Interesting discussion regarding the current uke craze

Uke Crazy Bitches are in a funk over the current uke craze. Check out the last few days posts and the comments.

I think the nature of the ukulele being a niche instrument is what attracted a lot of people to it in the first place. Now that it's more popular, it's becoming less of a niche instrument and a lot more mainstream. I understand their feelings about that.

However, other enthusiasts aren't as sensitive to cultural trends as we are. I mean, gardening is the most popular hobby in the US (90 million people!) and if more people suddenly picked up gardening, should we get depressed/become critical of them? Should we feel as though people are horning on the Good Thing We Got Going On? I think we should be happy about people discovering the thing that also makes us happy.

However, I refuse to play I'm Yours. So there's that.
(At the same time playing Julia Nunes' cover of Gone is really fun. So I do that.)

Plus, whichever way the wind blows, I'm gonna keep playing, and I hope you guys do too.

I like bacon...Bacon is the best brand of bacon too.

I'm not so worried about UCB...but SOMEONE needs to send Deach some bacon! I'm on a mission now! (Since he's watching his cholesterol...should I try sneaking in some soy or turkey bacon?) *shudder*

That kid is adorable

I went through the same thing with another (guitar) forum last year. The newbies killed all the fun for the old guard. And I realize I'm probably one of the "golfers" that Grumpy hates. But what's the solution? If one of the offenders comments on your video, reply with "I hate you. Please don't comment on my videos again"? Probably not. Hopefully somebody will have a better suggestion.

I really do understand what you all are talking about. I'm sorry you're not enjoying it anymore.

How pathetic.... get depressed because other people have discovered the joys of something you love? Immature, even. Trends over music likes and dislikes have never swayed me one way or the other. I think it's awesome that the uke popularity is getting more people to discover the joys of playing music.

Alan - Dealing with the deep-seated UCB psychological problems created by the uke becoming popular are above my pay grade, but your Sienna commercials are hilarious and superbly produced. I had missed them somehow on YT.

Seems like an easy fix. Quit logging onto uke forums. Just play.

I don't know if it's an old saying, but I've heard it before that the last one into paradise is always the first to slam the door.

didgeridoo2 said:

Seems like an easy fix. Quit logging onto uke forums. Just play.

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Sadly, that's pretty much what happened with the other group.

It wasn't that long ago when I first heard the term "microfame". That one word put forums, Youtube, social networking into perspective for me. What am I doing on the internet that matters? Nothing really, just having fun I hope.

Well, I'm sorry if Grumpy and Deach have lost their passion for the uke. They have both added so much to this place.
Anything you take up as a hobby (if playing an instrument is a hobby) will evolve over time, either becoming a passing faze for you or something you truly love. Sometimes they are just a stepping stone onto the next project you choose to tackle. The popularity of the item shouldn't dictate whether or not you continue to play it. There will always be the nerd who yells, "Play I'm Yours" at any stage containing a uke. (This happen to me two weeks ago at an extended family party, I politely invited the offender on stage to sing the song. She did a poor rendition of it, no harm, no foul.) There will also be the snot nosed kid trying to play "crap" on the uke. Some very accomplished uke players started that way. I know a few Hawaiians that have a hard time being comfortable with anything but true Hawaiian music being played on a uke.
I have been playing flute for 39 years. In the 70's Ian Anderson's flute playing in Jetro Tull was all the rage. To someone who was serious about the instrument, Ian's flutter tonguing style was just annoying. How many times I had friend say, "Hey play Aqualung". Comments like that and the popularity of the instrument did not make me put it down.
How others perceive an instrument is their deal, not mine.
I play the instrument because it pleases me, when it stops being fun, I'll put it down and move on. But I really doubt that will happen for me, and I hope Grumpy and Deach stay with it also.

This is kind of suprising to hear from the UCB. I under stand where Grumpy and Deach are coming from, and have had similar thoughts. I also miss the old days in the forums, I also miss wakeing up on Christmas morning to see Santa had visited my house. But things change. A lot of the 'old gaurd' don't really even post anymore and I wish they would but it might be hard to find their posts among the numerous other posts in the forums.

When I started playing uke it was because I wanted to, I had seen very little ukeing on youtube or anywhere else. I play the uke today because I want to and it makes me happy. I have never made a video (well one time someone asked for a sound sample of a uke I have but you won't find it anywhere) or played an open mic, or even for people outside of my family. So honestly If it does not bring you joy, why are you doing it?

I have to agree with paraclete on this one, kind of pathetic. Sorry but it is.

salukulady said:

Well, I'm sorry if Grumpy and Deach have lost their passion for the uke. They have both added so much to this place.
Anything you take up as a hobby (if playing an instrument is a hobby) will evolve over time, either becoming a passing faze for you or something you truly love. Sometimes they are just a stepping stone onto the next project you choose to tackle. The popularity of the item shouldn't dictate whether or not you continue to play it. There will always be the nerd who yells, "Play I'm Yours" at any stage containing a uke. (This happen to me two weeks ago at an extended family party, I politely invited the offender on stage to sing the song. She did a poor rendition of it, no harm, no foul.) There will also be the snot nosed kid trying to play "crap" on the uke. Some very accomplished uke players started that way. I know a few Hawaiians that have a hard time being comfortable with anything but true Hawaiian music being played on a uke.
I have been playing flute for 39 years. In the 70's Ian Anderson's flute playing in Jetro Tull was all the rage. To someone who was serious about the instrument, Ian's flutter tonguing style was just annoying. How many times I had friend say, "Hey play Aqualung". Comments like that and the popularity of the instrument did not make me put it down.
How others perceive an instrument is their deal, not mine.
I play the instrument because it pleases me, when it stops being fun, I'll put it down and move on. But I really doubt that will happen for me, and I hope Grumpy and Deach stay with it also.

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:agree:Very well said and I would have to agree with you Sally.

Before too many people get pissed off at me, I need to clarify something... I meant pathetic and immature as in attitude, not an adjective of any person. Let me clarify with an example:

I've spent the last 13 years or so vacationing in and around La Push, WA. For those who don't know yet, that area is the setting for the Twilight series. It is a beautiful and rugged part of the Washington State coastline. But last time I was there, I saw signs all over Forks and the area for Bella burgers and "Edward didn't sleep here" and vampire whatever. Sickening? Very. Annoying? Totally. Enough to make me depressed and never go back... no way! It's a fad, a popular thing right now. Eventually it will fade and those who are not dedicated to the area as a remote vacation destination will find some other place to go.

I regularly take breaks from online forums, just to regain a perspective on things away from the virtual world. It's going to be warm today. I think I'm going to introduce my neighborhood to my fairly awful uke playing.

This is sort of like if every guitar player quit because they're tired of hearing smoke on the water, free bird, and stairway to heaven. Honestly, just get over it, because it won't ever stop, and if it does, instead of being asked to play I'm Yours or Odd, it will just go back to tiptoe through the tulips. Who cares?

When most of us started out, we played cookie cutter songs, because that's all we were capable of. I have no real musical training, so I still play a lot of cookie cutter songs, because it's fun for me and it's the best i can do. Sorry I'm ruining the uke for you, but if you are all really so evolved that you've moved beyond simple covers, make them your own. Use you're amazing powers to take the suck right out of those songs, so that when someone won't quit yelling "freebird!" at your open mike, you can play something he wasn't expecting, and something that you still enjoy.

Or if it really bothers you that much, quit, and take up yodeling. That way you'll never have to worry about doing something popular.

yeah, I think there's a level of immaturity (maybe insecurity is a better word) in there...although well written, and quite interesting

I dont get into things because they are "different" or because they are still a "subculture". I get into them because I like them, and that means when that subculture goes mainstream and drops the "sub", I'm still gonna like it lol. Trends come and go like the wind, in 20 years I'm guessing ukulele will have long passed as a fad, but I'll still enjoy it.

