This is a good page to find a lot of links that answer a lot of beginner Ukulele questions >>> http://www.gotaukulele.com/p/beginners-guides.html
I want to learn to play the Ukulele
- Thread starter Melensdad
- Start date
This is a good page to find a lot of links that answer a lot of beginner Ukulele questions >>> http://www.gotaukulele.com/p/beginners-guides.html
Well my left wrist is still in a lot of pain.
So I'm still unable to practice the ukulele. 2 months without any practice. Basically I'm going to have to start over from the beginning. Not happy about any of this.
On the bright side I have a cheap ($39) ukulele kit that I've started to build. I have no pretense that it will play well. I know its just plywood junk with cheap parts. But it is giving me something to do that helps hold my interest in the instrument while I am unable to actually play.
My goal is to have a good looking piece of cheap wall art that is potentially playable, but I'm not holding out much hope on it holding a tune or having good tone. Like I said, its cheap but if it ends up looking good I'll be happy.
So I'm still unable to practice the ukulele. 2 months without any practice. Basically I'm going to have to start over from the beginning. Not happy about any of this.
On the bright side I have a cheap ($39) ukulele kit that I've started to build. I have no pretense that it will play well. I know its just plywood junk with cheap parts. But it is giving me something to do that helps hold my interest in the instrument while I am unable to actually play.
My goal is to have a good looking piece of cheap wall art that is potentially playable, but I'm not holding out much hope on it holding a tune or having good tone. Like I said, its cheap but if it ends up looking good I'll be happy.
If it makes you feel any better Bob, I haven't touched a piano or anything of the sort in years, but know I can still do it.
Kinda like riding a bike.
Same for a guitar, the notes are all there, albeit in my head.
I can touch any surface and play Fur Elise, for example, and hear it.
yup!
Kinda like riding a bike.
Same for a guitar, the notes are all there, albeit in my head.
I can touch any surface and play Fur Elise, for example, and hear it.
yup!
I decided that, the hell with the pain, I would try to play again.
It did not go well.
First off, while I might have remembered where my fingers belonged on the frets, they didn't seem to want to cooperate and go into the correct spots.
Secondly, while some chords were easily managed, many were very painful. G, E and anything that required me to try to reach the G string, or to curve my wrist to reach anything. The curling of the wrist is where I had most of the pain.
Lets just say it was 15 minutes of futility.
I will be drinking away my sorrows tonight
It did not go well.
First off, while I might have remembered where my fingers belonged on the frets, they didn't seem to want to cooperate and go into the correct spots.
Secondly, while some chords were easily managed, many were very painful. G, E and anything that required me to try to reach the G string, or to curve my wrist to reach anything. The curling of the wrist is where I had most of the pain.
Lets just say it was 15 minutes of futility.
I will be drinking away my sorrows tonight
Doesn't look like he is having any trouble.
I'll bet he didn't move a baby grand piano
Well it looks like my wrist is just in a holding pattern regarding pain. Some days a bit worse, some a bit better, but generally not improving. Pain level is typically a "4" on a scale of 10. So clearly noticeable and bothersome. Some actions raise the pain level very quickly. But despite all that I've been picking up the Ukulele again, for short sessions. Typically 15 minutes a day.
And being the idiot that I am, I just bought (ordered) another ukulele.
Pepe Romero Creations "Tiny Tenor" model. It was designed by Uke player Daniel Ho in conjunction with Pepe Romero Jr and is made in Vietnam (not thrilled by that) using Hawaiian sourced wood. They make several variants of the Tiny Tenor model. On the lower end are the models with solid tops and plywood sides and back. On the higher end are the solid wood models. This is one of the solid wood models. Mine is the solid Mango wood. Its also available in solid Koa. Both the Mango and the Koa come from Hawaii. In between the higher end and the lower end they have a solid mahogany version.
The Tiny Tenor is the overall size of a Concert size Ukulele but with a Tenor length neck/fret count. The body shape is supposed to give the volume and tone of a Tenor size Uke. Reviews on the Tiny Tenors are very good, and this is clearly the best of the instruments I (will soon) own.
I am having mine restrung to "High G" because my other 2 Ukes are both strung to "High G." This was set up with "Low G" by the store, they are restringing it for free and will reset the action optimized for "High G" for me. Of course if I could actually play well enough to tell the difference that would mean a lot more to me but I wasn't going to turn down the free service
YOUTUBE VIDEO of Pepe Romero describing the design of the Tiny Tenor and what was done to make a Concert size play like a Tenor size >>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dkcq-MkXxSc
YOUTUBE VIDEO of Daniel Ho with a Tiny Tenor >>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDmd9V741as
Pictures below are the actual one I will be getting. I was really struck by the beauty of the Mango. Most spalted Mango has a lot of bold dark lines and this one has very fine lines. I think that is what sold me on this one. I've seen several other Mango Tiny Tenors but all had the more normal bold wood grain lines.
