Talk me out of (or into) a ukulele

Go for the ukulele! Pennywhistles are also great if you want a cheap musical instrument - you can get them starting around $10 USD. And no one will ask you to sing while playing one if you're worried about that....

I highly recommend a jam group if you can find one. Either a ukulele group or one open to all instruments. Someone in most groups will probably have a ukulele that you might be able to noodle on for a little bit to get a first feel of it, and they can give you some pointers. Casual musicians and especially those in most jam groups are usually pretty generous with time, info, etc. (At least that's been my experience, though the group I'm in was also started by a teacher with the goal of her students having a place to play.) The trouble is finding the jam groups, as they're often run by an older crowd that doesn't have much of an online presence. Facebook might be a good resource for finding jams. In my area, at least, once you find one group they'll be able to tell you about many of the other local music groups.

I sort of took piano lessons in grade school and my mom plays fairly well. I picked up ukulele somewhere in high school, and with chord charts and a little YouTube I was happy enough without ever taking lessons. Personally, I would look up lots of YouTube tutorials before I decided whether to buy a $30 book. Now my main instrument is a hammered dulcimer, which is a lot of fun but neither cheap nor very portable....

For getting a ukulele, I'll second ebay, Craigslist, Facebook marketplace, Nextdoor, and the library if you can find one with instruments. I have a Rogue baritone ukulele that my sister bought used off of a college student who had just finished a music class. It's a cheap brand but has worked well enough for me. I think I've replaced the strings once, but they worked fine for a few years. Here are a bunch of that brand listed on ebay: https://www.ebay.com/b/Rogue-Ukuleles/16224/bn_7428811?

I agree clip-on tuners are nice and fairly cheap, but if you have a smartphone you can also download plenty of free tuner apps. I use Pano Tuner: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.soundlim.panotuner

Regarding tuning ... Some form of GCEA is standard. Sopranos, which are the most common size by far, will have reentrant tuning, where the G is a 5th higher than the C, so your highest-pitched two strings are the outermost ones. Same for Concert size. Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukulele, see Size and range section) reports that tenor ukes can have that string either higher or lower. Baritone ukes, which is what I have, are tuned DGBE, no reentrant tuning, like the highest 4 strings on a guitar. Those are more or less the standard 4 sizes with the other 3 sizes listed on Wikipedia's chart being much less common. One of these years, I'll probably pick up a soprano for portability, but it hasn't happened yet....

This should clear it up for you!

https://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/threads/how-do-i-know-what-chord-to-play-when-reading-fingerpicking-tabs-like-this.169804/post-2606989

If I learn to play ukulele, this is something I am going to want to know better

How do I know what chord to play when reading fingerpicking tabs like this?

Sometimes we use chord shapes to play notes in a song, even when they’re played one at a time like this. But in this case it’s just a melody line.

To know where to put your finger for each note, the tab has four lines that represent each string (line closest to the music notes is the string closest to the floor, bottom line is the one closest to your nose). The numbers on these lines indicate which fret the note is at.

...

This bit starts on the A string (closest to the floor), and the first note is at the first fret, next one is fret 3, etc. 7 notes on that string and then the melody moves to the E string (one right next to the A string) and eventually to the C string.

For me it is mostly muscle memory… once you know the notes, and the chords, it becomes intuitive, because the melody follows the shape of the chord. If ot doesn’t something may sound off. (Or maybe you want it to sound off?) But usually if they want you to play chords they will say what chord. If they don’t, it is up to you to make or not make any chord shape that fits.

r ransom wrote:All the books say to tune the ukulele, all we need to know is "my dog has fleas".

Eh?

This might help - even I can get my poor tone-deaf head around this!

Maybe it's localized intonation?   It's not the rythm or notes I'm used to hearing that phrase, unless it's a question.

I'm going to stick to gCEA.  Geese, chickens, et al seems easier to remember.

There are some super cheap ukuleles out there but BUT they don't stay in tune.  This will drive you nuts, buy a good one.  Ukes are easier on the fingers than mandolins, especially if you put on nylon strings (which is normal).  They come in a variety of sizes and can be tuned in a bunch of ways.  Enjoy!

Got to see and interact with a ukulele today.  I tuned it and stummed a C-cord.  

