Enjoy a good old singsong?

Low G Tuning

The detrimental effects of re-entrant tuning

and the auditory nerve

Reprinted with kind permission of the

Journal of Aural Medicine

A recent study of ukulele groups across North America sponsored by the Seattle College of Aural Medicine indicates that the average age of participants is 63.5 years old and getting older. Similar studies across Scandinavia and the UK would appear to confirm this phenomenon.

With ukuleles largely regarded as little more than toys, why is it that they are becoming the instrument of choice for so many aspiring musicians later in life?

The Seattle study offers a number of conclusions, some of which could have a lasting effect on how playing the ukulele is perceived. It is well known that any group activity such as playing musical instruments together helps with social cohesion and reduces isolation; but what else?

It is often remarked that as people get older, they can remember the words to a song 50 years ago, yet forget the names of the grandchildren. This cognitive activity is reflected in many ukulele group formats where songbooks are used spanning several decades, frequently reviving past memories.

However, this does not explain the increased popularity of the ukulele with an older demographic, and this is where the Seattle Audiology department comes in.

Laboratory conditions have shown that frequencies of around 392Hz (ukulele high G) are in the “degradation cluster range”. This has a progressive and detrimental effect on the ability to differentiate between sounds, tones and even octaves. It also goes someway to explaining why more senior ukulele players have difficulty in maintaining even the simplest of tunes accurately, whilst hearing themselves as “perfect pitch”.

The remedy is astonishingly simply. By changing the high G to a low G (196Hz) resembling the linear tuning of most commonly played stringed instruments, the auditory nerve rebalances the soundwaves into a more accurate signal. The ukulele player will adjust their vocal range almost imperceivably to suit; strumming with increased volume and enthusiasm, reducing the effect of the aural output of the player upon the rest of the group.

This article is reproduced with the kind permission of the Seattle College of Aural Medicine (S.C.A.M.).

First Published April 1st 2022 reprinted April 1st 2023

If it sounds right, it is right… sometimes.

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