What I've Learned After Playing Ukulele for 20 Years
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- Опубликовано: 14 фев 2024
- 🔥 Why I Play Ukulele 🔥
In this session, Matt shares the story of how he started playing the ukulele and why he never stopped. Feel free to share your own story in the comments.
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I never had a mentor. My father played classical guitar, very well. He performed at local restaurants, but he was a horrible teacher when I was a teenager. He was not patient. So that discouraged me. Years went by, I sought out teachers on Craigslist and all of them could not inspire me. All great players, not great teachers. Then I saw Paul McCartney and Joe Brown play this small tiny, little instrument with a unique sound at the Concert for George. I was thrilled and inspired. I was hooked and by then, RUclips had been around for a couple of years and I found tutorials, teachers, lessons, performances and people that love the ukulele like me! Ten years later, I’m still playing, still learning and still challenging myself. I also finally mustered the courage to learn classical guitar as well, on my own. 😊
I have a daugher who is a drama teacher. I built some stage props for her school last summer. I joked that she should pay for my time by giving me a Ukulele. Well, she did. From July on, I tried to learn, without succes, music off the internet. Then I signed up for one on one lessons with a local musician. I had my first lesson on January 1st. I now love to play the simple songs I have leaned since then. It's a blast to have my gand kids sit around and sing while I play. With the few live lessons I've had, the internet stuff makes a lot more sense. I watched many of your videos, I just love them. Thank you
p.s.
I am a 68 year old man, picking up music for the first time.
Every year we have a family themed summer party (our “Summer Olympics”). In 2021 it was a Hawaiian theme. On a lark, my daughter suggested I buy a cheap uke to walk around, strumming, during the party to enhance the atmosphere. So, bought a real cheap one online, learned a few cords and I did just that. My desire to play took off from there and I have since upgraded my uke from the first one. I practice quite a bit, now being retired, but have not progressed as much as I would like. I enjoy learning to play and my goal is to improve enough to not want to quit. Rock Class 101 is my main lesson source. Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories.
I started playing the Ukelele about 7 months ago. I was simply looking for a hobby and creative outlet. I wanted to get into guitar, but couldn't find one that fit me (I use a wheelchair), so my brother suggested I try the ukelele. I was thinking I'd play it for 5 minutes and never touch it again, so I bought a $30 one off of Amazon. I play it every day now (and I have upgraded). I love my day job because it's a very exact, routine-based job. I love the Ukelele for the exact opposite reason. There's so much I can do with it, and there aren't a lot of wrong answers.It's one of very few things that I enjoy even when I'm not in a state of mind to necessarily play well. I think I learn something everytime I play it. I'm an avid watcher of your videos, and appreciate the value of learning new skills and thinking of new ways to appreciate this instrument.
Plus, just saying "Ukelele" brings a smile to my face.
Thank you for making a video like this and giving people a platform to share their own experiences.
Well, I can say that I want to play a musical instrument for ente same reason as you. I am very analytical and so left-brain, including at work... But ai want to do something to use my right-brain - and creativity more.
