Great video! You are perhaps one player I see who prefers the high G, giving it a very positive view, as I've watched some players who can be overly too biased towards the low G and putting down high G too much, at the same time, you don't discard low G. In other words, you're quite fair, you see the strength of both. I used to feel inferior playing a high G uke, influenced by the opinions of low G players, and was disappointed that low G strings are so hard to find. I stick with the high G, and then I realised, my playing style is actually more suited for the high G, I unknowingly developed a somewhat campanella style of playing, utilising the high G. I recently tested out a low G uke and I was taken aback because I was not used to it due to my style of playing, and in the end I gravitate back towards the high G because I've come to appreciate it, seeing this weakness as actually a strength, it actually makes the uke sound more like a harp, an instrument I've dreamt to play yet too unaffordable and the high G redeems itself for me by sounding like a mini harp, which I love and am so happy with it. Thanks a lot, you've made me feel better and in fact more empowered by being a high G player. Thanks.
Love this! It’s got to be one of the most comprehensive discussions on the subject. And I like your point about treating them like different instruments. Stuff that sounds really good on high G sounds overpowering with the booming bass G note on a low G. And walking bass lines that sound so rich on a low G can just sound flat on a high G. Most videos kind of just treat them the same (“the chord shapes are all the same”), but your discussion really delved into the different techniques that make each one shine and the way arrangements can be made specific for both styles. 🤙
Thanks Matt for a thorough, complex but not complicated explanation of the differences as well as the pros and cons of the low G vs. the high G. I have uke's tuned with both depending on what music piece I'm playing. Your's was the best explanation I've heard so far on youtube channels.👍
This is a great pro and con video for the high and low G tuning. I am a seasoned beginner and you are correct, I much prefer the sound of a low G each and every time when I occasionally play my Tenor uke's. I also agree with you that the high G tuning gives the Ukulele it's traditional, unique, familiar signature sound, which is not what I want from my ukuleles. I want linear tuning not reentrant tuning. That is why I have gone as far towards the guitar sound as possible, and primarily play Baritone ukulele. The Ukulele for me, is a beginner friendly, gateway instrument to the acoustic guitar which I am progressing much slower with than the Baritone uke. My dream instrument is the Classical guitar, followed by the steel string guitar. At least right now with the Baritone I can easily play all the songs I love while sounding like a parlor guitar.
Thank you very much! Big coincidence, I wanted to get me a tenor uke tomorrow and wasn't sure about my g string. Great timing, that I stumbled across this :)
I got my ukulele last year in August but its just now that I had more time to practice, when this pandemic hit. And Im so glad I had something to do while couped up in the house. I have memorized 3 songs :-). YeeeeY! :-)
Good unbiased opinion, I can’t play low g because I grew up with the ukulele playing traditional Hawaiian music. I also love the challenge in arrangements. The ukulele should be loved for it’s uniqueness, and not as a small guitar. I wouldn’t put a low string on the 5 string banjo’s drone string, then you’re playing a different kind of banjo.
This is kind of like the difference between a mandolin with f-holes vs. oval holes - and how the sound projects... Also, the difference between an A-style (pear or teardrop shaped) mandolin vs. an F-style (Florentine) mandolin - which has a scroll and two points on it... Also, the difference between an archtop mandolin, a flattop mandolin and a bowlback mandolin. There are so many different options with mandolins. You can have various combinations: 1) A-style with f-holes 2) A-style with oval hole 3) F-style with f-holes 4) F-style with oval hole and these could each be considered different instruments... I just thought this is similar to the low G vs high G and thought I should point it out! 😉
Thanks for letting me know the low G is one octave below the standard ukulele tuning which is the frequency of a G4 piano note at 391.995 Hz for a High G. The low G is at G3 position with a frequency of 195.998 Hz. When using a chromatic tuner or even an app like panotuner it is easy to get the correct tuning on the ukulele for the Low G.
I love the low G for the range because I play a lot of church music. But I also love high g for a more strict uke sound and for syncopations to popular tunes
Thats a good question. The angle of the strings along with the shape of the headstock are believed to add to sustain and possibly slight volume increases.
Just mixed up my new high g string strings with my new low g strings and was googling for an hour why it felt so loose lol. Lesson learned, the low g strings weren’t labeled low g and the others were high g not labeled low g because they weren’t
Quick question: If I buy a concert uke and tune it to the low G as well... will it still sound higher than my Tenor tuned to the low G? What's the difference in sound between the concert and the tenor?
I will be a beginner but first I got to have a uke right ? Yess right lol but I have a question. If I buy a concert ukulele how can I know if it’s a low G or high G. ? And do we have to change the cord to from one G to another G ? Or you can just tune it ? Idk if you know what I mean but anyways, that’s my question.
@@chantalsaulnier2746 You don't have to finger normal chords differently. You can tell if the g is higher if it's thinner than the c string. Even if the ukulele is out of tune, the high g string will sound higher than the c string next to it. Don't try to tune a low g an octave higher, at best it will break, at worst you will damage your instrument. If you tune a high g an octave lower, it will sound like a rubber band and you'll notice it's not right.
@@toonlyrics Enya will stay as is with it’s high G. I understand exactly what you mean but at the time I wrote the comment I was waiting for my first uke. Thank you ☺️ for the help
I started to use Low g because Im guitarist but after some time I actually think that this is the reason to use high g! I mean why I should use low g ukulele that I can use much better performing guitar for this case. High g has this uniqueness. THe issue is with tabs... I have a feeling that most of the tabs are made for low g
I (Andrew) also come from a background in guitar, so I totally relate! Transitioning to Low G felt much more intuitive compared to High G, which took some time for my brain to adjust to because of how different the 4th string is from what I was used to. You’re absolutely right that High G offers a unique approach to playing, arranging, and composing that’s distinct from both guitar and Low G ukulele. That said, I’d argue Low G also has its own special capabilities that guitar can’t replicate, largely due to the absence of the 5th and 6th strings. For instance, when playing chord melody on guitar, I can more easily integrate a bass line than I could on the uke. You can really hear that difference in this guitar performance of "If I Only Had a Brain" from The Wizard of Oz: ua-cam.com/video/qhS2Fmg06Ns/v-deo.htmlsi=wqfSYhmn2kqmTmog&t=240 Versus how I arranged it without the bass line for the uke: ua-cam.com/video/p1mRHEe4ypY/v-deo.html
Playing on putting a load G for the first time on one of my ukuleles. I understand you to say that the cords are played identical whether it’s a low G or a high G am I correct?
The examples of when high g sounds bad weren't really convincing. I liked them at least as much as with low g. As a guitarist, I started out with low g on my tenor uke, but after learning a bit more about the instrument I switched to high. For a fuller, bassier sound I put down the ukulele and pick up my guitar.
Hi ! Very instructive video thank you ! Quick question : is putting a low g on a concert made of laminate a good idea ? I am planning on buying a Kala concert striped ebony (ref : KA-EBY-C) or is this ukulele too cheap ? Thank you
Should be okay to do! I'd recommend buying from a mom/pop shop like Uke Republic. They'll set it up with low G for you so it's ready to play out of the box. P.S. If you go with UR, tell them I sent ya :)
@@RockClass101 thank you for your answer. I’d love to go to this type of shop the problem being I am from France and there aren’t really any shops specialised in ukulele, 😅 most of the music shops are very general and the only one near me specialised in these type of instruments, doesn’t do ukulele 😅😭 Consequently the choice for uke’s models is very little, I will have to buy it on internet, not very ideal to try it but that will have to do (But I will go in a shop to change the strings)
10:22 I thought that was the tuning (DGBE) for a BARITONE ukulele, not a tenor ukulele… I thought the tuning for a tenor ukulele was the standard (GCEA)!
That's tough to answer, because it depends on the song itself. Sometimes, things are obvious - like with "Moonlight Sonata". It uses arpeggios that play from the lowest pitch to the highest. Making it an easy choice for Low G: rockclass101.com/moonlight-sonata/
If you get the sheet music of the song, you should be able to look at it and see where the G notes are. If they are higher than middle C, than they would be suited for high G. If they are lower than middle C, they would be suited for low G. Does that make sense?
I understand what you are trying to say. However, the one thing which I will say is that the ukulele is the only instrument that I am aware of in which this conversation which we are having is even relevant. Let’s have a high G vs. low G conversation about the violin or the mandolin, for example - GDAE… Is there a reason why this is a relevant discussion on the ukulele? Who came up with the idea of bringing in a high G string - and break the linearity? Just curious. Thanks!
