I've mostly relied on a strap over the years, but thought I'd give these suggestions a try. I'm working on "Santa Lucia" in Level 4 of "The Ukulele Way" and I guess I was concentrating so hard I didn't notice I'd done the whole practice without a strap! So thank you! 👍
You know you're a pro when you can say "boobelele" without skipping a beat. Do you always keep your whole thumb rested on the neck or do you ever use the pad of your thumb to brace your hand? I think I need to work on my finger strength. Thanks for the video James!
Thanks for the simple explanation of what almost every ukulele player struggles with in the beginning. You are right... not all of these ideas will work for everyone. So many variables from the human anatomy and the different instruments. An evenly weight balanced instrument is super helpful here. Also depends on what style of music you play. I have to adjust my very long forearms when I'm fingerpicking because I need to be closer to the sound hole and the wrist position can become awkward while cradling the soundboard with my forearm. And things really become fun when I switch from tenor to soprano 😂
Do you NOT recommend a strap? I prefer one so that my body/brain energy isn't being expended just trying to hold the uke, as light as it is. Thanks so much for all your very heplful and encouraging tutorials. You make it seem easy, which means you practise, a lot!
Thanks very much for this. I've just got a soprano ukelele and have been wondering if I should have got a tenor or concert one, because my arms seem too long to hold the uke comfortably. I'll give your suggestions a try!
Thank you of this video! I have played ukulele almost in the same position as I play normal sized concert guitar. With the bigger ones (tenor, baritone, guitaleles) it goes ok - but the small ones (soprano and concert size) I still have problems even in sitting position - I do not want to fall over the instrument either. I would not like to harm the body of an instrument with strap buttons - so when I need to stand, I either put my left leg on stool or use that kind of strap, that does not go ever the shoulders, but only over the neck and has a hook to been put on the sound hole. I have now understood I must think the smaller ones a bit like as playing violin. Must now also think the idea of friction given from right arm - seems logical! I namely even have over my left leg, under the guitar a piece of chamois to keep the guitar steady, so why not to keep the ukulele steady with own skin... or maybe get an extra sleeve made of some material of good friction?
I'm glad you rest your foot on a foot rest (you can see this briefly when playing with the TCO) - I've been doing that and feeling guilty, as I hadn't seen anybody else doing it.
Your Ukulele playing is just wonderful. I saw you perform with the chopstick and the comb ....how did you even figure out how to do that!? Hip Hop Ukulele with Usher's YEAH! simply amazing.
Thanks for the video. Some instructors recommend that you put your hand below the uke without touching it with the side as you mentioned. How is this even possible though? If you aren't using the strap, you need the base of your index finger to support the fretboard, or else it will just slide down.
I'm going to give this a try. Maybe I have to learn to form the chords a little differently, but it's been very frustrating to find a left-hand position that provides the support you're showing and still allows me to finger all the chords. We shall see!
I really like this video for many of the chords I'm struggling with but I can't seem to play a D chord with only my pointer finger pressing down 3 of the 4 strings without losing a point of contact with the uke. Any tips for that?
Doesn't work for that pesky E chord I'm still trying to master. Any transition to the E leaves the neck unsupported. Love your videos though. Keep it up!
Makes sense... two points of contact; got it! Perhaps maintaining one's fretting hand against the neck, could/should reduce wayward hand movement while changing chords?
I would definitely have to try hard to get used to the fret hand placement. I find a chord like Em really hard to play without pressing my thumb on the back of the neck and leaving my hand open wide.
I’m a newbie ukulele player but an old (in every way) guitar player, and I found myself solving the Em problem by fingering a G chord and using my pinkie to fret the C string at the 4th fret. It gives my fingers a more solid “structure” and for me is easy to move into and out of. There may be reasons not to do this but I haven’t found one yet.
Yvainnie me too. I’ve tried his method, and sometimes even with my strap my boobs totally make it more difficult to have the ukulele where I actually do want it to be- which is why I just suck it up and use he strap
He mentioned a lady who had a special one made she called the boobalele. She had it made by Rob Collins at tin guitar in Hebden Bridge UK. She is called Clarice by the way.
Just checked this out and have tried but can't master it yet - my 'anatomy' gets in the way and trying to concentrate on correct holding position is an added distraction - will work on it. I do have a problem, though, with increasing pain in my left shoulder (fretting side) so wonder what I am doing wrong? I seem to be developing a 'frozen' shoulder and have to exercise my shoulder (painful) to try to release the build up of tension. Any advice please?