Observations
- It's harder to hold than i expected. A strap will be necessary if I start to learn as my body shape is awkward.   But not impossible to go strapless later on.  
- does the strap have to be ukulele specific?  Or can a guitar strap work?
- the strings are very soft and don't need a lot of pressure to press enough to get a note
- mandolin looks nicer
- ukulele is louder than I expected
- i wonder if I could make one quieter. Previous encounters with music were damaged by not being allowed to practice as it disturbed others.  Then getting yelled at and demoted from french horn to third triangle. I live a different life now, but want to be considerate as there is probably a lot of repetition to learn new muscle memory.   I take about 12 times longer than a normal person to build muscle memory.  I can get there, but I am so slow, most people think my body is too clumsy to learn stuff like sports or not-falling-down-stairs (which I still fail at most weeks).

But I'm used to taking time to learn muscle memory and I know if I put the hours in, I can get the basics figured out.

So..,getting closer.  

I still can't figure out why I would want to, except that I would be so incredibly bad at it, I want to test myself against it.  Probably not a good reason, so my budget still stays under $50cad.

Strap can be anything-an old belt, an extra strap.  It just has to be the right length.
JOhn S
PDX OR

https://ukulelebootcamp.weebly.com/

I often see this ukulele bootcamp recommend.

As far as a strap goes, Steve Albini(RIP) explains to your Canadian National Treasure, Nardwuar, a "proper" way to use a guitar strap. Always has made sense to me for relieving neck and shoulder stress and keeping it where you want it. Maybe it will work for a uke too. Around 12 minutes into this interview...

r ransom wrote:...
- ukulele is louder than I expected
- i wonder if I could make one quieter. Previous encounters with music were damaged by not being allowed to practice as it disturbed others.
...

I was surprised at first by the volume that a small instrument could produce, though I shouldn't have been, considering how loud a violin can be. But a uke can be played softly if that's what the player wants. As for disturbing others when you practice, the gentle sounds of a uke don't bother most people, and they surely wouldn't bother your animals.

A strap isn't strictly necessary, and I still haven't gotten around to installing the one I bought years ago. Iz didn't use one, but his enormous belly probably helped support his instrument.

I tried it with and without the strap.

Part of the issue is I'm far slower to learn muscle memory (I'm a total klutz) and we agreed, I would probably take about a year to hold it correctly. So it wouldn't fall when I tried to move my fret hand.  Which would get in the way of learning the fun stuff.

Combining that with my body shape means I can't hold it high on the chest like some players.

The strap went on and it attached to the bottom end and the far side of the place where (can't remember the name, I want to call it a stem) meets the body.  It looked opposite to where I thought the button should go, but once I put it on, it forced the ukulele into a position that helped my wrist straighten. But now I can't see my fingers on the stem....which is probably also good.

r ransom wrote:...But now I can't see my fingers on the stem....which is probably also good.

Being able to see your fingers on the fretboard is helpful when you're learning a chord shape but not after muscle memory can take over. It does require bending over the instrument a little, but that should be only a temporary position -- that doesn't apply at all to blind players.
  (The "stem" is normally called the neck, ending with the head, where the tuners are mounted. The strings run to -- or sometimes over -- the bridge glued to the body.)

You can also sit and use it in your lap if standing doesn’t work.

And yes, it is a surprisingly loud instrument depending on how you play it! Guitar, interestingly, is the quietest instrument I have played at this time.

I have been informed that a ukulele will arrive at or before my birthday at the end of next month.

Yes, I am jumping up and down with excitement.  But also, I hope it's a low budget one in case this is a skill beyond my abilities.

I don't have a choice of a ukulele, but they know I perfer a concert or tenor. (23" or 26").

Now to settle on a time of day where 20 min is for concentrating on lessons.  The Bernadette 30 day lessons seems like a good starting place for my brain.  Supplement this with the dummy book. Reassessment of learning plan after one month (if still playing)


But


I still don't know


How do chickens respond to ukulele?

If they don't like it, this is all for nought.

That is wonderful! It’s good that you can get started without too much extra expense, and nice of whoever decided to send you the instrument.

You can also, if you’d like to skip a different expense too, tune relatively by ear, by knowing which notes equal which other notes or which ones are an octave apart, bypassing the need for a tuner—but you wouldn’t know exactly what note it was.

Actually you could use this online tool for making a tone for reference too: https://www.szynalski.com/tone-generator/

This method needs you to try to match the tone of whatever you are referencing whether it be another string or the tone generator. Or you could even tune to a song you know if you know the key of it.

