Guitar Lessons: Ukulele Styles
Ukuleles come in several different styles, depending on their shapes, sizes and other specifications. In order to choose one that you like best, you need to be familiar with all the different choices available. The three major criteria to be looking at when choosing a ukulele are tone, shape and wood. Between these three, you can probably make a good choice depending on your needs. There are also considerations of budget and brand, but once you have the three important specifications in place, you are set to go. You can also opt for custom made ukuleles once you get beyond your ukulele beginner lessons. If you are still hesitant about choosing to learn this instrument, read this article: http://guitarlessonssingapore.com/why-take-ukulele-lessons/.
Tonal ranges
There are four types of ukuleles: soprano, concert, tenor and baritone. The difference between them stems from the fact that they have different scale lengths and overall lengths as well as different tunings. All these variations result in providing different tones and sounds to the ukuleles. You need to be able to consider these variations when deciding on your purchase.
Soprano: The soprano is considered the original ukulele and its sound is the one that is generally associated with the instrument. Today, standard ukuleles are those which are soprano models. This type of ukulele is the smallest of them all and is relatively a good fit for children.
Concert: The concert ukulele is slightly bigger than the soprano one and has a slightly deeper and louder sound, though close enough to the standard ukulele to be considered as acceptable by conservatives.
Tenor: The tenor ukulele is a perfect instrument for large people with big hands since its fingerboard is spacious. The sound is very deep and resonant and it has a longer scale and length than the other options.
Baritone: The baritone ukulele is the biggest in size and can give out deep bass notes. It is suitable for those who want to learn ukulele and then move on to play the guitar. It is like a mini-guitar in many ways.
Body shapes
Guitar: Guitar shaped ukuleles are the most common ones. The look like a guitar but are generally easier to handle.
Pineapple: Originally designed by Kamaka, this shape is unique and lovely. If you want something different or funky, this is the one to choose.
Boat paddle: The name is quite apt for these ukuleles. They are quite comfortable for some people though it is the least popular option.
Woods
The wood used for constructing the ukulele plays a role in the production of sound, its durability, sustainability, comfort level and suitability for different persons. So just blindly picking up any ukulele without checking out the material it is made from is not advisable, as you will learn during your ukulele lessons.
The most common wood used for ukuleles is the Koa. It is a tropical wood that is found in abundance in Hawaii and has been the traditional choice for ukuleles for decades. It provides the ukulele with a lovely array of colours and beautiful patterns. Other generally used wood for ukuleles are cedar, mahogany, maple, redwood, rosewood, and spruce. Each wood has its own positive and negative properties and their appearance might be appealing or not depending on your tastes.
For more information on ukuleles, you can refer to: www.guitarlessonssingapore.com.