Your story: how ukulele found you?

We were encouraged to take up an instrument when I was a kid. I tried piano and violin, but fell in love with the cello. Played in the high school orchestra, youth orchestra, and all state orchestras. Went to music school on a full scholarship but dropped out when I realized I would be playing the same pieces my whole career. Not many jobs in avant garde classical.

I kept up the cello and played in community orchestras until my beloved cello got stolen in 1999. I could not afford to replace it so decided to try some other instruments. Drums, banjo, etc. Bought a ukulele, but it mostly gathered dust.

Finally could afford to replace my cello and wanted to branch out to other musical genres: tried jazz, bluegrass, heavy metal, cajun. Lots of fun but really challenging because I was so rusty and it involves a lot of DIY and I was working too many hours.

Took a singing class, which was really hard, but mostly fun.

This year I semi-retired, which means I only work part of the year. I was volunteering for the state parks which meant a lot of down time sitting in a kiosk. So I brought the uke along every day to poke around on. What fun! I am hooked!

I love the affordability, portability, and that it easily lends itself to many genres.

I will still keep up the cello, but am practicing every day. I don't have ambitions to be a virtuoso, but would love to get a good sing-a-long repertoire built up. Work on some jazz, blues, and cajun tunes.

Depending on where I land, or if I stick to one spot, it would be fun to get a band together. :music:
 
I was a very average guitar player for years (still am). Can't quite remember why but I wanted a ukulele, not quite enough to buy one though. My wife convinced me to buy one in the end so we went to the local guitar store and I bought the first one I saw. A Peavey Jack Daniels (which I still own).

I set up a website to note down the things I was learning as I went along. A few years later and the site is still goimg, and I'm still learning!
 
My first ukulele was a Lanikai at 55. From what I’ve read on various forums over the years, sounds like Lanikai and Luna are gateway ukuleles.
 
I don't own an ukulele...yet, one is one the way though. I have always loved the sound of the ukulele and the idea that you can take it anywhere.
Officially I am a bassist, so I am at home on 4 strings;).

I officially headed in the ukulele direction after a friend asked me to repair one he had picked up for a few bucks... turned out to be a gold label Kamaka soprano from the 50's (picture is in my avatar and profile). The repair went very well (Chris Kamaka was very helpful with information to help me make the correct mesurments for reattaching the bridge) and this tiny uke sounds so amazing... but it is not mine.

So I have ordered a "cheap" ukulele to investigate the world of ukulele.

a hui hou!
 
I have told a bit of this story on UU before but as I read through this thread every now and again I thought I'd dive in and tell it again. I was raised on music. Listening that is. My mother was a classical piano and guitar teacher. She married young and had been trained all her young life on piano. Married at 17, to make ends meet, she taught piano lessons. On a trip to Mexico, she found a guitar in a garbage can and took it home. She stayed up late at night teaching herself how to play and became a very good guitarist. Later playing the 12 string she became a folk singer. In the 60s she turned down offers to go big because she had 5 children. She did continue entertaining locally and as her kids grew she would hand us an easy instrument (autoharp and harmonica for me), show us how to play and teach us harmony vocals. We sang lots of folk and old-time songs. My entire life I listened to piano or guitar student daily. None of us children learned to play the piano. She devoted every extra minute teaching paying students and raising us kids.

I did take a guitar class in HS. You know how that goes. I needed an easy credit.... So I grew up with the love of music and a great ear with no formal training. About two years before my mother passed away I decided I was going to teach myself how to play the guitar. I was obsessed, practicing for 8 hours at a time I developed severe tendinitis. That lasted for 2 years before it subsided. Mom died in 2011 and I felt horrible that I never learned to play anything. I wanted so bad to keep the music going in my own family and I wanted in some way to stay connected to who she was so I started thinking about different instruments. I remember thinking "I wonder if the ukulele is played like a guitar for songs other than Hawaiian music?" Searching YT I found that this little Hawaiin instrument had no boundaries so I bought a tenor from HMS. I taught myself to play simple chords by watching YTers and came across the seasons of the ukulele here on UU. The first video I made took days and stunk but it has kept me playing.

