What does the word Ukulele evoke to you? Summer all year round. Portable friend. Hawai in your room, or music over the rainbow. Fewer strings – more fun. You can have hundreds of associations with this musical instrument, but I bet you, all of them will be positive. Everybody who wants to learn to play the ukulele believes, that is easy, and he can handle it! And that’s right!
This musical instrument became very popular after the release of the cover version of the song Over the rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. This ukulele cover, along with other songs from various artists, such as Eddie Vedder and his great album Ukulele Songs, Grace VanderWaala, or Merrill Garbus, has increased interest in learning the ukulele. This instrument is also great for complete beginners and those who want to play their favorite songs in a short time. So what are the reasons to learn to play the uke?
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Well, Yes! As you know, the ukulele is a small instrument with only 4 strings. That’s why playing and creating a tone is easier. Thanks to the narrow fingerboard, you don’t need to have a bear’s paw to play all the basic chords. A beginner can learn to play the accompaniment to many songs in just one, or two weeks.
The undeniable advantage of the ukulele is its portability. Due to its small size, there is no problem with carrying and traveling. We know 5 types of ukulele instruments: Soprano, concert, tenor, baritone, and bass.
Source: Yousician
The largest of these is the bass ukulele, which is used infrequently. It is 76cm (30 inches) long while the baritone is only 2cm shorter (1 inch). The soprano is the smallest with a length of only 53 cm (21 inches). For beginners, a concert ukulele with a length of 58 cm (23 inches) is usually recommended.
Unlike guitars, pianos, or drums, buying a ukulele will not burden your budget. The cheapest instrument of all types of ukuleles is, of course, soprano ukuleles. As the dimensions of the tool increase, so does the price. It depends on the brand, materials used, and quality of workmanship.
While you buy soprano ukuleles from the top $20, prices for a concert, tenor, and baritone ukuleles start at $60-70. However, due to the quality of the instrument and the tone, we recommend buying ukuleles in the middle price category between $120-$500.
Probably the most obvious reason why many people want to play the ukulele is its specific sound. Compared to an acoustic guitar, it is thinner and has its unmistakable character. The sound of the instrument also depends on its size and the use of nylon strings.
You can carry the ukulele with you everywhere. Why not play and sing with your friends in the city, in the park, or on the beach? Where there is music everybody comes! Put aside your shyness and meet new people while playing the ukulele!
If you want to learn to play the ukulele, we have good news for you. A great choice is online courses that offer step-by-step lessons even for complete beginners. With a quality course, you can learn to play simple songs in 1-2 weeks.
In addition to ukulele chords for beginners, you will learn how to strum the ukulele, play melodies, train the rhythm, and read the ukulele tabs. While Fender play or Ukulele underground offers online lessons for an affordable monthly fee, other courses such as Ukulele Buddy or Rocket Ukulele are even more affordable with a one-time payment.
If you already master the guitar a bit, playing the ukulele will be much easier and faster. Since these are string instruments, the playing techniques are similar, so you just transform your experience with the guitar into this smaller instrument.
The real hell for neighbors is the student next door who is learning to play the violin. The strong tone and especially the uncertain intonation of violin beginners irritate the ears and destroy home well-being. Ukulele, on the other hand, emits a pleasant and not too intense sound. No more running around the house chased by a silly neighbor:)
Most familiar songs you know usually contain 4-8 chords. And many chords change just by moving the same position on the fingerboard. So you can learn to play your favorite music relatively fast.
The benefits of playing a musical instrument are well known. Numerous scientific studies have shown that practicing music has a positive effect on brain activity. It Improves verbal memory, literacy skills, or spatial reasoning.
Many active musicians said that music is the best therapy. Passive listening to music can calm us, encourage, or feel us. However, when you play a musical instrument, you can turn off completely and come up with other thoughts. Therefore, playing a musical instrument is also recommended by many psychologists.
If you think you don’t have a music talent, the ukulele can convince you otherwise. It’s a compact and affordable instrument that sounds interesting and you can take it with you anywhere.
Thanks to its small size, even students with smaller fingers can learn to play it. Chord touches are not as demanding as with a guitar, and within weeks you can know how to play your favorite songs. Thanks to the available online ukulele courses, really anyone can learn to play the ukulele!
Do you want to learn a musical instrument and you are not decided which is better? Guitar or ukulele? Read about both musical instrument and find it out!
How difficult is to learn to play the Uke? Is the the right instrument for you? Read more in this article and find out useful tips for ukulele newbies.
