The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Other Musical Instruments

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #16  
Old 08-24-2017, 03:11 PM
lfoo6952 lfoo6952 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Inland Empire, CA
Posts: 825
Default

Is a Weissenborn considered a lap steel? Isn't lap steel a different animal? Open tunings are not used in a lap steel. I thought lap steel had to be tuned in C6, A6, or E9 using specialized string sets, which are not the same as guitar string sets e.g. E, A, D, G, B, and E. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 08-24-2017, 10:53 PM
M Sarad M Sarad is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Bakersfield!!!
Posts: 2,037
Default

Weissenborns and Weiss style lap steels are played with a steel bar.
Simple as that.

They tend to be tuned to open E and D, although A6 is easier on the tension than C6.

Played in standard works just fine.
__________________
rubber Chicken
Plastic lobster
Jiminy Cricket.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 08-24-2017, 11:43 PM
JohnnySmash JohnnySmash is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Thailand
Posts: 225
Default

Well so far in my search I am thinking. Learn Baritone Ukulele on my 6 string until I can get to Bangkok and check out the music stores. Then I will most likely buy one after I play a couple.

So to play like a uke on guitar I capo the 5th fret and play only the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th string. However, I am confused. When the capo is on the 5th fret, if I play the thinnest string, my E string, I get an A note. But on the Baritone Uke the first string is an E. Please explain. I plan to use the D G B E tuning of the four strings on the uke the same as on a 6 string for now.

As for lap steel, pedal steel, dobro, WOW, I fell in love with that sound. However, I do not have the money for one yet. So I will try to play with the guitar laying in my lap. I will have to go shopping and get finger picks and a bar. I already l have thumb picks.
__________________
Yamaha F310

Almanza 401 Mate
Classical

Ventura 12 string V17, now
a 6 string Lap Guitar.

Kala Baritone Ukulele

Melokia, Solid Acacia Tenor Ukulele

Yamaha Guitalele GL1

Yamaha CS40 Classical
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 08-25-2017, 04:47 AM
frankmcr frankmcr is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 5,336
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnnySmash View Post
Well so far in my search I am thinking. Learn Baritone Ukulele on my 6 string until I can get to Bangkok and check out the music stores. Then I will most likely buy one after I play a couple.

So to play like a uke on guitar I capo the 5th fret and play only the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th string. However, I am confused. When the capo is on the 5th fret, if I play the thinnest string, my E string, I get an A note. But on the Baritone Uke the first string is an E. Please explain. I plan to use the D G B E tuning of the four strings on the uke the same as on a 6 string for now.
GCEA is the standard tuning for most ukuleles - soprano, concert, and tenor. Those are the same notes you would get from your guitar if you capoed the guitar at the fifth fret.

However, a baritone ukulele is tuned DGBE - same as a guitar without a capo.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 08-25-2017, 04:56 AM
JohnnySmash JohnnySmash is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Thailand
Posts: 225
Default

Alright, Thank you. Now I can check out for sure if I want to play D G B E or if I want to go with the other tuning, like for a Tenor. Thank you.
__________________
Yamaha F310

Almanza 401 Mate
Classical

Ventura 12 string V17, now
a 6 string Lap Guitar.

Kala Baritone Ukulele

Melokia, Solid Acacia Tenor Ukulele

Yamaha Guitalele GL1

Yamaha CS40 Classical
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 08-25-2017, 06:42 AM
CASD57 CASD57 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Meridian, Idaho
Posts: 3,235
Default

make sure you download a chord sheet off the internet for chord forms for the baritone Uke...they are not all the same as guitar because of the missing two strings...
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 08-25-2017, 09:08 AM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Idaho
Posts: 10,982
Default

Good on you for continuing to play! I am younger than you, but started getting some left hand arthritis pain a few years ago. When I ran across a good deal, I picked up an inexpensive square neck resonator guitar (not a Dobro brand) to start messing with, prepping for that eventual day when I might not be able to play finger style any more.

You can simulate the idea by using an extension nut, like this one from Elderly Instruments, and many other sources. https://www.elderly.com/guitar-exten...erfect-nut.htm

I would also support the idea of a baritone uke. You can go one step further and tune it DGBD which is the high four of Open G tuning, and play most every chord as a barre, assuming that still works for you. If you are not trying to maintain a particular chord shape or "grip", it is possible to use an extra finger supporting the barre finger. I've actually used this technique on a regular tenor ukulele with a couple of students who had really bad arthritis in their hands. They were delighted to be able to strum along. And if your right hand is doing better it can handle the fingerpicking part instead of just strumming.
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 08-27-2017, 01:43 AM
Bunnyf Bunnyf is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 149
Default Go for the uke

