6 String Ukuleles Yamaha GL-1 Guitalele and Aria ATU 120/6 String Tenor Ukelele 

So thats what that guitar is? ...Are you sure your not me using a false name? Anyway thanks for the comment. K

That's very kind of you, glad you found it of interest, amazes me how many people have watched this... do check out me working with a pupil: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KQNBdLdrfi4.html

That's very kind. Thank you for taking the time to comment.

I suppose that's good, but maybe I'm wrong.... Thanks for watching and commenting. Actually I've been using these little guitars a lot over the last few months with singers... Piano with its equal temperament is hopeless for good tuning, but you can sharpen these with micro bends to make perfect fifths and especially the major third sound in tune... Compared to a piano...

Great advice

Thanks Greg. I do appreciate you taking the time to comment, and your thoughts on sustain in stringed instruments, yes it is one of the ways that stringed instruments are judged along with what I was talking about: initial attack (that's the higher tones of the timbre) when learning and practising,. I think I did say it was subjective, and I very much prefer the attack of a flamenco style guitar over the syrupy middle of (admittedly great instruments like) a classical guitar. Thanks again!

@@kennymaccaferri2602 great response! nothing to argue here ahah

Hi Ying. Thank you so much for your kind comments. I teach guitar and music theory - mostly to older players either taking exams or wanting to improve their music theory or their instrumental ability. I truly believe that, when it comes to guitar, the most problematic physical problem is the right hand. And not enough emphasis is put on intermediate players who really want to improve that the right hand is where the biggest gains are to be made, especially in the short term. I believe, strongly believe that everyone needs to know how to play with both fingers and with a plectrum (and sometimes at the same time), strumming with a plectrum might look easy, but it really is not. Complicated patterns with the right hand are only really emphasised in Flamenco and Classical guitar - you hardly hear it mentioned by teachers of other genres, and when it is - it is given as an example of how to imitate another player - for example "pinch harmonics" or country picking.. not as an integral part of instrumental mastery. Saying that, none of us are masters of the instrument. What style do you play? How long you been playing? And if I did a video of strumming what would you like to see? Volume? Attack? Picking patterns? Fingerstyle? Please tell me I would like to know. Thanks again Kenny GLASGOW

Hullo my Greek Philosopher Mathematician friend. Sorry for the delay in replying. I was playing pull off a root note (minor third to tonic) on a bass note (tonic or key note) in four four time while inserting bluesy licks using the blues scale (it is Root, minor third, major second, minor second, minor second, minor third and major second over an octave very simple six note scale) that will give you a blues sound but the sound becomes ultra bluesy when you do what I was doing and inserting two 'fourths' for the IV and V chord BUT with tonic in the bass. There are hundreds of examples of this from mainstream players - listen to any album by Alexis Korner would be a place to start. Hope that helps. A bit.

Hi Adam, thanks for the comment. So you did not change the strings to take it down to standard tuning... I'll have to try that...

Hi David, thanks for watching! The vagaries of language en? You asked me what do I mean when I said higher? I meant it in the literal sense of higher, when talking about fretable high notes (US ENGLISH THEY SAY "PITCHES") when the instruments be a-tuned to their standard tunings. My Les Pauls have 22 frets, the 22nd fret is the pitch D6. On the Aria the highest tone in standard tuning is Eb6. Higher by one semi tone. Not too sure I follow the rest of your comment - might have to think about them. Thanks again. K

Dear Baltimore dude, bit late in the day but thanks for such a professional reply, happy playing. Kenny

Thanks Daniel, I hope your playing is going well. Kenny

Thanks for your insightful reply. Much appreciated. Glad it was of some use. Kenny

Hi Cezannie, sorry for the very late reply. What are dynamics? Good question, for me this part of guitar playing is primarily a scale where you can compare volume, or speed, emphasis of certain notes or passages and of variations in tempo. I could certainly do a video on dynamics but not sure it would be mainstream. Hope your playing is going well and thanks again for your comment.

+humbler711 Interesting question. If I am correct you are asking whether you can tune the open strings of the small guitars to standard tuning EADGBE instead of up a fourth in ADGCEA? Of course you can. Just detune the strings... Better still would be, so that the strings would have correct tension, to put on a set of strings that are designed for a baritone guitar (that's a guitar that is usually longer in neck and has the lowest pitched string tuned to B, C, Db or even sometimes as high as D - the strings are available). A small guitar like that would be equivalent to a baritone guitar tuned to B but barred at the fifth fret. Wonder why no one has thought of doing that? With the heavier strings you would tune to EADGBE and it would feel 'normal' in terms of tension. Then you would not have to transpose.... Hope this helps.

Merci bien.

Thanks for the comment. Yes, pretty much the same width of fret as a standard guitar with a capo on the fifth. My hands are Perry big and I don't have much of a problem - but do remember that in this video I'm suggesting these are primarily of use for practice. God's luck with your playing, and thanks again! K

@@kennymaccaferri2602 Many thanks! I was torn between the guitalele and a 1/2 size classical. However, the GL-1 seems playable enough for practice and impromptu jams on the road. Reckon it could be a portable alternative to my full-size guitars.

Another update. Had a chance to try the Aria today. I bonded with the Aria better than the Yamaha. Aria simply felt more guitar-like to me and didn't lack sustain. Yamaha was more mellow and felt like a different instrument. Both finely crafted. Yamaha had a bit a more refined feel, while the Aria intonated better and was more playable across the neck. Cheers!