M Ljin wrote:...
Actually you could use this online tool for making a tone for reference too: https://www.szynalski.com/tone-generator/

This method needs you to try to match the tone of whatever you are referencing whether it be another string or the tone generator. Or you could even tune to a song you know if you know the key of it.

There are many tuner apps that show up in a web search and that are even simpler to use than a general tone generator. But most, if not all, use a web connection, unlike a clip-on.

Pano Tuner app was recommended to me.  It a seems to be a chromatic tuner.

I like the idea of not needing the internet to tune the ukulele.  A clip on tuner is probably for me.  But I'll wait and see what's in my birthday present  next month.

Note to future self.  The thing I want to leadn once I get the basics down is called "chord melodies ukulele".  

Something to try.  

Pick strum method of playing melody and cords

How long do ukulele strings last with daily playing?

Do strings go bad in storage? Is it worth buying extra ukulele strings if they are on sale?

And... brand recommendation for a more affordable ukulele?  I don't know how to describe sound well, but if sound were a shape, I would like circle shaped sounds and not triangular sounds.

Also, how many hours/weeks until it's time to attempt this?

I think it’s less a matter of hours or weeks, as how you feel if you sit down to try to play it or if you have the patience. If you sit down for as long as feels right and try to play, and you feel challenged in a good way, then that is wonderful—continue! You can even start off with a hard piece if you have the energy and patience to learn it. If it feels overwhelming instead, shelve it.

I think, and many good musicians would also say, finding your own style is very helpful. I can’t necessarily play an instrument like such and such musician I admire, but they maybe can’t play the way I can either! We all have different hands and different hearts and making a song your own is quite alright.

r ransom wrote:Also, how many hours/weeks until it's time to attempt this?
..

Having a song or piece that you want to play is helpful as a motivating goal, but it's important to recognize that it will be reached only by diligent effort. In learning a piece on a string instrument, that effort involves learning where to place your fretting fingers, how to efficiently move them, and how to strum and/or pick rhythmically with the other hand.

Has anyone ever been able to do that within minutes of first trying? I doubt it. That's why we start simply with something that is musical but not technically demanding. With practice, you gain ease and confidence -- fluency -- and that gives a base for expanding your "vocabulary" and repertoire. Attempting a new song or piece can be done anytime, but developing a base first will reduce the initial frustration. Even an adult beginning uke player can quickly have fun with video lessons from Madeline (https://www.madelinelpots.com/ukulele-tutorials/). Fun fact: Jerry Garcia recorded "There Ain't No Bugs on Me". I'll bet you could nail that within a week, and you can make up verses forever.

On his ninth birthday, I gave my kid a Lohanu Ukulele.  He followed some online lessons and learned a bit by practicing.  Ultimately his sports grew to six, most of his waking hours it seems, and I now it is forlorn, has a tuner with it.  We paid 120 for it and it was used for 3 weeks. He says he could send it to you. Would 10 usd be ok.....and shipping  , hope thats not exorbitant.  So with that sawbuck I can buy his favorite nouveau Southern meal, a salmon BLT, at the amazing Preacher Greens restaurant (anyone passing through Athens GA must have a meal there, unbelievable).

I hope that could help your budget.  You should give it a go.  They have great customer service, check out website, also reviews.  

Music makes the world go around, more uplifting than the moon and the stars above.

Oops. That ebay uke was 55usd for shipping, sorry

Rico Loma wrote:On his ninth birthday, I gave my kid a Lohanu Ukulele.  He followed some online lessons and learned a bit by practicing.  Ultimately his sports grew to six, most of his waking hours it seems, and I now it is forlorn, has a tuner with it.  We paid 120 for it and it was used for 3 weeks. He says he could send it to you. Would 10 usd be ok.....and shipping  , hope thats not exorbitant.  So with that sawbuck I can buy his favorite nouveau Southern meal, a salmon BLT, at the amazing Preacher Greens restaurant (anyone passing through Athens GA must have a meal there, unbelievable).

I hope that could help your budget.  You should give it a go.  They have great customer service, check out website, also reviews.  

Music makes the world go around, more uplifting than the moon and the stars above.

You are very kind.

However a family member has told me to stop looking as a ukulele will arrive some time next month.  But the haven't told me anything else about it.

eco friendly ukulele strings?

