As an ukulele instructor, one of the most often asked questions I get is, “What’s with the 6 and 8 string ukuleles?” These multi stringed anomalies of the ukulele world have been both amazing and bewildering us for as long as they have graced the Hawaiian music scene. Well, today I will try to shed some light on the 6 and 8 stringed ukuleles and explain some of the local applications and uses.
The 8 string ukulele is widely used for a driving rhythm sound. Walk into any hula halau and odds are there will be atleast one 8 string being played. The characteristic “chorus” effect us brought about by the combination of both octave and unison harmonies that occur from string to string. Like the 12 string guitar, the 8 string ukulele has the highest pitched strings tuned in unison, and the lower pitched strings tuned to octaves. ( G, lower octave G, higher octave C, C, E, unison E, and A, unison A) When holding chords the blend of these notes create the aforementioned “chorus” effect.