me a main reason to choose this instrument). But I play mostly fingerstyle and I would love not to have to choose between high and low G. What do you think about 5 string ukulele? Does it solve the dilemma or rather changes the instrument too much and brings too many new difficulties?
Well, the 5 string has both a low and high G. That gives you a fuller sound. But when we arrange, we take advantage of high or low G tuning. More often than not, it has to be one tuning or the other. So when you play a 5 string, it could conflict with the arrangement. Now if you were to do simpler things like strumming basic chords, you'll get a richer sound on 5 string ukes than 4. And that type of playing isn't dependent on the tuning as much as fingerstyle is.
What model of KALA is that and does it come with the numeral style numbered frets? The downside of the ukulele is it sounds too soft for rock because it doesn't have the punch or drive of a steel stringed instrument even when used through an amp. If there is a way to make that happen I would appreciate your comment about this. Thank You!
The uke is made by Kanile'a, not Kala. To get the numbers, I think you have to add it as a custom request. 😊 We've done a few rock tunes without altering the traditional sound of the instrument. Here's one for example: ruclips.net/video/UPz9-xgPlkM/видео.html
@@RockClass101 okay... I watched again and he *might* just bring his thumb to rest on the C string, which is why it's the only string that actually moves. sorry if I was confused by the visual.
Great lesson Matt like usual!! "Campanella" means a little bell and yes your pronunciation is goooood!! thx for the lesson buddy p.s. Matt please will you make a tutorial of Cello Suite you played, I've always wanted to lear the John King's arreangment but I can't found any.
I appreciate the kind words, Alessio! Please add that request here: rockclass101.com/forums/topic/song-suggestions/ In the meantime, we do have a lesson on Bach's "Prelude in C" which is equally as beautiful IMO 😊: ruclips.net/video/iKQQEEV4LwY/видео.html
A question: I started playing uke, then picked up guitar as well. Do you think learning both together will have on balance more benefits in terms of cross-applicability, or hindrance in terms of potential confusion? So far I'm finding my technique on uke has benefited and feels easy compared to guitar, the application of theory has helped both, but also made uke a bit harder due to having to learn 2 different ranges, one non linear, so I keep playing the high G like it's a low G (also have low G, but want to also play high G for the reasons you describe here)!
I'd continue learning both at the same time. A lot of techniques and playing styles are interchangeable between the two instruments. Theory wise, I can see how High G is adding a bit of confusion. Perhaps you may want to focus on applying it to Low G for now and move onto High G at a later date.
Every time I try to record myself playing Ukulele I'm frowning lol… I don't realize I' doing it until I look at the playback, its just cause I'm tryna concentrate for the take lol
If you only play chords you may be right about four fingers. Most guitar players only know to play chords but this is a waste of a guitar. It is like playing piano, would you play better with a piano of only two octaves?
Learn 4 AMAZING Strumming Techniques on Ukulele: rockclass101.com/next-level-strumming-techniques/
Arthritis took guitar away from me but the short scale length on a soprano ukulele gave me back my music. I'll never be Jake Shimabukuro but I can still make a lot of music with my limited finger movement.
Your story is truly inspiring ❤
Never be who
Ditto. Ageing is inevitable but music is forever if one accepts that everyone has their limits. The uke's shorter scale and lighter weight are a big advantage for me too. Plus I have easily enjoyed so MANY interesting alternate tunings with only 4 strings that I would be less likely to attempt with my old six stringer.
I started playing guitar in 93.I was in a workplace accident a few years ago. I struggled with guitar after that, and I still do. But I picked up a uke, and I can play it much more comfortably
When you pull out a guitar everyone expects you to be really good, if you pull out a ukulele and your not that good it's no big deal, but if you are a really good ukulele player everyone is really impressed ( fact ).
I've broken fingers several times on my left hand (my other hobby is horseback riding) and I tried to learn to play the mandolin and the fretboard was too skinny for fingers that don't bend like they used to. The guitar required more finger strength than I was able to produce in my fingers so the ukulele is perfect! I have two, a concert and a tenor and I love them! I bought the second because I was worried about flying with the one so I had one at home and one at my remote work location. Now my tenor is strung Low G and my retirement is perfect!
I came to say something similar. Arthritis gradually took my guitar from me. The soprano uke let me keep playing because I can make the reaches needed once I took 30 cm off the scale length.
I started off learning the electric guitar, and never had an issue, but one day I was looking for a travel guitar and the Uke came up online as a travel guitar, and I knew it wasn't because it only had 4 strings, so I started investigating on youtube and was totally smitten by people like Jake and Taimane and rushed to Guitar center to get my first Tenor and I love both the electric Guitar and Uke, but Uke more.
This is such a sound, intelligent, comprehensive video.
6:27 What about the mandolin? On the mandolin, which usually has double-string course pairs (4), you can use tremolo, going up and down on the strings, to simulate longer sustain. The courses also give it a unique sound.