Matt, your ukulele journey is a wonderful story and I can relate to so much of what you talked about. Particularly about the joys of teaching AND anxiety. I’m a retired middle school band director…French horn player, and have dealt with the anxiety part for most of my playing life-on the horn. In 2008-09, after teaching for 22 years, I took a one year leave of absence to study music therapy at Arizona State. As a requirement, we needed to use the guitar as a therapy tool. I had the guitar I had purchased when I was a middle schooler, had been carrying it all over with me, but had never fallen in love with guitar. With small hands, there were so many places I just couldn’t go on the guitar…didn’t even think of getting a mini. On the last day of classes at ASU, a professor’s husband came into our final repertoire class to give a demo on the ukulele. For some reason, the ukulele grabbed me! I just thought it was the coolest thing. I left class early with one of the friends I had made that year. We went to Milano’s Music in Mesa. They had a ukulele display near the front of the store. She grabbed the one up front/and cheapest, so I took the 2nd one in. It was a Lanikai LU-21, soprano. A great little starter instrument. In the upstairs of the store they had a whole bin of ukulele books. I bought the Hal Leonard book 1 and 2 of the Jumpin Jim books. That night I was up allllllll night teaching myself to play. Two days later, I’m in my car heading back to Maine. Every single night practicing in the hotel rooms. I was immediately hooked. Upon arriving home, I learned I would now have to teach 6th grade general music as well as band! I wasn’t happy but said ok, I’ll teach gen music but you’ll need to buy 25 ukulele so I can teach every 6th grader to play. Very quickly I discovered the James Hill Ukulele in the Classroom books. It was a game changer. After about a year of teaching myself I found a great player/teacher in my area…he had studied with Roy Smeck….and my journey kept on going. Within a year of lessons with him I decided to go to the Aloha Music Camp on Hawaii Island…met Kimo Hussey and many others. It was really hard to put the time in on the Uke while still teaching, but after retiring…I could do more. Then, in March of 2020, coming back from Aloha Music Camp on Kauai, the world shut down. Jeff Peterson had just published his book Classical Ukulele for ukulele. I knew Jeff was a wonderful teacher as I had known him at AMC for years. And…I began private lessons with him on this new format called Zoom! The rest is history, it’s a long enough story…but thank you for sharing your story, it’s a most worthwhile one to share.
I never really got in love with the guitar, either!
I picked up mine because I am working on restoring a butterfly that was extirpated from Pittsburgh about a hundred years ago. It is the zebra swallowtail. Long story short, it disappeared from here because of massive industrialization about a hundred years ago BUT it still exists about an hour drive from here.
So how does this relate to playing a ukulele? Well, the work needed for the butterfly needs many hands and I want to tell this story to as many people as I can so I wrote a song. I tried to get old friends to help me to arrange it but all for whatever reason haven’t really helped, so I decided that I had to do it myself. That’s why I picked up a banjolele, yes, it’s not a ukulele but close enough. Anyway, I have so much to learn but it is fun and i get better every day because of that.
Guitar center had 20 dollar ukulele special on tv in 2015...went there and came home with a Cordoba concert instead. Didn't know how to even strum but now an avid player and my kids have grown up with me playing most everyday. Agree that key is to have fun and play the songs that you enjoy and are in mood to learn. When I lost my job in 2020 ...I really began to play in earnest and I love this little instrument! Thanks matt for sharing your story.
Ex-skateboarder here😅👍🏻. I love playing uke!
Started around Covid.. Self taught with the great You tube instructions ( Thanks to you for that as well!!) I am a lefty.. I now have 6 ukes and thinking of getting my 7th.. It's a beautiful thing!
Well I am in my senior years and felt like I was losing some control of my fingers...like you found UU.
.I found you...chord melody...really resonated with me and I just love your arrangements...love the Christmas songs in your catalog of arrangements...so happy you added...Oh holy night...my favorite Christmas song...have you ever heard Jon Andersen...formally of Yes...sing this ...Wow ! But I have been playing ukulele 5 years now...maybe more...I have more control of my hands and fingers...that has been my focus...and I have you to thank for that...my timing is still off sometimes...but when I do stay in time...that is a moment of awesomeness...I could go on...but just will end with...Thank You Matt
You have helped me plenty and I appreciate it very much. I am not really vey musical, but I love music. It is an approachable fun instrument. I love to have my grandaughter over and play a little with her. It gets her off of her phone and we have a great time together. I am also appreciate how my continued learning helps keep my aging brain sharp. It really works
That's why I want to play a musical instrument! 😀
Thank you for sharing this! I used to love skateboarding too! Until I got a brain tumour and couldn't do anything I loved anymore.. surfing, basketball, dancing, snowboarding... so I bought a ukulele hoping it would also help with grief of losing my son but I was too depressed to play it. I liked looking at it hanging in my wall and hoped one day I'd feel good enough to get into it.. happy to say that 10 years later I'm now actually using it and having so much fun. I can totally imagine how it would be similar to learning tricks on a skateboard. The same feeling of satisfaction when you land a new trick. Your story really inspires me. And I'm happy to be part of your patreon group too. Feels like a fresh new start. Thank you for sharing so many awesome tips on RUclips for free, too. It's very much appreciated ❤
I took lessons on guitar in my early 20,s and got cramp in my tiny hands so was restricted to chords..... Years went on, had a baby who grew up to play the guitar, it was time to buy him his own so off to the music shop... 😮Oooo what's this tiny guitar! It's a ukulele madam🤷♀️ I bought it, I was in my 40,s. Now I have 4 ukes and my low G is my favorite I'm not great but it accompanies my singing👍 and the very first song I learnt was baby on board, and like you I stumbled across underground, then you guys. If the house caught fire or flood I would save my uke😂. This was lovely to here your story ty❤
I had trouble with piano because my eyesight was bad. I just picked up the uke in December at age 72. I have to write the chords in very large letters. My folder has about 100 songs in it. I cant see the tabs so I dont pick. I love my uke. I wish I had learned when I taught school. Now I play for my dogs. They come running and are not critical when I mess up. I wish we had a ukelele club here in the Anderson, Indiana area. Keep people seem to be so happy and fun.
