I prefer low for certain pieces, high for others. Multiple ukuleles of different sizes with both tunings give me many options (and feeds my uke aquisition syndrome!).
I prefer the low G more because it's more warm and sound better with my voice. I find especially the soprano so high that the sound can enoy me at times (yes, I love playing ukulele 😅). So when I heard of the low G I tried it and don't regret it. Just love it! Seeing this video inspire me to put low G on every size uke I have, so then I have both set of strings on every size uke. Not only playing ukelele but also collecting them becomes an addiction. Lol
I've pretty much settled on low G for my tenor and high G for my concert uke. Overall I'm more comfortable with low G and find it more versatile. Getting the most out of a high G uke requires thinking about the instrument in completely different and less intuitive ways.
I have one of each and I try both on a piece of music. I usually use Low G on finger style, however even some finger style sound better to me with High G. It seems to really depend on how the individual piece sounds to me not matter what style.
I love the low G on my tenor. Low G tuning creates bigger chords with a broader tonal range. Most chords with high-G tuning are first or second inversions. Low G enables (many more) root position chord voicings, especially when using movable - closed- chord patterns. Plus, 7th chords (with low G) don't require one of the three primary notes (1,3,5) in the major form to be eliminated. Possibly, the only genre that nearly always sounds "better" with high G is Hawaiian music (and that's because we expect to hear it a certain way). :-)
As a Hawaiian Falsetto recording artist, I have both and use both based on the sound I want out of each ukulele. I have a Kamaka 6 string with high G, and an 8 string with low G. I'd say it's up to the individual musician. Aloha 🤙🤙🤙
I have 2 ukes in high G, I recently bought a an Outdoor Uke in low G, I definitely prefer the low G. But there are some songs strummed with high G that sound a bit better.
I used a baritone uke for many years with the low G string because of the deeper richer sound. And it helped me to play tunes that require a low pluck to do it.
I play both. High G for old timey uke music,tin pan alley, etc on a martin style solid mahogany soprano. I also play a rebel cheesecake with a high G when I want a little more depth and volume. My low G ukes are a Blackbird Clara and an Enya Nova U (cheap but great). These are super for more contemporary (post 1930s), popular music and classical stuff transcribed from guitar. Wouldn't want to be limited to one or the other.
@@stevensonnenberg3986 thank you for the reply. The string fit in the slotted nut just fine? Any intonation issues with the low G stringing? I think that the low G tuning will be really good for the popular songs that I like to play as well as fingerpicking chords.
@@stevensonnenberg3986 thank you. After I read your post, I looked on the website and I don’t see a low G string set for concert ukuleles. Is that what you got?
Fortunately my husband is a luthier, specializing in custom ukuleles, so I have 2 tenor ukes (high G & low G) and a baritone uke. I play both tenors equal amounts depending on the song. If I'm fingerpicking, I go to which one sounds better.
I like playing both high and low G tuning depending on the piece of music I'm playing. Don't limit yourself. Most ukers are going to have more than one ukulele anyway. Might as well have a high and low G.
Reason #6 - It is easier to teach guitarists to play ukulele if you are using a Low G because it is like a guitar capoed at the 5th string minus the two bass strings. Reason #7 - You could do the Tommy Emmanuel style of Harmonics
As guitar player I clearly prefer Low g because of sound and and because it fells like the first 4 strings on a Guitar with a Capo on 5th fret, I think high G was in invented for very tiny (sopranos and smaller) _and_ cheap instruments that could not resonate at low G frequency.
I get what you're saying, but it's not impossible to do different styles in high G, as I've seen people do remarkable things with a standard Uke and that high G definitely has it's own characteristic sound of being quiet and subtle that compliments whatever you're playing
In a fully solo setting, I do like the fuller sound of linear tuning, for sure (preferably on a larger ukulele. Definitely not a soprano, but those just aren't great anyway). Still, even there, reentrant has its place, even if only a palette change. In a full band setting, especially with guitar and bass involved, I do prefer reentrant for rhythm. Linear for lead all the way, though
I'm not going to judge, but I am a Low-G OG. Why? Because I am more of a soloist, rather than a strummer, and low G allows me to double the amount of scales I can play. For example, with high-G you can only play the B Phygrian Dominant scale at the 11th fret and if you have a 12-fret soprano you cannot play it at all. On my uke I can play the scale in three places. So, as I said, I'm not going to downgrade a tinny high-G but my low-G gives me more notes to play (and I prefer the chord inversions of low-G when I do strum).
Yes I and I think I prefer high g as well. Low g seems to venture somewhere outside the realm of ukulele. But I guess if ukulele is the only instrument you play than low g might be a good option to expand the sound available to you.
I've been using a concert ukulele for nearly a year so far but what annoy me is the high g so tinny and thin sound....what I love the most in the low g is the bass and the richness of the sound ...After practicing for a long time I found out that there are some notes that can't be played on high G as it doesn't provide a wide range in playing as in Jazz music and classical music.... So my question is can I switch the high g with the low g on concert ukulele???
I've been going back and forth.. Nowadays I prefer my concert uke with a high G. Sounds more like authentic uke in my ears. And those close 'root/9/third-shapes' (add9s) seem to benefit from the high G as well. If I want to go lower or if I want to play more extended chords I just switch to my GL-1 Guitalele. However, I'll consider low G when I can afford a decent tenor uke.