And being the idiot that I am, I just bought (ordered) another ukulele.
Pepe Romero Creations "Tiny Tenor" model. It was designed by Uke player Daniel Ho in conjunction with Pepe Romero Jr and is made in Vietnam (not thrilled by that) using Hawaiian sourced wood. They make several variants of the Tiny Tenor model. On the lower end are the models with solid tops and plywood sides and back. On the higher end are the solid wood models. This is one of the solid wood models. Mine is the solid Mango wood. Its also available in solid Koa. Both the Mango and the Koa come from Hawaii. In between the higher end and the lower end they have a solid mahogany version.
The Tiny Tenor is the overall size of a Concert size Ukulele but with a Tenor length neck/fret count. The body shape is supposed to give the volume and tone of a Tenor size Uke. Reviews on the Tiny Tenors are very good, and this is clearly the best of the instruments I (will soon) own.
I am having mine restrung to "High G" because my other 2 Ukes are both strung to "High G." This was set up with "Low G" by the store, they are restringing it for free and will reset the action optimized for "High G" for me. Of course if I could actually play well enough to tell the difference that would mean a lot more to me but I wasn't going to turn down the free service
YOUTUBE VIDEO of Pepe Romero describing the design of the Tiny Tenor and what was done to make a Concert size play like a Tenor size >>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dkcq-MkXxSc
YOUTUBE VIDEO of Daniel Ho with a Tiny Tenor >>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDmd9V741as
Pictures below are the actual one I will be getting. I was really struck by the beauty of the Mango. Most spalted Mango has a lot of bold dark lines and this one has very fine lines. I think that is what sold me on this one. I've seen several other Mango Tiny Tenors but all had the more normal bold wood grain lines.
Attachments
-
dscf1682_4.jpg -
dscf1687_4.jpg -
dscf1690_4.jpg -
dscf1689_4.jpg -
dscf1685_4.jpg -
dscf1684_4.jpg -
dscf1686_4.jpg -
dscf1692_3.jpg -
dscf1688_5.jpg
I need help with converting TABS from Guitar to Ukulele.
I found a song I want to learn but I can't find UKE tabs for the song. Found Guitar tabs.
But the chords seem odd to me. What is a G/D chord? And a A/D chord?
I'm totally clueless. Anyone offer any help?
I found a song I want to learn but I can't find UKE tabs for the song. Found Guitar tabs.
But the chords seem odd to me. What is a G/D chord? And a A/D chord?
I'm totally clueless. Anyone offer any help?
Attachments
-
Screen Shot 2017-07-14 at 5.06.10 PM.png
Wrist is feeling good today so I decided to see how much I've really forgotten/lost due to my injury.
Sad to say its quite a bit. But I also seemed to pick up the old lessons pretty quickly. Went back about 10 lessons from where I had left off and started from there. Did well enough replaying those to make me want to explore something I had never tried.
We have a Crate Acoustic 2 channel guitar amp that Melen used to use with her electric violin. Pulled it out, hooked up to the Lanikai Uke, which has a built in pre-amp and 1/4" cable jack. Turned on the pre-amp on the Uke. Turned on the Crate amp. Nothing.
No sound was coming from the Amp. Its been in the garage and the basement and I wondered if it was broken. Started playing around by swapping the cords around, etc. Still nothing. Plugged the cord from the Uke to Melen's pre-Amp, and then the pre-Amp to the Crate amp. Still nothing.
BUT THEN I turned "off" the pre-Amp that is built into the Ukulele and the sound started coming out of the Crate's speaker
Did a lot of playing around, tried it with and without the pre-Amp, but the pre-Amp has lots of controls and effects (that I am clueless about) but are fun to play with and can be used to scare the dogs
I have a LOT of work to do to learn how to play something more complex than Happy Birthday, Hokey Pokey or Itsy Bitsy Spider ... but today was fun. More fun than I've had in quite a while.
Sad to say its quite a bit. But I also seemed to pick up the old lessons pretty quickly. Went back about 10 lessons from where I had left off and started from there. Did well enough replaying those to make me want to explore something I had never tried.
We have a Crate Acoustic 2 channel guitar amp that Melen used to use with her electric violin. Pulled it out, hooked up to the Lanikai Uke, which has a built in pre-amp and 1/4" cable jack. Turned on the pre-amp on the Uke. Turned on the Crate amp. Nothing.
