Low G vs High G Ukulele

[Steve DeRosa]

I'm a low-G fan - makes a great tenor banjo tuning as well...

[DASmusic]

Thanks for the input. I've been doing some research and watched some videos and I think I'm going to stick with a high g. I still like the low g sound, but I like the high g better. If I ever decide to play a low g, I'll just buy another ukulele and string that to a low g so I have both.

[syrynx]

Originally Posted by ukejon

Had a chance to talk to John about uke playing a number of times over the years...what a stunningly great player and a truly nice human being. He certainly is missed.

Oh, I do envy you! But I count myself fortunate to at least be able to experience his many YouTube videos and his splendid Web site, which is still available (but who knows for how long?).

Originally Posted by DASmusic

Thanks for the input. I've been doing some research and watched some videos and I think I'm going to stick with a high g. I still like the low g sound, but I like the high g better. If I ever decide to play a low g, I'll just buy another ukulele and string that to a low g so I have both.

Makes perfect sense to me. And I think John King would agree:

Originally Posted by John King

Recently a controversy arose involving players who tuned their G strings—that’s the “my” string—down an octave, so-called low-G tuning. The traditionalists, using—you guessed it—high-G tuning, bemoaned the modernists destroying the one thing that made the ‘ukulele unique, all for the sake of a few extra notes. In the interest of full disclosure, I have to tell you, I’m a high-G man, but I don’t feel the least bit threatened by those players who’ve succumbed to the Dark Side.

[Neal]

Personally, I think "Mayweather vs. Pacquiao or Green Bay vs. Dallas is more appropriate in the "versus" context..

[ukejon]

A boxing analogy.....love it! By the way, Neal, I had forgotten that there is a line in Mouth To Mouth Resuscitation (see link in Neal's signature for this wonderful tune) that alludes to boxing as well.

[Neal]

Hah! Thanks Jon, and that was an example of low G on a tenor. I kinda miss that '05 Pono tenor.

But the question posed to all was pref, and I like re entrant tuning. Why? Idunno, more funner I guess.

Mayweather by decision.

[blue]

I've tried both. I found I played more "guitar flavored" chords on low g. major, minor, sevenths, etc. 9ths and 11ths and the more uke-centric chords came more naturally on re-entrant. YMMV.

[Kalani]

I use the low G exclusively---maybe because I came from the guitar first. But I do like the bigger sound I get amplified and I do a lot of runs that incorporate the low G string.

However, I've always thought of one day learning how to play with the high G.

[fongie]

I think I have to take back what I said a bout low G.

I was playing Floyd 'Wish you were here' on high G and it ain't right. I think low G sounds better. My bad

[Bunnyf]

i think you'll find many, many player have both (I do). I prefer reentrant on sopranos and concerts and linear on tenors and baritones. Many folks have both high and low in all 3 small sizes.

[ukejon]

Originally Posted by blue

I've tried both. I found I played more "guitar flavored" chords on low g. major, minor, sevenths, etc. 9ths and 11ths and the more uke-centric chords came more naturally on re-entrant. YMMV.

Well said, and that high-G sound is what I most desire in an uke. It is what sets the instrument apart from a guitar with a capo on V. But each his or her own......

[mushin]

I play low G. Not really into traditional Ukulele music.

[Bunnyf]

While reentrant tuning has its own unique sound. I find both tunings to be distinctly ukey. IZ played low g and he was plenty ukey and most often traditional.

[ukejon]

Originally Posted by Bunnyf

While reentrant tuning has its own unique sound. I find both tunings to be distinctly ukey. IZ played low g and he was plenty ukey and most often traditional.

To be clear, Iz had his own very unique tuning variation. Here is how you do it:

* Leave the first string (A) where it is.
* Move the second string (E) to the position of the third ( it becomes the C now).
* Move the third string (C) to the position of the fourth (it becomes the low G now).
* Move the fourth string (high G) goes to the position of the second (so it becomes the E now).
* Then tune up G C E A. The original tone of each string is lowered by 3 to 5 semi-tones, so tension is lower and provides a very different feel.