I find that some songs just sound better to me on low G. House of the Rising Sun, Summertime, Dreams (Fleetwood Mac) because they call for that little bit of darker vibe to match the mood of the song. I play both, love both, but the low G definitely has a calling.
I just put low G on my tenor resonator uke!!!! Amazing sound, and I LOVE it. Now I also put a low G on a concert and am having even more fun. So now I have a one concert with low G and 2 with high G, and the resonator sounds cooler with low G. So, yeah, I am with you!!!
I have a soprano in low G but the higher strings are tuned in 4ths from the G. G, C, F, A#. Makes the fingerboard very symmetrical. I play with a pick. It's more like a miniature guitar.
I have a soprano uke tuned in high g and a tenor with a low g. I think the tenor uke suits very well for solos and low g. I like the soprano for chords, strumming, so i kept the tradicional high g
I didn't like the low G after playing only with the high for my first few months learning ukulele. After a month playing with the low G, I went back to the high G and regretted it almost immediately. Now, I'm wondering about the difference between the wound and unwound low G ...?
I get the difference between the strings and I have a high g ukulele and my question that I haven’t found the answer to this ... How do you find a low g ukulele to buy ? Is it just a change in strings or is there something physically different between the ukuleles it is it just a preference to have 2 ukuleles that could potentially be the same ukulele but strung differently just so that you don’t have to restring your uke. ???
There's no difference between a low G and a high G physically, it's simply swapping out the thinner high G string with a thicker low G string. Occasionally the notch in the nut won't be wide enough to accommodate the thicker string, but usually it's a quick easy string swap. If you are curious enough just look for a low G string set.
Definitely low G. Just restrung my new Flight Diana soundwave to low G. My other tenor ukulele is also strung to low G. They just sound so much better when finger picking along to my partner's guitar.
C'mon Terry ! Low-G is not "better" : it's a matter of personal preference. Basically and originally, ukes were re-entrant instruments. This said, I have both... and I love both ! I totally LOVE my low-G team (2 Romero's STC concerts + 1 Pono ProClassic) and tuned each of them differently : one normal GCEA, one half a step down, and one a full step down. They are great ! And besides that, I have several high-g ones, also tuned in 3 different heights, and they are just as great, and I love them just as much ! But don't play the same things on them. For example, you can't play ancient music in campanella style with a low-G on. Renaissance guitar music - that is absolutely magical on ukes ! - works wonder on re-entrant tuning. Plus traditional Hawaiian style that was played on sopranos requires a high-g too. I have a Kamaka pineapple, and a low-G would simply be heretic with it ! 😁
@@Syrinx618 There are a lot of them if you search the internet. Some are free, some are sold. My favorite is UkeVal (a member of the Forum Francophone de l'Ukulélé). He was a lutist and has made a lot of transcriptions of ancient music for lute and renaissance guitar for ukulele. But I got them because I was a member of the forum. In English, you have the Ukulele Underground Forum. There is also the YT channels of Jon's Ukulele, danbluedeer (not sure he provides tabs, though), SamMuir Ukulele, etc. And of course Tony Mizen and his "must-have" book : From Lute to Uke. This book is a gem ! 😉
@@Syrinx618 I mainly get them from members of a French ukulele forum (I know a lute player there who has translated some ancient music pieces to play them on ukulele) and some other free download sites I don't remember the names of. You can also find some interesting stuff in Tony Mizen's book "From Lute to Uke". You can also check "campanella style" music for ukulele. I hope this will already give you a few hints ! 🙂
A very prolific artist is teaching small children (low elementary grades) to play soprano ukes. I had an argument with her about having a low G, because otherwise they will encounter all other stringed instruments later with a strange string order (for them), their chords start with a high note (unnatural) and they have to break the fingering logic in 2 groups, to accomodate the high g and the rest. She told me that high g is for pedagogy, and that their fingers could not accomodate the low G. I know I always play solos on the a and e strings (tenor uke) and all my chords support this. Most of the times I can accompany myself. I feel the high g is more of a tradition, while the low G is more natural, comfortable and universal.
Obviously, the best way is to have more ukes. I have one Tenor with high-g and one with low-G. 😊 Overall though, I have one fingerpicked piece that to my ear sounds better on my high-g. Everything else I play sounds better on my low-G. (There is about £1000 difference in the price of these instruments though.) TC seeing you with a pedal got me thinking though... have you ever used a looper? If so, I'd love a video on that! 🙂👍
thank you so much for the content .. i have learned so much from you over the past few weeks .. my question.. what string gage do you recommend for the low G? thanks !!!
I have played both and the high G makes you think in a different way but i think thst can lead to creative results. I prefer the low g and i play fingerstyle. I started with bass then guitar.
Thanks for the info! I bought a wound Low G for my electric uke but the sounds didn't come through the pickup very much. You can only hear the other 3. So i'm about to buy and unwound G. Anyway I wondered if you had any thoughts... like maybe my red Aquila wound G should be replaced with a silver Wound G form another brand... or only the unwounds work? I also may remove the saddles to see if they're flat or if the piezo strip does not lay under that string enough but wanted to ask about the wound G's first. Thanks!
Thanks for this. I'm thinking of restringing my concert with a low G. I've seen some ukes with a double low string too. Can those go on any uke? If you can do that, can you double string the others? But my most important question is: do you have a recommendation on which strings to buy? I'd like ones that tend toward a mellower sound, and also easiest on the fingertips. And highest quality sound. I know it's a lot of questions, so if you answer, just say whatever you think is interesting.