Abhinav Sharma you are probably not keeping a right angle beetwen the side of your hand an the neck, or else your ukelele has a strange shape. if you can, trie on another instrument and see if it changes. Be sure to place the neck exactly on the same point as James does.
James, you continue to be an absolute treasure. But since you got your hair cut, you strike me as the responsible suburban version of yourself. I kind of miss the lazy surfer dude who absolutely killed it while playing Billie Jean. Keep on strumming, man! Same soul, different body.
haha same. I sit with my legs crossed and then the bottom corner of the body (of the uke) rests on my leg and then i have it at an angle so that the neck rest in the side of my hand. Not the best way to hold it cos now if i want to play standing up, well then there are some issues but wth it works.
Smaller hands, shorter fingers... I can't reach all chords while resting in the area of the hand you recommend. :o( I have an issue with the neck dropping.
I have not so big hands, either, but have played guitar since my youth. So I play ukuleles ( tenor and baritone and guileles) ) in almost the same position as I play (classical normal sized ) guitar: I have 3 points to hold the position: left leg, right forearm and chest/upper body - and the neck of the instrument is then free: I drop down my left wrist, and so it is easy to reach bigger leaps between frets (the fingers are more vertical) But I have had difficulties then with that technique in soprano and concert size ukuleles (the space is so small between frets!) For me it seems to help if I with the little ones think them more like holding on a violin - and there is a holding point the same way like seems to v´be in this tutoral video - I even have a feeling I can in the small ones reach the frets/chords a little better when I think the direction of fingers to be towards the opposite shoulder (Like J.H said in some other teaching session)
Me too. Drives me nuts . I finger pick most things and have to brace my thumb in the middle of the neck. My hand has to sit at like a 45° angle on some chords like Eb. I don't have a prayer of reaching them otherwise. I don't like the high voice of a soprano so play concert. When say I have small hands I mean that I have other woman players who have a half to whole fingertip in length on me. Groan. People say "oh kids can do it." Well their hands are more flexible than mine at 65. I think learning an instrument at a young age will give you a lot of muscle memory too. Oh well I Work with what I have and just know I'll never be that good. Its just for me anyway. 😊
Holding my ukulele is 1000x easier if I do it shirtless (which is how I usually practice), because the instrument has friction on its back with my stomach skin in addition to on its front with my forearm skin. However I'm concerned that if I perform shirtless, my incredible body will distract the audience from the music. I'm searching for a way to create friction between the ukulele back and my shirt fabric. Maybe band-aids will work?
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
I've mostly relied on a strap over the years, but thought I'd give these suggestions a try. I'm working on "Santa Lucia" in Level 4 of "The Ukulele Way" and I guess I was concentrating so hard I didn't notice I'd done the whole practice without a strap! So thank you! 👍
Thank you James. You really helped me with the left hand technique. 🤗
How did I keep a straight face on the "one size doesn't fit all" part? 😆
That's a wonder... Can you please do Hotel California????
You know you're a pro when you can say "boobelele" without skipping a beat.
Do you always keep your whole thumb rested on the neck or do you ever use the pad of your thumb to brace your hand? I think I need to work on my finger strength.
Thanks for the video James!
I was going to comment on that exact point haha. Totally impressed that you could say boobelele without even creaking a smile.
How do you do full barres like that?
This is cool. Thanks James!
Thanks for the simple explanation of what almost every ukulele player struggles with in the beginning. You are right... not all of these ideas will work for everyone. So many variables from the human anatomy and the different instruments. An evenly weight balanced instrument is super helpful here. Also depends on what style of music you play. I have to adjust my very long forearms when I'm fingerpicking because I need to be closer to the sound hole and the wrist position can become awkward while cradling the soundboard with my forearm. And things really become fun when I switch from tenor to soprano 😂
Do you NOT recommend a strap? I prefer one so that my body/brain energy isn't being expended just trying to hold the uke, as light as it is. Thanks so much for all your very heplful and encouraging tutorials. You make it seem easy, which means you practise, a lot!
It's so much more easier now to concentrate on the strumming because chord change has become a lot less painful.
Thaaaankyou man!!!!
Thank you James.Very nice teaching
Perfectly taught, I've always used a strap, but I'm trying to work on not using one while sitting down. Thank you!
Thanks very much for this. I've just got a soprano ukelele and have been wondering if I should have got a tenor or concert one, because my arms seem too long to hold the uke comfortably. I'll give your suggestions a try!