View ALL Live Lessons: rockclass101.com/live-lessons/
Great video! You are perhaps one player I see who prefers the high G, giving it a very positive view, as I've watched some players who can be overly too biased towards the low G and putting down high G too much, at the same time, you don't discard low G. In other words, you're quite fair, you see the strength of both.
I used to feel inferior playing a high G uke, influenced by the opinions of low G players, and was disappointed that low G strings are so hard to find. I stick with the high G, and then I realised, my playing style is actually more suited for the high G, I unknowingly developed a somewhat campanella style of playing, utilising the high G.
I recently tested out a low G uke and I was taken aback because I was not used to it due to my style of playing, and in the end I gravitate back towards the high G because I've come to appreciate it, seeing this weakness as actually a strength, it actually makes the uke sound more like a harp, an instrument I've dreamt to play yet too unaffordable and the high G redeems itself for me by sounding like a mini harp, which I love and am so happy with it.
Thanks a lot, you've made me feel better and in fact more empowered by being a high G player. Thanks.
Love this! It’s got to be one of the most comprehensive discussions on the subject. And I like your point about treating them like different instruments. Stuff that sounds really good on high G sounds overpowering with the booming bass G note on a low G. And walking bass lines that sound so rich on a low G can just sound flat on a high G. Most videos kind of just treat them the same (“the chord shapes are all the same”), but your discussion really delved into the different techniques that make each one shine and the way arrangements can be made specific for both styles. 🤙
This is the best video on Low G vs High G that I have found. Thanks so much!
Thanks Matt for a thorough, complex but not complicated explanation of the differences as well as the pros and cons of the low G vs. the high G. I have uke's tuned with both depending on what music piece I'm playing. Your's was the best explanation I've heard so far on youtube channels.👍
This is a great pro and con video for the high and low G tuning. I am a seasoned beginner and you are correct, I much prefer the sound of a low G each and every time when I occasionally play my Tenor uke's. I also agree with you that the high G tuning gives the Ukulele it's traditional, unique, familiar signature sound, which is not what I want from my ukuleles. I want linear tuning not reentrant tuning. That is why I have gone as far towards the guitar sound as possible, and primarily play Baritone ukulele. The Ukulele for me, is a beginner friendly, gateway instrument to the acoustic guitar which I am progressing much slower with than the Baritone uke. My dream instrument is the Classical guitar, followed by the steel string guitar. At least right now with the Baritone I can easily play all the songs I love while sounding like a parlor guitar.
Thanks for taking a look at the technical pros of the high-g in particular. I had heard that there were some, but it's great to get specific examples.
Excellent teaching, as usual, from Matt! Definitely a topic I was really interested in learning more about.
I just got into the low G , it's awesome! but I also love the high g, because it's really good for accompaniment and more traditional. 2 ukes is best
Thank you very much! Big coincidence, I wanted to get me a tenor uke tomorrow and wasn't sure about my g string. Great timing, that I stumbled across this :)
Wow! Bach on a ukulele... 💓
Thanks for the insights, nice rationales.
I got my ukulele last year in August but its just now that I had more time to practice, when this pandemic hit. And Im so glad I had something to do while couped up in the house. I have memorized 3 songs :-). YeeeeY! :-)
Congrats! That's awesome :)
@@RockClass101 Thank you! now I'm looking forward to learning more thru your lessons. :-)
Good unbiased opinion, I can’t play low g because I grew up with the ukulele playing traditional Hawaiian music. I also love the challenge in arrangements. The ukulele should be loved for it’s uniqueness, and not as a small guitar. I wouldn’t put a low string on the 5 string banjo’s drone string, then you’re playing a different kind of banjo.
Thank you, I have learned a lot about the high g v low g 👍
Thanks, Matt, appreciate this very much 👍
A great video, really fun video, also. I like your perspective that these are two instruments.
This is kind of like the difference between a mandolin with f-holes vs. oval holes - and how the sound projects...
Also, the difference between an A-style (pear or teardrop shaped) mandolin vs. an F-style (Florentine) mandolin - which has a scroll and two points on it...
Also, the difference between an archtop mandolin, a flattop mandolin and a bowlback mandolin.
There are so many different options with mandolins. You can have various combinations:
1) A-style with f-holes
2) A-style with oval hole
3) F-style with f-holes
4) F-style with oval hole
and these could each be considered different instruments...
I just thought this is similar to the low G vs high G and thought I should point it out! 😉
not really. Those are just differences in timbre. low-G vs high-G is literally different notes, the two can’t be played identically.
Insightful. Thanks.
Thanks for letting me know the low G is one octave below the standard ukulele tuning which is the frequency of a G4 piano note at 391.995 Hz for a High G. The low G is at G3 position with a frequency of 195.998 Hz. When using a chromatic tuner or even an app like panotuner it is easy to get the correct tuning on the ukulele for the Low G.
Hey Matt, you should totally do a tutorial on that Bach Cello prelude...!! BWV1007 iirc. Sounds fantastic on Uke.
I agree! Please add that request here: rockclass101.com/forums/topic/song-suggestions/
@@RockClass101 Done :)
Thanks Matt!
I love the low G for the range because I play a lot of church music. But I also love high g for a more strict uke sound and for syncopations to popular tunes
A very helpful video👍
Does an open headstock on a ukulele versus a closed headstock on a ukulele make a difference in the sound that a high G and a low G produces?
Thats a good question. The angle of the strings along with the shape of the headstock are believed to add to sustain and possibly slight volume increases.
Been using Low G string for almost 2 years, it's fine and all but I'd say High G is still the best string for uke.
So there is a bit of a jump in the video at 3:38 where the explanation is being presented. I would like to understand what Matt is teaching there.
Wow - UA-cam really messed that one up! I was saying that the 12th fret on a low G string is the same as the open high G string. :)
@@MattDahlberg Gracias amigo.
This why you should have multiple ukelele strung in low or high G and different sizes of ukeleles, soprano , concert, tenor and baritone.
Both
Just mixed up my new high g string strings with my new low g strings and was googling for an hour why it felt so loose lol. Lesson learned, the low g strings weren’t labeled low g and the others were high g not labeled low g because they weren’t
So, bottom line is have a high G and a low G? I have a concert high G and a tenor low G.
Having both is ideal :)
Quick question: If I buy a concert uke and tune it to the low G as well... will it still sound higher than my Tenor tuned to the low G? What's the difference in sound between the concert and the tenor?
It should! Generally, the larger the uke, the deeper the tone.
I will be a beginner but first I got to have a uke right ? Yess right lol but I have a question. If I buy a concert ukulele how can I know if it’s a low G or high G. ? And do we have to change the cord to from one G to another G ? Or you can just tune it ? Idk if you know what I mean but anyways, that’s my question.
The note will be the same pitch, but the resonance will be fuller.
@@chantalsaulnier2746 You don't have to finger normal chords differently. You can tell if the g is higher if it's thinner than the c string. Even if the ukulele is out of tune, the high g string will sound higher than the c string next to it. Don't try to tune a low g an octave higher, at best it will break, at worst you will damage your instrument. If you tune a high g an octave lower, it will sound like a rubber band and you'll notice it's not right.
@@toonlyrics Enya will stay as is with it’s high G. I understand exactly what you mean but at the time I wrote the comment I was waiting for my first uke. Thank you ☺️ for the help
Do chord shapes for high g tuned ukuleles work the same way for low g?
Yes, they will just sound different because of the 4th string.
What make is the low g uke? Its gorgeous
A Moore Bettah custom
I started to use Low g because Im guitarist but after some time I actually think that this is the reason to use high g! I mean why I should use low g ukulele that I can use much better performing guitar for this case. High g has this uniqueness.
THe issue is with tabs... I have a feeling that most of the tabs are made for low g
I (Andrew) also come from a background in guitar, so I totally relate! Transitioning to Low G felt much more intuitive compared to High G, which took some time for my brain to adjust to because of how different the 4th string is from what I was used to. You’re absolutely right that High G offers a unique approach to playing, arranging, and composing that’s distinct from both guitar and Low G ukulele.
That said, I’d argue Low G also has its own special capabilities that guitar can’t replicate, largely due to the absence of the 5th and 6th strings. For instance, when playing chord melody on guitar, I can more easily integrate a bass line than I could on the uke.