No sound was coming from the Amp. Its been in the garage and the basement and I wondered if it was broken. Started playing around by swapping the cords around, etc. Still nothing. Plugged the cord from the Uke to Melen's pre-Amp, and then the pre-Amp to the Crate amp. Still nothing. BUT THEN I turned "off" the pre-Amp that is built into the Ukulele and the sound started coming out of the Crate's speaker
Did a lot of playing around, tried it with and without the pre-Amp, but the pre-Amp has lots of controls and effects (that I am clueless about) but are fun to play with and can be used to scare the dogs
I have a LOT of work to do to learn how to play something more complex than Happy Birthday, Hokey Pokey or Itsy Bitsy Spider ... but today was fun. More fun than I've had in quite a while.
Attachments
-
IMG_1125.jpg
Clearly still in review and re-learn mode but my wrist is feeling well enough to allow me back to daily practice sessions. Roughly 20 - 30 minutes daily. I'm happy with my progress. Even though I learned all this stuff a couple months ago I simply forgot it but relearning it is coming back fast.
The chords, which seemed so foreign, and which my fingers forgot, take only a couple quick practices to feel natural. Funny thing is that they didn't feel natural the first time. So maybe there is a (small) silver lining in my injury and the time away from practice it has caused?
The video lessons that I'm following teach simple 2 chord songs. Then, with the same song, teaches it in different chords. For example, Itsy Bitsy Spider in C/G. Then a lesson or two later, in F/C.
Far less frustrated and far happier with my finger placement, chord changes, etc.
Wrist pain is still a problem. But I'm able to manage well enough
The chords, which seemed so foreign, and which my fingers forgot, take only a couple quick practices to feel natural. Funny thing is that they didn't feel natural the first time. So maybe there is a (small) silver lining in my injury and the time away from practice it has caused?
The video lessons that I'm following teach simple 2 chord songs. Then, with the same song, teaches it in different chords. For example, Itsy Bitsy Spider in C/G. Then a lesson or two later, in F/C.
Far less frustrated and far happier with my finger placement, chord changes, etc.
Wrist pain is still a problem. But I'm able to manage well enough
Awesome.
For $30 the local music shop is going to install a passive pickup into my new Uke.
I want to put a strap on this new Uke and I use a 'jack strap' plug to hold my strap on the other Uke which holds the strap in place in the pickup jack. By installing a pickup in this new Uke, I can use the same system for securing the strap ... and I can also use a strap and simultaneously be able to plug this this ukulele into the Crate Amplifier too.
So I bought a dedicated ukulele pickup that gets really good reviews (so it can accurately pick up my beginner mistakes and transmit them at louder volumes) and the local shop is going to install it for me. Should have it back from the shop early next week.
I think it was Northern Redneck who originally mentioned the strap jacks??? Whoever it was ... THANKS
I want to put a strap on this new Uke and I use a 'jack strap' plug to hold my strap on the other Uke which holds the strap in place in the pickup jack. By installing a pickup in this new Uke, I can use the same system for securing the strap ... and I can also use a strap and simultaneously be able to plug this this ukulele into the Crate Amplifier too.
So I bought a dedicated ukulele pickup that gets really good reviews (so it can accurately pick up my beginner mistakes and transmit them at louder volumes) and the local shop is going to install it for me. Should have it back from the shop early next week.
I think it was Northern Redneck who originally mentioned the strap jacks??? Whoever it was ... THANKS
Attachments
-
IMG_1171.jpg -
IMG_1170.jpg
12 Bar Blues, with that damned F7 chord, screws me up but I'm starting to get the hang of it. The arthritis & ligament injury in my left wrist make a proper F7 finger position impossible for me, just can't get my fingers where they belong. I get them on the correct strings but can't get my ring finger near the fret bar so the sound is not nearly as good as it should be ... but I'm at least getting to the point of being able to play it through without too many hiccups.
The video lessons I'm following typically have the song on a 'white board' behind the instructor, so I can see what is coming up before the instructor calls out the next chord. As I am slow to chord changes this helps prepare me to make the change on time (or close to on time). But in this lesson they changed the format and the white board is gone!!! So I watched the lesson, wrote up my own white board notes, and have been managing, with some trouble & some mixed success to play along.
Seems I need both audio & visual cues to get this. I'm OK with admitting that. After all I'm pretty close to tone deaf and have a difficult time clapping to music without watching for visual cues from others who are clapping.
The video lessons I'm following typically have the song on a 'white board' behind the instructor, so I can see what is coming up before the instructor calls out the next chord. As I am slow to chord changes this helps prepare me to make the change on time (or close to on time). But in this lesson they changed the format and the white board is gone!!! So I watched the lesson, wrote up my own white board notes, and have been managing, with some trouble & some mixed success to play along.