I think the low G saounds more like a guitar. I like the high small voice of a soprano. Ukulele is a unique sound. I’m not sold on the tenor or baritone uses either for the same reason. I do have a low G concert uke for blues though. I prefer my High G Opio. Thank you
You don't have to play a tenor though. Nobody forces you. I on the other hand, I highly prefer the tenor because I have issues playing the soprano. With these big hands, a tenor is way easier
I have not inherent problem with a low-g, it’s fine. Taimaine Gardner is amazing and she uses TWO low-Gs! But for me, since I play ukulele and guitar, I want to play a ukulele for what it can do best, and if I’m wanting lower notes, or other things that lend themselves to guitar …I’ll just play that. Reasons for high g 1) …the sound The high g give the uke its iconic sound; If you you want lower notes, play guitar. 2) …the variety of styles Traditional Hawaiian music, campanella and clawhammer cannot be played as well (sometimes at all) with a low g. You can also play blues, country, jazz, etc. on the high g. but if you only want to play them the way you’d play a guitar …just play guitar 3) …soloing You can play riffs on the high g that you simply can’t with a low g. Ledward Kaapana specializes in guitar, but plays some songs only on the uke, because you can’t do it on the guitar. 4) …the range You could have more range with a low g; but also more range with a guitar, even more range with a double guitar/bass, but the range of the high g is perfect for what it does, and the effort of adapting it to some songs inspires creativity; Jake Shimabukuro talks about this. As with many of the reasons, the “bass movement” again is just wanting to be a guitar. Just play guitarlele or a nylon stringed guitar
Hi! Sorry. I have a qestion If i use a low g, i need to change the song (at a fingerstyle song)? Like if i play on the first fret, it will sound VERY different, and i need to change the tab?
I also watched your video about the two different ukulele string types, and really liked the sound of the D'addario strings. So can I find D'addario Concert ukulele with low G strings? Thanks!
Surely it simply depends what sound you want. There is a lot of tab written for high g that doesn’t translate well to low G. There are as many reasons why high g is better, as there are for low.
I started with a high G soprano, but liked a low G tenor more. Then I moved to a low G baritone uke. Now all I play is a DGBE tenor guitar. I like it more because it's a guitar with steel strings and sounds like a guitar.
100% agree. Both my concert and tenor are low G. Plus, all the flamenco ukulele books on sale says they are for low G. I just hope to learn well enough to make good music out of my ukes!
i own a soprano, concert and a tenor. im contemplating on getting another ukulele and have a low g set installed, what would be the best size for a low g setup? or maybe just get a guitalele so it would be more versatile than a low g ukulele? i would get a low g ukulele and guitalele but for now i only have the budget for one. thanks! :)
Oh my Terry this is the first time I hear you play bosanova and you should make a course on that style it sounds beautiful with the Low G. I am also part of the low G. Have one on Alana (Tenor) and Cherry (Concert). I kept the high G on Rosa(Soprano) though.
I am a beginner. I started after Christmas 2020. I have a high G, but would like to switch to a low G. Will I need to buy all new material, or can I still play what I have?
For me it's about style. If you want to play like George Formby, then by all means, use a high G string. The loud, drisp, chunka-chunka-chunka strumming sounds good with the high G. Think songs like "Five Foot Two." But songs like ballads, or folk music, or old standards need that low G for a fuller sounding harmony, moving bass, and extended melodic range. Oddly, those type of tunes even sound better on a Soprano with a low G string. Interesting thing about the Ukulele family of instruments. The Tenor, Concert, and Soprano are all tuned to the same pitch. Whereas in other instruments, the pitch rises as the instruments get smaller. Only the Baritone succumbs to lowered pitch due to larger size. Most of my Ukuleles are set up with a low G.
I agree completely. My two tenors have low Gs. My one soprano I left with a high G though. Ultimately I settled on the Baritone as my favorite uke, so I don't even really worry about it now!
ordered a tenor not knowing it came with a low g string I still don’t know how to tune the low g string what is an Octave down is it - 50 on a ukulele setting on a clip on tuner or is it a g on the guitar setting or cand i just tune it to standard GCEA im so confused
You cant tune it to high g, the string will likely be under to much tension. you just need to switch the g string to a new, high g one and you have the standard GCEA again.
I liked the video. I come from banjo playing and find the high G fits using clawhammer techniques on the Uke, but I miss the low notes below the C so maybe I need a low G uke as well.
I've just moved over to the low G with my uke, but I'm having a little bit of trouble with it and I was hoping I could get some help since I can't seem to find anyone to talk to about it
I have 3 tenors. I left one with high g and the other two were low g. I never played the one with high g because I didn't like it. I switched it to low g and now I play it a lot more.
@@sherrillbannon5144 yes! I have a left handed one now I got off of eBay. But I'm looking to upgrade to a higher quality uke. Honestly I'd love a left handed uke with a low G chord. But that may be too difficult to find haha
Switched to low G , because of some of the tunes I was playing , I keep a high G on my concert but my tenor always has low G, I end up playing the tenor with the high G all the time now, I agree High G is better.
One of mine Ukulele´s is a Kanilea K1 5-String with high and low G together. Maybe somtimes I replace the high G to a second low G ....., we will see. :)
I have both low and high G ukes. I have tried a variety of low G strings wound and unwound. I find that the low G is boomy and overpowers the rest of the strings. My solution is light strumming but this becomes tedious after a while. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Did you see any appreciable difference between the wound and unwound as far as the overpowering? I just restrung with a wound, and the sustain when going lightly still seems too strong. My OCD wants the strings to match...