Thank you soooo much for having mentioned the campanella style ! This style is so underrated ! It has been a major discovery for me when I realized I could play Renaissance guitar music pieces on my ukulélés : I loved this music but never imagined I could pull it off on a ukulele. I have several instruments all tuned differently (one in dotara style : a Bengali lute), and the versatility of the ukulele is just amazing. At the moment, I'm enjoying re-entrant baritone tuning on my kanile'a tenor pineapple, and playing renaissance music with this tuning is simply out of this world sweet and beautiful. It makes my uke sound a bit like an oud lute. 💜
I’ve tried guitar 3 times and maybe got one song done, so far week and a half with a cheap Uke and I already got 3 full songs in my pocket. Never been able to do bar chords on guitar. I love the sound on guitar but the Uke gets me excited all the time after seeing the fast progress.
How many hours a day you practice on the ukelele?
@@deenp3761 at the beginning was one but now I go from 5 mins to half hour. I just try to do it everyday no matter the time.
Point #3 blew me away. I play folk harp and guitar, and I have never noticed this - although I must have known it somewhere below my awareness, because the minute you showed me the continued resonance on the ukulele I was thrilled. You've got me excited about learning a new instrument....
Hi there. thank you for this video. I started learning to play the guitar before covid Nov 2019, then about 3 months later is when I got interested in the ukulele. and I love it. its easy to play, easy for travel when I go to Florida in the summer and play on the beach. I have a high G use. and after about a year of playing the use I picked up my guitar to try it again and its so big and I forget some of the chords I learned but that's ok cuz I'm sticking to the ukulele.
I find it impossible to play one of my ukuleles and not smile. It is a happy instrument. George Harrison of the Beatles used have multiple ukuleles in the trunk of his car at any given time.
I was told he would give them away...
Matt,
Really enjoyed this lesson. Ironically I also have a Baby Taylor which i pretty much never use.
The two biggest weaknesses of the Uke are sustain and only two octaves (you mentioned this on TUS). The first can be overcome by shaping the tone when playing semi acoustically the second if anything means getting a complex/more dynamic sound out of the Ukulele like Jake is inherently more difficult then the guitar something people don’t consider (they just see the 1 finger chords).
For me as a purely instrumental player playing with friends/small gatherings etc I find the Uke to be more social and more engaging. People are often more engaged that i can play Flamenco, Jazz, Trip Hop, Alternate Rock & Classical back to back on my Uke with a looper. Where as you would likely need 3 different guitars to play the above genres.
This might be a controversial comment but I found when I bring out my guitar people expect greatness.. where as when I bring out a Uke they expect ‘When I’m cleaning Windows’ and are often blown away by the sounds we can create from the Uke.
I guess it’s the same as a car and a bicycle. Nobody saying a car is not bigger or provides more flexibility. Some people enjoy the simplicity of the ride on a bike :)
Thank you so much for this fantastic lesson and for taking the time to answer all my questions!! 😁
Tuned a 100 year old 4string banjo like a ukulele with nylon strings, but an octave lower. Had to move the bridge all the way to the end to get the intonation right but OMG she sounds beautiful. Also have a couple ukuleles, several guitars, several bass guitars, a bouzouki. Only started playing ukulele 6 months ago. Ukuleles are awesome because they are so portable, but they sound really happy. Hard to play “hopeless” on them. The happiest instrument ever.
I love the ukulele acoustically, the guitar electrically
26:23 And I ❤ the tone of the mandolin the best!
"The guitar has a very kind of linear sound." And in fact, it's called...linear tuning (high G is known as reentrant)
As someone who has been playing ukulele (both High and Low G) and guitar, I always back and forth on which I like better. This video did a great job of highlighting some of the strengths of the high G. Thanks.
Limitations are the essence of a style and the framing of beauty.
As a uke beginner, this was truly inspirational. Very much appreciate your insights!
What a great video! Didn't expect the authenticity and depth your provided. I was still a bit unsure about buying a uke as I already have a guitar, but the ukulele, as you presented, feels like an instrument of pure creative outlet. Being able to sustain a wide range of finger-plucked notes, due to the high G, is a huge plus.
And those camera focus/transitions!
Thank you for the kind words, Ani! Congrats on your soon-to-be uke! When you get it, check out this page for some ideas on where to start learning: rockclass101.com/learning-paths/
Personally, I think the guitar is much easier to play than the ukulele. On the ukulele you have to be incredibly accurate. On the guitar, you can make a mistake and still have a chance of sounding good. I play both instruments, but it's the ukulele that challenges me more.
My husband plays guitar quite well but he found ukulele more of a challenge. In part to him having bigger fingers and wide hands. I only play ukulele (concert and tenor with low G) and I love it. I have small hands and short, skinny fingers. I find playing his guitar challenging since my finger span isn't that great and the strings feel harsher. Everyone and everything has their strengths/ weaknesses or pros/cons
Thank you for this video.
Just 2:12 I like your explanations. Which videos do you recommend for those just just starting out?
