'Ukulele as a stepping stone?

gray53

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How much would learning the 'ukulele prepare me for learning the guitar?
 
A baritone would prepare you better than the others since they share the same bottom strings. I would say that the guitar prepared me for the uke. Techniques (strumming, chording, etc.) are interchangeable, so if you're good at one you will pick up the other very easily.
 
I think uke helped me with barre chords. I could never get those down on guitar or tried to work around them.
With the ukes small frets I could not get chord shapes like B or Bb to play, but soon as I started Barreing them they worked. And this transfered over quite easily to guitar where now I use them with out trouble.
 
Well, they are instruments with a lot in common, but also a lot of differences.

Uke will get you to understand strumming and picking. It will also help you to grasp some of the theory that applies to all instruments. You will learn physical aspects that the instruments share in common.

BUT: techniques and playing styles between the two usually vary quite a lot. If you're going to play a steel-strung guitar then you'll find the strings on many instruments very close together after 'ukulele. Tuning is different (except on bari) as are chords.

A serious question for you: If you're going to learn guitar, why not get a guitar? There are some good cheap beginners' guitars. Why not have a uke AND a guitar! :D

Learning uke is learning uke. Learning guitar is learning guitar.
 
A serious question for you: If you're going to learn guitar, why not get a guitar?

A very good point. The guitar doesn't really need a stepping stone. You can jump directly to it!

JJ
 
One problem with useing the Uke as a stepping stone is you my decide you like the Uke so much why move on?
You can go as far as you want on the Uke and never stop learning more!

The Ukulele is more of a path than a stepping stone. Grasshopper.
 
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When I was a kid (many years ago) I wanted a guitar.
My parents said I was too small ( I was ten). They did not make quality little guitars back then.
My Grandmother bought a ukulele thinking it was a small guitar.
I learned on my own how to play chords and strum from a book.
I did not know the chords had names, I was just making shapes of the diagrams.
When I was in High School my parents bought me a guitar. In the 60's a guitar was cool, a uke was ??? (I don't believe geeky and nerdy were words back then).
A few years ago I rediscovered the uke. Guitar has definitely improved my uke skills, but I also find learning new things on the uke transfer to the guitar.
I have always been a strummer only. The last few years I have really worked on playing melodies. They seem much easier to learn on the uke. The uke is also so portable and goes everywhere with me.
I guess I agree with some of the other folks, play both, they are different and alike at the sametime.
 
I'd say the uke is a useful stepping stone to guitar if you're under 10 years old. Many music programs start kids on the ukulele to understand the basics and have an instrument that's easier to hold.

If you're older than that, learn guitar for guitar, and uke for uke. They're similar, but there are enough differences between the two that so long as you don't mind tormenting all of those around you with your awful beginner guitar playing, you'll progress more quickly if you focus exclusively on guitar if that's your goal. If you insist on starting with a uke, make sure you play low G instead of high G, however.
 
I would buy the guitar if you want to learn the guitar, especially if you have no intention of playing the uke long term. If you're looking to take classes, you should just buy the guitar. Depending on your area (like mine) it may be impossible to find a uke tutor / class.
 
Why would you want to start playing the guitar?:)

Seriously though, I'd say quite a bit. You'll have two more strings to deal with, and you won't have re-entrant tuning on a guitar, so there would be a bit of adjustment. Plus, you'll need additional finger strength for the guitar. And of course, the fret spacing on a guitar will feel huge compared to a uke.

But overall, you'll get somewhat familiar with using your fingers to fret strings - which is transferable. Also, if you understand the fretboard, that will transfer too, to a large degree.

Jason
 
yeah, my brother always asks me when an I going to graduate to guitar. some people get it, and some people don't.
 
The 'ukulele is the pinnacle of musical learning all instruments leading to the 'ukulele. To go from 'ukulele to guitar is a step backwards.
 
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