@@robburns5303 Hi Rob I found that the wound low G sounds better than the unwound low G it also fits in the nut slot better. Lately I have been looking at some single D addario guitar strings with light gauges to see how they go.
So what strings do we need to achieve the Low G grace and beauty? You mentioned that the low G needs to be a thicker string... Do we simply place a standard string set in a different order?
There are different string sets available for purchase. The Low G does not exist in the heigh G set. The tone hight is defined by the weight of the string and the tension. Tuning the string to a wrong tone will result in wrong tension. Tension that is too low will be not well playable, to high tension can pull of the bridge and seriously harm the instrument.
@@christianchurchill8778 I play both now. Neither is better than the other for learning, in my opinion. It’s mostly about a different sound. If you are coming from a guitar background, you may prefer the low G sound because it will sound more familiar.
Well, I have had my first ukulele for 1 week,(U bass doesn't count). I am already thinking I need a Ukulele with low G so I won't have to change strings. I then recite this mantra "Ukuleles are not Pokémon I don't have to catch them all."
I wouldn't miss my Low Gs for the world, but I still prefer the standard, high G tuning. I see low G as a complemental style Instrument, but never as the OG. If anyone still questions high G, check out Feng E Covers and see for yourselves what can be done with these ;-)
Well-well.... those are JUST the same 5 reasons (or 5 + bonus reason power chords) why I think GUITARLELE is better than ukulele(s). Or, even guitar is better than ukuleles. Besides - your sound examples in this video were not really fair, because you had sole wood ukulele to play in low-G, and not so well resonating ukulele in high-G. I myself (as a guitarist) have the problem: Why should I play ukulele at all? Some thoughts: For me the ukulele in low-G could be a substitute for baroque guitar, which also has 4 strings, and is tuned just that way. Baritone ukulele can also be more straightforward than guitar if you mainly use it only to strumming/accompaniment for singing, and easier to take with anywhere, when it is not as big. Ukulele with high-G? I understand - this far - the reason is the sound - high G maybe gives extra lightness or brightness compared to the others? Even it is "weird" in it´s logic, I also have understood in some scales it is quite convenient to have a possibility to play inside quickly scales or melodies some notes from the 4th string. (But for me understanding that still is difficult: Lowest string needs to sound lowest, tells my ear. )
Respectfully disagree. Low G takes all the charm that a uke has and makes it into an anemic guitar. I have piles of guitars for lower end frequencies. High G brings the sparkle and bite to a mix of other instruments, whether live or recorded.
After listening to a bunch of different sized ukuleles I noticed that the soprano and concert had the classic "ukulele sound" while the tenor sounded more like a lute or vihuela and the baritone was basically a 4 string guitar. I think low G makes sense for tenor because it's already moving into deeper tonal territory and doesn't have the brightness of soprano or concert. The longer neck also allows for more melody lines and lead
I prefer low for certain pieces, high for others. Multiple ukuleles of different sizes with both tunings give me many options (and feeds my uke aquisition syndrome!).
Haha I get you my friend haha I'm the same!
I prefer the low G more because it's more warm and sound better with my voice. I find especially the soprano so high that the sound can enoy me at times (yes, I love playing ukulele 😅). So when I heard of the low G I tried it and don't regret it. Just love it! Seeing this video inspire me to put low G on every size uke I have, so then I have both set of strings on every size uke. Not only playing ukelele but also collecting them becomes an addiction. Lol
I've pretty much settled on low G for my tenor and high G for my concert uke. Overall I'm more comfortable with low G and find it more versatile. Getting the most out of a high G uke requires thinking about the instrument in completely different and less intuitive ways.
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I have one of each and I try both on a piece of music. I usually use Low G on finger style, however even some finger style sound better to me with High G. It seems to really depend on how the individual piece sounds to me not matter what style.
I have both, started with high G and now loving low G
Amazing!
Can we use high G on the same Ukulele that had low G en default??
I love the low G on my tenor. Low G tuning creates bigger chords with a broader tonal range. Most chords with high-G tuning are first or second inversions. Low G enables (many more) root position chord voicings, especially when using movable - closed- chord patterns. Plus, 7th chords (with low G) don't require one of the three primary notes (1,3,5) in the major form to be eliminated. Possibly, the only genre that nearly always sounds "better" with high G is Hawaiian music (and that's because we expect to hear it a certain way). :-)
👏👏👏👏👏
As a Hawaiian Falsetto recording artist, I have both and use both based on the sound I want out of each ukulele. I have a Kamaka 6 string with high G, and an 8 string with low G. I'd say it's up to the individual musician. Aloha 🤙🤙🤙
I have 2 ukes in high G, I recently bought a an Outdoor Uke in low G, I definitely prefer the low G. But there are some songs strummed with high G that sound a bit better.
Yes, you are right!
I used a baritone uke for many years with the low G string because of the deeper richer sound. And it helped me to play tunes that require a low pluck to do it.
I play both. High G for old timey uke music,tin pan alley, etc on a martin style solid mahogany soprano. I also play a rebel cheesecake with a high G when I want a little more depth and volume. My low G ukes are a Blackbird Clara and an Enya Nova U (cheap but great). These are super for more contemporary (post 1930s), popular music and classical stuff transcribed from guitar. Wouldn't want to be limited to one or the other.