Check out our Beginner's Course: rockclass101.com/definitive-beginners-guide-ukulele/. It will give you a structured guide for learning ukulele 😊
Wow, that is amazing! I never would have thought of these things!…
Yeah, no instrument is “better” than another - but I would like to play something different… I feel that there are just too many guitar players out there (I took guitar lessons for 2 months - so at least I have a foundation which should help me going forward).
I would like to play mandolin - but now you have giving me a reason to play the uke, as well! :-
Thank you ❤
As a guitarist, i found the high on the top and bottom weird… makes songs sound weird that i already played… made other songs sound better maybe, and some i couldnt get on guitar sound pretty good on the uke… i think that the reason….
Great knowledge, I can play the guitar, a little banjo and Uke. I prefer high g and I like playing banjo rolls on uke. For example playing strings : g a g a ce or e a g c a g etc.
Love this. I always wondered if I was missing out by not playing the guitar! Could you please share the name of the arrangement by John King that you played? It was absolutely beautiful. ❤
Bach's "Cello Suite no. 1" :)
I am "somewhat" obsessed with that song and already learned part of one (not great) version of it but couldn't find this John King fellow's arrangement of it (a person who I now need to learn literally everything about). Maybe it's in one of his books? I'm still trying to find it. 😅
Sorry to ramble on. I'm not good at being normal. I'm glad someone else brought this up so I seem less crazy! Thank you! 😉😅
Great info. Thank you so much.
I love my ukulele for the unique sound and the portability (that was for me a main reason to choose this instrument). But I play mostly fingerstyle and I would love not to have to choose between high and low G. What do you think about 5 string ukulele? Does it solve the dilemma or rather changes the instrument too much and brings too many new difficulties?
Well, the 5 string has both a low and high G. That gives you a fuller sound. But when we arrange, we take advantage of high or low G tuning. More often than not, it has to be one tuning or the other. So when you play a 5 string, it could conflict with the arrangement.
Now if you were to do simpler things like strumming basic chords, you'll get a richer sound on 5 string ukes than 4. And that type of playing isn't dependent on the tuning as much as fingerstyle is.
I'm kinda in love with this instrument. I've been playing 2 months
how to start?
Awesome! Learned a lot. Ukelele might be perfect for me. Its a fun easy instrument to start learning.
Thank you!
What model of KALA is that and does it come with the numeral style numbered frets? The downside of the ukulele is it sounds too soft for rock because it doesn't have the punch or drive of a steel stringed instrument even when used through an amp. If there is a way to make that happen I would appreciate your comment about this. Thank You!
The uke is made by Kanile'a, not Kala. To get the numbers, I think you have to add it as a custom request. 😊
We've done a few rock tunes without altering the traditional sound of the instrument. Here's one for example: ruclips.net/video/UPz9-xgPlkM/видео.html
Great video and I concur, but ...
talks about High-G and Low-G proceeds to pluck the C string (2:25) ;)
He plucked the High G :)
@@RockClass101 okay... I watched again and he *might* just bring his thumb to rest on the C string, which is why it's the only string that actually moves. sorry if I was confused by the visual.
Great lesson Matt like usual!! "Campanella" means a little bell and yes your pronunciation is goooood!! thx for the lesson buddy
p.s. Matt please will you make a tutorial of Cello Suite you played, I've always wanted to lear the John King's arreangment but I can't found any.
I appreciate the kind words, Alessio! Please add that request here: rockclass101.com/forums/topic/song-suggestions/
In the meantime, we do have a lesson on Bach's "Prelude in C" which is equally as beautiful IMO 😊: ruclips.net/video/iKQQEEV4LwY/видео.html
@@RockClass101 thank you man, I will. Moreover I'm actually in the middle of learninig "Prelude in C", such a beautiful tune and Steven is very good!
A question: I started playing uke, then picked up guitar as well. Do you think learning both together will have on balance more benefits in terms of cross-applicability, or hindrance in terms of potential confusion?
So far I'm finding my technique on uke has benefited and feels easy compared to guitar, the application of theory has helped both, but also made uke a bit harder due to having to learn 2 different ranges, one non linear, so I keep playing the high G like it's a low G (also have low G, but want to also play high G for the reasons you describe here)!
I'd continue learning both at the same time. A lot of techniques and playing styles are interchangeable between the two instruments.
Theory wise, I can see how High G is adding a bit of confusion. Perhaps you may want to focus on applying it to Low G for now and move onto High G at a later date.
Every time I try to record myself playing Ukulele I'm frowning lol… I don't realize I' doing it until I look at the playback, its just cause I'm tryna concentrate for the take lol
LOL
Yes,
I like the shirt
100% all this and elevated when you get yourself a 5-string with the low And high G octaves *chefs kiss*
lmao
Merci. An Al Gore Rhythm Comment.
If you only play chords you may be right about four fingers. Most guitar players only know to play chords but this is a waste of a guitar. It is like playing piano, would you play better with a piano of only two octaves?