Do you attend ukulele meetings and gatherings?

The ukulele is a very social instrument that appeals to people of all ages from all walks of life. Reading over the forum here, people often mention clubs and fests or report about their regular meetings and jams. Personally, I haven't attend any yet, but would like to some day. What about you?

I play in an ensemble that meets weekly, but it's a pretty different thing than most uke clubs/groups I've been around - much more complex and more emphasis on playing rather than socializing. This is my comfort zone

When I was first starting to play I was a lot more into the uke group thing, but got pretty bored with it after a while because most uke groups seem to focus on strumming and singing simple songs. For some folks this is fun, and this is enough - but at a certain point I became more interested in the musicianship aspect of ukulele, rather than the social aspect. If I had more time, I'd maybe be into both, but for now - I'm more about the learning and doing, than the talking and socializing.

I've been to one fabulous ukulele festival (Ukulele Picnic in Hawaii, put on by a Japanese enterprise) and a handful of disappointing ones. The Ukulele Picnic was a day-long concert, and free - so I guess I can't say it was worth every penny, but it was worth every minute! The local uke fests I've been to were much more of a mixed bag. The performances I've seen have been great, but the workshops have always been a disappointment as they seem to be geared toward the beginner end of the spectrum.

A lot of the major ukulele events here in California are actually really pricey, when transportation, lodging, and the festival price are factored in, so that's kept me away from some of the bigger and more well-known ones.

I have never gone to a Uke Fest or Jam yet....but hoping to hit the 808ukejam tomorrow night.

The only time I have been around other uke players was in a group "beginner class" where the teachers strummed and sang, and everyone else made their own unique noises....

actually, I go to 2-3 different jams a week...

I would enjoy playing with other people but I don't know of any groups near me. I keep looking but haven't found any groups.

I had the good fortune of taking a beginners class by a uke jam leader on a Saturday. He then told us to come out on Wednesday to the weekly jam. I did and kinda hit the ground running. It was a great way to get integrated into playing the uke and making music with others. I love it, great fun and I have made some great friends.

I started playing ukulele in January, 2013. I got lonely and started a ukulele group in January, 2014. We meet twice a month, though some of our members would love to have it every week. We may do that later, but right now, two times a month feels right. I've been to a couple of concerts, Jake Shimabukuro and the UOGB, and our ukulele group has hosted two ukulele tests, which are kind of like a laid back family reunion, jam kind of situation.

I am in a group that meets every Sat morning. There is often 30 to 35 people each Sat. Nobody is there every Time but there are about ten to fifteen that are almost always there. It really bothers me when I have to miss a session. I enjoy them so much.

I was joined by Andy (stumsilly) and we went to Penny Lane Emporium in Ft. Lauderdale tonight.

They turned their once a month play along from anything goes to Beatles only and it's fun. We were all over the place as far as rhythm and timing, but everyone seemed to have a good time and that's what it's all about.

Hello, my name is Jim and I play the ukulele.


I have a couple 4 friends that get together for more of a social thing than anything else. Have some standards we play and try to add a new song but food and talk drive the evening.

janeray1940 said:

When I was first starting to play I was a lot more into the uke group thing, but got pretty bored with it after a while because most uke groups seem to focus on strumming and singing simple songs. For some folks this is fun, and this is enough - but at a certain point I became more interested in the musicianship aspect of ukulele, rather than the social aspect. If I had more time, I'd maybe be into both, but for now - I'm more about the learning and doing, than the talking and socializing.

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Its a relief to read that I'm not the only one who feels this way. I don't miss uke groups at all.

I started playing the ukulele three years ago by attending The Los Angeles Music Center Summer Play-Along Series, three Saturdays over three months with about 200 people on each day, broken down to three 1 hour classes a day. Very soon after I joined The CC Strummers that's meets for an hour twice a week, which are actually classes, Monday afternoon for beginners, Thursday morning for intermediates. There are usually 30-40 of us and we spend the entire time playing and singing.