Which strings do you have for low G on your Enya? Thanks
@@Dakota.Covers Living Waters. Ordered at website of same name. I don't like a wound low G. I am pleased with the unwound Living Waters.
@@stevensonnenberg3986 thank you for the reply. The string fit in the slotted nut just fine? Any intonation issues with the low G stringing? I think that the low G tuning will be really good for the popular songs that I like to play as well as fingerpicking chords.
@@stevensonnenberg3986 thank you. After I read your post, I looked on the website and I don’t see a low G string set for concert ukuleles. Is that what you got?
Fortunately my husband is a luthier, specializing in custom ukuleles, so I have 2 tenor ukes (high G & low G) and a baritone uke. I play both tenors equal amounts depending on the song. If I'm fingerpicking, I go to which one sounds better.
If you have a Ukulele that is strung with a low-g string, do cords change?
I like playing both high and low G tuning depending on the piece of music I'm playing. Don't limit yourself. Most ukers are going to have more than one ukulele anyway. Might as well have a high and low G.
Thanks, Terry. I love having both a high G and a low G uke, so I can play what I want.
Had a High G which is pretty standard but listening to Terry has converted me to a Low G fan and that is what I’ve been playing lately.
Reason #6 - It is easier to teach guitarists to play ukulele if you are using a Low G because it is like a guitar capoed at the 5th string minus the two bass strings.
Reason #7 - You could do the Tommy Emmanuel style of Harmonics
I own 2 high g's, 2 low G's, and one 5 string that covers all the bases, lol!
I have got 5 Baritones and each I tuned different ,Low Gcea, High gcea,DGBE, High dGBE, and ADF# B
As guitar player I clearly prefer Low g because of sound and and because it fells like the first 4 strings on a Guitar with a Capo on 5th fret, I think high G was in invented for very tiny (sopranos and smaller) _and_ cheap instruments that could not resonate at low G frequency.
I get what you're saying, but it's not impossible to do different styles in high G, as I've seen people do remarkable things with a standard Uke and that high G definitely has it's own characteristic sound of being quiet and subtle that compliments whatever you're playing
In a fully solo setting, I do like the fuller sound of linear tuning, for sure (preferably on a larger ukulele. Definitely not a soprano, but those just aren't great anyway). Still, even there, reentrant has its place, even if only a palette change.
In a full band setting, especially with guitar and bass involved, I do prefer reentrant for rhythm. Linear for lead all the way, though
I'm not going to judge, but I am a Low-G OG. Why? Because I am more of a soloist, rather than a strummer, and low G allows me to double the amount of scales I can play. For example, with high-G you can only play the B Phygrian Dominant scale at the 11th fret and if you have a 12-fret soprano you cannot play it at all. On my uke I can play the scale in three places. So, as I said, I'm not going to downgrade a tinny high-G but my low-G gives me more notes to play (and I prefer the chord inversions of low-G when I do strum).
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I prefer high g. Might as well play guitar if you want low G. I like the uniqueness of high g.😁
Nice! #TeamHighG
Yes I and I think I prefer high g as well. Low g seems to venture somewhere outside the realm of ukulele. But I guess if ukulele is the only instrument you play than low g might be a good option to expand the sound available to you.
I've been using a concert ukulele for nearly a year so far but what annoy me is the high g so tinny and thin sound....what I love the most in the low g is the bass and the richness of the sound ...After practicing for a long time I found out that there are some notes that can't be played on high G as it doesn't provide a wide range in playing as in Jazz music and classical music....
So my question is can I switch the high g with the low g on concert ukulele???
I've been going back and forth..
Nowadays I prefer my concert uke with a high G.
Sounds more like authentic uke in my ears.
And those close 'root/9/third-shapes' (add9s) seem to benefit from the high G as well.
If I want to go lower or if I want to play more extended chords I just switch to my GL-1 Guitalele.
However, I'll consider low G when I can afford a decent tenor uke.
I find that some songs just sound better to me on low G. House of the Rising Sun, Summertime, Dreams (Fleetwood Mac) because they call for that little bit of darker vibe to match the mood of the song. I play both, love both, but the low G definitely has a calling.
I just put low G on my tenor resonator uke!!!! Amazing sound, and I LOVE it. Now I also put a low G on a concert and am having even more fun. So now I have a one concert with low G and 2 with high G, and the resonator sounds cooler with low G. So, yeah, I am with you!!!
I have a high G ukulele. I am having fun with it. Maybe I'll get a low G ukulele someday. says Judy Corrette Do they cost more than a high G Ukulele??
I have a soprano in low G but the higher strings are tuned in 4ths from the G.
G, C, F, A#. Makes the fingerboard very symmetrical.
I play with a pick.
It's more like a miniature guitar.
Can I have low G and keep the standard tuning ?
@@jorgequito9562 yes
I have a soprano uke tuned in high g and a tenor with a low g. I think the tenor uke suits very well for solos and low g. I like the soprano for chords, strumming, so i kept the tradicional high g
I didn't like the low G after playing only with the high for my first few months learning ukulele. After a month playing with the low G, I went back to the high G and regretted it almost immediately. Now, I'm wondering about the difference between the wound and unwound low G ...?
Check this video I did: ua-cam.com/video/R5Nwf0g3w74/v-deo.html
Hey where can i get a low g string
I get the difference between the strings and I have a high g ukulele and my question that I haven’t found the answer to this ...
How do you find a low g ukulele to buy ? Is it just a change in strings or is there something physically different between the ukuleles it is it just a preference to have 2 ukuleles that could potentially be the same ukulele but strung differently just so that you don’t have to restring your uke. ???
