Sure Fire Way to Improve Significantly

I have found a surefire way to make significant improvement in my uke playing. Play at least an hour a day for six months. Spend about half of that time trying to play things that seem too hard.

That's it. That's all. It works.

katysax said:

I have found a surefire way to make significant improvement in my uke playing. Play at least an hour a day for six months. Spend about half of that time trying to play things that seem too hard.

That's it. That's all. It works.

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This is actually brilliant in it's simplicity. If I may add other element, practice does not mean noodling. Noodling is fun but will not give you significant improvement. That half an hour of hard stuff is what will get you to improve. Something as simple as a metronome while doing Uncle Rods chord charts turns easy into hard and serious for me real fast.

Thanks Katysax

PS I almost forget............as much or more time playing than reading stuff on UU

And I'll add to what katysax and DUD wrote: turn up the tempo of that metronome.

Big Amen to the Noodling........probably why I haven't progressed as much as I could have.

I don't practice. I just try to play songs that are a little too hard for me.

coolkayaker1 said:

And I'll add to what katysax and DUD wrote: turn up the tempo of that metronome.

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I'd actually say to turn DOWN the tempo of the metronome. It's a lot harder to play patterns and passages at a slower tempo than it is to play it faster. Plus, it makes your internal metronome and time keeping skills rock solid.

Another good thing is to practice a hour after you wake up. Your mind is clear and not tired..also not cluttered

mm stan said:

Another good thing is to practice a hour after you wake up. Your mind is clear and not tired..also not cluttered

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Totally agree with this!

I love to play any time of day but find that for the most significant improvements in my playing its best to practice in the morning when I am most rested.

One Bad Monkey said:

I'd actually say to turn DOWN the tempo of the metronome. It's a lot harder to play patterns and passages at a slower tempo than it is to play it faster. Plus, it makes your internal metronome and time keeping skills rock solid.

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I see what you are saying, One, but for the challenging part of the practice session (the 30 minutes that katysax mentions), I find it much better to turn it up. Frankly, I see so many uke videos (most uke videos) where the players play only one speed...one type of song, always one speed--and, usually, that speed is school zone slow. It's as if the player picks only songs at the tempo they naturally play. How unfun is that?

For a new piece, yes, slow; for a practiced piece, I say amp it up.

I agree with you katysax. I didn't make much progress at all on the uke until I started to play on my lunch break. That's five guaranteed hours of closed door, no-interruptions practice per week. Add to that playing at home after work, on the weekends, travel, etc.

Usually at home, I just play. I save the "practice" for the lunch hour. I will drill a piece for an hour if needed. Whatever challenges me that day. I usually have 5-10 pieces that I am working on at a time, so I can rotate through those to avoid working on the same piece for so long that it keeps it interesting.

Nick

If I practice an hour after I wake up, most of it will consist of me trying to find the uke, then remember what it is for. I'm not a morning person. I barely breathe before noon ..

Nike was right. Just Do It. Swoosh!!! :shaka:

I get good uninterrupted practice time in the car line for school.

coolkayaker1 said:

I see what you are saying, One, but for the challenging part of the practice session (the 30 minutes that katysax mentions), I find it much better to turn it up. Frankly, I see so many uke videos (most uke videos) where the players play only one speed...one type of song, always one speed--and, usually, that speed is school zone slow. It's as if the player picks only songs at the tempo they naturally play. How unfun is that?

For a new piece, yes, slow; for a practiced piece, I say amp it up.

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Sure, most start at one tempo (a slow one) and then don't know where to take it, so faster seems a solid option. The problem is that when you're speeding it up, you're covering up a lot of mistakes due to tempo. Look at the great virtuoso musicians of our time; when they warm up, it's with SLOW scales. Why is that? To get those muscles moving (because strumming patterns are really just muscle memory) and focus on the evenness of tone.

You play a song you know by heart at half the tempo you usually do for only ten minutes a day, and you'll have massive improvement, because you're focusing on the muscle memory and making sure everything sounds even. THEN start bumping the tempo.

ubulele said:

Agreed. I've read time and time again, go slow enough that you don't make mistakes; only then speed it up. Otherwise, you're practicing your errors. (Not that I follow this advice, which may be why I keep making lots of errors.)

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My old teacher had me start my metronome at 60bpm and play whatever technique we were working on. I was required to come back to the next lesson (usually two weeks) with the technique flawless at 120bpm. It's from that mindset that many will practice until they get it right; professionals practice until they can't get it wrong.

One thing I do, silly though it sounds, is to attempt to play along with videos I have made and posted.

Boy, do those tempo changes stand out! Makes me realize what I do when I'm playing in front of others.

I've never been able to play with a metronome, but when playing with other people, I can almost always match their tempo.

Great advice gang! I see in order to improve I need to get out of the comfort zone to stretch. One of my greatest challenges (on the uke anyway) are barre cords, can't seem to get my fingers to cooperate. I need to put more quality time in that area and attempt to whooop that hurdle. I can see where breaking the hour up in half should help.
Again...thanks.

Barre chords will come with practice. On thing to do is get a chord chart and try playing chord changes you know but in different positions. Also, try playing what you know in different keys. I'm of the school that speed comes with muscle memory - I think it's a big mistake to speed up until you play it cleanly. I like to focus on tone, playing cleanly and smoothly allowing the notes to ring.

Barre chords on the uke are really not that hard. I find the various closed shapes that are not barre chords hard to get to where they are automatic. Even when the chord isn't hard it takes a while for it to become natural. For me a goal has been to get proficient through the whole fret board. Coming from guitar the first five frets were easy. I've really been working on getting comfortable through the whole neck.

All of us have things that come easier and things that come harder and they are different for each of us. I find that if I attempt music that is too hard and just keep plugging at it day after day, eventually it comes - even if it takes months. Sometimes I'll work on it a few weeks then turn to something else that is hard for me, then come back and find the older piece is now easier. I think the most important thing is to play every day (or as close to every day as possible) and to keep reaching for things that are a little too hard. Also, I think it helps to mix it up and keep adding new music.

katysax said:

I have found a surefire way to make significant improvement in my uke playing. Play at least an hour a day for six months. Spend about half of that time trying to play things that seem too hard.

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Regular practice will make you better, of course.

And I agree about challenging yourself beyond your current limits.

The other thing I'd add is to play with others as often as you can. When you're playing on your own, it's all too easy to slow down to make a difficult transition or chord. But when you're playing with others you have to keep up in real time.

One Bad Monkey said:

My old teacher had me start my metronome at 60bpm and play whatever technique we were working on. I was required to come back to the next lesson (usually two weeks) with the technique flawless at 120bpm. It's from that mindset that many will practice until they get it right; professionals practice until they can't get it wrong.

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Your old teacher was right: ramp up that tempo, and ramp it quickly.

only practice songs you like unless you're part of a group. Why practice songs you have little interest in? It's a parochial approach but at least you'll enjoy practicing.