We also play gigs regularly; spring and winter concerts for the Culver City Senior, out of which we are organized, the yearly Culver City Fiesta, performed at uke festivals, with more to come, assisted living performances, and just recently have setup to perform for the UCLA Mattel Children's Wing music therapy program. I absolutely love being part of the group, meeting and performing that often. I started playing bass uke with them and it's opened up music for me more than the 50 years I played at guitar.

That same summer I also joined the Westside Ukulele Ensemble (of which Janeray1940 was a member), a multi-part instrumental group that ultimately was beyond me, so after about a year I dropped out.

I try to attend ukulele seminars, workshops and performances at U-Space in downtown Little Tokyo Los Angeles as often as possible, usually 3-5 times a year. With playing the bass now, I've been neglecting my ukes, so I try to play them at home when I'm inclined, but have thought about finding another group where I could just play uke to keep me up on it.

NewKid said:

Its a relief to read that I'm not the only one who feels this way.

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Right back at ya

The only group round here meets once a month in a pub, at night, in town, & we have a lousy bus service!

So, no, I don't attend any!

If there was a more local & regular group (at least once a week), that met in daylight hours, I would be very tempted.

mountain goat said:

Never. It might mean I have to socialise.

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You know you really want to........:biglaugh:

I just started playing at the beginning of December 2015, but I've already joined up (and performed) with my local ukulele club (Central PA Ukulele Club). We meet twice a month for practice and jamming, and occasionally put on shows for local hospitals, nursing homes, etc. (Someplace with a captive audience! ) Another group has just started up locally and will be holding uke jams twice a month. Their first session is this Sunday, so I'm looking forward to checking it out.

Like some others have mentioned, I'm not a huge fan of the strumming/singing style, but I do enjoy the social aspects of playing with others.

No, I never have joined one. I'm pretty much a loner, and I mostly like to learn and try out new stuff. I started with the Uke because I wanted to sing and accompany myself, but I have a lot of trouble retaining what I've learned. After playing stuff over and over and over though, I do learn it and hang on to it (sometimes).

One of the biggest mistakes I've made in my musical life is not majoring in music in college. I went late in life, and I was afraid everyone would be way better than me. I didn't wanna hafta play in front of all those well trained, perfect youngsters. I played an okay cornet then.

The second big musical mistake I've made was not joining a community band/orchestra when I came back to California. I guess I again thought I wouldn't measure up . . . There's a coupla good ones nearby, but they play on without me.

So, if anyone is thinking about joining any kind of group, "Just Do It!"! I think about it all the time, but I don't wanna strum and sing. I'd like a small group in which we could play and exchange ideas. Anyway, if you join and don't care for it, you can always quit.

When you're old, there are so many things you wish you had done or not done. Old age is full of regrets. ld:

I have looked for groups around where I live, and haven't found any. Ukuleles are just not a big deal around here. There is a group, that refers to themselves as a club, but I think that they a band. Regardless, they are an exclusive group. I've talked to some of them, and I think that they like being unique. That is fine too. I have also tried to start a group, with little success. I'm attracted to smaller group experiences anyway. I like to get together with two or three other musicians. Small enough groups that there can be an exchange going on. That is sort of my definition of jamming. I do that kind of jamming pretty regularly. I don't especially like sitting with a large number of people, following someone else's lead. But really, if it was available to me, I would probably do it.

I like ukulele festivals if they are the kind that have workshops, and some kind of entertainment, where I can hear really good musicians, and maybe pick up some things by watching them. I really like festivals if they are two or three days, especially if I have to drive a ways to go to them. I don't like the ones that are just big group strum-alongs, in a park.

Even for people who don't enjoy playing in a large group of strummers and singers, there is a potential upside to attending club meetings. It's a chance to meet other uke players -- some of whom might become good jamming partners for whatever style of play you do enjoy. I think generally it is a lifestyle best practice to know as many ukulele players as possible.

acmespaceship said:

Even for people who don't enjoy playing in a large group of strummers and singers, there is a potential upside to attending club meetings. It's a chance to meet other uke players -- some of whom might become good jamming partners for whatever style of play you do enjoy. I think generally it is a lifestyle best practice to know as many ukulele players as possible.

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Your post makes good sense. If I can drop my backwardness someday I might take your advice. ld: