Results 1 to 17 of 17

Thread: The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

  1. #1
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Northern Virginia, USA
    Posts
    3,928

    The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

    Well, we don't (rightfully, I guess) have a section here for ukuleles, so I thought I'd post this here. It doesn't really belong in the "What Are You Listening To" thread, either.

    My granddaughter's birthday is coming up soon. I gave her a ukulele for Christmas, and I'm going to record me playing "Happy Birthday" on one and post it to her Facebook page (her mom set it up for her so she could message me and others). I would like to get her interested in playing music, and not feel like the uke is just a toy.

    To that end, I came across a couple of videos that just floored me. Herewith:



  2. #2
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Northern Virginia, USA
    Posts
    3,928

    Re: The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

    And


  3. #3
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Posts
    11,288

    Re: The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

    Wow! Those were great, especially the second one! I noticed that they both used straps. That might help me loosen up with my uke playing a little (yeah, that's why I can't play like them).
    Last edited by Don; 06-16-2020 at 02:11 PM.

  4. #4
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Northern Virginia, USA
    Posts
    3,928

    Re: The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

    I sent my son-in-law a link to the Taimane Gardner clip. I want my granddaughter to see it and know that music isn't restricted to boys only.

  5. #5
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    8,163

    Re: The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

    Of course the uke isn't a toy. It's lean, mean, soldiering machine. George Formby's killin' 'em.

    For some reason I can't embed the Youtube video, but here's a link for a little fun.

    https://youtu.be/eDIb9OBRCcw
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  6. #6
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Northern Virginia, USA
    Posts
    3,928

    Re: The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

    You and I both know the ukulele isn't a toy, but my soon-to-be eight year-old granddaughter doesn't. Since I don't get to visit with her as often as I used to (damn you coronavirus!), I can't keep encouraging her in person, showing her how easy some songs are!

    Happy birthday is three simple chords: C, G7 and F.



  7. #7
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    New York Finger Lakes Area
    Posts
    8,462

    Re: The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

    Quote Originally Posted by OldStrummer View Post
    You and I both know the ukulele isn't a toy, but my soon-to-be eight year-old granddaughter doesn't. Since I don't get to visit with her as often as I used to (damn you coronavirus!), I can't keep encouraging her in person, showing her how easy some songs are!

    Happy birthday is three simple chords: C, G7 and F.


    Today's musical challenge: Using the three chord figures above, determine the tuning of the ukulele. Show your work.
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

  8. #8
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Northern Virginia, USA
    Posts
    3,928

    Re: The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

    My Dog Has Fleas


  9. #9
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Southern NH
    Posts
    4,717

    Re: The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

    Quote Originally Posted by Offshore Angler View Post
    Today's musical challenge: Using the three chord figures above, determine the tuning of the ukulele. Show your work.
    G-C-E-A ? Man, I was beating myself up on this.

    G7 = G B D F
    F = F A C
    C = C E G

    on the first string, you have A, B, C all used in the chords
    on the second string you have E and F
    on the third string you have C and D
    on the fourth string you have G and A
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

  10. #10
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Northern Virginia, USA
    Posts
    3,928

    Re: The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

    Kee-rect. Here's a twist: What's a High G and a Low G?

  11. #11
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Southern NH
    Posts
    4,717

    Re: The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

    Quote Originally Posted by OldStrummer View Post
    Kee-rect. Here's a twist: What's a High G and a Low G?
    are ukes like mandos, tuned upside down i.e. low notes towards the floor, high notes towards ceiling?
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

  12. #12
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Posts
    11,288

    Re: The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

    Quote Originally Posted by DanTheBluesMan View Post
    are ukes like mandos, tuned upside down i.e. low notes towards the floor, high notes towards ceiling?
    No. They're tuned like a guitar. In fact, it's like a the 4 high strings of a guitar capoed at the 5th fret, except that the G is an octave high (reentrant tuning).

    Mandolins aren't tuned upside down with low strings towards the floor. The high strings are towards the floor.
    They're tuned in 5ths like a violin. But... if you play a left handed mandolin right handed (upside down) you can play the four lower strings of guitar chords on it (a mandolin is tuned to G, D, A, E on a mandolin so the E, A, D, G on a guitar works well enough at an acoustic jam). I had a friend's left handed father do that with my right handed mandolin.
    Last edited by Don; 06-17-2020 at 12:41 PM.

  13. #13
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Northern Virginia, USA
    Posts
    3,928

    Re: The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

    The typical ukulele is tuned (and I believe this is the accurate nomenclature), gCEA, signifying the G is a "high G," -- the reentrant tuning. This is common among Soprano and Concert Ukes. Tenor ukuleles can have either a gCEA or GCEA ("low G") tuning, where the fourth string is lower (and thicker). One has to buy a special set of Low G strings for this. Baritone ukes use a standard DGBE (which is the first four strings of the standard guitar tuning), or the reentrant gCEA as above. In some case, to appease ukulele "purists," the standard tuning can be made reentrant; dGBE.

    This whole discussion avoids any forays into slack key, and alternate tunings...

  14. #14
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Southern NH
    Posts
    4,717

    Re: The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

    I learned something today. Woot.

    Uh oh, what got pushed out to make room?
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

  15. #15
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    New York Finger Lakes Area
    Posts
    8,462

    Re: The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

    The G7 made people think. G major would have been a dead giveaway.
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

  16. #16
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Northern Virginia, USA
    Posts
    3,928

    Re: The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

    I had a brief interaction on FB with my granddaughter last night. She recorded a video of herself singing, so in return I sent her a short video clip (~20 sec.) of me playing a little blues intro/turnaround on the uke in the key of F. We then got to chatting and I told her if she was interested, and if we got together this weekend for Fathers Day, I'd teach her some easy chords. She seemed interested!

  17. #17
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Posts
    11,288

    Re: The Ukulele Isn't a Toy!

    Quote Originally Posted by OldStrummer View Post
    I had a brief interaction on FB with my granddaughter last night. She recorded a video of herself singing, so in return I sent her a short video clip (~20 sec.) of me playing a little blues intro/turnaround on the uke in the key of F. We then got to chatting and I told her if she was interested, and if we got together this weekend for Fathers Day, I'd teach her some easy chords. She seemed interested!
    That's what it's all about! Awesome!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •