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Anybody Play The Uke?

Posted By: Weasel_Keeper

Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/16/14 08:09 AM

I've been thinking about buying a ukelele. Seems like a pretty simple instrument to learn, and looking around Amazon a pretty affordable one too.

I have a couple of cheap acoustic guitars sitting around and I tried to learn a few years ago but ended up sitting them in a corner and now I've forgotten everything. I just bought new Martin SP strings for them and a clip on tuner but I'm going to let a friend of mine re-string and do some adjustments to both of them to make them better. I still want to learn to play them and it shouldn't take too long to get the basic chords and stuff back.

With time, job, and life getting in the way though, I think learning the ukelele might give me a quick fix to be a bit musical and might make me get more serious about learning guitar.

Any tips, thoughts, or recommendations?
Posted By: Urban Furball

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/16/14 10:08 AM

Did when I was about 10-12 years old .... Decided Drums were more my scene.

The Uke is a unique instrument and although being less complicated, does have a powerful effect.

As per this example...


Posted By: Mace71

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/16/14 11:24 AM



Posted By: PV1

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/16/14 01:54 PM

George Harrison was a huge Uke fan, and used to tote
a pack of them around with him (so I am told), and
would occasionally be seized with the urge to have
a uke fest, and would break out the ukes and pass them
around, and lead a sing along play along.

Lots of uke performances to be found on youtube. There was
a local guy here who got into doing a busking act doing
all the old classic music hall numbers, dressed up in
a very thirties looking suit and bowler - Ralph Shaw.
Rapidly became very popular and successful. He's still
doing it, but I think he may have moved south to the big
time, at least he has been seen more out in the wide world
than here at home for the last few years.

Posted By: No105_Archie

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/16/14 04:59 PM

If you can play guitar at all you should not have much trouble with the transition to a ukelele. I did note in your post though that you said you had "cheap" acoustic guitars. Not sure what you mean by cheap, but some "cheap" "no-name" guitars are next to un-playable by a beginner, while a decent "inexpensive" guitar can make a world of difference.
Posted By: Parker

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/16/14 08:00 PM

Don't forget acoustics are MUCH harder to play/learn on than an electric.

You didn't say why you stopped playing though.
I have been a player for 25 plus years so my advice would be pick up a electric and try it again.

They are much easier to play, have better action, better sound possibilities, and you can go straight into your pc with headphones (with a killer sound available with the likes of Guitar Rig etc)
Posted By: Weasel_Keeper

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/16/14 08:58 PM

By cheap, I mean I didn't pay much for them. smile I have a Harmony 01010 acoustic (made in the mid 80s best I can tell) that I bought at a flea market for about $50 about 10 years ago. It actually has a decent sound, and should sound better when I strap on the new Martin SP light strings and get her cleaned up. I think the old strings were the 30 year old originals...lol.

The second is an Ovation Applause AE-36 electric acoustic (by Kaman). I think it's also from the mid to late 80s but have seen price quotes of around $130ish and up. I bought it from a friend who was moving for $20. I did just buy a small Fender amplifier from Amazon, so I've had it this guitar since around '04 and have never plugged her in. I'm looking forward to the amp. Neither one really sounds bad. I have a musical buddy who said he'd clean them both up, make adjustments, and restring them.

One reason I stopped practicing I guess was because of time...plus like many have said acoustics are just harder to learn. When I moved to the country in '08 I had no internet so I was starting to get a little good at chords and stuff, and playing around with my full sized keyboard. Then about a year later I got the evil internet and got back into online racing and gaming.

Now as far as the Uke, I've been watching a lot of YouTube stuff and have really been digging the sounds. I'd like to get one to play around with and get to a point where I could just grab it when I felt the urge to sing a long with something...lol.

