Uke Andy
Member
Aloha Everyone,
This is my first post on UU just wanted to introduce myself. I am going to be 50 in April and the ukulele is the first musical instrument that I have tried to play. I have been enjoying the forum so far, been going through the beginner section. I find some very interesting and helpful information here.
I decided to play the ukulele because my wife and I have a love for Hawaii and its culture. I have only been playing since 3/8/2014 and have been taking lessons at our local music store here in town. I decided on the Oscar Schmidt OU5. I have not had any problems with it (besides me playing it). It is an awesome instrument and a blast to play.
My lessons are once a week and my practice is about 45 minutes to an hour on week days and on Saturday and Sunday from 1-2 hours each day. My problem beside the normal chord change speed is strumming. I just don’t seem to have a rhythm on consistent strum patterns. Now just a 4 beat down strum is no problem, the 4 beat down & up strum is no problem but if I try the DDUUDU or something like this I get lost in my count or can’t strum and change chords at the same time. Will this come in time? My instructor says I am doing well and because I practice a lot I’m ahead of schedule. He doesn’t seem too worried about the strumming for right now.
Songs I’d like to learn are mostly Hawaiian; I’m a big Jimmy Buffett fan and a John Prine fan so any of those songs would be great. Anybody play John Prine on the ukulele? I would also like to learn Surf by the Ka’au Crater Boys. I know this is overdone in Hawaii but here in the suburbs of cold windy Chicago I think it would play very nicely.
Ok that’s my intro. Mahalo!
This is my first post on UU just wanted to introduce myself. I am going to be 50 in April and the ukulele is the first musical instrument that I have tried to play. I have been enjoying the forum so far, been going through the beginner section. I find some very interesting and helpful information here.
I decided to play the ukulele because my wife and I have a love for Hawaii and its culture. I have only been playing since 3/8/2014 and have been taking lessons at our local music store here in town. I decided on the Oscar Schmidt OU5. I have not had any problems with it (besides me playing it). It is an awesome instrument and a blast to play.
My lessons are once a week and my practice is about 45 minutes to an hour on week days and on Saturday and Sunday from 1-2 hours each day. My problem beside the normal chord change speed is strumming. I just don’t seem to have a rhythm on consistent strum patterns. Now just a 4 beat down strum is no problem, the 4 beat down & up strum is no problem but if I try the DDUUDU or something like this I get lost in my count or can’t strum and change chords at the same time. Will this come in time? My instructor says I am doing well and because I practice a lot I’m ahead of schedule. He doesn’t seem too worried about the strumming for right now.
Songs I’d like to learn are mostly Hawaiian; I’m a big Jimmy Buffett fan and a John Prine fan so any of those songs would be great. Anybody play John Prine on the ukulele? I would also like to learn Surf by the Ka’au Crater Boys. I know this is overdone in Hawaii but here in the suburbs of cold windy Chicago I think it would play very nicely.
Ok that’s my intro. Mahalo!