Start to play the bagpipes instead. He'll soon beg you to go back to the uke.
Ukantor.
Ukantor.
The ukulele is not a real insturment
- Thread starter Samster
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cpatch
Well-known member
Tell him offhandedly that a lot of men often dismiss the ukulele as a real instrument because its size reminds them of their own, um, inadequacies and they therefore feel threatened by it.
That ought to shut him up.
That ought to shut him up.
LOL
how true!
i think im going to show him this thread. i think it proves how the ukulele is a real instrument, and how big it actually is
Ukulele JJ
Super Moderator
My prediction, based on years of careful observation of the human psyche: It won't do a lick of good.
JJ
hoosierhiver
Well-known member
Wise words!
Spell it instrument
Take your friend on an historical journey back to northern Portugal where an instrument evolved to be played by ordinary working people to sing and dance to.
Ask him to imagine this small wooden instrument and the sweet tone it produced to be the only reminder of a distant homeland. Ask him to imagine settlers on the island of Madeira dancing at the end of a hard day in the fields to the dulcet tone of the braguinha. Launch your friend into sea voyage to the other side of the world and land him with a group of Portuguese settlers on Hawaii. Explain to him that these people gave a simple little instrument to the islands and that the islands embraced the beauty of the song the humble little piece of wood sang to them and that the most fabulous sounds were created by skilled players and that the USA embraced the Ukulele and it returned across the Atlantic and found its way to the heart of Europe. The Japanese took it back to the east and that loads of ukuleles are made in china and that Africans play them as well as Swedes. Take your friend by the collar and explain to him that he is lost to the real world. Then forgive him and play your Uke.
Take your friend on an historical journey back to northern Portugal where an instrument evolved to be played by ordinary working people to sing and dance to.
Ask him to imagine this small wooden instrument and the sweet tone it produced to be the only reminder of a distant homeland. Ask him to imagine settlers on the island of Madeira dancing at the end of a hard day in the fields to the dulcet tone of the braguinha. Launch your friend into sea voyage to the other side of the world and land him with a group of Portuguese settlers on Hawaii. Explain to him that these people gave a simple little instrument to the islands and that the islands embraced the beauty of the song the humble little piece of wood sang to them and that the most fabulous sounds were created by skilled players and that the USA embraced the Ukulele and it returned across the Atlantic and found its way to the heart of Europe. The Japanese took it back to the east and that loads of ukuleles are made in china and that Africans play them as well as Swedes. Take your friend by the collar and explain to him that he is lost to the real world. Then forgive him and play your Uke.
UkuleleHill
Well-known member
Words to live by!
Uncle-Taco
Well-known member
I had a roommate like that once, too. ld:
When I took up harmonica (also not a "real instrument" in the small minds of Philistines like our roommates), I got the same kind of jealousy-inspired flak.
A couple of years later, though, he was sitting in the audience watching ME play. I had a gig and he didn't. People clapped for ME, not for him. The pretty girl came over to talk to ME at the bar, not him.
Keep enjoying your ukulele and tell your roommate to go cut holes in his pockets and play with his "real instrument" and leave you alone. Enjoying your own "home made" music is its own sweet reward.
Later (and this will be easy for you with some uke practice), steal his girlfriend.
ld:When I took up harmonica (also not a "real instrument" in the small minds of Philistines like our roommates), I got the same kind of jealousy-inspired flak.
A couple of years later, though, he was sitting in the audience watching ME play. I had a gig and he didn't. People clapped for ME, not for him. The pretty girl came over to talk to ME at the bar, not him.
Keep enjoying your ukulele and tell your roommate to go cut holes in his pockets and play with his "real instrument" and leave you alone. Enjoying your own "home made" music is its own sweet reward.
Later (and this will be easy for you with some uke practice), steal his girlfriend.
cpatch
Well-known member
It is better to be insulted by a fool than praised by one.
UkuleleHill
Well-known member
Too true. I wonder have you tried to show him how to play it? He might change his mind if you did. How many ukes do you have?
whetu
Well-known member
Don't get mad, get even. Or something.
I had this attitude from a housemate when I first brought a uke home, she got up on her high horse and proclaimed "I consider the uke to be a toy." Months later she heard me practicing Dominator's version of 'Something' and commented that it sounded really good. I retorted "not bad for... what did you call it again? A toy?"
A friend of mine was watching Andy McKee on youtube and started giving me sass along the lines of "let's see you top that with a uke!", after pointing out (to no avail) that it's an apples and oranges comparison and that the uke was at a disadvantage, I finally gave in and showed him James Hill's One Note Samba. He tried the "you can't play like James" angle, so I gave him the "You can't play like Andy" return. He hasn't given me attitude about the uke since.
Ignorance can be turned around, the question is: Is it worth bothering to convince your room mate to rethink?
I used my housemate's arrogance as a motivator to focus my learning (a'la "I'll show you! muahahahaha!"), maybe you should do the same?
I had this attitude from a housemate when I first brought a uke home, she got up on her high horse and proclaimed "I consider the uke to be a toy." Months later she heard me practicing Dominator's version of 'Something' and commented that it sounded really good. I retorted "not bad for... what did you call it again? A toy?"
A friend of mine was watching Andy McKee on youtube and started giving me sass along the lines of "let's see you top that with a uke!", after pointing out (to no avail) that it's an apples and oranges comparison and that the uke was at a disadvantage, I finally gave in and showed him James Hill's One Note Samba. He tried the "you can't play like James" angle, so I gave him the "You can't play like Andy" return. He hasn't given me attitude about the uke since.
Ignorance can be turned around, the question is: Is it worth bothering to convince your room mate to rethink?
I used my housemate's arrogance as a motivator to focus my learning (a'la "I'll show you! muahahahaha!"), maybe you should do the same?
As far as your room mate goes....
Stupidity I can deal with. It's not their fault. It's ignorance I have a problem with!
Uke on, my brother, uke on....
Stupidity I can deal with. It's not their fault. It's ignorance I have a problem with!
Uke on, my brother, uke on....
SailQwest
Well-known member
I don't really have anything to say that hasn't been said. I just wanted to add my support.
Ukes are cool! (Your roommate is not.)
Ukes are cool! (Your roommate is not.)
russ_buss
Well-known member
if you show him this thread, then your roommate wins. instead of getting just you all riled up, he will only take pleasure in knowing he got a whole forum upset. just let it go.
UkuleleHill
Well-known member
Too true... Its exactly what he wants.
Sounds to me like your roommate has figured out how to get a rise out of you.
uber_goober
Well-known member
This seemingly external criticism of our instrument reminds me a Spinal Tap story.
As you may know, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, and Michael McKean have been out playing the Tap repertoire acoustic, with no costumes (along with their Folksman music, etc.). Their shows have been getting rave reviews and are sold out. If you recall, they do this for comedy. It's not a "real" band...
So at the Q&A session after the concert in Philly, someone in the audience basically said "yeah, the show was good...but it's not like you're a real band". To which Harry Shearer replied, "Oh? You're the one who paid money to hear us play.". Brilliant.
Have a great night and just enjoy playing your music,
-John
As you may know, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, and Michael McKean have been out playing the Tap repertoire acoustic, with no costumes (along with their Folksman music, etc.). Their shows have been getting rave reviews and are sold out. If you recall, they do this for comedy. It's not a "real" band...
So at the Q&A session after the concert in Philly, someone in the audience basically said "yeah, the show was good...but it's not like you're a real band". To which Harry Shearer replied, "Oh? You're the one who paid money to hear us play.". Brilliant.
Have a great night and just enjoy playing your music,
-John
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