Uke playing styles

XXXris · Mar 30, 2009

Hi Friends:

I'm just beginning to explore the ukulele universe.... Are there distinct playing styles on the uke that you could point me to, along with players who are associated with those styles?

I realize that on the one hand "it is your uke, so play it how you like," but I am wondering if there have traditionally been broad styles or techniques of playing, much like in the banjo world you could point to 3-finger style, clawhammer style, melodic style, 2-finger style, etc etc.

!Thanks!

Chris

John Colter · Mar 30, 2009

On a very basic level there are two uke playing styles. There are those who strum chords and sing the melody, and those who also do some picking.

The uke was traditionally used as a simple accompaniment for singing, and the re-entrant tuning is especially suitable for strumming. Many of today's players have taken the uke to the next level - in fact to stratospheric levels!

Clawhammer works very well on the uke. I've promised myself to get into it one day, but so far it hasn't happened. I'm still just strummin' and singin'.

Ukantor.

deach · Mar 30, 2009

I describe my style as the "whatever gets you through" style.

Brad Bordessa · Mar 30, 2009

Style for me is what floats your boat. All of the pros have their own styles. That is the only reason you know it's them when you listen. It's up to you to learn what you like and want your style to be. Style includes many aspects of playing: how your pick, genres, note selections, arrangement, dynamics, and a lot more. Style is not just "I want to play like Jake" - because you never will. You need to take your favorite aspects of the artist's playing and make them your own.

I encourage you to try and find your style as soon as posible. Good luck!

SailQwest · Mar 30, 2009

My husband and I started playing within several months of each other. He started learning and after several months, it looked so fun I got hooked myself!

We used the same materials to learn, and spend huge amounts of time playing together.

And yet...we have very different playing styles. Not on purpose, it just sort of happened. He is more of a strummer, while I do some strumming but I also do a lot of picking.

All in all, it's worked out very nicely for us.

Lalz · Oct 4, 2011

Hi! Like ucantor said, the basic ones are strumming and fingerpicking, and clawhammer sounds really great on a uke too. There's also Hawaiian slack key, campanella and sliding. These are the ones I know about, but I'm sure there's more.

molrat88 · Oct 4, 2011

Hey! just play the uke with your heart and you'll be a successful ukulele player

TheOnlyUkeThatMatters · Oct 4, 2011

Hm, I'm unaware of names for ukulele styles.

Check out Eddie Kamae, Ohta-san, Jake Shimabukuro, Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards and Roy Smeck to hear five distinct, amazing approaches to the ukulele. (There are many more great players, they're just the first five that came to mind.)

Uke playing styles

XXXris

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John Colter

It ain't what you've got, it's what you do with it

deach

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Brad Bordessa

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SailQwest

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Lalz

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molrat88

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TheOnlyUkeThatMatters

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