There's no difference between a low G and a high G physically, it's simply swapping out the thinner high G string with a thicker low G string. Occasionally the notch in the nut won't be wide enough to accommodate the thicker string, but usually it's a quick easy string swap.
If you are curious enough just look for a low G string set.
Definitely low G. Just restrung my new Flight Diana soundwave to low G. My other tenor ukulele is also strung to low G. They just sound so much better when finger picking along to my partner's guitar.
C'mon Terry ! Low-G is not "better" : it's a matter of personal preference. Basically and originally, ukes were re-entrant instruments. This said, I have both... and I love both ! I totally LOVE my low-G team (2 Romero's STC concerts + 1 Pono ProClassic) and tuned each of them differently : one normal GCEA, one half a step down, and one a full step down. They are great ! And besides that, I have several high-g ones, also tuned in 3 different heights, and they are just as great, and I love them just as much ! But don't play the same things on them. For example, you can't play ancient music in campanella style with a low-G on. Renaissance guitar music - that is absolutely magical on ukes ! - works wonder on re-entrant tuning. Plus traditional Hawaiian style that was played on sopranos requires a high-g too. I have a Kamaka pineapple, and a low-G would simply be heretic with it ! 😁
Hey where do you get the tabs for renaissance music for the uke? Thanks
@@Syrinx618 There are a lot of them if you search the internet. Some are free, some are sold. My favorite is UkeVal (a member of the Forum Francophone de l'Ukulélé). He was a lutist and has made a lot of transcriptions of ancient music for lute and renaissance guitar for ukulele. But I got them because I was a member of the forum. In English, you have the Ukulele Underground Forum. There is also the YT channels of Jon's Ukulele, danbluedeer (not sure he provides tabs, though), SamMuir Ukulele, etc. And of course Tony Mizen and his "must-have" book : From Lute to Uke. This book is a gem ! 😉
@@Syrinx618 I mainly get them from members of a French ukulele forum (I know a lute player there who has translated some ancient music pieces to play them on ukulele) and some other free download sites I don't remember the names of. You can also find some interesting stuff in Tony Mizen's book "From Lute to Uke". You can also check "campanella style" music for ukulele. I hope this will already give you a few hints ! 🙂
I agree with you. Both are goods! I have a soprano with high g and a tenor with low g .
@@Nerd.cachimbeiro Yup : larger bodies are nice with a low-G ! 🙂
A very prolific artist is teaching small children (low elementary grades) to play soprano ukes.
I had an argument with her about having a low G, because otherwise they will encounter all other stringed instruments later with a strange string order (for them), their chords start with a high note (unnatural) and they have to break the fingering logic in 2 groups, to accomodate the high g and the rest.
She told me that high g is for pedagogy, and that their fingers could not accomodate the low G.
I know I always play solos on the a and e strings (tenor uke) and all my chords support this.
Most of the times I can accompany myself.
I feel the high g is more of a tradition, while the low G is more natural, comfortable and universal.
Obviously, the best way is to have more ukes. I have one Tenor with high-g and one with low-G. 😊 Overall though, I have one fingerpicked piece that to my ear sounds better on my high-g. Everything else I play sounds better on my low-G. (There is about £1000 difference in the price of these instruments though.)
TC seeing you with a pedal got me thinking though... have you ever used a looper? If so, I'd love a video on that! 🙂👍
Is it possible to use low g with a soprano, would like to give it a try without buying another uke
Yeah its possible. I prefer in bigger ukes but its a matter of preference
Love the Low G, using it on my Tenor and my Super Tenor.
Is it better to learn on a high G or low G uke?
thank you so much for the content .. i have learned so much from you over the past few weeks .. my question.. what string gage do you recommend for the low G? thanks !!!
I have played both and the high G makes you think in a different way but i think thst can lead to creative results. I prefer the low g and i play fingerstyle. I started with bass then guitar.
Awesome vid, thank you!!! And the distortion pedal!!! SO excited to try this!
Thanks for the info! I bought a wound Low G for my electric uke but the sounds didn't come through the pickup very much. You can only hear the other 3. So i'm about to buy and unwound G. Anyway I wondered if you had any thoughts... like maybe my red Aquila wound G should be replaced with a silver Wound G form another brand... or only the unwounds work? I also may remove the saddles to see if they're flat or if the piezo strip does not lay under that string enough but wanted to ask about the wound G's first. Thanks!
Thanks for this. I'm thinking of restringing my concert with a low G. I've seen some ukes with a double low string too. Can those go on any uke? If you can do that, can you double string the others? But my most important question is: do you have a recommendation on which strings to buy? I'd like ones that tend toward a mellower sound, and also easiest on the fingertips. And highest quality sound. I know it's a lot of questions, so if you answer, just say whatever you think is interesting.
Can i buy a low g string and put it instead of the high g??
I just got into low G and I love it, but High G has more creativity and sounds more traditional so 2 ukes is best.
If you can't tune by ear can you use your normal tuner to tune a low G?
Yes
I think the low G saounds more like a guitar. I like the high small voice of a soprano. Ukulele is a unique sound. I’m not sold on the tenor or baritone uses either for the same reason. I do have a low G concert uke for blues though. I prefer my High G Opio. Thank you
Great! #TeamHighG
You don't have to play a tenor though. Nobody forces you. I on the other hand, I highly prefer the tenor because I have issues playing the soprano. With these big hands, a tenor is way easier
I have not inherent problem with a low-g, it’s fine. Taimaine Gardner is amazing and she uses TWO low-Gs!