I do feel connected to my mother through the ukulele. I have had a great time singing the songs we sang way back when. I only wish I had taken some formal lessons along my journey so that I could play like I can in my head. I can never pull it off the way I imagine it should be played but I've never gotten bored with it. I hope to continue playing for as long as I can. Music is a great hobby and a great escape when you need one. As a grandma of 14 grandkids, I've gifted most of them with a uke. I've also donated to different venues so that kids can have music in their lives as I have.
 
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Beautiful and touching story!

I have told a bit of this story on UU before but as I read through this thread every now and again I thought I'd dive in and tell it again. I was raised on music. Listening that is. My mother was a classical piano and guitar teacher. She married young and had been trained all her young life on piano. Married at 17, to make ends meet, she taught piano lessons. On a trip to Mexico, she found a guitar in a garbage can and took it home. She stayed up late at night teaching herself how to play and became a very good guitarist. Later playing the 12 string she became a folk singer. In the 60s she turned down offers to go big because she had 5 children. She did continue entertaining locally and as her kids grew she would hand us an easy instrument (autoharp and harmonica for me), show us how to play and teach us harmony vocals. We sang lots of folk and old-time songs. My entire life I listened to piano or guitar student daily. None of us children learned to play the piano. She devoted every extra minute teaching paying students and raising us kids.

I did take a guitar class in HS. You know how that goes. I needed an easy credit.... So I grew up with the love of music and a great ear with no formal training. About two years before my mother passed away I decided I was going to teach myself how to play the guitar. I was obsessed, practicing for 8 hours at a time I developed severe tendinitis. That lasted for 2 years before it subsided. Mom died in 2011 and I felt horrible that I never learned to play anything. I wanted so bad to keep the music going in my own family and I wanted in some way to stay connected to who she was so I started thinking about different instruments. I remember thinking "I wonder if the ukulele is played like a guitar for songs other than Hawaiian music?" Searching YT I found that this little Hawaiin instrument had no boundaries so I bought a tenor from HMS. I taught myself to play simple chords by watching YTers and came across the seasons of the ukulele here on UU. The first video I made took days and stunk but it has kept me playing.

I do feel connected to my mother through the ukulele. I have had a great time singing the songs we sang way back when. I only wish I had taken some formal lessons along my journey so that I could play like I can in my head. I can never pull it off the way I imagine it should be played but I've never gotten bored with it. I hope to continue playing for as long as I can. Music is a great hobby and a great escape when you need one. As a grandma of 14 grandkids, I've gifted most of them with a uke. I've also donated to different venues so that kids can have music in their lives as I have.
 
I have to say, until 2011 I had almost no reference for the ukulele. As a kid, I watched cartoons and saw bugs bunny strumming one on a desert island. But, other than that, had no idea. I'd walk past them in music stores without looking, thinking it was just a kids toy. Kinda like the recorder. I'm a guitar player and drummer. It wasn't an active disdain, hatred or disrespect for the instrument. I honestly just didn't think about ukuleles at all or consider them. Then one of my favourite musicians, Eddie Vedder put out an album where he plays one. That was it for me. "Wow, this would be great as a writing tool!" "Could open up some new doors for me!" Next thing I knew, I had a Kala something or other. 5 years later, here I sit. I consider ukulele my soul mate instrument. I just love it. I consider myself a ukulele player first. I play one in an original rock band where we have songs with ukulele in them. 5 years later, I've got a Kamaka HF-3 and a Martin 2KT. I gave that original one to my niece who showed an interest and uses it. I almost never leave home without a ukulele. You just never know.

Joe
 
I have basically zero musical background. I always wanted to play guitar. I own an acoustic guitar that I pull out once in awhile, but within a week it's back in storage. My dad brings home a concert scale uke from Hawaii. Every time I go over his house, I find myself looking up videos and learning songs. Within a month, I've bought one.

That was a few years ago. I haven't really progressed past learning songs from videos but it takes me way less time to learn them now and I own 6 ukuleles.

It's definitely not easy, but I think that it's juuuust easy enough that I see enough progress that my limited patience is able to handle it.
 
