What Is An 8 String Ukulele?

The short answer: an 8 string ukulele is a ukulele with 8 strings. Right?

The long answer: it's a lot of fun.

Similar to a 12-string guitar, the 8 string ukulele has doubled strings for each of the four GCEA. The top two strings, G and C, are an octave apart, and the bottom two strings, E and A, are simply doubled up in the same octave. This gives the 8 string ukulele an incredibly rich sound, with all the deep tones of a low G and a low C. 




What Is an 8 String Ukulele Good For?
Well, strumming, mostly. I find that my 8 string ukuleles are great for when I'm playing rhythm to accompany my singing, or to accompany my 12 year old's drumming. You can do fingerpicking on an 8 string ukulele, but it's a little tricky, and I still haven't quite mastered picking just one string. 

That said, if you want to practice fingerpicking both strings at the same time, go for it! It's another fun skill to add to your ukulele toolbox.

Tips for Playing the 8 String Ukulele
Because each string is doubled on an 8 string ukulele, you'll need to press down a little harder than usual to get a nice, clear, ringing tone out of your ukulele. You also may need to use a little more of the area of your fingertip to make sure you're pressing down on both strings to avoid any muted sounds or buzzing.




When strumming your 8 string ukulele, a leather or felt pick can be helpful to prevent your fingernails from breaking. On days when I had a couple of hours to spend playing, I found that my fingernails would end up broken to split from strumming. (Maybe I strum too hard?) At any rate, I've found that using a leather pick when I'm playing for a long period of time is a good skill to have, and saves my fingernails from destruction.

8 String Ukulele Sizes
I've got two 8 string ukuleles in my collection: a Kala Makala Tenor, and a Kala cedar top baritone. In some of the Facebook ukulele groups, I've seen some folks make reference to a concert size 8 string ukulele, but haven't yet come across any of those in my online browsing. 

Another unique type of 8 string ukulele is made by the Ortega Guitar company and is called the Hydra, after the ancient Greek monster of the same name: it has two necks, one regular 4 string neck and an 8 string neck. Coming in at about $400 retail in the US, it's on my "when I hit the lottery" list of ukuleles to acquire.

Have you ever played an 8 string ukulele? Share your experiences and recommendations here!

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