You can really hear that difference in this guitar performance of "If I Only Had a Brain" from The Wizard of Oz: ua-cam.com/video/qhS2Fmg06Ns/v-deo.htmlsi=wqfSYhmn2kqmTmog&t=240
Versus how I arranged it without the bass line for the uke: ua-cam.com/video/p1mRHEe4ypY/v-deo.html
Flatwound G & C Strings would be cool
Playing on putting a load G for the first time on one of my ukuleles. I understand you to say that the cords are played identical whether it’s a low G or a high G am I correct?
Yes, you are correct :)
matt coul you make a tutorial of the john king's arrangement of the bach's prelude?
Please add that request here: rockclass101.com/forums/topic/song-suggestions/
The examples of when high g sounds bad weren't really convincing. I liked them at least as much as with low g. As a guitarist, I started out with low g on my tenor uke, but after learning a bit more about the instrument I switched to high. For a fuller, bassier sound I put down the ukulele and pick up my guitar.
Hi ! Very instructive video thank you ! Quick question : is putting a low g on a concert made of laminate a good idea ?
I am planning on buying a Kala concert striped ebony (ref : KA-EBY-C) or is this ukulele too cheap ?
Thank you
Should be okay to do! I'd recommend buying from a mom/pop shop like Uke Republic. They'll set it up with low G for you so it's ready to play out of the box.
P.S. If you go with UR, tell them I sent ya :)
@@RockClass101 thank you for your answer. I’d love to go to this type of shop the problem being I am from France and there aren’t really any shops specialised in ukulele, 😅 most of the music shops are very general and the only one near me specialised in these type of instruments, doesn’t do ukulele 😅😭
Consequently the choice for uke’s models is very little, I will have to buy it on internet, not very ideal to try it but that will have to do
(But I will go in a shop to change the strings)
Oh and I don’t remember if you gave a reference for low G strings ? And if it fits with a concert
I'd recommend Aquila strings. Just make sure to buy the pack for concert size ukes: amzn.to/3LZWnWD
What about low g on a concert ? Do your comments apply to a concert size too ?
Everything should be uniform across all sizes, but what was the exact comment Matt mentioned?
What is the low G ukelele You are showing?
It's a Moore Bettah ukulele 😊
10:22 I thought that was the tuning (DGBE) for a BARITONE ukulele, not a tenor ukulele… I thought the tuning for a tenor ukulele was the standard (GCEA)!
Matt mentioned adding a capo to the 5th fret of a guitar while ignoring strings 5 and 6. Doing that gives you the same tuning as a low G ukulele 😊
How can we tell whether a piece of music would be better played on one or the other when it's not indicated?
That's tough to answer, because it depends on the song itself. Sometimes, things are obvious - like with "Moonlight Sonata". It uses arpeggios that play from the lowest pitch to the highest. Making it an easy choice for Low G: rockclass101.com/moonlight-sonata/
If you get the sheet music of the song, you should be able to look at it and see where the G notes are. If they are higher than middle C, than they would be suited for high G. If they are lower than middle C, they would be suited for low G. Does that make sense?
Just wondering what low g string do you use? Thanks.
We use Aquila's: amzn.to/3nQR7Ik
Some ukes double the g so that it's a high and a low. Wonder how those fit in.
Hello, I have a question. Will wound g-string noticeably wear the frets?
It will cause more wear b/c it is wound, but the real factor is play time. If you're doing hours a day, that'll have a bigger impact on wear.
@@RockClass101
Thank you！
An 8 String Ukulele gives you the best of worlds.
I understand what you are trying to say. However, the one thing which I will say is that the ukulele is the only instrument that I am aware of in which this conversation which we are having is even relevant. Let’s have a high G vs. low G conversation about the violin or the mandolin, for example - GDAE… Is there a reason why this is a relevant discussion on the ukulele? Who came up with the idea of bringing in a high G string - and break the linearity? Just curious. Thanks!
I think you used unwound in place of wound by mistake at one point
By Low G Ukulele , You are just referring to the Low G Strings. There is no specific Ukulele as You make reference to ?
Correct!
Yes, a Low G uke is a ukulele in which one strings with a low G string, whereas a High G uke is a ukulele in which one strings with a high G string.
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