I was soooooo excited when I saw this in my RUclips feed! 😎
Very helpful, thank you
Thank you of this video! I have played ukulele almost in the same position as I play normal sized concert guitar. With the bigger ones (tenor, baritone, guitaleles) it goes ok - but the small ones (soprano and concert size) I still have problems even in sitting position - I do not want to fall over the instrument either. I would not like to harm the body of an instrument with strap buttons - so when I need to stand, I either put my left leg on stool or use that kind of strap, that does not go ever the shoulders, but only over the neck and has a hook to been put on the sound hole. I have now understood I must think the smaller ones a bit like as playing violin. Must now also think the idea of friction given from right arm - seems logical! I namely even have over my left leg, under the guitar a piece of chamois to keep the guitar steady, so why not to keep the ukulele steady with own skin... or maybe get an extra sleeve made of some material of good friction?
I just got a ukulele, and there is no better "how to hold a ukulele video" than this one. I'm over 100 percent better and it's day 10 right now.
James is the best
I'm glad you rest your foot on a foot rest (you can see this briefly when playing with the TCO) - I've been doing that and feeling guilty, as I hadn't seen anybody else doing it.
More Tutorials please... and covers too! Thanks a lot
Your Ukulele playing is just wonderful. I saw you perform with the chopstick and the comb ....how did you even figure out how to do that!? Hip Hop Ukulele with Usher's YEAH! simply amazing.
Thanks for the video. Some instructors recommend that you put your hand below the uke without touching it with the side as you mentioned. How is this even possible though? If you aren't using the strap, you need the base of your index finger to support the fretboard, or else it will just slide down.
I'm going to give this a try. Maybe I have to learn to form the chords a little differently, but it's been very frustrating to find a left-hand position that provides the support you're showing and still allows me to finger all the chords. We shall see!
Thank you for answering THE QUESTION I didn’t know how to ask 🤭!
Thank you James for being so awesome. :)
Thank you!
I was going to share this video with my students, until I got to the boob-alele part. I would never get them back after that one!
thank you
How do you make transition between chords like Gm to Cm or others like that?
Thank you very much for making this video. I thought you had a clamp or something on your uke to keep it in place.
I really like this video for many of the chords I'm struggling with but I can't seem to play a D chord with only my pointer finger pressing down 3 of the 4 strings without losing a point of contact with the uke. Any tips for that?
Doesn't work for that pesky E chord I'm still trying to master. Any transition to the E leaves the neck unsupported. Love your videos though. Keep it up!
Try thumbing it
Hello and congratulations,
are you planning to come to Italy?
Makes sense... two points of contact; got it! Perhaps maintaining one's fretting hand against the neck, could/should reduce wayward hand movement while changing chords?
except you have it against your body, which is another contact point - or rather, surface. but whatever.
How about if you have to mute chords as in the case of the introduction of, Hey Soul Sister?
I love sitting when I play (and for the most part, have that option). I've hesitated getting strap buttons, and now I'm going to refrain even longer!
What's the instrument is the lady standing next to him holding in the 2nd pic???
I would definitely have to try hard to get used to the fret hand placement. I find a chord like Em really hard to play without pressing my thumb on the back of the neck and leaving my hand open wide.
Same Em issue
I’m a newbie ukulele player but an old (in every way) guitar player, and I found myself solving the Em problem by fingering a G chord and using my pinkie to fret the C string at the 4th fret. It gives my fingers a more solid “structure” and for me is easy to move into and out of. There may be reasons not to do this but I haven’t found one yet.
01:02 What song is that?
I have soprano ukulele and I still strugle with holding it because of my boobs :(
Yvainnie me too. I’ve tried his method, and sometimes even with my strap my boobs totally make it more difficult to have the ukulele where I actually do want it to be- which is why I just suck it up and use he strap
He mentioned a lady who had a special one made she called the boobalele. She had it made by Rob Collins at tin guitar in Hebden Bridge UK. She is called Clarice by the way.
@@davegb99 That's the breast idea I've heard in a long time!
Muito bom!!!!
Just checked this out and have tried but can't master it yet - my 'anatomy' gets in the way and trying to concentrate on correct holding position is an added distraction - will work on it. I do have a problem, though, with increasing pain in my left shoulder (fretting side) so wonder what I am doing wrong? I seem to be developing a 'frozen' shoulder and have to exercise my shoulder (painful) to try to release the build up of tension. Any advice please?
What's the problem with a strap?
Booblele🤣… Love your work ❤️
Whar type of uke is that? Soprano?
This works fine until I need to move my hands into a barre chord. How do you move into a barre chord without losing support of the neck?
The skin of my palm/forefinger touches the A string and mutes it. How come your skin not muting it this way?