But for me, since I play ukulele and guitar, I want to play a ukulele for what it can do best, and if I’m wanting lower notes, or other things that lend themselves to guitar …I’ll just play that.
Reasons for high g
1) …the sound
The high g give the uke its iconic sound; If you you want lower notes, play guitar.
2) …the variety of styles
Traditional Hawaiian music, campanella and clawhammer cannot be played as well (sometimes at all) with a low g.
You can also play blues, country, jazz, etc. on the high g. but if you only want to play them the way you’d play a guitar …just play guitar
3) …soloing
You can play riffs on the high g that you simply can’t with a low g. Ledward Kaapana specializes in guitar, but plays some songs only on the uke, because you can’t do it on the guitar.
4) …the range
You could have more range with a low g; but also more range with a guitar, even more range with a double guitar/bass, but the range of the high g is perfect for what it does, and the effort of adapting it to some songs inspires creativity; Jake Shimabukuro talks about this.
As with many of the reasons, the “bass movement” again is just wanting to be a guitar.
Just play guitarlele or a nylon stringed guitar
I'd have to relearn how to play 'Stairway...' though.
Proud Low G player here 🖐 Taimane is my inspiration to swap from high G to low G
Just changed to a low g and love it
PT
Padstow England
Hi! Sorry. I have a qestion
If i use a low g, i need to change the song (at a fingerstyle song)?
Like if i play on the first fret, it will sound VERY different, and i need to change the tab?
Is the low G string suitable for concert size? I hope someone will respond.
Sorry if someone already asked it, and sorry if it's a naive question, but can you get low G strings for a concert ukulele?
I also watched your video about the two different ukulele string types, and really liked the sound of the D'addario strings. So can I find D'addario Concert ukulele with low G strings? Thanks!
Yes❤
Surely it simply depends what sound you want. There is a lot of tab written for high g that doesn’t translate well to low G. There are as many reasons why high g is better, as there are for low.
I started with a high G soprano, but liked a low G tenor more. Then I moved to a low G baritone uke. Now all I play is a DGBE tenor guitar. I like it more because it's a guitar with steel strings and sounds like a guitar.
100% agree. Both my concert and tenor are low G. Plus, all the flamenco ukulele books on sale says they are for low G. I just hope to learn well enough to make good music out of my ukes!
Great!! #LowGTeam
Does exist flamenco books songs for uke? Can you share some links please? THANK YOU.
I found a few on eBay, the same ones are also listed in Nile and Amazon. Just bought 2 myself!
Wound or unwound? I just added a low G and it's wound - currently am struggling with the change. Suggestions!
i own a soprano, concert and a tenor. im contemplating on getting another ukulele and have a low g set installed, what would be the best size for a low g setup? or maybe just get a guitalele so it would be more versatile than a low g ukulele? i would get a low g ukulele and guitalele but for now i only have the budget for one. thanks! :)
I have a 8 string ukulele and a hydra and a stomp ukulele i play with my feet so i played 3 ukulele at the same time
I have both. But I do prefer low G because of the bass sound.
Oh my Terry this is the first time I hear you play bosanova and you should make a course on that style it sounds beautiful with the Low G.
I am also part of the low G. Have one on Alana (Tenor) and Cherry (Concert). I kept the high G on Rosa(Soprano) though.
Awesome Dario! wow Thnaks maybe I'll do a bossa course!
@@Ukelikethepros YAAASSSSSS
I am a beginner. I started after Christmas 2020. I have a high G, but would like to switch to a low G. Will I need to buy all new material, or can I still play what I have?
You'll need to buy a set that has the Low G string in it.
What kind of strap is that? I'd really like something like it, sans the name 😉
You sold it….without a doubt. Thanks; excellent comparison.
For me it's about style. If you want to play like George Formby, then by all means, use a high G string. The loud, drisp, chunka-chunka-chunka strumming sounds good with the high G. Think songs like "Five Foot Two." But songs like ballads, or folk music, or old standards need that low G for a fuller sounding harmony, moving bass, and extended melodic range. Oddly, those type of tunes even sound better on a Soprano with a low G string. Interesting thing about the Ukulele family of instruments. The Tenor, Concert, and Soprano are all tuned to the same pitch. Whereas in other instruments, the pitch rises as the instruments get smaller. Only the Baritone succumbs to lowered pitch due to larger size. Most of my Ukuleles are set up with a low G.
Low. High is fine but low suits me and my ears. Thanks, Terry.
Totally #LowGTeam! Thank you
I agree completely. My two tenors have low Gs. My one soprano I left with a high G though.
Ultimately I settled on the Baritone as my favorite uke, so I don't even really worry about it now!
ordered a tenor not knowing it came with a low g string I still don’t know how to tune the low g string what is an Octave down is it - 50 on a ukulele setting on a clip on tuner or is it a g on the guitar setting or cand i just tune it to standard GCEA im so confused
You cant tune it to high g, the string will likely be under to much tension. you just need to switch the g string to a new, high g one and you have the standard GCEA again.
Do a few lessons with that bass movement. Love it!
Sure Troy! Will do some!
I liked the video. I come from banjo playing and find the high G fits using clawhammer techniques on the Uke, but I miss the low notes below the C so maybe I need a low G uke as well.
I just switched my Tenor over to low G and I can't play an a minor without it buzzing😢 ((((( please help ❤ )))))
This is good news because I just bought a new tenor Uke with low G!
Can i use D-guitar string for low G?
Why you dont buy just a low g string for your uke type?
I've just moved over to the low G with my uke, but I'm having a little bit of trouble with it and I was hoping I could get some help since I can't seem to find anyone to talk to about it
I have 3 tenors. I left one with high g and the other two were low g. I never played the one with high g because I didn't like it. I switched it to low g and now I play it a lot more.
Do you sell left handed ukuleles on your online store?
Great question, I am left handed and would also like to know.
@@sherrillbannon5144 yes! I have a left handed one now I got off of eBay. But I'm looking to upgrade to a higher quality uke. Honestly I'd love a left handed uke with a low G chord. But that may be too difficult to find haha
Switched to low G , because of some of the tunes I was playing , I keep a high G on my concert but my tenor always has low G, I end up playing the tenor with the high G all the time now, I agree High G is better.
One of mine Ukulele´s is a Kanilea K1 5-String with high and low G together. Maybe somtimes I replace the high G to a second low G ....., we will see. :)
I have both low and high G ukes. I have tried a variety of low G strings wound and unwound. I find that the low G is boomy and overpowers the rest of the strings. My solution is light strumming but this becomes tedious after a while. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Did you see any appreciable difference between the wound and unwound as far as the overpowering? I just restrung with a wound, and the sustain when going lightly still seems too strong. My OCD wants the strings to match...
@@robburns5303 Hi Rob I found that the wound low G sounds better than the unwound low G it also fits in the nut slot better. Lately I have been looking at some single D addario guitar strings with light gauges to see how they go.
Very good video. I have recently started putting low G on my ukes. I luv it 2. You are very good, by the way. Thanks. PW
I like the low G. I just got some low G strings and my tuner doesn't have batteries . 😢
I like the Low G…what gauge? Distortion pedal sounds great! Phaser next!
Low on my tenor, which is what i play most
Woohoo #LowGTeam
Thanks
So what strings do we need to achieve the Low G grace and beauty? You mentioned that the low G needs to be a thicker string...
Do we simply place a standard string set in a different order?
There are different string sets available for purchase. The Low G does not exist in the heigh G set. The tone hight is defined by the weight of the string and the tension. Tuning the string to a wrong tone will result in wrong tension. Tension that is too low will be not well playable, to high tension can pull of the bridge and seriously harm the instrument.
You need to buy a new set of strings that says the G string is a low G.
New to uke about a month ago! Want to try unwound low G on my Enya Nova U but don’t know which strings would be good.
@dakotacovers do you think it’s better to learn on high g or low g
@@christianchurchill8778 I play both now. Neither is better than the other for learning, in my opinion. It’s mostly about a different sound. If you are coming from a guitar background, you may prefer the low G sound because it will sound more familiar.
Well, I have had my first ukulele for 1 week,(U bass doesn't count). I am already thinking I need a Ukulele with low G so I won't have to change strings.
I then recite this mantra "Ukuleles are not Pokémon I don't have to catch them all."
I use low g except for on my sopranos.
That's cool Lisa! Great to know!
I have one of each, howeeeeverrrrr , low G rocks and is my favorite!!
I'll put a low G on my next uke!
Tenor Ukulele wit Low G Tuning (Black Nylon String)
That ukulele sounds good
I wouldn't miss my Low Gs for the world, but I still prefer the standard, high G tuning. I see low G as a complemental style Instrument, but never as the OG.
If anyone still questions high G, check out Feng E Covers and see for yourselves what can be done with these ;-)
Well-well.... those are JUST the same 5 reasons (or 5 + bonus reason power chords) why I think GUITARLELE is better than ukulele(s). Or, even guitar is better than ukuleles. Besides - your sound examples in this video were not really fair, because you had sole wood ukulele to play in low-G, and not so well resonating ukulele in high-G. I myself (as a guitarist) have the problem: Why should I play ukulele at all? Some thoughts: For me the ukulele in low-G could be a substitute for baroque guitar, which also has 4 strings, and is tuned just that way. Baritone ukulele can also be more straightforward than guitar if you mainly use it only to strumming/accompaniment for singing, and easier to take with anywhere, when it is not as big. Ukulele with high-G? I understand - this far - the reason is the sound - high G maybe gives extra lightness or brightness compared to the others? Even it is "weird" in it´s logic, I also have understood in some scales it is quite convenient to have a possibility to play inside quickly scales or melodies some notes from the 4th string. (But for me understanding that still is difficult: Lowest string needs to sound lowest, tells my ear. )
I flip the C and the G string.
I just changed my tenor to wound low G this weekend. BOOM! Game changer.
Wohooo
@Prado get a set of strings with wound low G. It will be similar in diameter to the high g string and the sound is awesome.
Respectfully disagree. Low G takes all the charm that a uke has and makes it into an anemic guitar. I have piles of guitars for lower end frequencies. High G brings the sparkle and bite to a mix of other instruments, whether live or recorded.
Amazing! That's a great point of view! Thanks for sharing
After listening to a bunch of different sized ukuleles I noticed that the soprano and concert had the classic "ukulele sound" while the tenor sounded more like a lute or vihuela and the baritone was basically a 4 string guitar. I think low G makes sense for tenor because it's already moving into deeper tonal territory and doesn't have the brightness of soprano or concert. The longer neck also allows for more melody lines and lead