For some reason I am seeing a pattern here, even though the stories are all over the board. Seems like once you pick up a uke you are most likely started down a slippery slope. I only recently figured out what UAS meant, but it's definitely a sign you need help. (Help finding your next uke)
 
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I played violin in the orchestra in school. I was an okay player and I enjoyed the experience. As an adult, I never really had time for music anymore, until I started a new job. I noticed that a coworker who sat in my row had an instrument case sitting in her cube, so I asked about it. It turns out that a ukulele teacher offered a group lesson during lunch time in one of the meeting rooms in our office building. So I signed for the next session. I have been playing the Uke ever since, and that was almost 5 years ago. It is an amazing instrument and I really enjoy the opportunity to play music with people again.
 
i had thought about getting a uke for a while. i had already purchased a cheap GC uke for my 3yr. old grandson. he can't play it but loves to make noise with it. 2 weeks ago i was at his house and he watched as i tuned it for him. then, he just enjoyed making noise again. a few days ago i was there and with my wife and his mom and dad, he did a concert where he wore sunglasses and strummed fast on the uke. then we yelled encore and he changed sunglasses and strummed slowly on it. he loved the attention and we loved it too.

as far as i'm concerned, i just happened to surf CL about a month ago, and found someone selling 5 quality ukes for $500 so i bought them. now, i've found different colored cases for 4 of them with the baritone still needing a case. fun instrument and was very easy switching over from guitar to uke tuning. i found a chord chart on this site and it helped quite a bit.

play music!
 
This has been great reading! Thanks to the op for starting, and for all the wonderful contributions to this thread!

As you can see from my join date and post count, I don't post much. I have probably told all or most of this before, but why not again!

3 years piano at 9 in order to be allowed to take drum lessons. Played drums from 12 until i sold my drum set at around 24 after getting married. no place to play in a small apartment. Always loved music, especially classical, since I was young. Drummed a little over the years, but not much.

remember those music clubs you could join and get the automatic selection every month unless you said no by a certain date? Well a Christopher Parkening Classical guitar CD came one time, and I did not try to send it back. It sat in the wrapper for almost a year. One day, home with our young first born of five, i was tired of the other music I had been listening to, and opened up the CD. Wow! I loved that music. I discovered Julian Bream when working at a mall. The muzak track in the background had some classical guitar. There was one piece i loved but never found out what it was until seven years later. Mallorca by Isaac Albeniz.

I tried several times to teach myself classical guitar. Seemed hopeless, and could not persevere. But the love of that sound never left.

So fast forward, coming home from work one afternoon I was thinking about music again, in the fall of 2009. I had recently been reading to our kids the C.S Lewis book, "the Silver Chair" from the Narnia series. In that book there is a scene where a witch was hypnotizing her victims with the aid of strumming on a Theorbo. For some reason, after everyone was asleep, I decided to google it. maybe I could strum a theorbo too! A Brazilian musician's video came up on youtube, demonstrating that instrument. Cool, but not for me. But, in the sidebar was a video of that same musician playing a barque guitar. never heard of it.

But this video enchanted me.



So, maybe baroque guitar would be small enough for me to play? ( I had not yet become aware of fractional sized guitars.) Then I looked up how much they cost... afraid not.

What to do? Not wanting to give up my dream of playing classical and related music somehow, I was getting desperate. I recalled seeing a ukulele on a friends wall years ago. That was small also, and surely less costly than a barogue guitar? But suddenly, Tiny Tim flashed into my mind! Internally, I did my best Luke Skywalker "I'll never join you!" voice. But, as I said, I was desperate! With no one to see me, I typed into the youtube search bar two words. "classical" and "Ukulele". The rest has been wonderful history! I found Ukeval, and Rob MacKillop, and others, and even the tabs for that Canarios by Gaspar Sanz. (probably time to finally learn it!)

I bought my first Uke, a Kala tenor, in November of 2009

I could go on about all that the Uke has meant to me and my family. I have begun writing songs, have lead music in church, played and sung in a retirement home for a while, and have learned how to just make music, and recover from my choking fearful perfectionism.

