Things To Think About When Buying A Ukulele
With so many different types of ukuleles out there, the prospect of buying one can be unnerving. It's a tricky undertaking, especially if you're looking for a beginner or basic ukulele. If you've dug into typical sites that have ukuleles for sale at $30 or $40, you've probably seen that you won't get much more than a toy for that price and one that you can't play seriously, forget the idea of getting any real acoustic value.
You can choose from four different types, all of which are considered basic ukuleles-soprano, concert, tenor and baritone. Each type correlates to a different size, and all are available in a wide range of style and quality, anywhere from what amounts to little more than a toy to a high quality, well playing instrument.
So how do you decide? My recommendation is that you get serious about the intended use you plan to make of your ukulele. Your primary focus should be on how seriously it will be played, even if we're just talking about having some serious fun. Let that seriousness be your deciding factor as you compare quality, acoustic value and price.
Is your purchase a gift for someone else? How serious will that person be about his or her playing? The same question should apply to the age of the person who will be playing the ukulele and that person's level of playing proficiency-how serious? Or is this for someone who is just learning to play-is he or she serious about it? You get my drift.
Whether for your own use or as a gift for someone else, (it can be a very unique Christmas gift) beginner or pro, young or old, the more and better you expect to play, the higher the quality you will need and, as a rule, the higher the quality the more you can expect to pay. There are of course exceptions, but you can expect to get what you pay for. Once you determine the quality and price (your budget), next is to decide which of the four instruments will supply your need.
Soprano Soprano was the earliest of the four and for that reason most early ukes were made on this scale. The classic sound of a ukulele is often identified with the soprano, and, to many purest, it is still considered to be the "authentic" ukulele. It lends itself to strumming with less finger picking, and is a good place for beginning players to start.
It has been said that a soprano ukulele is easy to learn but hard to master. It is good for playing chords and for strumming, but when it comes to fancy stuff, finger picking can be tricky. When compared to the other standard three, the traditional sound offered by this basic uke can seem thin and without much resonance.
Don't let its smaller size make you think the soprano is only for small people, people with small hands and fingers, like children. While the soprano is good for the young beginner, many great ukulele players, great in size as well as talent, favor sopranos. This popularity means that you will have a wide variety from which to choose, and as a rule the soprano ukulele will be priced lower.
Concert Concert is a little bigger than soprano and it therefore sounds bigger. You'll find more middle range, more alto, and a somewhat deeper, mellower sound. Some players find that a concert is easier to hold than the smaller soprano. The traditional ukulele sound with more complex playing potential makes the concert an instrument that offers the best of both worlds.
Since it is a little bigger, the concert sounds bigger than the soprano, with more middle range and a somewhat deeper, mellower, more alto sound. It's bigger, but not by much, and some say a concert is easier to hold than the smaller soprano. The concert is an instrument that offers the best of both worlds, traditional ukulele sound with more complex playing potential.
Tenor The tenor ukulele can be used for more advanced solo playing i.e. Jake Shimabukuro. It has more of a guitar-like tone, more finger room that allows faster play, and lends itself to more complex runs. Its size produces a deeper, fuller, more resonant quality in sound and tone. The fourth string can be tuned an octave lower, giving it even further range.
Baritone If you already know how to play a guitar, or if you are learning to play guitar, then learning to play a baritone uke will be easier for you. Tuned like the bottom 4 strings of a guitar, the baritone uke can complement your guitar practice and vice versa. You don't have the two top strings (base) so it's like a guitar with no top end. The baritone ukulele produces a crisp, fuller sound that resembles a small guitar.
Once you factor in cost plus your level of musical ability and interest in playing, that seriousness I referred to earlier, you are ready to go shopping for whichever ukulele best fits your need. There is, however, one additional consideration I want to mention, one that can make your selection even more meaningful. You can shop around for whatever suits your serious fancy, or you can consider making your own ukulele from scratch or building one from a kit.
The internet has many schematics and plans to guide you through creation from scratch. A host of sites are also available that offer basic ukulele building kits that you can start with, then finish by adding whatever components or modifications that suit your fancy. The tramp art music culture is another good place to start. This is where good-quality, well playing instruments are made from everyday components, using cigar boxes with surprising resonance. These boxes usually have a wooden back. If your level of craftsmanship warrants, you can include a simple box that you make yourself.
