NUT UP!
Introduction:
We often use the term to “nut out”. We use it to say that we are trying to work out a problem and that is why I am using this variation of that saying to try and solve the problem of moving away from “open” string playing on the Ukulele to “all fretted” string playing. I hasten to add there is nothing wrong with playing at the nut, it is just that we are not using the full potential, the full tonal balance of our beloved ukulele.
Open Strings:
Essentially the ukulele is a short string-length instrument, certainly compared to the instrument that most people compare it to, the guitar. This is really unfair to our ukuleles as the guitar has two more strings than we do as well as being a much larger instrument. The feature of a short stringed instrument is that the string does not vibrate so long after being plucked as those instruments that have a long string-length instrument. This leads to a much brighter, somewhat louder and more percussive sound; some might say, less in need of amplification.
The ukulele is said to be an easy instrument to learn as it has only four strings and whole repertoire of chords can be played without moving away from at least one string being unstopped by the fingers, i.e. being stopped at the nut. Looking at the large number of chords for songs in the average ukulele song book, one needs not to know any other chords than those which are facilitated by the nut.
If the tune can be played utilizing the nut what then is the problem? Like I have already said, we can have a lot of fun, even serious playing at this end of the fret board, but it does give our ukulele a somewhat static sound. I could liken it to a piano only being played using a few notes above and below the middle C.
Limiting the sound of the Ukulele.
Playing chords which utilize the nut does limit the sound and compass of the ukulele for the following reasons:
1. There is always one string that is left out of control by the fingers and therefore it “sings” in manner that is inconsistent with the other strings being fretted by the fingers. This is very noticeable for those who play with a “low G” preference.
2. There are so many effects that the fingers on the string offers that cannot be applied to open strings. To be extreme there is the ‘bending” of notes, but dampening the strings, hammering on and off, sliding up a fret. Most (not all I hasten to add) of these things cannot be accomplished with an unstopped string.
3. We are probably limiting the number of notes we can offer the listener to about one third of the ukulele’s capability.
4. The variety of chords we can play is also limited to about one third of those generally available to us.
Whilst these limitations do not stop us from playing pretty well all the tunes we may want to play it does limit us as to treating those same tunes with some respect to how the composer wanted us to play them. We have only to look at some of the sheet music publications of so many of the tunes we play, especially those that originated before, say, the 1940’s to see that they expected the ukulele public who bought their songs to play them to match the sonority of the song they composed with the “right chords” for the “right bar”.
I would like to add to that by saying that when you are playing the right chord for the notes being sung, the feeling for the music you are playing is enhanced and you say to yourself things like, “how nice that chord sounds”.
Moving up the fret board:
The easy way is to use a capo, but I am discounting that completely because it is a form of cheating, though very valid for certain situations. So how do we start the move away from the first few frets?
The most important technique to learn is how to substitute your fingers for the nut and this involves learning to play a “clean” (firm) bar (barre). The bar is when we play all four stings across one fret with one finger… just substituting the nut with your finger. Well, it will be no surprise to you that to do this properly takes some practice, not only to learn the technique but also to build up some finger (and thumb) strength. I am not going to teach you how to do this in this article as most Uke books teach you this or there are plenty of lessons on the internet. What I do want to show you is what you can do and play when you are barring across the frets.
Let us use as an example barring the 3rd fret. I am using only those bars that require two or more strings being fretted on the third fret.
Introduction:
We often use the term to “nut out”. We use it to say that we are trying to work out a problem and that is why I am using this variation of that saying to try and solve the problem of moving away from “open” string playing on the Ukulele to “all fretted” string playing. I hasten to add there is nothing wrong with playing at the nut, it is just that we are not using the full potential, the full tonal balance of our beloved ukulele.
Open Strings:
Essentially the ukulele is a short string-length instrument, certainly compared to the instrument that most people compare it to, the guitar. This is really unfair to our ukuleles as the guitar has two more strings than we do as well as being a much larger instrument. The feature of a short stringed instrument is that the string does not vibrate so long after being plucked as those instruments that have a long string-length instrument. This leads to a much brighter, somewhat louder and more percussive sound; some might say, less in need of amplification.
The ukulele is said to be an easy instrument to learn as it has only four strings and whole repertoire of chords can be played without moving away from at least one string being unstopped by the fingers, i.e. being stopped at the nut. Looking at the large number of chords for songs in the average ukulele song book, one needs not to know any other chords than those which are facilitated by the nut.
If the tune can be played utilizing the nut what then is the problem? Like I have already said, we can have a lot of fun, even serious playing at this end of the fret board, but it does give our ukulele a somewhat static sound. I could liken it to a piano only being played using a few notes above and below the middle C.
Limiting the sound of the Ukulele.
Playing chords which utilize the nut does limit the sound and compass of the ukulele for the following reasons:
1. There is always one string that is left out of control by the fingers and therefore it “sings” in manner that is inconsistent with the other strings being fretted by the fingers. This is very noticeable for those who play with a “low G” preference.
2. There are so many effects that the fingers on the string offers that cannot be applied to open strings. To be extreme there is the ‘bending” of notes, but dampening the strings, hammering on and off, sliding up a fret. Most (not all I hasten to add) of these things cannot be accomplished with an unstopped string.
3. We are probably limiting the number of notes we can offer the listener to about one third of the ukulele’s capability.
4. The variety of chords we can play is also limited to about one third of those generally available to us.
Whilst these limitations do not stop us from playing pretty well all the tunes we may want to play it does limit us as to treating those same tunes with some respect to how the composer wanted us to play them. We have only to look at some of the sheet music publications of so many of the tunes we play, especially those that originated before, say, the 1940’s to see that they expected the ukulele public who bought their songs to play them to match the sonority of the song they composed with the “right chords” for the “right bar”.
I would like to add to that by saying that when you are playing the right chord for the notes being sung, the feeling for the music you are playing is enhanced and you say to yourself things like, “how nice that chord sounds”.
Moving up the fret board:
The easy way is to use a capo, but I am discounting that completely because it is a form of cheating, though very valid for certain situations. So how do we start the move away from the first few frets?
The most important technique to learn is how to substitute your fingers for the nut and this involves learning to play a “clean” (firm) bar (barre). The bar is when we play all four stings across one fret with one finger… just substituting the nut with your finger. Well, it will be no surprise to you that to do this properly takes some practice, not only to learn the technique but also to build up some finger (and thumb) strength. I am not going to teach you how to do this in this article as most Uke books teach you this or there are plenty of lessons on the internet. What I do want to show you is what you can do and play when you are barring across the frets.
Let us use as an example barring the 3rd fret. I am using only those bars that require two or more strings being fretted on the third fret.
Hey look.. I am going to stop right here, there are more I could show you. In fact many of those chord shapes in this example offer another chord name to that which is labeled in this example.
Many of those chords are in what might well be called the “advanced” chord groups, but my point is that you can set up a finger bar at the third fret and manipulate your other fingers to create more than twenty other chords, many of which are quite advanced chords. Move your bar up or down a fret and you have another whole range of chords you can play. I do not mean this to be anything of as boast, but I can play all of those chords with my three useable fingers and that does not include my thumb.
I would like you to do one more thing for me. Just using these three C chords which you will almost certainly use every session you have with the Uke.
Play those three chords C; C7; Cm; utilizing the nut, then (perhaps you might have a bit of a struggle if you are not a barr user) play these three chords. ( Sorry some grids missing here..not good at this web page thing!)
. I hope you will think they sound much better and indeed they are quite easy to finger.
Conclusion:
I would really like to go on and introduce you to the wide range of chords this opens to you. Like everything, they need practice, but if you want to advance in your ukulele playing, play much more honestly to the music and create some great sounds with the chords that are open to you, then start perfecting you barr.
You may need to upgrade your chord book (I like the Ukulele Chord Bible as it has a lot of the advanced chords) and indeed look for somewhat more advanced music. Dr Uke has a great site that has chords for the intermediate and even advanced player, they are downloadable and he even has a music file with him singing the tune for you (the MP3 file cannot be saved to disk. Geeks seem to be able to do it!)
Next time I will write about chords in the Original Sheet music scores and possibly Jazz chords too.
Many of those chords are in what might well be called the “advanced” chord groups, but my point is that you can set up a finger bar at the third fret and manipulate your other fingers to create more than twenty other chords, many of which are quite advanced chords. Move your bar up or down a fret and you have another whole range of chords you can play. I do not mean this to be anything of as boast, but I can play all of those chords with my three useable fingers and that does not include my thumb.
I would like you to do one more thing for me. Just using these three C chords which you will almost certainly use every session you have with the Uke.
Play those three chords C; C7; Cm; utilizing the nut, then (perhaps you might have a bit of a struggle if you are not a barr user) play these three chords. ( Sorry some grids missing here..not good at this web page thing!)
. I hope you will think they sound much better and indeed they are quite easy to finger.
Conclusion:
I would really like to go on and introduce you to the wide range of chords this opens to you. Like everything, they need practice, but if you want to advance in your ukulele playing, play much more honestly to the music and create some great sounds with the chords that are open to you, then start perfecting you barr.
You may need to upgrade your chord book (I like the Ukulele Chord Bible as it has a lot of the advanced chords) and indeed look for somewhat more advanced music. Dr Uke has a great site that has chords for the intermediate and even advanced player, they are downloadable and he even has a music file with him singing the tune for you (the MP3 file cannot be saved to disk. Geeks seem to be able to do it!)
Next time I will write about chords in the Original Sheet music scores and possibly Jazz chords too.