Wife cringes when I play

deach · Apr 16, 2008

I started playing the ukulele a few weeks ago so I kinda understood when she had the scowl on her face whenever I played. I really didn't think I was that bad so I asked what her deal was. She said the ukulele reminded her of her younger years when her parents would listen to Tiny Tim and his ukulele. How do I get her to overcome this? Should I just get a new wife?

Plainsong · Apr 16, 2008

Learn songs she likes and play them in an un-George Formby way. Mom grew up on Oahu so she made of fun of my getting a uke as well. Then I played House of the Rising Sun and Paint it Black and that stopped me getting made fun of.

JumpingPulgas · Apr 16, 2008

I used to get funny looks from my wife too when I first started learning how to play the uke, but as I got better, she started liking it. And like PlainSong said, it helps to play songs that she really likes. I still get funny looks from my wife, but it's for other stuff

seeso · Apr 16, 2008

Time for a new wife!!

Seriously, though... I suggest you learn one of her favorite songs and surprise her with your rendition.

Ukulele_Junkie · Apr 16, 2008

hahaha dude thanks for sharing the name of that musician, man thats really weird when i searched i thought at first he was jus joking around, then as i went through all the other vids man.....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=IYnjASLYKdA

what kind of songs are u playing as of now?

Lanark · Apr 16, 2008

Perseverance.

If you keep playing long and hard enough she'll eventually stop associating unpleasant ukulele playing with Tiny Tim and start associating it solely with you. So I'd suggest keep her and keep practicing.

Vroom · Apr 16, 2008

deach said:
Should I just get a new wife?

HAHAHA

clearly that would solve it. but you might get lonely. She'll get used to it.

deach · Apr 16, 2008

Ukulele_Junkie said:
....

what kind of songs are u playing as of now?

It's not really the type of music or the songs I play, it's just the sound/tone of the ukulele that grates on her.

deach · Apr 16, 2008

Vroom said:
HAHAHA

clearly that would solve it. but you might get lonely. ....

Lonely? I thought the ukulele was a chick magnet.

Ukeguy510 · Apr 16, 2008

Haha. Are you sure your wife isn't just jealous that you spend more time or maybe even treat your ukulele better than her? My wife used to be that way until I bought her a uke of her own. Now she's hook'd

Ian Boys · Apr 16, 2008

Learn the song 'Pearly Shells' or something along those lines....

....depending on what sort of person she is, she'll think it's incredibly sweet, or she'll want to kill you.

But seriously... just learn to play something you know she likes, or even take a request or two...

Plainsong · Apr 16, 2008

I wonder if that would work on my husband? He's a great guitar player. He doesn't play anymore because he's lazy while on the couch. I think the uke would be ideal, especially with the 6 string options out there, but he won't play it because he's "afraid he'll forget how to play guitar." Playing sax did not make me forget clarinet so I know that's hooey.

So I'm wondering if I should just get him one and say "play it!". But the bad thing is he'll balk if it's expensive, but he won't play it if it sounds cheap. He is very particular. I think anything that's a laminated wood is out. He can seriously hear it, even in the youtube vids.

UkuleleHill · Apr 16, 2008

Plainsong said:
I wonder if that would work on my husband? He's a great guitar player. He doesn't play anymore because he's lazy while on the couch. I think the uke would be ideal, especially with the 6 string options out there, but he won't play it because he's "afraid he'll forget how to play guitar." Playing sax did not make me forget clarinet so I know that's hooey.

So I'm wondering if I should just get him one and say "play it!". But the bad thing is he'll balk if it's expensive, but he won't play it if it sounds cheap. He is very particular. I think anything that's a laminated wood is out. He can seriously hear it, even in the youtube vids.

Totally recommend Uke over Guitar any day... I came from playing Guitar and love playing the uke so much more...

seeso · Apr 16, 2008

Plainsong said:
I wonder if that would work on my husband? He's a great guitar player. He doesn't play anymore because he's lazy while on the couch. I think the uke would be ideal, especially with the 6 string options out there, but he won't play it because he's "afraid he'll forget how to play guitar." Playing sax did not make me forget clarinet so I know that's hooey.

So I'm wondering if I should just get him one and say "play it!". But the bad thing is he'll balk if it's expensive, but he won't play it if it sounds cheap. He is very particular. I think anything that's a laminated wood is out. He can seriously hear it, even in the youtube vids.

Yeesh, that would be an expensive trial, if you're not sure it would work. It's got to be solid wood, eh? Maybe a spruce Kala?

You're right, it is hooey. He won't forget how to play guitar. I didn't. He's just making excuses to sit on the couch. And people should use the word "hooey" more often. Hooey.

Playing an ukulele just may get him to pick up the guitar again, too. Who knows?

tad · Apr 16, 2008

You're one of us in the DC area, yes?

Arrange a local meet-up and get some of your playing done out of the house?

Seriously. The DC meetup needs to HAPPEN. I'm tired of my friends thinking my uke habit is novel or cute.

dakine2009 · Apr 16, 2008

keep practicing...she'll learn to love it.
=D

Plainsong · Apr 16, 2008

I missed the local Uke Fest that was happening down at a nice musician's pub tonight. I haven't been sick all year, but yesterday the flue landed and exploded all over my face. I feel like crap and my head is spinning and today I have a tech rehearsal for a play I'm in. And it's not optional because it is a tech rehearsal, the first time they add scoring and lighting and you sort of have to be there.

So there's no way I could make a long night of it tonight and be in shape for the rehearsal. Damn, I've been looking forward to it all year.

I like the word hooey. I like other worse words, but hooey has its place.

Spruce Kalas are very pretty. I've been cruising spruce ukes and I love the look of the Kala and the sound of the Risa spruce.

davoomac · Apr 16, 2008

That's Hooey. Show your wife some of the music that's being played on the ukulele these days. Maybe some Jake or aldrine or james hill.

Howlin Hobbit · Apr 16, 2008

davoomac said:
Show your wife some of the music that's being played on the ukulele these days. Maybe some Jake or aldrine or james hill.

Or John King or Brian Hefferan or Gus (aka GUGUG) or... well, you get the idea.

Heck, even lil ol' me... if you choose the video real careful-like!

Plainsong · Apr 16, 2008

My husband thinks Iz's Over the rainbow/wonderful world should be how Battlestar Galactica ends. Seriously. But he was raised in a jazz family and his dad was too busy being a head master at a school to go follow his famous jazz pianist friend on the road to fame.

His dad is a trumpet player, likes dixieland stuff and avid Louis Armstrong fan. So Wonderful World with a reggae vibe to my husband is just like peas and carrots.

He was following a thread at a place called Something Awful about ukuleles, and it was mostly trolls saying "get a guitar." He didn't neccesarily agree, but when he mentioned the thread, I showed him a little bit of Jake. He agreed that guy would shut those people up real quick.

Wife cringes when I play

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