Whether you purchase a completed instrument, build from a cigar box ukulele kit or a conventional ukulele kit, or if you decide to build your own from scratch, you're in for some serious fun. And remember this serious observation-you can't play a sad song on a ukulele. Here's to you; good luck and good building. - 18424
You can choose from four different types, all of which are considered basic ukuleles-soprano, concert, tenor and baritone. Each type correlates to a different size, and all are available in a wide range of style and quality, anywhere from what amounts to little more than a toy to a high quality, well playing instrument.
So how do you decide? My recommendation is that you get serious about the intended use you plan to make of your ukulele. Your primary focus should be on how seriously it will be played, even if we're just talking about having some serious fun. Let that seriousness be your deciding factor as you compare quality, acoustic value and price.
Is your purchase a gift for someone else? How serious will that person be about his or her playing? The same question should apply to the age of the person who will be playing the ukulele and that person's level of playing proficiency-how serious? Or is this for someone who is just learning to play-is he or she serious about it? You get my drift.
Whether for your own use or as a gift for someone else, (it can be a very unique Christmas gift) beginner or pro, young or old, the more and better you expect to play, the higher the quality you will need and, as a rule, the higher the quality the more you can expect to pay. There are of course exceptions, but you can expect to get what you pay for. Once you determine the quality and price (your budget), next is to decide which of the four instruments will supply your need.
Soprano Soprano was the earliest of the four and for that reason most early ukes were made on this scale. The classic sound of a ukulele is often identified with the soprano, and, to many purest, it is still considered to be the "authentic" ukulele. It lends itself to strumming with less finger picking, and is a good place for beginning players to start.
It has been said that a soprano ukulele is easy to learn but hard to master. It is good for playing chords and for strumming, but when it comes to fancy stuff, finger picking can be tricky. When compared to the other standard three, the traditional sound offered by this basic uke can seem thin and without much resonance.
Don't let its smaller size make you think the soprano is only for small people, people with small hands and fingers, like children. While the soprano is good for the young beginner, many great ukulele players, great in size as well as talent, favor sopranos. This popularity means that you will have a wide variety from which to choose, and as a rule the soprano ukulele will be priced lower.
Concert Concert is a little bigger than soprano and it therefore sounds bigger. You'll find more middle range, more alto, and a somewhat deeper, mellower sound. Some players find that a concert is easier to hold than the smaller soprano. The traditional ukulele sound with more complex playing potential makes the concert an instrument that offers the best of both worlds.
Since it is a little bigger, the concert sounds bigger than the soprano, with more middle range and a somewhat deeper, mellower, more alto sound. It's bigger, but not by much, and some say a concert is easier to hold than the smaller soprano. The concert is an instrument that offers the best of both worlds, traditional ukulele sound with more complex playing potential.
Tenor The tenor ukulele can be used for more advanced solo playing i.e. Jake Shimabukuro. It has more of a guitar-like tone, more finger room that allows faster play, and lends itself to more complex runs. Its size produces a deeper, fuller, more resonant quality in sound and tone. The fourth string can be tuned an octave lower, giving it even further range.
Baritone If you already know how to play a guitar, or if you are learning to play guitar, then learning to play a baritone uke will be easier for you. Tuned like the bottom 4 strings of a guitar, the baritone uke can complement your guitar practice and vice versa. You don't have the two top strings (base) so it's like a guitar with no top end. The baritone ukulele produces a crisp, fuller sound that resembles a small guitar.
Once you factor in cost plus your level of musical ability and interest in playing, that seriousness I referred to earlier, you are ready to go shopping for whichever ukulele best fits your need. There is, however, one additional consideration I want to mention, one that can make your selection even more meaningful. You can shop around for whatever suits your serious fancy, or you can consider making your own ukulele from scratch or building one from a kit.
The internet has many schematics and plans to guide you through creation from scratch. A host of sites are also available that offer basic ukulele building kits that you can start with, then finish by adding whatever components or modifications that suit your fancy. The tramp art music culture is another good place to start. This is where good-quality, well playing instruments are made from everyday components, using cigar boxes with surprising resonance. These boxes usually have a wooden back. If your level of craftsmanship warrants, you can include a simple box that you make yourself.
Whether you purchase a completed instrument, build from a cigar box ukulele kit or a conventional ukulele kit, or if you decide to build your own from scratch, you're in for some serious fun. And remember this serious observation-you can't play a sad song on a ukulele. Here's to you; good luck and good building. - 18424
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Find the best deal on ukuleleshere, or visit www.papasboxes.com to find the best advice on high quality instruments for you.
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