strap or no strap, that is the question

brucemoffatt

brucemoffatt

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Hi, Bruce here in Adelaide, South Australia.

I'm new to uke and loving learning. I have a problem though and I'd like to draw from the well of wisdom of the community. I have a lot of trouble holding the uke firmly enough to change chords without it slipping down, and I wondered whether I should get a shoulder strap. I did a search on the forums, and there's some good info there, but I wondered if this is a common beginner question and if so is there a common answer :)

Thanks in advance.

My uke is a Makala MK-SN and I love it heaps.
 
Welcome to the UU!! I also had that problem and wanted a strap. But I was told by some others here at UU that it just takes practice and you will have no problem. Try to hold the uke body like you would hold a football (USA Football) and hold the neck in the curve of your left hand right between the thumb and index finger. Just give it some time, don't fret it and have fun.
 
molokinirum's answer is a good one; hold it like a football. Press it against your body with your forearm - if you just use your wrist to strum instead of your entire arm it will be easier. Practice! After playing for a while I get an indentation on my forearm from holding my uke that way.
 
I picked up a "Uke Leash" at the Wine Country Festival, and it really works well for me. This "ukulele half-strap" quickly attaches to the headstock without any holes, marks or mars, and functions to hold up the head/neck while your left hand moves around the fret board. The body of the uke is supported conventionally by the right arm. My apology to all the lefties out there. Two word review: "It Works!" Check it out on "ukeleash.com". OBTY, it's not expensive.
 
I have the same problem. I don't have a strap yet, but it's on my mind all the time. I just haven't bought one yet, but I'm not against it. Their cheap, and you'll either like it or you wont. Try it and see what you think, it won't hurt. If you don't like it post it on the UU Market Place for a newbie to buy and see what they think.
 
Playing with a strap is sooooo much easier for me. All but one of our 7 ukes have them.
 
Aloha and G'day Bruce,
Welcome to the UU and our humble forums...and ukulele...I'd say get one and see if it works for you, if it's more comfortable
it won't distract your concentation on playing. They're fairly inexpensive, and there's a member here sells them...I think her
name was Lori...just search and punch uke straps and go through the back stuff and you'll find her name. Good Luck!!
Cheers, MM Stan...."Keep strumming them strings"
 
Never used a strap, worried I might break the uke. I know it sounds odd.
 
I think my 'ukes sound better if I use a strap when playing whilst standing. I don't have to squeeze the 'uke body to hold it, thus it resonates louder.

I use a shoestring, but I won't bore you with that.
 
I was purist/anti-strap until I started trying to do crazier slap/bish/bash things on the ukulele. My next uke is going to have a strap. I also agree with the whole resonance thing. Even sitting, I try to keep the body away from me a bit.
 
That's what is so grand about UU forums. I was JUST having the same problem/question, and lo and behold, the wisdom of others set me straight. Thanks to all for asking and answering the question!!
 
BWright said:
I use a mandolin strap. Installed a strap button on each uke (even on a flea), works great.
Click to expand...

And... how do you attach the other end of the strap to the headstock? The mandolin straps I've seen online are made w/a loop for the "scroll" of the "F" style mandolin. I've seen few made for A style mandolins. Inquiring minds...
 
Gmoney said:
how do you attach the other end of the strap to the headstock?
Click to expand...

My ukuleles are equipped with a pick-up so the end pin serves as a place to attach a strap. On the other side, I attach it to the heel using a strap pin. It's installed on the treble side and is completely out of the way.

I see two opinions as to the use of strap, and I wonder if it has something to do with size. Mines are both tenors and are larger, thus herder to hold. Maybe for a soprano, you can hold it on a right hand?

Cheers
Chief
 
james_hill_stolen_image.jpg
If straps are good enough for James Hill, they are good enough for me too. He is amazing!
–Lori
 
Many thanks everyone who replied for the collective wisdom.

I'm trying to get by without a strap for now to see whether I really do need one. At this stage, I am still having difficulty controlling the uke when I have to make chords with my left hand that need a change of position on the neck, either moving up the neck, or completely changing the wrist position, in which case the neck droops down into the crook of the thumb and makes it virtually impossible to make the chord in any reasonable time.

At this stage I'm going to persist a little bit longer, but it looks like I'd do a lot better with either a full strap or a neck-only support (I can't remember what they're called). I'm not in love with the idea of putting strap buttons on, but if I need to I will.

I'm having heaps of fun learning Paper Moon, God Bless the Child, and Somewhere Over the Rainbow. I absolutely love my little Makala.

Bruce in Adelaide
 
brucemoffatt said:
Many thanks everyone who replied for the collective wisdom.

I'm trying to get by without a strap for now to see whether I really do need one. At this stage, I am still having difficulty controlling the uke when I have to make chords with my left hand that need a change of position on the neck, either moving up the neck, or completely changing the wrist position, in which case the neck droops down into the crook of the thumb and makes it virtually impossible to make the chord in any reasonable time.

At this stage I'm going to persist a little bit longer, but it looks like I'd do a lot better with either a full strap or a neck-only support (I can't remember what they're called). I'm not in love with the idea of putting strap buttons on, but if I need to I will.

I'm having heaps of fun learning Paper Moon, God Bless the Child, and Somewhere Over the Rainbow. I absolutely love my little Makala.

Bruce in Adelaide
Click to expand...

I found that my Uke Leash half strap design keeps the neck rock steady, without having to drill any holes. You lightly support the soundbox a little, but not like having to clamp it hard against your body. I was having the same problem you are having, and it is frustrating. It has been selling very well, with many repeat customers, so I think it might help you. No need to have technical stuff like that interfering with your playing. I see no great virtue in playing strapless. It is the music that counts.


–Lori
 
Lori said:
I found that my Uke Leash half strap design keeps the neck rock steady, without having to drill any holes. You lightly support the soundbox a little, but not like having to clamp it hard against your body. I was having the same problem you are having, and it is frustrating. It has been selling very well, with many repeat customers, so I think it might help you. No need to have technical stuff like that interfering with your playing. I see no great virtue in playing strapless. It is the music that counts.
Click to expand...

I have to second what Lori said, as someone who uses a uke leash (I just bought my third at the Wine County Uke Fest - they're great gifts for other uke players!) on some of my ukuleles, and a strap on others. There's so much to learn with ukulele playing -- how to strum, how to fingerpick, how to make chords, how to move from one chord to the next, how to do all that and sing at the same time. I found that with a leash or a strap, I could focus more on learning some of the harder chord shapes (like Bb) and other stuff like barring without having to worry about dropping my ukulele. Now that my fretting has improved a lot, I dabble from time to time with going strapless or leashless, and I might someday want to get good at playing without support for my ukulele's neck. I've found that for me, the less stuff I have to become good at all at once, the easier it is for me to become better at all the things I'm trying to learn, and my fretting has improved a lot. By the way, the uke leash works for me just as well as a full strap at supporting the ukulele's neck.
 
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