I sometimes tell my students that the Ukulele should never try to be a pale imitation of the Classical Guitar; and that its unique appeal should be recognised: namely that it is a much smaller instrument than the full sized- Classical Guitar and therefore more convenient to transport around, the fact that it only has 4 strings, so there is less to think about; and the fact that it normally has a re-entrant tuning (meaning that the 4th string is tuned higher than the 3rd string). Of course, the re-entrant tuning came about for different reasons: I think it is correct to say that it originally gave the instrument a brighter sound for Hawaiian music, which is where the modern Ukulele originates. And in the first instance, it was used as an accompaniment instrument - basically strumming chords...so the first string one hears is a high pitched sound - hence bright!
However, the re- entrant tuning has its advantages when it comes to playing campanella style; which is similiar to the way a melody would be played on a 5 string banjo; rather than in a linear style where two or more consecutive notes are played on the same string. Furthermore, a re-entrant tuning lends itself to pedal note playing (like playing a drone) and it facillitates position changes too. So all well and good.
But what about solo style playing on the Ukulele - does it lend itself well to that? By solo-style, I mean approaching the instrument in a way that what you play sounds complete and does not presume other intervening parts, whether played by other musicians, recordings, loops or even one's own voice. Solo style would usually require elements of melody, harmony, rhythm and some sense of forward motion.
The answer is yes, of course the Ukulele can be played solo-style and played well in this way. A comparison must surely be made with the Classical Guitar which is often played solo-style. But we don't want it to be a pale imitation of the Classical Guitar. Right? Well, I think so. But here are some thoughts on the matter: That the Tenor Ukulele is a better proposition for solo style playing than say the Soprano - because it has a bigger sound. The fret spacing is larger for more nimble fingerwork as befits solo-style. Furthermore, if push comes to a shove then the re-entrant tuning could be dropped (pun alert!) in favour of a low G on the fourth string; then one can really go to town with solo style - not just for the range but also the scope to create a kind of bass line; which also helps with propulsion and rhythm. But in saying that, I would still arguein favour of the High G tuning for the points mentioned. I should start a campaign - to keep the Ukulele very different to the Classical Guitar; and that should mean keeping the re-entrant tuning. By the way, Campanella style really is the way to go with solo-style Uke - it was made for re-entrant tunings. Amen to that.