Abhinav Sharma you are probably not keeping a right angle beetwen the side of your hand an the neck, or else your ukelele has a strange shape. if you can, trie on another instrument and see if it changes. Be sure to place the neck exactly on the same point as James does.
Are you a time traveler? How is this comment a year old?
how on effing earth is your comment a year old
In the new episode of what came first?
We have concluded that the comment came first and patiently waited for the video.
@@thelasttimeitookashowerwas7069 The video was probably private until now and Abhinav had access. 😉
James, you continue to be an absolute treasure. But since you got your hair cut, you strike me as the responsible suburban version of yourself. I kind of miss the lazy surfer dude who absolutely killed it while playing Billie Jean.
Keep on strumming, man! Same soul, different body.
Boobalele hilarious!! I was about to comment, not so easy for women with a fair amount of "anatomy" Lol!!!😃
I usually put my thumb on the back of the neck to hold it. I taught myself and I’ve been trying to figure out what bad habits I’ve made 😔
I find it helpful to check myself in a mirror. What it feels like I'm doing isn't always what I'm really doing.
Boobalele! 😂 I would have to have a concave at least up to the strings! 😂😂😂
JAMES!!! You got a haircut!!! Now what are you going to use on your ukulele since you're going to need that comb for hair now?
😆
I would like to see a woman with a larger than average chest demonstrate how to hold the Ukulele. Another issue altogether.
Same here...
I find it annoying with regular ones...😑
haha same. I sit with my legs crossed and then the bottom corner of the body (of the uke) rests on my leg and then i have it at an angle so that the neck rest in the side of my hand. Not the best way to hold it cos now if i want to play standing up, well then there are some issues but wth it works.
Smaller hands, shorter fingers... I can't reach all chords while resting in the area of the hand you recommend. :o( I have an issue with the neck dropping.
My problem also. All My ukes have strap buttons.
I have not so big hands, either, but have played guitar since my youth. So I play ukuleles ( tenor and baritone and guileles) ) in almost the same position as I play (classical normal sized ) guitar: I have 3 points to hold the position: left leg, right forearm and chest/upper body - and the neck of the instrument is then free: I drop down my left wrist, and so it is easy to reach bigger leaps between frets (the fingers are more vertical) But I have had difficulties then with that technique in soprano and concert size ukuleles (the space is so small between frets!) For me it seems to help if I with the little ones think them more like holding on a violin - and there is a holding point the same way like seems to v´be in this tutoral video - I even have a feeling I can in the small ones reach the frets/chords a little better when I think the direction of fingers to be towards the opposite shoulder (Like J.H said in some other teaching session)
Me too. Drives me nuts . I finger pick most things and have to brace my thumb in the middle of the neck. My hand has to sit at like a 45° angle on some chords like Eb. I don't have a prayer of reaching them otherwise. I don't like the high voice of a soprano so play concert.
When say I have small hands I mean that I have other woman players who have a half to
whole fingertip in length on me. Groan.
People say "oh kids can do it." Well their hands are more flexible than mine at 65. I think learning an instrument at a young age will give you a lot of muscle memory too.
Oh well I Work with what I have and just know I'll never be that good. Its just for me anyway. 😊
👏👍👏👍
Is there a video of you playing with the Taiwan China orchestra somewhere online ? :D
I found those two videos:
ruclips.net/video/8EmGkISnSAU/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/PomsIbc5gjk/видео.html
@@thifry8829 Thanks :) Its beautiful
This seems to work for some chords but not others. More help on tougher chords would have been appreciated.
Holding my ukulele is 1000x easier if I do it shirtless (which is how I usually practice), because the instrument has friction on its back with my stomach skin in addition to on its front with my forearm skin. However I'm concerned that if I perform shirtless, my incredible body will distract the audience from the music. I'm searching for a way to create friction between the ukulele back and my shirt fabric. Maybe band-aids will work?
1:17 something fishy is there..
On how to hold the ukulele that is the way that is how a local women in Maui her full name is male fong ukulele mele.
A sticky srickyness.... ah I was wandering what the technical term was
I cant believe this is the same person who did billie jean and chopstick ukulele xD
Using your thumb on the neck is like using white in watercolour painting. nnnope.
Who else can spend the rest of their life listening to ukulele music
Why don't use strap?!
Are you saying a strap is a no-no?!
C to Em i swear I'm so confused af
I'm having trouble with this as well.
Why is the title of this video "How NOT to Hold the Ukulele"?
Just get a damn strap and be done with it instead of screwing up and limiting your playing.
I've been doing the same unconsciously
That's a Hard No. I have a tremor that is more pronouced in my left hand. My solution? Strap buttons and a strap.