I’m on week 2 and having a blast
Hey Matt, loved hearing your journey. I began 7 years ago, when I turned 60. I play most days, but just feel like I should be farther along. I actually started a group where we live in Baja California, but I ended up teaching them. And I am still a beginner, I feel. But it was fun. I really enjoyed helping others get started with their journey. I have performed a couple times, but stage fright was an issue, but it has gotten a little better. I love playing, but wish I was better at it. Some day when I can afford it, I would love to take a lesson with you. I think maybe you could get me over this hump. Tnx for your inspiration.
Your ukulele journey is so crazy and inspiring, Matt! The part about how you became a teacher is very touching indeed, just how you felt drawn to helping others. It's very obvious that you've helped and inspired many people, including me.
...Especially about the elf monkeys building ukes, oh my gosh, that imagery is genius! How could I overlook that detail?! This is just deepening the lore in my brain. 😅😅😅😂😂😂
I also forgot the very obvious fact that RC101 pretty much completely transformed my uke journey. I didn't even know one thing about playing uke before I found this group of people--Now, I know a few things. 😅 So, thank you.
Oh and I still haven't gotten another piano yet, but I really hope to this year! I finally have the room for it now.
Thank you for this great lesson! 😊
I had been practicing guitar for about a year in 2017. I had tried guitar a couple times previously, each time for about a year. My wife and I were in Waikiki and I noticed ukuleles for sale everywhere we went. Finally, after lunch and a couple drinks we went into The Ukulele House next to the Hyatt Regency. I brought home a mahogany laminate Kala tenor and my journey began. I immediately found that the uke was simpler to play than guitar because my fretting hand has two permanently injured fingers (ring and pinky), and they do not cover all possible chord forms. Since then, I’ve had a blast with the instrument and purchased a few more.
What an amazing story! I started my journey living in Hawaii going to school and hearing it my whole life. Guitar is my main. But people do enjoy when i play some hawaiian tunes on uke
I never really fell in love with guitar. I took 2 months of lessons, but that's about it.
Love the story, I started playing because I had a son and I wanted to be able to do something musical with him like my dad did with me.
❤ nice story ❤greetz from Ger
Ghost strumming ...Wow! I started playing Use to put chords to songs I write. I have not progressed and feel like I need to. I tuned in to this video and enjoyed your story, I have always found playing difficult and if I got too technical in trying to adapt musically my writing dried up. I can relate to your skateboard mindset as I have been an avid fan of skateboarding since 1972. I to have had to stop due to injury. Now I am writing a lot , but.musically I am in a funk, this video has inspired me to try to learn.some techniques and develop my playing. thanks for sharing.
I learned to play guitar at 24 years old in 1979, after persevering for 30 years and learning alternating thumb style I wanted to get into jazz and old time Americana. I found all the work with jazz guitar was muting strings as most chords were just 4 notes max. In 2008 I bought a Mahalo for my nephew who quickly gave it up and I saw a video of how to play ‘I’ll See You in My Dreams’. 3 days later I could play it after a fashion. I now play Baritone , Tenor and Soprano and busk with uke and harmonica.
ruclips.net/video/-8fJH6gdh-A/видео.htmlsi=BMEctdb8PDepLgq-
Very nice playing and singing, William! And TY for sharing your story 😊
You have very long fingers!!,