Choosing a ukulele concert

Ukulele concert is a favorite of stars and novice musicians. About the tuning of the guitar, sizes, differences from the soprano and tenor, tips for choosing you will learn in this article.

Concert ukulele is the "big sister" of the soprano, slightly less tenor and baritone.

The main differences between the gig and other ukuleles are:

• the size;
• sound;
• convenience of the game;
• price.

The size of the concert or alto ukulele is 23 inches (58, 42 cm).

The sound of the concert is wider, warmer and more melodic than that of the soprano. A beautiful strong voice to the accompaniment of a ukulele sounds amazing. It is difficult for an inexperienced listener to grasp the difference in the sound of a soprano and a concert. Concert ukulele allows you to play more complex things, suitable not only for beginners, but also for experienced musicians. Tenor and bass have more options for playing complex music. These guitars sound more solid and masculine compared to the lyric ukulele concert.

If the soprano is ideal for those with miniature fingers, then any performer can play freely at the concert. Wide frets make chords easy for people with large fingers. For tenor and baritone, the distance between the strings is even greater. You can play the ukulele by pressing it to your chest, or in a sitting position, leg by leg, placing the guitar on your hip.

The price of a ukulele depends on the sound of the instrument. The better the sound, the more options the performer has and the higher the price of the guitar. Both the consumption of material for the product and the value of wood are taken into account. The price of the concert will be higher than the price of a soprano ukulele. A high-quality tenor will cost more than a concert.

The bright sound of the concert has a wider resonance than the soprano. The rich powerful sound does not die out at high positions, it spreads well throughout the room and differs from the muffled ethnic timbre of the first. The concert sounds softer and more lyrical compared to tenor and baritone. The sound of the concert resembles the ringing of bells and the play of nightingale trills. The material of the ukulele and the quality of its assembly affect the good sound production. What matters is a properly assembled and glued guitar neck, with natural bone nut in the right place, well-installed tuning pegs and tightly stretched strings.

A ukulele concert is arranged, like any guitar. It differs only in size.

The body of the ukulele consists of a top and bottom deck and two sides (guitar sides). The top is responsible for the resonance of the sound. For this, a resonance hole is located in it, which increases the breadth and strength of the sound.

The neck is attached to the top of the ukulele. Its lower part has a rounded surface. On the top of the neck there is a fretboard where the frets are located, separated by metal saddles.

The tuning pegs are attached to this part of the instrument, which regulate the tension of the strings.

The tune of the concert guitar is the same as the soprano, but different from the usual guitar:

• 1 string "A" - "A" (the thinnest, located at the bottom);
• 2 string "mi" - "E";
• 3 string "C" - "C";
• 4 string "G" - "G" (top string to the performer).

Tune the concert from the lowest to the highest strings. The last string can be either low or high in sound. A thicker 4 strings than the first two will sound low. If the 4th string is the same thickness as the 1st string, then it is high, which is the classic tuning.

Gifted musicians easily tune the instrument by ear, focusing on the first note "la".

You need to set up a concert like this.

• The 2nd string is clamped at the 5th fret - it should sound similar to the first open A string;
• The 3 string is pressed at the fourth fret - its sound should sound in unison with the second open E string;
• a thin 4 string is fixed with a finger at the second fret and tuned as it was with the first open "la";
• the thick fourth string is clamped at the 5th fret - it sounds like a third open C.

The best assistant for a novice musician will be a tuner that allows you to make tuning quickly and accurately. You can install a special program on your phone, for example, "Tuner Pocket", use it to tune not only the concert, but also other instruments.

Play the ukulele concert with chords, brute force or beating:

• chords - a combination of three or more notes played simultaneously;
• busting - playing a melody with three fingers, where the thumb works on strings 3 and 4, and the middle and index fingers play on strings 1 and 2;
• fight - a technique using a combination of rhythmic blows with the thumbnail down and a return movement along the strings of the fingertips of the right hand gathered together.

Lovers of playing an ordinary guitar are well aware of these techniques and skillfully combine them in the performance of melodies.

Here are some simple rules to help you master the ukulele quickly.

• Observe the correct position of the instrument and body.
• When playing, hands should not be tense or pinched. Determine which position is more comfortable for you to play.
• Learn the major finger positions as you play chords. To get started, just practice pinching the strings with your fingertips parallel to the neck.
• When playing a chord, you need to play the strings simultaneously, not one at a time.
• To make sure you hit the chord correctly, slide your right thumb over the strings. If the sound of the concert is dull and dull, the strings are unsuccessfully clamped. Please try again.
• Watch your hand movements when fighting. It should move from the elbow joint. When playing down the strings, they hit them with nails, when returning the hands up they use the pads of the fingers.
• Play the strings just above the resonator for a beautiful sound.
• Learn to keep the rhythm right right away. The metronome will help you with this: mechanical or electronic.

It is difficult for a beginner to choose a ukulele concert among the variety of options. Our advice will help you decide on the purchase.

• Consider budget options ahead of time. Don't buy the cheapest tool. Its sound is unlikely to please your listeners. For beginner musicians, models made of natural wood laminate are suitable. The best option is Hawaiian acacia. A concert made entirely of solid wood would be an expensive purchase.
• Take a closer look at the products of manufacturers that have proven themselves in the music market:

1. Yamaha,
2. Lanikai;
3. Pono;
4. Kamaka;
5. Luna,
6. Mahalo,
7. Enya
8. Fligth;
9. Kala.

• Check out the look of the concert. For an instrument to be enjoyable, you must like the outside of it. Be sure to check out and listen to a few instruments. Each ukulele has an individual sound.
• Inspect the ukulele for defects. There should be no cracks on the case. Nothing should wobble and dangle. The tuning pegs should not spin randomly, jump out of the socket. The neck of a correct guitar is perfectly flat.
• Appreciate the sound of the instrument. Ask the salesperson to play the ukulele. The strings should be well taut and sound equally loud and clear.
• Pay attention to the concert with the cover. It is the most important ukulele accessory to protect your guitar from dirt and weather. If a cover is not provided for your model of the concert, it is better not to save money and choose the right one. It should clearly correspond to the length of the instrument, have a rigid body or reliable insulation and seal that can protect the ukulele from accidental drops and bumps.
• Strings are essential. Do not buy guitar strings from an unknown manufacturer. They will stretch or tear quickly. The sound of the instrument will be ugly.
• A guarantee of a bright, clear sound - strings from Italian and Japanese manufacturers. Made from different materials, they sound completely different. You can only choose your option empirically.