Low G One Tune Per Ukulele

[UkeOkay]

I waited patiently for a year for Giovanni Albini to publish his version of Philip Glass’s Truman Sleeps. I eventually gave up waiting and decided to just transcribe it myself. I transcribed the first half and a bit more of the tune before I actually tried to play it. When I did finally finally try, I was heartbroken — the tune is physically impossible for me to play — so I gave up and shelved the project.

Then yesterday it dawned on me that perhaps if I played it on a soprano, not a tenor, it might be playable, if only just barely. The problem is, I don’t have a soprano set up with a low G. I do have a Martin which was the ukulele that got me started, but it’s high G, of course. I don’t play it much, and when I do, it’s pretty much only to play old ditties like “Don’t Send Me Posies (When It’s Shoeses That I Need)”, or “Shimmy Like My Sister Kate.”

So, I threw a low G on my (only) soprano. I have a small stash of La Bella 908’s - very similar to the Fremont Soloist, but this particular one seems not quite as polished.

Now I have one ukulele set up to play one single tune. It’s not even a standard tuning — GBEA. At my pace it’ll take me 2-3 months to be comfortable to play outside my living room. If at all.

 

[rreffner]

I waited patiently for a year for Giovanni Albini to publish his version of Philip Glass’s Truman Sleeps. I eventually gave up waiting and decided to just transcribe it myself. I transcribed the first half and a bit more of the tune before I actually tried to play it. When I did finally finally try, I was heartbroken — the tune is physically impossible for me to play — so I gave up and shelved the project.

Then yesterday it dawned on me that perhaps if I played it on a soprano, not a tenor, it might be playable, if only just barely. The problem is, I don’t have a soprano set up with a low G. I do have a Martin which was the ukulele that got me started, but it’s high G, of course. I don’t play it much, and when I do, it’s pretty much only to play old ditties like “Don’t Send Me Posies (When It’s Shoeses That I Need)”, or “Shimmy Like My Sister Kate.”

So, I threw a low G on my (only) soprano. I have a small stash of La Bella 908’s - very similar to the Fremont Soloist, but this particular one seems not quite as polished.

Now I have one ukulele set up to play one single tune. It’s not even a standard tuning — GBEA. At my pace it’ll take me 2-3 months to be comfortable to play outside my living room. If at all.

Beautiful. Are TABs available?

 

[Wiggy]

That is astounding and wonderful.
The gentleness and power equally came through.

 

[UkeOkay]

Beautiful. Are TABs available?

I’ll add it to my site when I finish the second part.

 

[UkeOkay]

That is astounding and wonderful.
The gentleness and power equally came through.

So true. It’s incredible how much Albini can coax out out of a small four stringed instrument.

 

[rreffner]

I’ll add it to my site when I finish the second part.

Thank you so very much.

 

[UkeOkay]

Thank you so very much.

It's up now on my site. No guarantees it is correct. I made one fingering change for one chord (that I know of) - the notes are the same but two of the strings they are played on are swapped. I have no idea how he can play this on a concert. It's painful for me on a soprano.

 

[rreffner]

It's up now on my site. No guarantees it is correct. I made one fingering change for one chord (that I know of) - the notes are the same but two of the strings they are played one are swapped. I have no idea how he can play this on a concert. It's painful for me on a soprano.

Thanks UkeOkay. I’ll begin practicing.

 

[Patty]

Do you actually fret some of those notes with your thumb? That piece, at least watching Giovanni Albini play it, looks impossible. Those stretches!

 

[UkeOkay]

Do you actually fret some of those notes with your thumb? That piece, at least watching Giovanni Albini play it, looks impossible. Those stretches!

Yes, it’s crazy. Thankfully it is a solemn tune, with plenty of time to move your fretting hand around.

 

[Mike $]

Now I have one ukulele set up to play one single tune. It’s not even a standard tuning — GBEA. At my pace it’ll take me 2-3 months to be comfortable to play outside my living room. If at all.

But when you do finally play it smoothly and confidently, all that practice will be worth it. It really isn't too difficult to twist that C string down to a B and then back when you finish the song. It's not like you HAVE to keep it there. Plenty of tunes you play on a Low G tenor will be easy enough on a low G soprano. Right now, I have my tenor set up with high g and two sopranos, both low G.

 

[Larry U]

Just a few nine-and-ten-fret finger stretches. No big deal!
(Says I who sometimes struggles with a five-fret stretch!)

 

[Ziret]

I imagine you saw this duet version, but in case not…I love this song no matter how it’s done.



Sax anyone? Gorgeous!

 

[UkeOkay]

I’d seen the duet. I’ve contemplated finding someone to perform it with. But it’s mostly just me playing by myself in the living room. It‘s quite satisfying to hear two parts played by one person.

 

[Ziret]

I’d seen the duet. I’ve contemplated finding someone to perform it with. But it’s mostly just me playing by myself in the living room. It‘s quite satisfying to hear two parts played by one person.

I have the same problem. Haven’t been able to talk any of my friends to play anything in this realm, either, but it sounds doable.

 

[GiovanniAlbini]

The score is finally available! You can find it in the second volume of my Classical Ukulele Anthology series published by Ricordi and distributed worldwide by Hal Leonard. Here is the link: Music Shop Europe. I apologize for the delay; the copyright clearance process took quite some time...