I have just purchased a nice Ashbury tenor Ukulele to learn with.
I do not play any instrument so it’s all new to me. I’ve been practicing a couple of chords and some strumming and that’s a far as I’ve got.
Is there a “best” way to learn? I’ve watched a couple of vids on youtube from yourukesage which I’ve found useful and I’ve downloaded a couple of apps. Unfortunately I don’t understand any of the except the tuner.
I have found that the C string sounds a bit shit but I can’t seem to make it any better, and I really haven’t got used to strumming; I keep pringing the G string (!) and can’t seem to strike with any regularity.
Any tips? any recommendations for resources?
Thanks!

Looks like I’m the only one 😳

These guys are great!

😀 Not been playing it long, got a soprano acoustic one and also got an electric tenor one off here last week, really good fun. The tenor sounds so much better than the soprano acoustic (Lanikai LU21) maybe I’ll buy some new strings for it.

I’ve bee using videos off youtube, Ukuleletricks is good, also got a book. Just take time and keep practising.

Any tips?

Learn a proper instrument? 😈

Dobbo, it was seeing that electric one which inspired me to take it up! 😀
I wanted an acoustic though.

Learn a proper instrument?:p

I don’t think you undersatnd, I’m very easily bored. I know that if I cant learn 4 strings then I should give up forever. If I do learn though, the next thing is a banjo!

Learn a proper instrument?

I retract what I said about your band once, I now think they’re poop. 😡

Dobbo, it was seeing that electric one which inspired me to take it up!

Nice one, it also sounds good when not plugged in as well as through an amp and you can just have headphones plugged in.

With the strumming it just seemed to click after having the same problems you said about, getting a rhythm going, relaxing and playing from the wrist. I’ve seem to have got the hang of finger plucking as well now.

I don’t think you undersatnd, I’m very easily bored. I know that if I cant learn 4 strings then I should give up forever.

+1

Is grum in a band?
I bet they play a lot of blues!

Apparently they’re the most fast-selling instrument currently, according to our local music shop.

It’s easier to learn the guitar first – it’s quite hard going from Ukelele as a first instrument to guitar.

Ukelelehunt.com has some good specific tab.

Other than that, do what most people do. Buy one, try and play “somewhere over the rainbow”, get bored, sell it.

Other than that, do what most people do. Buy one, try and play “somewhere over the rainbow”, get bored, sell it.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Loads of stuff at ukulele underground

check out guting from youtube, he has some good tutorials, ukehunt is another good site (say it fast!)
if you want decent lessons then Aldrine Guerrero from Ukulele Underground has some really good beginners lessons.

@grum….so predictable and just a little bit pathetic, what is the criteria for ‘proper’ instrument?

I retract what I said about your band once, I now think they’re poop.

👿

Is grum in a band?
I bet they play a lot of blues!

😕

Actually I reckon the ukulele’s relative accessibility as an instrument is a good thing, been thinking about getting some at work (community music centre).

Try googling wukulele songbook, some good free PDFs

**** me there’s some touchy people on here.

There’s also Kalei Gamiao for inspiration

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4baLdfxa8GU[/video]

or a bit Enter Sandman?

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4V1WQ6Nisg[/video]

Ukes are ace

Thanks for the encouragement.

You didn’t ask for encouragement…..

Playing a ukulele well isn’t easy – this is where people go wrong. Stalking some bird on a platform is easy enough, but anything that makes the most of these instruments isn’t.

Have a gander at this :-

There’s a barebones tab version of this on ukulelehunt.com that is a nice place to start with something more than just strumming.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KZjnFZvCNc[/video]

The ukulele is a versatile instrument in it’s own right – if it’s just a bit of strumming and singing or somesuch it’s ace.

This song is great as is some of his other videos

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDMOJsOCmkk[/video]

Alternatively, if you fancy some clawhammer or fingerstyle ukulele lessons have a look at ackeim channel on youtube

How about some Zappa?

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waMam5OLi_A[/video]

Ukulele for Beginners, which is written by the same bloke who owns UkeHunt is a good book, very comprehensive from beginner to really quite good in one cheapish tome.

Also, Chordie isn’t a bad website for music. There’s a tool down the right hand side where you can change the chord diagrams from guitar to ukulele, (C or D tuned) which is useful and the database is MASSIVE

Currently my favorite player is a bloke called Mr B, look up The Crack Song or Songs for Acid Edward on YouTube.

Actually don’t look up The Crack Song, it’s below for your pleasure.[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlzXlDefWmg[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puSkP3uym5k[/video]

Has anyone mentioned Gus and Fin? Check out their YouTube channel –
GUGUG
One of my favourites:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxjWaRcilsk[/video]

I’ve got a union jack Ashton myself – can just about manage Iggy Pop’s ‘The Passenger’, after 2 years…

damn, i just remembered i missed the 22 piece ukulele band in my local last fri 🙁

I disagree,

I tried learning the guitar and struggled, being a musically untalented duffer, I got a Uk, and now am looking forward to trying the guitar again, It can only of helped, it is easier to play, but alot of the chords are the same, so a very good grounding.

BTW Israel Kam’s version of somewhere over the rainbow is v hard to master, that is the goal! Many a guitar player would fail at it.

Try this site for good lessons

Sign up for UU+

The lessons are free.

Im currently sat (for 2 weeks work reasons) by Finale Liguria in Italy, with the enduro course in site, and no bike, learning Billie Jean, Ukelele version! It helps ease the pain of being here and having no bike!

Have fun.

I play one….concert size….not been playing it much lately though as Ive just bought a Gordon Smith GS2 geetar. 😀

Ukes are great for just picking up and playing something…the guitar feels like a double bass though when you pick it up

m currently sat (for 2 weeks work reasons) by Finale Liguria in Italy, with the enduro course in site, and no bike,

Blimey, as much as I love playing my Uke, I’d have bought a cheap MTB!

The Wombats – Moving to New York, (without intro, can’t work it out!)
The Bear Necessities

Just out of interest, do you lot say “you-ka-lay-lee” or do you say it the ‘proper’ way of “oo-ke-lele”?

Another good site for uke music. Click “songbook”
Alligator Boogaloo uke

Also you might try changing the strings if the tone is bad. I was surprised at the difference a decent aquila set made on my cheap soprano.

I started playing about 3 years ago. Like you, I had absolutely no musical experience and was utterly useless at any other instruments I’d picked up over the years. I’d heard the uke was the easiest instrument to learn and I think that’s probably true.

I started with the Hal Leonard books (1 & 2) and would really recommend them. They come with CDs so you can hear how you should be sounding! It’s surprising how quickly you can start putting tunes together and that’s good motivation to keep going. Start with basic strumming techniques and don’t get bogged down by all the awesome players on Youtube and their different styles.

Be patient – you will sound bad for a few weeks!

As others have said, by some new stings too. Aquila are generally considered the best and should make it sound a bit better.

Obviously the best thing about a uke is how small it is – you can just put it in your camelback and entertain your mates at rest stops!

Enjoy!

My son has ukulele lessons at school – the whole class playing Wild Thing! It’s a fun instrument and easy to switch from guitar.
Tips – learn to tune it properly – then the chords will sound fine.

Tips – learn to tune it properly – then the chords will sound fine.

I have a clip on tuner but I got a free app for my Andriod phone that I prefer.