Hi all, bass player turned Ukulele fanatic

Fuzzbass

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Hi all

My name is Steve. I'm 38. I've played bass for twenty plus years, but earlier this year I was diagnosed with terminal breast and spinal cancer. I can no longer physically support the weight of a bass guitar, so whilst I was in hospital earlier last year my friends clubbed together and bought me a mahogany U Bass. It's so light I can lift it easily. I still can't believe the sound that comes from it. Since then I have acquired a Kala tenor and a Noah Concert. I am currently having a Rob Collins Tin Guitar soparano sapele uke made for me. I can't wait! I'm finding learning chord shapes for the first time easy, but I'm finding my strumming inconsistent, having only ever played bass, both finger style and pick. It's a completely different technique to plucking single notes. Looking forward in the time I have left on this earth to improving my uke skills. I don't know how much time I have, but I'm determined to enjoy it.
 
Hi Steve, welcome! I'm really sorry to hear about the diagnosis but what a way to make the most of it. How is the Noah concert? I've considered grabbing one of those a few times but never quite got around to it.

Strumming is one of those things that will come. One way to learn is to practice tapping out a rhythm then just move your hand so as you tap you strum across the strings. It certainly helps me to get the right rhythm for new songs I'm learning! James Hill has some great YouTube vids on it as well - this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRFPci9rZrQ

moved me from strumming with my index finger for down and thumb for up (I'm used to playing guitar with a pick) to just my index finger. My strumming has been far better since.
 
Welcome aboard! So sorry about the battle your having to face right now, but I am so glad to hear you picked up the uke, it's sure to bring you joy and a smile when there seems only dark clouds and sadness.
 
Noah Ukes

Thanks for the lovely welcome!

I love my Noah Uke. It's handmade in Vietnam to Noah's specs (the guy in the UK) by a single luthier. The UK chap then sells them in the UK. They are named after the chaps son. You can tell they are handmade because there are the odd tool marks and imperfections, but playing and sound wise its lovely. He has 20% off at the moment if you look on his facebook page for the code. https://www.facebook.com/NoahUkuleles/?ref=ts&fref=ts

I have the Monkeypod electro concert. The monkeypod wood is really nicely patterned.

http://www.noahukuleles.com/product/noah-monkeypod-series/

Strumming is confusingly strange for me. You'd think after so many years of holding the rhythm down with the bass and drums that it would be fairly easy to transfer it across, but it's not that way. Practice and more practice. I'm starting some lessons with the guitar teacher I started with when I was at school, wanting to focus on strumming and finger picking. Going to him again will bring back a lot of memories as he started teaching me and my long term band mates (same band still going from school days, 20 years+).

I've found recording 12 bar blues into a loop pedal in all the keys has really helped in reinforcing the chord shapes home.



Hi Steve, welcome! I'm really sorry to hear about the diagnosis but what a way to make the most of it. How is the Noah concert? I've considered grabbing one of those a few times but never quite got around to it.

Strumming is one of those things that will come. One way to learn is to practice tapping out a rhythm then just move your hand so as you tap you strum across the strings. It certainly helps me to get the right rhythm for new songs I'm learning! James Hill has some great YouTube vids on it as well - this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRFPci9rZrQ

moved me from strumming with my index finger for down and thumb for up (I'm used to playing guitar with a pick) to just my index finger. My strumming has been far better since.
 
Thank you, last year has certainly been the worst year of my life and I have been to some really dark places in my thoughts, but with a change to my medication and help from family and friends, I'm coping and seem to have found a slightly happier plateau at the moment. Cancer doesn't care who it strikes. I survived leukaemia as a child and to be told I had terminal cancer now was a real kick in the teeth. I feel like I'm living in a very strange surreal bubble that I can't describe. Music always has been my favourite thing in life and It's still helping me now.
 
Welcome Steve. I can relate on many levels, I'm 67 and I've had cancer twice (1973 and 2002), getting through both with a positive attitude. I played guitar for almost 50 years, then ukulele about 4 years ago, and bass uke about 2 years ago, which has become my mainstay. I haven't touched my guitars since. You can see how into it I am by my signature of instruments. I've had a number of ukes and a bass custom made by Bruce Wei in Vietnam, good stuff.

My best wishes to you.
 
List of Ukes

Wow, that is some collection of Ukes! Cancer doesn't care who it affects, it's changed my life completely. Knowing I don't have long is sobering but it has brought out the best in my family and friends.

Welcome Steve. I can relate on many levels, I'm 67 and I've had cancer twice (1973 and 2002), getting through both with a positive attitude. I played guitar for almost 50 years, then ukulele about 4 years ago, and bass uke about 2 years ago, which has become my mainstay. I haven't touched my guitars since. You can see how into it I am by my signature of instruments. I've had a number of ukes and a bass custom made by Bruce Wei in Vietnam, good stuff.

My best wishes to you.
 
Hi Steve, a good bass player will always be welcome in just about any uke group.
 
Hola! I so hope this musical direction helps, and welcome to the ukulele forums.
 
I have joined two uke groups locally, one an older generation group where they are mostly pensioners, there is already a bass uke player there so I swap between uke and bass. The other group is a more mixed age group and a little more focused, I play bass all the while in that one.

Have recently changed strings from Aquilla Thunder Reds to Kala UBass Silver wound strings. I found the intonation was going out after the 5th fret. I did like the rubber feeling of the Aquillas, but I feel more at home with the Silvers. The intonation is so much better and they feel almost identical to normal roundwound bass guitar strings. Having played with Rotosound Swing bass or DR Fat Beams all my playing life, the Kala strings are a tad more slippery. They do have quite a lot of string noise when fresh. Had them on for a month and its wearing off a little, but there's still a fair bit of finger squeak :)
 
Steve, so sorry about your illness! I, too, am a bass player that enjoys the Uke. Is so easy to manage, travel with, and play....Just a delightful instrument.

Welcome to UU.
 
A warm bear hug welcome Steve. Very sorry to hear about your diagnosis! I find your attitude very inspirational. I certainly share your zest and love for the ukulele having discovered it only 5 months ago myself. Music has always been my greatest love as well, but I had set it aside for the better part of a decade. The uke has reawakened my passion for music, and I find myself happier and friendlier to my fellow man these days :) Keep plucking and strumming sir!
 
Welcome to UU! I'm new too and it's a friendly and welcoming mine of information and madness! :smileybounce:
 
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