| Buying A Ukulele? Get Serious |
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| Written by WalkerHayes | |
| Thursday, 08 October 2009 | |
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Buying a ukulele can be an overwhelming and tricky job, especially if you're looking for a beginner or basic ukulele. There are so many from which to choose, and quality is not always a function of price. Keep in mind though, that if you want more than a toy and want a ukulele that you can play seriously, it's unlikely that you will get much acoustic value by responding to a pitch of ukuleles for sale $30 or $40 (pun intended).
Buying a ukulele can be an overwhelming and tricky job, especially if you're looking for a beginner or basic ukulele. There are so many from which to choose, and quality is not always a function of price. Keep in mind though, that if you want more than a toy and want a ukulele that you can play seriously, it's unlikely that you will get much acoustic value by responding to a pitch of ukuleles for sale $30 or $40 (pun intended). Basic ukuleles come in four sizes or types. They range from the largest, a baritone, down through tenor, concert and soprano, each a little smaller than the previous. You can find anything from a high quality, well playing instrument down to what is little more than a toy. There truly is a very wide range of style and quality. Before your purchase, it is important to consider the use you plan to make of your ukulele, and how "serious" you are about that use. We're talking serious fun here, which depends on the quality and playability of the instrument itself. Suffice it to say, regardless of all other considerations, the primary focus should be on how seriously it will be played. Let that seriousness be your measure of both quality and price. Extend that serious consideration to whoever is the intended user, if it's for someone else. Regardless of the user's age and level or playing proficiency, how serious will that person approach this instrument's playability? If this is a gift for someone just learning to play (a beginner ukulele makes a very unique Christmas gift), is that person serious about playing, even if just playing for fun? It has been suggested that putting a low quality ukulele in the hands of a beginner is a huge mistake. A good principle to follow is that whether for a beginner or an established player, and regardless of the age, the more serious you are, the more you can expect to play, and the higher the quality you will need. Although you should expect to pay more for quality, you may not see a direct proportion. There are exceptions-some very well playing instruments are very reasonably priced, but you can expect to get what you pay for. The question of quality and price will establish your budget. Now it's time to decide which of the four types of ukuleles will fill 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. Although good for the young beginner, the soprano's smaller size may make you think it is only for children or people with small hands and fingers. Don't be fooled. Great soprano players come in all sizes, and many large players swear by it. Its popularity among seasoned players makes for a wider variety from which to choose, and as a rule you will see the soprano ukulele will 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. If you like to strum and fingerpick and should you not be entirely comfortable with the reduced size of soprano, the concert ukulele may be a good compromise. It has the same tuning as the soprano, gCEA, and has that same unmistakable ukulele sound, with more resonance for a fuller tone. It's not a guitar, but with some serious practice, you can learn to play whatever you want to play. So we're back to that seriousness again. 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 The baritone's crisp, fuller sound can begin to make one think of a guitar. Make no mistake, the baritone is all ukulele, but if you are just beginning to play guitar, you will have an easier time learning to play a baritone uke. It can actually help your guitar practice and vice versa. The baritone is tuned like a four string guitar. The two top strings (base) are not there, so it plays like a guitar with no top end. After you consider the cost plus your level of musical ability and interest in playing (seriousness), you are ready to go shopping. But before we go, there is one additional possibility that can make your selection even more meaningful. After you've checked out the complete range of ukuleles available to you, consider the possibility of building your own ukulele from scratch or assembling 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. Either way, completed instrument, or your own construction from scratch, or build from a cigar box ukulele kit or a conventional kit, the ukulele can be an unparalleled means to some serious fun, with one overriding factor-you can't play a sad song on a ukulele. The best of luck to you if you decide to purchase a completed instrument, and, if you decide to build from scratch or from a kit, good luck and good building. About the Author: Find the best deal on ukuleleshere, or visit www.papasboxes.com to find the best advice on high quality instruments for you. From the Webmaster: "Having the opportunity to share my hobbies and interests with so many people around the world gives me great satisfaction. As a bonus, I blog and produce websites about topics that interest me and receive ad revenue from the websites and Blogs." You can live like this too. 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