High G vs. Low G Ukulele - What's the Difference? || Plus: Pros & Cons of Each! 

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Great video! You are perhaps one player I see who prefers the high G, giving it a very positive view, as I've watched some players who can be overly too biased towards the low G and putting down high G too much, at the same time, you don't discard low G. In other words, you're quite fair, you see the strength of both. I used to feel inferior playing a high G uke, influenced by the opinions of low G players, and was disappointed that low G strings are so hard to find. I stick with the high G, and then I realised, my playing style is actually more suited for the high G, I unknowingly developed a somewhat campanella style of playing, utilising the high G. I recently tested out a low G uke and I was taken aback because I was not used to it due to my style of playing, and in the end I gravitate back towards the high G because I've come to appreciate it, seeing this weakness as actually a strength, it actually makes the uke sound more like a harp, an instrument I've dreamt to play yet too unaffordable and the high G redeems itself for me by sounding like a mini harp, which I love and am so happy with it. Thanks a lot, you've made me feel better and in fact more empowered by being a high G player. Thanks.

Good unbiased opinion, I can’t play low g because I grew up with the ukulele playing traditional Hawaiian music. I also love the challenge in arrangements. The ukulele should be loved for it’s uniqueness, and not as a small guitar. I wouldn’t put a low string on the 5 string banjo’s drone string, then you’re playing a different kind of banjo.

This is a great pro and con video for the high and low G tuning. I am a seasoned beginner and you are correct, I much prefer the sound of a low G each and every time when I occasionally play my Tenor uke's. I also agree with you that the high G tuning gives the Ukulele it's traditional, unique, familiar signature sound, which is not what I want from my ukuleles. I want linear tuning not reentrant tuning. That is why I have gone as far towards the guitar sound as possible, and primarily play Baritone ukulele. The Ukulele for me, is a beginner friendly, gateway instrument to the acoustic guitar which I am progressing much slower with than the Baritone uke. My dream instrument is the Classical guitar, followed by the steel string guitar. At least right now with the Baritone I can easily play all the songs I love while sounding like a parlor guitar.

This is the best video on Low G vs High G that I have found. Thanks so much!

Wow! Bach on a ukulele... 💓 Thanks for the insights, nice rationales.

I just got into the low G , it's awesome! but I also love the high g, because it's really good for accompaniment and more traditional. 2 ukes is best

Thank you very much! Big coincidence, I wanted to get me a tenor uke tomorrow and wasn't sure about my g string. Great timing, that I stumbled across this :)

Thanks Matt for a thorough, complex but not complicated explanation of the differences as well as the pros and cons of the low G vs. the high G. I have uke's tuned with both depending on what music piece I'm playing. Your's was the best explanation I've heard so far on youtube channels.👍

I got my ukulele last year in August but its just now that I had more time to practice, when this pandemic hit. And Im so glad I had something to do while couped up in the house. I have memorized 3 songs :-). YeeeeY! :-)

Excellent teaching, as usual, from Matt! Definitely a topic I was really interested in learning more about.

Thanks for taking a look at the technical pros of the high-g in particular. I had heard that there were some, but it's great to get specific examples.

Thanks for letting me know the low G is one octave below the standard ukulele tuning which is the frequency of a G4 piano note at 391.995 Hz for a High G. The low G is at G3 position with a frequency of 195.998 Hz. When using a chromatic tuner or even an app like panotuner it is easy to get the correct tuning on the ukulele for the Low G.

Been using Low G string for almost 2 years, it's fine and all but I'd say High G is still the best string for uke.

Thanks, Matt, appreciate this very much 👍

A great video, really fun video, also. I like your perspective that these are two instruments.

This is kind of like the difference between a mandolin with f-holes vs. oval holes - and how the sound projects... Also, the difference between an A-style (pear or teardrop shaped) mandolin vs. an F-style (Florentine) mandolin - which has a scroll and two points on it... Also, the difference between an archtop mandolin, a flattop mandolin and a bowlback mandolin. There are so many different options with mandolins. You can have various combinations: 1) A-style with f-holes 2) A-style with oval hole 3) F-style with f-holes 4) F-style with oval hole and these could each be considered different instruments... I just thought this is similar to the low G vs high G and thought I should point it out! 😉

Hey Matt, you should totally do a tutorial on that Bach Cello prelude...!! BWV1007 iirc. Sounds fantastic on Uke.

I love the low G for the range because I play a lot of church music. But I also love high g for a more strict uke sound and for syncopations to popular tunes

Thank you, I have learned a lot about the high g v low g 👍

This why you should have multiple ukelele strung in low or high G and different sizes of ukeleles, soprano , concert, tenor and baritone.

Insightful. Thanks.

Thanks Matt!

Does an open headstock on a ukulele versus a closed headstock on a ukulele make a difference in the sound that a high G and a low G produces?

A very helpful video👍

Just mixed up my new high g string strings with my new low g strings and was googling for an hour why it felt so loose lol. Lesson learned, the low g strings weren’t labeled low g and the others were high g not labeled low g because they weren’t

The examples of when high g sounds bad weren't really convincing. I liked them at least as much as with low g. As a guitarist, I started out with low g on my tenor uke, but after learning a bit more about the instrument I switched to high. For a fuller, bassier sound I put down the ukulele and pick up my guitar.

So there is a bit of a jump in the video at 3:38 where the explanation is being presented. I would like to understand what Matt is teaching there.

So, bottom line is have a high G and a low G? I have a concert high G and a tenor low G.

Flatwound G & C Strings would be cool

Some ukes double the g so that it's a high and a low. Wonder how those fit in.

Both

How can we tell whether a piece of music would be better played on one or the other when it's not indicated?

What make is the low g uke? Its gorgeous

Quick question: If I buy a concert uke and tune it to the low G as well... will it still sound higher than my Tenor tuned to the low G? What's the difference in sound between the concert and the tenor?

Do chord shapes for high g tuned ukuleles work the same way for low g?

An 8 String Ukulele gives you the best of worlds.

Playing on putting a load G for the first time on one of my ukuleles. I understand you to say that the cords are played identical whether it’s a low G or a high G am I correct?

matt coul you make a tutorial of the john king's arrangement of the bach's prelude?

I understand what you are trying to say. However, the one thing which I will say is that the ukulele is the only instrument that I am aware of in which this conversation which we are having is even relevant. Let’s have a high G vs. low G conversation about the violin or the mandolin, for example - GDAE… Is there a reason why this is a relevant discussion on the ukulele? Who came up with the idea of bringing in a high G string - and break the linearity? Just curious. Thanks!

10:22 I thought that was the tuning (DGBE) for a BARITONE ukulele, not a tenor ukulele… I thought the tuning for a tenor ukulele was the standard (GCEA)!

What about low g on a concert ? Do your comments apply to a concert size too ?

What is the low G ukelele You are showing?

Just wondering what low g string do you use? Thanks.

Hello, I have a question. Will wound g-string noticeably wear the frets?

Hi ! Very instructive video thank you ! Quick question : is putting a low g on a concert made of laminate a good idea ? I am planning on buying a Kala concert striped ebony (ref : KA-EBY-C) or is this ukulele too cheap ? Thank you

I think you used unwound in place of wound by mistake at one point

By Low G Ukulele , You are just referring to the Low G Strings. There is no specific Ukulele as You make reference to ?

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