Another reason is that I'm probably going to be heading overseas for a long deployment this year in the Air National Guard and I think that the small size of a uke I could bring it along and have something to do in my free time. Plus a couple other buddies are thinking of taking mandolins, so we could jam...lol.
Posted By: Simbo_Sim123

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/16/14 09:34 PM

I have been playing and learning the Uke for about a year now,I have a Lanikai LS21 Soprano and as the uke has only four strings G,C,E,A, picking up the chords is quite easy.Master 4 to 5 chords and there are literally hundreds of songs you can play.

http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/index.php

That`s where I started off and fair play every one is as friendly as this forum is when it comes to asking for help.
Get one that is not expensive to start with just to make sure you get along with it but before you buy pop into a music shop that sells Ukes and hold one in your hands because they come in 3 sizes - Soprano (small) , Concert (larger) and the Tenor (largest) ,find which is the most comfortable to hold and feel right.



Have fun !!
Paul
Posted By: TerribleTwo

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/16/14 11:07 PM

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Uke.



Also, Jake Shimabukuro. Look him up.
Posted By: piper

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/17/14 02:40 AM

^^^ Jake.

Some inspiration to learn & play

Posted By: PV1

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/17/14 02:44 AM

The issue with cheap guitars is not the quality of the sound,
which can be dire, but more the action - the ease of fretting
the strings. Cheap guitars will often conceal poor workmanship
in the alignment of the neck, by installing tall frets, which
make fretting difficult, and are vicious on your fingertips. It
was a great revelation to me when I first encountered a good
quality electric, after struggling with early '60s mail order
dept store junk. I suddenly realized that one could actually
play good music without first having to put in six or seven
years of practice to turn your fingers into clamps of steel.

A good action allows your fingers to slide easily over the frets,
and fret clean notes without putting you in danger of carpal
tunnel. The good thing about ukuleles is the short neck means the
strings will not be strung as tight, and it is easier to build
a flat fretboard even for a cheap instrument, so even a cheap
one should be pretty easy to play.
Posted By: Weasel_Keeper

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/17/14 04:28 AM

I checked out a lot of Jake's videos...something to possibly shoot for way down the road...lol.
Posted By: Parker

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/17/14 10:53 AM

Posted By: Alicatt

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/17/14 11:33 AM

Who can forget the awesome talent of Tiny Tim



He did other "styles" too band

Posted By: Jedi Master

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/17/14 03:20 PM

I always think of this when I think of it:






The Jedi Master
Posted By: TerribleTwo

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/17/14 03:21 PM

I for one, forgot his talent.

Thanks for the reminder... nope
Posted By: Weasel_Keeper

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/22/14 07:06 AM

Went ahead and bought an Oscar Schmidt OU2 concert uke with kit (polishing cloth, tuner, and gig bag) for $80 plus some Aquila strings from Amazon. Most of the reviews were pretty positive, but a lot mentioned to change the strings.

While I'm waiting for it to arrive (Tuesday ETA) I've been tinkering with my guitar again after I changed strings on my Harmony guitar. Sounds much better...just need to get my fingers calloused up again. Fingers hurt a bit right now...lol.
Posted By: Simbo_Sim123

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/22/14 07:34 AM

Aquila`s make a very noticable difference W_K.Enjoy and have fun !



Paul
Posted By: coasty

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/23/14 02:00 AM

Jake makes it seem so easy!
Posted By: coasty

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 02/23/14 02:12 AM

Ah, where would a uke thread be without Tiny Tim? I remember talking my parents into letting me stay up to watch his wedding to Miss Vicki on Johnny Carson's show. One of a kind.
Posted By: coasty

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 03/05/14 11:26 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72pZh_URKqg
Leftover Cuties perform Don't Think Twice, Its All Right,
performed with Uke...
Posted By: Weasel_Keeper

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 03/06/14 05:03 AM

I'm really digging this! I can already play right along with IZ "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" and I almost have "Imagine" by John Lennon down. biggrin After a week I can already recognize half a dozen chords just by the YouTube lessons, and just about ready to start learning some harder chords. Finger picking will come a little later. wink

My fingers are already getting callouses...and I don't even care about the finger pain because it's just a lot of fun.
Posted By: No105_Archie

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 03/06/14 12:47 PM

excellent smile keep it up
Posted By: Jedi Master

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 03/06/14 02:13 PM

Imagine!?! That's for piano, blasphemy!!!!



The Jedi Master
Posted By: Farcaster

Re: Anybody Play The Uke? - 03/07/14 10:01 PM

Jeez... do I have to do everything myself around here???

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