First, listen to ukulele players that you really enjoy on a consistent basis.
This might be a CD of an artist or someone you subscribe to and watch
on YouTube. I know for myself listening and watching to someone play is
really helpful. Over time, you'll notice yourself picking up different parts
of their style that you really dig, even unintentionally.
This goes a little bit with the first point, but secondly, go see some live
concerts. There is something inspiring about seeing someone play who
has a mastery of the ukulele. One guy that really inspires me whenever
I watch him is Jake Shimabukuro.
Lastly, surround yourself with other ukulele players and musicians that
can support and speak into your passion. One great way to do this is to
try to find a ukulele group in your local area that meets. If you can't find
anything like this, start one up.
Ukulele Maintenance
Hold securely when playing
Dropping a uke from a sitting position is seldom fatal but the bodies can
crack. Prevention is much better than a cure. Fixing a cracked uke should
be done by an experienced luthier but you might want to carry out a bit
of a cost / benefit exercise here. Luthiers aren't cheap. Your uke might
not be worth it.
Be careful with your plectrum and capo
When you are using a pick, make sure that it does abrade your uke's
body, especially when strumming that little bit harder. That may cause
ugly crutches and ukes seldom have the scratch resistant panels found
on a lot of guitars. If you use a capo, be gentle. Improper placement
and removal of a capo can cause neck dents.
-32-
To Next Page
Loading...