So I have (and I'll confess) paid for some borderline-toy ukuleles. They have been great for my kids to take to school and my wife to keep in her office.
As much as I want to hate them, they're almost 100% functional. The Kala is quiet and less complicated in tone, but it has the "plink." The Ohana, probably the worst I own, sounds pretty lifeless, but it looks great. And this recent blue-colored Kukui, it sort of has the "plink" too but is almost crap: there's something wrong with the neck and its frets, it buzzes on specific frets.
But man, I can coax music out of all of them. When I play before people, they smile and seemed delighted by the "happy sounds from my yuki-lay-lay."
John Hiatt had a song called "Perfectly Good Guitar," and I'm reminded of this song when I play these ukuleles.
So I've changed my perspective on music playing. My goal is to coax some sort of positive emotional reaction from myself and/or from anyone listening when I play. It's not about what instrument I'm playing anymore, but what emotional connection I can make.
For this, I can set aside any superficial, material, pecuniary, etc. snobbery and let the song do its thing: make an emotional connection.
And I have to admit, I wouldn't have been able to come to this concept had it not been for my crappiest ukuleles (the irony). At one point, I thought a "better" or a more expensive ukulele would have made me a better player. But it turns out, playing the song better made me a better player. I've realized playing a song better overrides the crappiness of any ukulele.
It feels good to come to this understanding. Now I know what to focus on which doesn't cost money and doesn't take up more space.
As much as I want to hate them, they're almost 100% functional. The Kala is quiet and less complicated in tone, but it has the "plink." The Ohana, probably the worst I own, sounds pretty lifeless, but it looks great. And this recent blue-colored Kukui, it sort of has the "plink" too but is almost crap: there's something wrong with the neck and its frets, it buzzes on specific frets.
But man, I can coax music out of all of them. When I play before people, they smile and seemed delighted by the "happy sounds from my yuki-lay-lay."
John Hiatt had a song called "Perfectly Good Guitar," and I'm reminded of this song when I play these ukuleles.
So I've changed my perspective on music playing. My goal is to coax some sort of positive emotional reaction from myself and/or from anyone listening when I play. It's not about what instrument I'm playing anymore, but what emotional connection I can make.
For this, I can set aside any superficial, material, pecuniary, etc. snobbery and let the song do its thing: make an emotional connection.
And I have to admit, I wouldn't have been able to come to this concept had it not been for my crappiest ukuleles (the irony). At one point, I thought a "better" or a more expensive ukulele would have made me a better player. But it turns out, playing the song better made me a better player. I've realized playing a song better overrides the crappiness of any ukulele.
It feels good to come to this understanding. Now I know what to focus on which doesn't cost money and doesn't take up more space.