Bionylon is the worlds' first ecological synthetic string and is available only from Aquila! This ukulele string's core is made from Bionylon monofilaments that offer excellent acoustic and mechanical properties. The tone is rich and smooth and the tuning stability is excellent. Bionylon is 100% plant derived (castor oil) and this allows a reduction of more than 50% carbon dioxide emissions during the manufacturing process.

These innovative AQ-63 strings exhibit many of the best qualities of gut strings while offering improved overall performance.

Key Features:
- The first ecological ukulele string, exclusively from Aquila.

- Plant-derived from castor oil-100% natural components.

- Manufacturing process reduced CO2 emissions more than 50%.

- Smooth playing surface, warm and mellow tone.

- For high G and regular tuning.

- For Tenor Ukelele.

- Sold as a set of four strings.

I admit, the plastic element of the ukulele strings is a bit worrying to me.  Especially if they need changing every few months.

But maybe longer lasting strings are better?  

I have some super nylguts coming.   I'll start there as it's one of the more recommended string type, especially for affordable instruments.   But I like the idea of trying these in the future.

It is here.  It is beautiful.  It makes a pretty sound.

The strings are nylon and fall out of tune in 2 or 3 seconds.  But, it's normal for strings to do it, especially nylon.  The strings have imperfections like notches but will do as my playing skills are imperfect.   New strings arrive possibly next week, but perhaps weather (cold snap of winter 2025/26) will delay it.  But so long as it makes a pleasant noise, I'm content. I can begin learning with this and improve the machine as I improve.

Tenor size (the one I wanted), wood, no name, affordable ukulele.  Louder than I expected and the sound echoes insde the box for a long time.  

My hands say pressing the strings in the right pattern is impossible.  

The plan.

- Start Bernadette 30 day class
- Supplement it with ukulele for dummies
- formal practice/leason time is matched with second coffee (habit matching works for me)
    - review last day materials
    - warm up (don't know what that is yet, but 2 min would be ample)
    - lesson
    - review leason
    - if time work on a song goal
- choose ONE song for a goal to learn.  But maybe once I can figure out what the scribbles mean and how to do finger style.
- perhaps moon river could be a good song?
- review and change directions when i build up some vocabulary and subdue my hands into obeying me.

Although I am delighted, I don't know if this is the sound I'm looking for.  Listening for?  It seems a good starting place as there are a lot of ukulele resources out there.   Ukulele FEELS right for me at this moment,  this ukulele feels right.  

But I feel like before the year is out, I might know enough about music to seek something closer to my idea.  

Happy, my arthritic thumb isn't getting in the way.  I expected a lot worse.  

It seems to be loosening up my arthritic knuckles.  The doctor said more movement would help with that, and I guess they are right.

r ransom wrote:It is here.  It is beautiful.  It makes a pretty sound.

The strings are nylon and fall out of tune in 2 or 3 seconds.  But, it's normal for strings to do it, especially nylon.  
...

It's common for new strings, whether nylon or metal, to lose their tuning as they stretch a bit more -- but not in seconds. You can keep retuning until they settle in, or you can help them stabilize quicker by overstretching them a bit at first, as most pros do.

They are getting better now.  Holding the tuning for over one min.  

https://www.ukulele-arts.com/learn/solo-crashcourse/?lang=en

A suggested path to classical ukulele playing.   I don't know enough to evaluate it.

Waiting for second coffee to brew so I can begin today's dedicated ukulele study.  Getting in the mood.

This song brought me to tears, it is so beautiful.



How long until I can understand enough of this music language and make my hands work, so I can start to learn this?  This is what I want a ukulele to be, not twinkle star or strumming to you are my sunshine.

All these starter songs I either don't know or don't like much.  Playing through 100 times, i like them even less.

Also, free massive big classical music book for high and low g ukulele with tabs and stuff.
https://sites.google.com/site/tabs4ukes/classical
I understand about 5% of the music writing.  

I know I'm just a baby to music but I want to get to a place where I can understand at least 50% of the music writing in that pdf, and I want to be there in a month.  I want it so much it hurts, but it feels like years away.  

Coffee is ready, time to practice more mary had a little lamb. (Bemused emoji)

r ransom wrote:It is here.  It is beautiful.  It makes a pretty sound.

