Ukulele brightens a bad day

So, I'm sick and worked anyways, finally got home, sick, tired, in a pretty bad mood, had no "plans" of playing, but picked my Ukulele up and started playing it on the couch, and almost instantly my mood got a lot better. I'm still sick granted, but in a better place mentally. Sure wish my playing was better. Sounds sappy maybe, but I think you folks here will get it. Sometimes it's the little things that make the biggest difference, I think the Ukulele is the perfect example of that.

Sort of magic, huh? Yeah, I understand. I've been there, too. It's a happy little instrument!

A little dose of ukulele soul medicine will increase your health and allow you more recovery than any placebo otc flu medication.

Totally agreed. I teach ukulele all day long at this point of the year, and the kids can be trying...

"Jimmy, why are you just cranking the tuning pegs? Oh, lovely. Your uke is tuned to CF#BEb!"

I still come home and play and sing every night.

I'm at the airport right now, waiting for my (Spirit) flight which has been delayed 4 hours. I couldn't bring my ukulele without paying more--and I am wishing I had it with me.

And I even have a cracked tip on my left hand second finger.

Hey, I am also an ex-bassist of 40 years. Hands won't let me play anymore. I miss it, but the beauty of a mall, simple "grab & play" instrument with no cords, cables, effects pedals, amp rigs, is a balm for the soul.

Chopped Liver said:

Sort of magic, huh? Yeah, I understand. I've been there, too. It's a happy little instrument!

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Debussychopin said:

A little dose of ukulele soul medicine will increase your health and allow you more recovery than any placebo otc flu medication.

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:agree: the above are both the real truth

'ukulele heals all' :music:

You are absolutely correct! Even if I am too sick to play, I can hold it in bed next to me, and it makes things a little easier to tolerate.
It's been shown time and again that music heals, and playing your own music works even better.
There are many times when I need to console myself after work, but in the wee hours when I get home, waking Tammy could be life threatening. It's a small house, so I have to play before work.
It always makes me feel better, especially when I nail a song.

Yep, definitely feeling this post. It seems like work is more-and-more stressful lately. I am thankful to have this 'release' (although in theory I should be exercising too).
Also, FWIW, I play my Flea and Fluke the absolute most since I leave them standing on the floor next to my side of the couch.

Heck yeah! A little ukulele playing is good therapy for many things... :shaka:

Amen and Amen!

My ukulele is the stress relief I've been looking for my whole life. I try to keep one within arm's reach at all times.

Choirguy, I got my Caramel before I started looking at your videos, it kinda amused me you talking about sharp frets and nut. Mine the frets were so sharp it actually drew blood from the side of my left index finger. Like little pin holes of blood coming up. I improved and used a fingernail file on the offending areas and the Caramel and I become good friends quickly.....

Griffis....I played bass for 34 years, still could, but no desire to be in a band situation at this point, or maybe ever again. I got bad burned out, was in something of a bad situation with a group, and stayed way longer than I should have, which is on me ultimately of course, but there's a number of reasons I stayed. I don't miss it at all, so no reason to go back. But when I was playing, I was never a guy to sit around the house and play bass for fun, almost never did that, I was learning songs at home all the time at home for various bands, mainly cause I didn't want to seem like an idiot on stage, and as you know as a bassist, no note is wrong, a wrong note is wrong, and if you play it right, few notice. lol Plus plenty of times I was carrying the band thru songs, again something bass players do often. I did not find learning songs to be "fun" though, just part of what I had to do.

That's what so different about the Ukulele to me, I really enjoy playing it around the house, and I like my repertoire too! Go figure huh....

"Magic" "balm for the soul"

Truer words have never been spoken. Nothing better to erase the stress of the day. Even practicing scales makes me feel better. I find that repetitive, mindless task to be soothing. And I can't tell you how many times I've fallen asleep with uke in hand, as I'm reluctant to put it down even when it's bedtime.

Great thread! Recovering Bassist, I hope you are...recovering!

Recovering Bassist said:

Choirguy, I got my Caramel before I started looking at your videos, it kinda amused me you talking about sharp frets and nut. Mine the frets were so sharp it actually drew blood from the side of my left index finger. Like little pin holes of blood coming up. I improved and used a fingernail file on the offending areas and the Caramel and I become good friends quickly.....
.

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Sounds like a good uke for a diabetic....you can check your blood glucose level every time you play!

The original response to that video was before I was active here...it was quite a shock to join and see that my video was being discussed. There were a few people who stated, "So what, sharp frets."

What they forget is that beginners (who are best suited for the price point of the Caramel) are going to hesitate about sanding fret ends. And those frets can be blood-drawing sharp. Particularly as humidity drops.

These days, I regularly attack fret ends on the Caramels with a block sander (220 grit) as needed, without even using tape, with no apparent damage. It makes sense as the paper hits the frets. Were I to work on a more expensive ukulele, I would use tape and perhaps one of those three sided fingernail files.

I presented a session on Ukuleles today at the Florida Music Education Conference (many thanks to Thomas Hood, president of TBUS, who met with me and provided me with a ukulele to use). I was reminded that ukulele is not only a unique instrument in that it brings joy and allows musicians to learn by themselves; it is also an instrument that is a social instrument. One of my favorite things to do is to ask other players about their music background and how they found the ukulele. In fact...I am going to go start that thread.

There seems to be loads of apps and courses available for Mindfulness at the moment. They should just buy a uke. Your worries don't go away, but they do get put on hold whilst you're picking and strumming.