By JOHN DALY
There is no doubt that the ukulele is one of those musical instruments whose nature is quite unique. It has played, and still is for that matter, a valuable role in its place of origin Hawaii. As time went by, the instrument has spread out from Hawaii and nowadays it has managed to reach just about every part of the globe and it certainly brings joy and happiness to many people no matter where they are from.
With all that being said, there are things that are important to know about the ukulele. Specifically, if you decide to learn how to play it. Thankfully, this article might give you some tips and knowledge you can gain from and use for your ukulele practice session.
How Important It Is to Tune?
Your overall experience can be frustrating, to say the least, while you attempt to learn a new song in case you play the ukulele that is out of tune. Notes you strum will not really match what you are listening to and trying to replicate. While your ukulele is out of tune, learning the chords to a song can get you stuck.
The actual notes you are playing will not sound like the ones intended as they would if the ukulele was tuned. It would be wise for that reason, to make sure that the first thing you do is tune your ukulele before you start your practice and learning session. The best way would be to use an electronic tuner, although there are a couple of other ways as well.
For instance, Snark SN2 is the electronic tuner many ukulele players enjoy using. So if you think of going on that route, take it into consideration.
Learn Proper Posture
It would be wise to take a few minutes and try out some positions while practicing this marvelous instrument. For instance, standing or sitting. While sitting, the body of the ukulele can rest on one of your legs. Also, your strumming arm can be relaxed on the top of the ukulele at the same time.
The neck of the ukulele will float in the air as a result. On the other hand, while standing, hold it against your chest area and keep it still with your strumming arm. You will be able to pick up your ukulele and play it while walking around even if you dedicate your time to take some practice.
There is no need to hold the instrument too tight since the sound needs to properly vibrate through the body. Even if not easy, all of this practice will certainly be worth it in the end.
Practice, Practice, Practice
There are some who may call the ukulele to be a toy. Although that is not true at all. Ukulele is a true instrument that can make beautiful music and the player can create a lot of wonderful tunes with it. And besides, learning an instrument should be fun which experts from acousticbridge.com would say. The ukulele certainly fits in the fun category as a plus. Although that may be true, it is not an easy instrument. You might need a lot of practice in order to master it. Even so, knowing only the basics is exciting. You will improve more and more each day as you practice without even being aware.
How to Hold the Ukulele?
One of the most important fundamentals you would need to get right at the very beginning, is to hold the ukulele in the right way. Your whole learning experience can be hindered in an uncomfortable position. Certain parts of your body can be unnecessarily strained by poor posture.
Feeling pain in your joints and muscles is no fun which defeats the purpose of learning to play the ukulele at the start. Make sure to sit upright if you decide to sit down while playing the ukulele. The best would be not to arch your back since this position is natural. Also, it would be wise to support your instrument right below your chest. You can use your forearm to hold the instrument in place.
It does not matter how young or old you are. Also, it is not important if you have never played any instrument in your life before, the ukulele can be learned to play. The experience itself is most exciting, especially if you have never made music before. By learning all there is about the ukulele beforehand, your practice will be much easier and before you know it, you will become an expert.