Some people gravitate to things because they are cool and unique among the crowd, but when the crowd embraces it...they run off complaining. Just like 1000 punk bands kids loved--until they became popular...uh, I STILL like Green Day, lol. You see that people find that they were more drawn to how the "different" gave them a definite place in self-concept...I think its a manifestation of some quiet, deep-seeded need to be an independent personality and receive due recognition/attention. It must be like middle-child syndrome. Learn to be content with yourself, and you wont need some unique niche' to define who you are. Those are my admittedly ignorant observations.

I think getting tired of some things is pretty common, and therefore pretty normal. I know I used to be consumed by my interest in investing in the stock market. I visited several boards and spent far too much time and money on that hobby. I made a lot of new friends, but eventually it started to bore me. I got tired of seeing the same old questions asked and answered. Eventually, many of the old timers, including me, got bored and moved on. The same thing happened when I started metal working and welding. Then there was my building recumbent bicycle phase. As you become an old hand in most anything there is less to learn and less enjoyment in talking about and doing the same old things. Its kind of sad, but its life. I still ride my bikes. I still weld, and I still invest. I think I will probably still play the uke in 10 years, but I probably wont spend as much time on uke boards.

Captain_Lovehandles said:

It wasn't that long ago when I first heard the term "microfame". That one word put forums, Youtube, social networking into perspective for me. What am I doing on the internet that matters? Nothing really, just having fun I hope.

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That's why I only have 1 ukulele vid on youtube, I realized it doesn't matter.

leftovermagic84 said:

Or if it really bothers you that much, quit, and take up yodeling. That way you'll never have to worry about doing something popular.

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Hahahahaha, I really did laugh out loud

I understand, I mean, it's nice to be different. Funnily enough, when there was a uke craze among my friends, 2 of them picking it up (well that's a relatively high number ) I thought "No way am I jumping on THAT bandwagon" ... but as much as I highly value being quirky and unique (I sometimes wonder if the main reason I did a degree in Computer Science is because not many girls do that!) ... when I picked up the uke, the joy I got from holding it, playing it, learning new things on it ...actually was more important to me than being unique.

Part of the reason the uke has grown in popularity is because ukers themselves are NOT golfers. Uke players want to share the happiness. When a friend comes over I don't say "Listen to me play" I say "Have a go! You'll love it too!" ... it inspires enthusiasm I have *touch wood* not ONCE got a single negative comment on my vids, even my most rubbish vids, not once. Aldrine Guerrero is the archetypal uke player, imho. Completely NOT pretentious or arrogant in any way, just wanting to share tips and chords freely, encouraging everyone. If the world of the uke player weren't so encouraging and friendly and open, I wouldn't have had the confidence to upload any vids, because I'm quite shy about performing. But I always try to encourage others because I like seeing other people try their best whatever level they are at. I don't think it's self indulgence to want to be part of a community, even if you (like me) have no ambition to be the next James Hill or Jake Shimabukuro. Honestly, I can't see how the uke community could be less pretentious. I think because no matter how popular it is, you still get odd looks and have to explain to most people what a ukulele is, and that it's not a toy guitar etc.

So I understand wanting to be different- but there are other things in life. Ukulele Underground has the caption "Growing the next generation of uke players" ... and the next generation are growing. I'm sorry that some feel threatened by it, in some sense, or that it's taking something away from them. But I'm not sorry that other people besides an elite group are getting joy from a ukulele just as I am.

Personally, I feel honoured to be a member of a friendly, encouraging community and I hope it stays that way. Trends come and go, the ukulele remains the best instrument ever invented

ETA: The quote in my signature means: What's essential is invisible to the eyes. Worth remembering.

Sparky