@@mrflash777 very interesting, please post a video if you buy the Aria. K

​@@kennymaccaferri2602 Will do that! Compared them side to side today. Aria is more playable for single notes, like an electric, almost. Yamaha has a classical guitar feel to it. Also, two more frets and smaller body of the Aria make a difference. I think it's ratio is more spot-on against the bigger-bodied Yamaha. Btw. how is your Aria holding up after some time? Any complaints? Yamaha is known for good quality, but there's little info on the Aria.

Interesting comment about the frets, and true. I never noticed that. The Aria is a smaller body... Thanks. And neither of them weigh much at all.

Hi L Thommas. Sorry to hear that, but don't worry too much about it, it's normal to take a while to see how useful these things can be. Also with any new instrument it can be a bit weird at first, but keep at it, if however after a month you still hate it... ditch it. Make sure it is set up correctly FOR YOU. Between ourselves, I can't really play this little thing very well at all, but it is good for me to use it to practice for real guitar, which I am trying to play.... and one day, you never know...

haha I ditched it! Got a classical guitar. Love it!!! And thanks for replying :) :)

Hi In Tune. No I haven't. This video was years ago, there are many more brands available now. As I say in the video there are others and I mention a couple of them (towards the end), but not the two you mention. I'm not a gear reviewer (or even that knowledgeable about gear), I'm an accompanist who is interested in practice methods and these old videos are from that angle, if you have limited time on a full sized guitar these can help. Thanks for your comment. Kenny

Charlie Soste That depends on the size of the suitcase. Personally, I hook a man's leather belt through the handle attachment and drape it over the bag I carry as hand luggage . Never had a problem at an airport or on a plane.

Watch the video and find out.... K

Hi Gary, thanks for the comment, thanks for watching this old video. The point you raise had come up many times and while I tried to explain the difference between "attack" and "lack of attack" in an instrument in terms of"sustain", I think I shouldn't have mentioned sustain at all, just the concept l concept of "attack". Some guy below a country player got the concept - seemingly country players on electric prize this facet on their instruments. I'm a flamenco player and know flamenco instruments which are constructed with different materials and above all with a distinct strapping give massively more attack to a similar looking but completely different instrument the Classical Guitar which has much less attack. Hope that explains what ATTACK means to players like myself. Thanks again. Kenny.

drie wiel you made the right choice! Sounds interesting,. while sound is important, if you are going to be playing this while it is wet or outside in the rain, waterproofness trumps sound, material and even style. Suggested medley on your first camping trip as the heavens open (that means starts to rain) of you are hiking up a mountain stream:. Singing in the rain, Handel's Water Music, Stormbringer, It's raining in my heart, Raindrops keep falling on my head (my...Korala).... and then finish with We Shall Gather at the River in the style of the Scottish band Wet Wet Wet. Have fun.

Thanks. Yes I hope I will have a lot of rain to justify my choice! If you see a tent paddling by it'll be me with my new instrument.

I'm ok. Trouble is I can play - worst thing that ever happened - I put a lot more effort in when I couldn't...

Thankkz. Much appreciated. Kenny

And you are very kind to say so. You a player yourself? I mean guitar.

@@kennymaccaferri2602 I can play and few basic chords and play along to some songs I like. Been trying for years, But seem to have got stuck there (over 55yo now) can't seem to progress. So I thought I would give the guitalele a go. Came across your video and you made it look so easy.

@@carlnewtonfishing6045 Well good luck to you, you are still "young" enough to learn anything on the guitar or any instrument (well maybe not the Tuba)... take it easy, step by step, no huge leaps and play with others as much as you can at any level at all, I've coaching students in their sixties who have made amazing progress in a couple of years - a general thing seems to be that they remain more interested if they regularly play with other people - even for an hour a week. Thanks again for your kind comment - I'm actually an accompaniest (for hire) more than a live player of my own music these days myself - and even though I get nice comments - even people like me have a lot to learn. Take care Kenny

It might have been your strings. I'm happy with D'Addario EJ45 Pro-Arte Normal Tension Classical Guitar Strings on my GL-1. The factory-installed strings that came with the instrument weren't a good match, and wore out very quickly. I really like the tone now.

Exactly the sound i was looking for. Thanks for your interest.

You rich!

I've already dealt with the misconception about sustain in my reply to Greg. I do appreciate you taking the time to comment, and your thoughts on sustain in stringed instruments, yes it is one of the ways that stringed instruments are judged along with what I was talking about: initial attack (that's the higher tones of the timbre) when learning and practising,. I think I did say it was subjective, and I very much prefer the attack of a flamenco style guitar over the syrupy middle of (admittedly great instruments like) a classical guitar. To you Andrew I would only add two t things: I'll give you the benefit of the doubt this time and put it down to impulsiveness because of tiredness or poor judgement; because your comment does you no justice at all, secondly and this is my own belief, my opinion if you like: If contentious almost polemic commenters such as yourself (in this case) were to put the same amount of energy you put into impulsive gut feeling clap trap comments into forming original opinions (about sustain say) and really practiced over a few months not only to listen but to actually hear consider over a decent time before replying.... accordingly without polemics or , that might lead over time to you being less hidebound in both your demands of others' opinions and less vicarious in your beliefs. If, and I stress if, you did that, you might eventually think for yourself, be better musician and certainly would be a better and a happier human being. In short, you're an amateur. And it shows.

@@kennymaccaferri2602 I've been playing for over 50 years Kenny, both professionally, semi-professionally and in a teaching capacity. I suggest you keep your assumptions about my 'amateur' status to yourself. All the best.

@@andrewguttry6886 I've heard you playing. You are an amateur.