The strings are nylon and fall out of tune in 2 or 3 seconds.  But, it's normal for strings to do it, especially nylon.  The strings have imperfections like notches but will do as my playing skills are imperfect.   New strings arrive possibly next week, but perhaps weather (cold snap of winter 2025/26) will delay it.  But so long as it makes a pleasant noise, I'm content. I can begin learning with this and improve the machine as I improve.

Tenor size (the one I wanted), wood, no name, affordable ukulele.  Louder than I expected and the sound echoes insde the box for a long time.  

My hands say pressing the strings in the right pattern is impossible.  

The plan.

- Start Bernadette 30 day class
- Supplement it with ukulele for dummies
- formal practice/leason time is matched with second coffee (habit matching works for me)
    - review last day materials
    - warm up (don't know what that is yet, but 2 min would be ample)
    - lesson
    - review leason
    - if time work on a song goal
- choose ONE song for a goal to learn.  But maybe once I can figure out what the scribbles mean and how to do finger style.
- perhaps moon river could be a good song?
- review and change directions when i build up some vocabulary and subdue my hands into obeying me.

Although I am delighted, I don't know if this is the sound I'm looking for.  Listening for?  It seems a good starting place as there are a lot of ukulele resources out there.   Ukulele FEELS right for me at this moment,  this ukulele feels right.  

But I feel like before the year is out, I might know enough about music to seek something closer to my idea.  

That is wonderful! It sounds as if you were given a good ukulele!

And the Adagio is lovely. I don't think it sounds unattainable; it is slow and sounds like it would teach you a lot.

As for the "eco friendly" strings, that sounds to me like greenwashing, unless they specifically say it's compostable. You might be able to make your own catgut strings if you have access to sheep (or other animal) intestine (which I would guess you do), but they are quite expensive to buy.

Some more advice: winter can be a harder time to play especially if you have a cold house, because cold fingers are clumsier. (Though cold hands can still strum!) It can take a few minutes for the fingers to become flexible, depending on how warm you are--close to the fire might be best (if applicable). On a cold day I sometimes wonder if I suddenly have lost my ability to play! But then after a few minutes in, it gets better.

Another tuning thought is (a) tuning fork(s), which are probably as low tech as you can go.

I know I'm just a baby to music but I want to get to a place where I can understand at least 50% of the music writing in that pdf, and I want to be there in a month.  I want it so much it hurts, but it feels like years away.

That is okay--just make sure to give yourself time to rest and recover mentally and physically. It takes effort to learn a new skill and it can be possible to peter out if we don't give ourselves the space and energy to recover.

I am excited for you and wish you a good ukulele journey! And don't be afraid to post questions here.

r ransom wrote:Happy, my arthritic thumb isn't getting in the way.  I expected a lot worse.  

It seems to be loosening up my arthritic knuckles.  The doctor said more movement would help with that, and I guess they are right.

I learned only recently that cartilage absorbs its nutrients somewhat like a sponge, so movement provides the essential pumping action. I'm sure that there are other factors in arthritis, but clearly there's no benefit from less movement. Given how many seniors are debilitated by arthritis, I'm grateful that my 80-year-old fingers don't have enough to keep me from playing guitar and uke and learning new pieces. I definitely believe the "use it or lose it" maxim. It sounds like you're experiencing it too. Happy uke-ing.

r ransom wrote:]
...
I admit, the plastic element of the ukulele strings is a bit worrying to me.  Especially if they need changing every few months.

But maybe longer lasting strings are better?  

I have some super nylguts coming.   I'll start there as it's one of the more recommended string type, especially for affordable instruments.   But I like the idea of trying these in the future.

Good quality nylon strings last at least a year unless you're fanatical. I don't enjoy changing strings, and my uke strings still sound fine and hold tuning well after more than two years. Considering how little material is involved, I don't see the point in worrying about it.

As for old-fashioned gut strings, there are very good reasons that nylon supplanted them.

Ukulele practice is the best thing ever.  I need to create another half hour window in my day for optional extra practice.

r ransom wrote:Pano Tuner app was recommended to me.  It a seems to be a chromatic tuner.

I like the idea of not needing the internet to tune the ukulele.  A clip on tuner is probably for me.  But I'll wait and see what's in my birthday present  next month.

I just turned on airplane mode before opening Pano Tuner, and it appears to work fine without internet connection once installed.