Guitar to Uke?

So lately i've been thinking on and off about how easy it is to go from guitar to the ukulele. My brother has played guitar for about 4 years now maybe more, and i was just messing around on my ukulele the other day playing the song "stand by me", this was a few weeks ago actually i've since learned a bit more difficult songs. But he was like hey how do you play that? and i showed him and he pretty much just started playing it after i showed him the chords and picking. Granted i did show him, but other than that, has anyone out there gone from guitar to ukulele? I'm sure dealing with a string instrument would help to some extent but im just wanting some comfort to sooth my mind and to rid the thoughts that i could be playing a "fall-back" instrument, because i've never been really interseted in the guitar, but when i got interested in the uke i got hooked because it was just smaller and seemed simpler. I mean logically there are a fewer number of frets and notes to be played in comparison, but i was just curious if anyone else has thought this before, or anything of the sort? I suppose as long as someone can make good sounding music it doesnt matter the size or reputation of the instrument, just throwing out my thoughts to talk about haha.

I played guitar for 40 + years off and on ukulele for about 3-1/2 years.

In the simpilest of terms a ukulele is a guitar that is capoed on the 5th fret and only the top 4 strings are played.

All the chord shapes are the same when only using the top 4 strings on the guitar.

Your brother can fill in the rest of the guitar chord by adding the notes on the 5th and 6th strings.

John

I went from guitar to uke and have found the transition pretty easy. I think the ease of play of the uke and the reduced number of strings makes it an easy transition. However, if you had someone who played the uke for years and years and they picked up a guitar, it would probably be easier for them than someone who had just been playing the guitar for a short time, so it works both ways would be my guess. I will say this, I have had to focus much more on my right hand since picking up the uke. I think that was a neglected aspect of my guitar playing that just really stood out with the uke.

For me it has becomes easier and easier to play other instuments once I learned a few. I guess once you develop some motor coordination skills and learn some music theory it makes it easier.

I think you will find a high percentage of uke players that have also played guitar, or some other stringed instrument. I have a theory that some people are more attracted to stringed instruments, and others to wind, keyboards, or drums. I started with guitar, studied classical guitar as a teenager, later took up the banjo, and now I'm loving the uke. I think any previous stringed instrument experience gives you a jump-start on the ukulele. The ukulele succeeds for some where attempts with other instrument failed because the shorter string length makes the string tension easier to handle, and fewer strings makes it less complicated. But, you can do a lot with a ukulele, and make it as complex and challenging as you like.
–Lori

I am doing that right now! Been playing guitar for some 25 years, starting on the uke over the past month or so. It's pretty easy.
I have been playing classical (nylon string) guitar for the past few years, so strumming and finger picking on the uke is a breeze.
I think that's a big part of the charm of this instrument.
My biggest problem which I haven't gotten rid of yet, is renaming the notes and chords, since the open position is similar to guitar's 5th position. I still translate (transpose) in my head to parallel guitar notes, which is of course completely wrong (calling C a G).

mm stan said:

isn't a "D" a "G"??

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oh..parallel guitar notes..

My biggest problem in making the change was to unlearn a lot of guitar habits. Like reaching for strings that weren't there for a bass run. Or making chords with too many fingers. Or wrapping my thumb around the neck to complete a chord form. Once I disabused myself of those habits, it became easier.

easy from guitar to uke, harder for uke to guitar

I played guitar many years ago, just got into uke through a whimsical thought that was cemented by seeing a performance on Jools Holland TV show.

When I pick up a guitar nowadays, I just think the weight of it (physically and mentally) is downright overwhelming.

so all in all, guitar is harder than uke? in general?

Eallend7 said:

so all in all, guitar is harder than uke? in general?

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In many ways the uke is easier than the guitar. Your fingers can stretch to reach more notes on the fingerboard. The string tension requires less strength in your left hand. But, sometimes that tight spacing is a problem, and some fingerings can feel too cramped. So, it is give and take on that. I think that the smaller scales require a bit more precision to avoid bending the note off pitch. If you are playing on the higher frets, you have to be more careful on a ukulele than on a guitar to hit the note properly (finger placement on fret board). In the end, great music can be created with either instrument, and it is dependent on the musician whether or not the music is expressive.
–Lori

Just to be clear im not trying to discover a way to say oh the uke is harder than the guitar, in any way, i dont like half guitar players because they think their instrument is holy and argue constantly about whos better, atleast in the younger generations, where i am now, i was really just wondering peoples opinions, im perfectly fine playing the uke, i like it, haha, thats al lthere is to it

I've also played guitar for over 40 years. I've played mandolin, dobro, bass, keyboards and various other instruments. The guitar to uke transition was not only painless but fun.

I think I'm actually a better ukulele player than guitarist and I've only been playing uke since around January/February. Why? Because it's easier to transport multiple ukes than one guitar, it isn't heavy and well, it's more fun to play. I have seven ukes but only one guitar In fact, my guitar has had a broken string for a couple weeks...I'll get around to it ...

A long time ago, I played guitar for a living...tonight I asked my wife if she thought I could get someone to pay me to play ukulele all day. What a dream job...

"I don't want to work I just want to play on my uke all day"

The simple stuff, I'd say yeah...The real harder stuff maybe not, got less strings you know to work with....