Seems I need both audio & visual cues to get this. I'm OK with admitting that. After all I'm pretty close to tone deaf and have a difficult time clapping to music without watching for visual cues from others who are clapping.
F Minor ... the new chord from hell itself.
If you have arthritis and dramatically reduced mobility in your left wrist getting your little finger down to that 3rd fret is about as easy as fitting a fat man through a mouse hole.
I don't have small hands but spanning from 1st to 3rd fret with seriously limited mobility hurts and I can't imagine making a chord change, on the fly, during a song, is going to happen 'in time' with any music, no matter how much I slow down the tempo
Index finger, first fret, G/1st string
2nd finger -or- ring finger (your choice), first fret, E/3rd string
Little finger, 3 fret, A/4th string
2nd finger -or- ring finger (your choice), first fret, E/3rd string
Little finger, 3 fret, A/4th string
If you have arthritis and dramatically reduced mobility in your left wrist getting your little finger down to that 3rd fret is about as easy as fitting a fat man through a mouse hole.
I don't have small hands but spanning from 1st to 3rd fret with seriously limited mobility hurts and I can't imagine making a chord change, on the fly, during a song, is going to happen 'in time' with any music, no matter how much I slow down the tempo
On the bright side I do like playing the new Tiny Tenor ukulele. It has a longer neck with a bit more space between the frets so my fingers have just a little more room. It seems to make it easier for me to play as badly as I can manage to play!
Subscribed to PBS during "Play the Ukulele with The Atomic Sharks" TV special and got a Makala soprano ukulele, CD, DVD and songbook from The Atomic Sharks.
My first Soprano and my first Makala (which is the discount line from the popular brand Kala). WOW this is tiny and there is no way my arthritic left hand is going to like it. But that is no matter, when I subscribed I knew that I would be giving this little Makala MK-S to my niece as a Christmas gift. She wants me to teach her how to play (which will definitely be the blind leading the blind) but I think this little Makala and the song book can help her with some basics.
After reading horror stories about build quality control on the Makala I was unsure what to expect. I'm pleasantly surprised by this one. The set up is not too bad right out of the box, certainly playable. The satin finish has a nice looking semi-open pore surface that is pleasant enough to look at. The fretboard and the saddle appear to be unfinished. Frets are smooth enough and finished nice enough on each end. There are front & side markers for the 5th, 7th and 10th frets. The front dots appear to be mother-fo-pearl but might be simulated MOP? Tuners are unmarked and open gear with white plastic knobs. The little Makala comes equipped with Aquila SuperNylgut strings. Overall I'm pretty happy with this little thing and I won't be embarrassed to give it as a gift.
My first Soprano and my first Makala (which is the discount line from the popular brand Kala). WOW this is tiny and there is no way my arthritic left hand is going to like it. But that is no matter, when I subscribed I knew that I would be giving this little Makala MK-S to my niece as a Christmas gift. She wants me to teach her how to play (which will definitely be the blind leading the blind) but I think this little Makala and the song book can help her with some basics.
After reading horror stories about build quality control on the Makala I was unsure what to expect. I'm pleasantly surprised by this one. The set up is not too bad right out of the box, certainly playable. The satin finish has a nice looking semi-open pore surface that is pleasant enough to look at. The fretboard and the saddle appear to be unfinished. Frets are smooth enough and finished nice enough on each end. There are front & side markers for the 5th, 7th and 10th frets. The front dots appear to be mother-fo-pearl but might be simulated MOP? Tuners are unmarked and open gear with white plastic knobs. The little Makala comes equipped with Aquila SuperNylgut strings. Overall I'm pretty happy with this little thing and I won't be embarrassed to give it as a gift.
Attachments
-
IMG_1637.jpg
Came across this and thought of you. We expect to see your rendition of it posted here. [emoji6]
https://youtu.be/T9WCM4CV5Iw
Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk
https://youtu.be/T9WCM4CV5Iw
Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk
Uh, no.
I'm on a few day break, due to frustration. I can form the chords. I can change cords. I can ALMOST keep up with chord changes on several songs at ALMOST normal 4/4 time with the music. So I'm clearly getting better.
BUT, and this is a huge BUT, I HAVE HUGE ISSUES WITH STRUMMING PATTERNS.
Want me to play all down strokes. No problem. Want me to play down/up strokes. No problem. But if the song requires a real strumming patter like D/D/U/U/D/U, which is a very common pattern, I simply get lost and screw up the strum pattern, lose track in the song and abandon all hope that I will ever be able to play anything more complicated than simple children's songs
