Calling all ukulele players

[Tom]

Reviving an old topic ....

I was recently invited to attend a practice session of a local ukulele group, and was inspired by their music. I was also excited to hear they play only 4 or 5 chords on a 4-string instrument. I asked questions of a couple of my musical friends and, in an email to a member of the group, expressed an interest in trying to learn to play the ukulele.

Yesterday I had my first unofficial introduction to the instrument. A near-neighbor has a house full of ukuleles, and he sent me home with one in addition to a ukulele 101 DVD.

I had a concern about my (lack of) dexterity, but figured I'd give it a try. It's going to take quite a bit of  practice, but I'm still hoping to fulfill a long time desire to play an instrument to accompany myself while singing.

Oh, and a uke doesn't take up much room in the coach.

 

[seilerbird]

If Tiny Tim can play a ukulele then you should be able to play a ukulele.

Seriously, if you do a Google search on Ukulele lessons you will get lots of hits for free online ukulele lessons.

It is really easy to play the uke.

 

[Ned]

If Tiny Tim can play a ukulele then you should be able to play a ukulele.

And Tiny Tim knew the lyrics to every song ever written.  The man was an incredible musician.

 

[unclebuck123]

When I was a kid my dad bought an old pipe organ from a church. We moved it piece by piece into our garage and spent years rebuilding it. I used to open the garage door and play Toccata and Fugue in D minor.  When we turned on the blower motor the lights used to dim. When I played  large cords the lights would dim. The 16' bass pipes were laid on the floor and we used pool hoses to connect the chests together.

Using the pedals took years to master.

 

[Tom]

[quote author=unclebuck123]Using the pedals took years to master.[/quote]

As someone who's foot coordination is even worse than my hand coordination, I couldn't begin to imagine what it takes to master the foot pedals on an organ.

 

[mike eddleman]

Never tried a organ. I play the piano. Have a electric Baby Grand. Guitars 6string and bass. Got into building them at one time. Ended up with 13 hand made at one time. Gave all of them away to grandkids except one. Played the drums , Started at about 10 years old and just sold my electric set about 2 years ago. Arthritis in my hands make it hard to play anything anymore.

 

[geodrake]

When I retired I begun taking classical guitar lessons.  I explained to my instructor at the beginning that he had his work cut out for him as I didn't have enough rhythm to even be catholic.  Took the lessons for four years.  I don't play for other people, just my own pleasure.  Some day I need to learn to strum.

 

[Pierat]

Recently, I saw a used '03 Magna for sale online with an 88-key keyboard built into a cabinet in the bedroom.

 

[FrankNSharon]

Tom,

Here is a little inspiration - don't underestimate the Ukulele...

Jake Shimabukuro playing Ukulele http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qadUoaWkRW8

Frank

 

[Jeannine]

I recall a few years ago ago taking keyboard lessons with a guy who told me he was brought up playing an organ, and explained how difficult it was vs playing the piano or keyboard.

Before I take my music over to my neighbor's house, any suggestions from experienced organ players?

I'm a pianist who used to play an organ once in a while.  The big difference is that the organ doesn't have a sustaining pedal.  That's the pedal that makes the sound "linger" on a piano.  On an organ, when your finger leaves a key the note cuts off.  As a result, it is more difficult to play smoothly on the organ.  Your fingers have to learn how to make a smooth transition from one key to another.

Jeannine

 

[Tom]

Thanks for the link Frank. Definitely inspirational.

 

[Tom]

I'm still trying (some might say very trying). I purchased my own tenor ukulele and case, tuning device, books and music. Coordination (concurrently rub belly and pat head) is a real issue for me, as is the dexterity to achieve correct fingering and to switch between chords. I practice for 30 minutes to an hour every day, sometimes more, and I'm taking up offers from accomplished ukulele players for 1 on 1 tuition.

Occasionally I want to switch back to learning/practicing the keyboard, but I think I'll stick it out with the uke a while longer.

 

[seilerbird]

On your list of things that you bought I noticed one glaring omission, a metronome. You should ALWAYS practice with a metronome to develop your sense of rhythm and timing.

Changing chords is difficult for everyone. The most experienced of us still have to fake it when changing chords because the strumming pattern is just too fast to allow you to change chords in between strums. Let's take a typical rhythm strum of straight eights. In other words standard 4/4 time strumming twice per beat. It would go "one and two and three and four and" strumming down on each number and up on each and. Now let's say you start strumming a G chord on count one and then switch to a C chord on beat three. You would strum a G chord on "one and two and", then on three you would change chords. But since you are strumming so fast you would end up just giving the strings a stroke without any fingers down but since your fingers will be down a short time after you strum the sound of the open stings will be muted. Then you will play a nice sounding C on "and four and". Some lucky people are fast enough to be able to change chords fast enough to get a clear sounding chord on three and I am jealous of those people. The rest of us will go GGGGclkCCC.

Now the way you learn to change chords is to start with a metonome going REALLY REALLY slow, 40 beats per minute at the fastest, and pick any chord change that you see commonly used in a song and practice changing between those two chords for a half an hour or so. Use any strum you wish, but the straight eights described above is a good one to start with and change chords every two beats. GGGGCCCC would be one bar. Always start with a down strum and then always strum up down up down. When you can do the change at 40 then go up to 50 and even faster. Try this with as many chord changes as you can find.

 

[Tom]

Thanks Tom. Whenever I've sung with a group, and even when I showed up for my first ukulele practice session, folks have always told me I've got a good sense of rhythm. So I've never considered using a metronome. I have one built into both keyboards, but honestly wouldn't know what to do with them. That was until I read your message.

Thanks again for the advice.

 

[jack r]

Tom

Don't forget a can of wd40 to take care of the instrument.

jack

 

[Tom]

Jack,

The WD40 is in the gig bag ready for use any time one of the notes or chords doesn't sound right.

 

[seilerbird]

Jack,

The WD40 is in the gig bag ready for use any time one of the notes or chords doesn't sound right.

Just don't try and lubricate anything with it. 8)

 

[Tom]

Not for lubrication; It's to displace the water (sweat) from my fingers 

 

[Tom]

I've only been playing (practicing) ukulele for just a few short weeks, but today was my first "gig". As a group, we attended a small ukelele festival (very small by some standards), and all the attending groups performed five numbers. What a blast!

The host group has over 100 players, and they have a couple of very talented uke players/teachers. I learned so much during the teaching sessions. I blanked out during the performance, but I know our performance, complete with its flaws, wasn't the worst.

Bottom line is that I learned a lot, including many things I didn't even know I didn't know.

Our local group are the folks in the "blue" Hawaiian shirts.

I asked one "photographer" to snap a shot of our group while we were all together as a group (i.e. when I wasn't behind the camera), but his picture (of me) came out a bit blurred.

 

[seilerbird]

Sounds like a blast, Tom. I have been playing guitar most of my life and I can only think one thing that is more fun to do. Why didn't you video the session? I would have loved to hear what you all sound like.