Lap guitar would be cool, but you'll need to learn less new skills with an ukulele. I'd wait til you can try different sizes in person though. I've played all the dirrent sizes but baritone is my main instrument. Some things to consider...are you looking for something that sounds pretty guitary or a more conventional ukey sound? Baritone is very guitar-like. It is conveniently usually tuned DGBE like guitar and would require very little new learning. The chords are mostly identical, just eliminating that which falls on the absent 5&6 string. You only need to modify if the root fell on those strings or if you didn't like the voicing. It's true that you are generally not doing that typical alt.bass like on guitar, but that doesn't mean that you have to be a strummer. Check out James Hill or Jack Shimirabuko to see nice Chord/melody style stuff. The most popular size with prof. soloists would be tenor (one size smaller than Bari and usually tuned gCEA or GCEA (but DGBE string sets are readily available if you want to stick with that tuning). As someone pointed out, though, the basic chord shapes are still the same, you are just in a different key, so you just need to make the mental adjustment to different names (doesn't take that long to get the hang of it). For example a C guitar chord is an F on a c-tuned ukulele. A d-shape on guitar, is an F...and so on. Tenor scale is most popular for finger-style as its not a great stretch between frets but it's not so cramped up either. And unlike the baritone it's still ukey sounding (though not so much so if you put DGBE strings on it).IZ played tenor with a lowG, linear tuning, GCEA. Tenors do, however, have the most string tension, it you are concerned about your fretting hand. Some traditionalists say that only sopranos (the smallest size) really captures the true uke sound. Others find concerts to be a comfortable middle size. That's why I say go and try them and see what you like. After having many, many ukes. I still love my Bari in DGBE linear tuning for when I want to play something guitar-like but a little more stripped down and the soprano in reentrant tuning gCEA when I want super-portability and a sweeter or fun-sounding and little more percussive, conventional uke sound. Hope this info helps.
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 08-27-2017, 03:54 AM
JohnnySmash JohnnySmash is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Thailand
Posts: 225
Default

I tuned my 6 string Yamaha last night to Drop 3 tuning. C# Gb B E Ab C#. Then I put the capo on the third fret so as to be back in standard. Then I played only the top four strings. D G B E. I could play the most popular chords, about 25 of them, except F with no pain or only a slight ache in my thumb. So I assume on a uke with plastic strings instead of wire and smaller frets for a closer reach I should be able to play with no pain.

When I can get to Bangkok, I think September, I am going to search out Ukulele Shops/music stores. I know of one for sure cas I found it on line. There I can try out different ukulele's. Almost for sure I will go for the baritone ukulele. I like the sound, at least on u-tube a guy named Mike Lynch is playing.

I need a link/links to tabs or standard music notation for baritone ukulele solos. I do not do well playing by ear. I have a large supply of sheet music and books that I have accumulated over the years so for the single note melody, I have plenty. I want to play more than just single note melody. Any suggestions on links would be appreciated.
__________________
Yamaha F310

Almanza 401 Mate
Classical

Ventura 12 string V17, now
a 6 string Lap Guitar.

Kala Baritone Ukulele

Melokia, Solid Acacia Tenor Ukulele

Yamaha Guitalele GL1

Yamaha CS40 Classical
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 08-27-2017, 04:11 AM
JohnnySmash JohnnySmash is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Thailand
Posts: 225
Default

Hurricane Ramon, Thanks for the advice. However, being retired and living in Thailand I do not think the weed is the way to go. Might be fun but I do not want to live in the Bangkok Hilton as they call it for the rest of my retirement. I will not have surgery and I hate taking meds so if I do anything other than finding a painless way to play it will be Accupunture. That way I can kill two birds with one stone. No more pain in my pinkies when playing piano and no sore thumb when playing guitar/ukulele/dobro/whatever.
__________________
Yamaha F310

Almanza 401 Mate
Classical

Ventura 12 string V17, now
a 6 string Lap Guitar.

Kala Baritone Ukulele

Melokia, Solid Acacia Tenor Ukulele

Yamaha Guitalele GL1

Yamaha CS40 Classical
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 08-27-2017, 08:15 AM
Bunnyf Bunnyf is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 149
Default Chord melody

Here's a link https://pdfminstrel.wordpress.com/re...e-bari-pdfs-2/
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 08-27-2017, 08:53 AM
CASD57 CASD57 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Meridian, Idaho
Posts: 3,235
Default

Ever play the baby Martin ? That is similar size and tone to the baritone uke
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 08-27-2017, 10:43 AM
JohnnySmash JohnnySmash is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Thailand
Posts: 225
Default

Great link BunnyF. I wished I could get a link for old Hank Williams tunes and some more modern type, like Simon & Garfunkel, Peter, Paul, and Mary, the guy who sang Green Green Grass of Home. I did copy some because I do like most all types of music, especially Stephen Foster. I guess I have to watch out for the copyright man - lol. Thank you for the link.

CASD57, No, I have never seen the Baby Martin. Sounds like something to look into.
__________________
Yamaha F310

Almanza 401 Mate
Classical

Ventura 12 string V17, now
a 6 string Lap Guitar.

Kala Baritone Ukulele

Melokia, Solid Acacia Tenor Ukulele

Yamaha Guitalele GL1

Yamaha CS40 Classical
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 08-27-2017, 11:04 AM
Bunnyf Bunnyf is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 149
Default

Johnny, are you looking for tab or standard notation? Ukulele Mike (Mike Lynch) has a big collection of chord/melody tabbed out for c-tuning, but you can just follow along with the tab and just be playing in a different key. LiveUkulele has free chord/melody. Humblebaritonics may also have something.
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 08-27-2017, 02:18 PM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Idaho
Posts: 10,982
Default

Johnny, you can download baritone chord charts and other instructional materials free at my club web site: www.boiseukulelegroup.com on the "instruction" page.

Baritone ukulele tuned DGBE and capo'ed at the fifth fret is exactly like a low G strung tenor ukulele. The biggest downside to a baritone ukulele is when you are playing along with the other types of ukulele, you cannot watch their hands and copy their chord shapes. Your D chord is their G chord, and so forth.

Any place you can find chords and lyrics for songs is OK. A "C" chord is still a C chord whether on guitar, ukulele, piano, banjo, mandolin, etc. The shapes that you hold are different, but if everyone is playing a C chord, it sounds fine together. So if you find a Hank Williams song that uses C, F and G (or transposes to there) it will work on any instrument.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Other Musical Instruments

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:39 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=