lowering my voice

I mentioned a couple of posts back that I re-strung my travel ukulele with baritone strings. That was cool for a while, but the thing about a tenor ukulele is that it wasn’t meant to have baritone-length strings, because the neck is shorter, and when strung with baritone strings, the pitches aren’t quite right because the frets are spaced differently. Basically, it’s an imperfect solution at best.

So, not long after the Jake Shimabukuro concert, I went over to Trading Musician with my tenor uke and made an exchange for a real-life baritone. It’s nothing fancy, but it sure looks pretty on the wall next to my (remaining) tenor:

my ukuleles

Like my tenor, the baritone has a pickup and built-in tuner, which is handy. I am finding the increased distance between frets to be a challenge for some chords, but I am practicing! If everything goes according to my plans, my next post will feature my new axe on one of the songs I’ve been learning. Stay tuned!

jake shimabukuro: WOW

If you’re into ukulele at all, you probably know or have heard of Jake Shimabukuro. He is one of the most proficient ukulele players I have ever listened to – literally I just sit there with my jaw hanging open because his playing is so beautiful, awe-inspiring, and… just… here, see for yourself:

Now tell me that wasn’t amazing. Continue reading