That is how the uke found me. My life is so much richer since it did.

:)
 
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I enjoyed your post, engravertom. I must have missed the theorbo when I read the Narnia series, long ago. Watch this video. and see if it doesn't bring a smile to your face:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8p9rolham8

These people are just having the most fun imaginable playing baroque music together!

bratsche
 
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I enjoyed your post, engravertom. I must have missed the theorbo when I read the Narnia series, long ago. Watch this video. and see if it doesn't bring a smile to your face:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8p9rolham8

These people are just having the most fun imaginable playing baroque music together!

bratsche

Thanks for that! I smiled indeed! A delightful performance!

I enjoyed your story as well.

:)

Oh, and looking at the book again, the theorbo is not mentioned. maybe I had an older edition, or i was misremembering that night I did my youtube search. in any case, it all turned out very well!
 
It was 2007. I was newly divorced and trying to get more in touch with my creative side. I'd played guitar since high school, but my ex-wife didn't allow me to play guitar while she was at home.

Through the medium of MySpace, I found new friends, some of whom were ukulele players. I knew I wanted one. One night after an open-mic, I left my favorite guitar in my car. Someone broke in and stole it and suddenly I had an empty guitar stand. It was like an empty chair at the dinner table.

At the time, I was also discovering a love for another hobby, video-making. I challenged myself during the month of March 2007 to make a new, original, entertaining YouTube video every day of the month. On 31 March, the last day of the "March of Joko", Piggie and I went out to buy a uke.

 
Well you asked…..
My wife teaches preschool. I’d like a ukulele for Christmas, the kids will get a kick out or it, she says. So, for Christmas I gits her a cheap ukulele. I says, you learn on that and I buys you a fancy ukulele. She twanges on the ukulele a bit. I happen on a deal for a fancy tenor ukulele a month later so I buys fancy ukulele for her and keeps it in my office at work as a surprise.
So, does she try to learn to play the ululele? Why no. She starts a Master’s program at the fancy college in Oxford, OH. I says, are you gonna learn to play that thing? She says, no time with fancy college courses. So the fancy ukulele waits in my office at work, and waits, and waits.
Just so happens the next year my boss says to me. Hatchet Chuck, go work out of your home, so I says okee-dokee and packs my stuff and fancy ukulele and heads to the barn. My wife sees fancy ukulele case and, what’s that she says. That be the fancy ukulele for when you learns to plays and I gives it to you to replace the cheap one, I says. But I then says, I’m gonna sell it cause you ain’t learnin cause you takin’ fancy Master’s degree studies. Don’t sell it she says I’ll try after my fancy college classes is done. You learn to play it she says. So I do.
Turns out, I’m a pretty poor guitar strummer, but a fair ukulele slinger. So I plays the ukulele and I’m called Hatchet Chuck on the UU forum. The better half graduated 6 months ago with a fancy Master’s degree. She still hasn’t picked up one of MY ukuleles to learn. So I strum away. I gave the cheap ukulele to boys across the street.
 
I had walked away at age 33 from a drumming career that included gigs at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, and many other "dream" venues, as well as recording sessions for SONY Records and for many TV and radio jingles. I thought I was OK without music for about 15 years, but I couldn't figure out why my body was always shaking and my teeth always chattering. A long-time musician friend who was much older and still playing told me there was music in me that needed to come out. But I knew that banging drums alone in my basement wasn't going to scratch that itch. I needed to make real music.

One day, I stumbled upon a YouTube video of George Harrison playing a ukulele and it was like lightning striking. It took me about a year to finally pull the trigger, but I saved a couple of Amazon gift cards (didn't want to make the commitment of spending actual money) and I bought a $40 Johnson uke. It was completely bizarre and mysterious from that point on, because after a decade and a half of making no music at all with any instrument, I picked up the uke and started playing as if I had been playing all my life.

Unfortunately, I never got a whole lot better, but I play well enough to fool people into thinking I know what I'm doing and - more importantly - I've got music back in my life.
 
engravertom, Thanks for that story. Very special. So do you play classical music on your Ukulele?
 
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