Anyone else have trouble with people hating the Uke?

SinisterDom

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I live in like, Southwestern, Va so no one around here even knows what it is, but anytime I play almost everyone hates, and calls it a "midget guitar". I then go on to tell them about it's origins and they just laugh and say they don't care. :( Anyone else like this?
 
Midget in itself is a term that is derogatory and shows disrespect and ignorance. But yes, mostly from my own family. It's what one member called "the smile." - but I don't encounter it much locally because uke is gaining popularity 'round these parts.

If anyone acts like they don't care about something I do care about, I start to wonder what else they don't care about. I don't know, using terms like midget, they don't sound too friendly where you're from. :(
 
maybe u should try what hawaiians do. it's called "AINOKEA". it means I DON'T CARE.:mad: what eva u think of me, AINOKEA.:nana:. try it, saves lot of fustration.:D:rock:
 
I live in like, Southwestern, Va

theirs your first problem :D ive never had a problem with a uke, most people do call it a little guitar but thats about it. i agree with FHS and just keep on playing.
 
I guess it is one advantage of being an old curmudgeon (possibly redundant, but not necessarily)... I just plain don't give a rat's @ss. I go my way and they go theirs. :D
 
Yeah, I agree with that, and it would be a major turn-off to me that use ignorant-speak. I wonder what other words they use that would be offensive to the people they're directed towards.
 
SinisterDom, my buddy. I'm sorry you gotta go through that. Unfortunately, you can't control what other people are going to say, no matter how ignorant they may be.

The only thing you can control is you, and the way you feel. You know that the ukulele is a wonderful instrument. That's why you chose to play it. Let those other guys say what they want. I know you hear this a lot, but they're just jealous. I'm willing to bet that they don't play any instruments.

So in a few years, when you're dating a hot ukulele-loving chick, they'll be playing Ukulele Hero on their XBoxes, wishing they were you. Then you can smile with satisfaction and tell yourself that you made the right choice.

Until then, take the high road, brother. Don't even honor their ignorance with a remark. Stay classy, keep your eyes on the prize, and you'll reap the rewards of hard work sooner than you think.

And remember there's always a group of ukulele players here at UU who you can turn to. We know what's up.
 
Have you played for any of them yet? I live in a tiny redneck town in FL and no one knew what a Uke was down here either. When I told my friends, yeah they laughed their butts off, until I brought the Uke to them and actually played. Then I left them with their jaws wide-open, they'd never heard an instrument that gave the sound a Uke does. Surprisingly the ladies loved it too. :p


If you haven't played for them already, thats what I would do. To somebody who has never even heard a Uke before, it doesn't take much to make then impressed. I played some very easy 3-4 chord songs on my Uke and just that made them want to hear more.
 
While I agree with your sentiment, CitizenSnips, it's always a risk that they won't even hear him. At SinisterDom's age, kids are just looking to rip on someone.
 
SinisterDom, my buddy. I'm sorry you gotta go through that. Unfortunately, you can't control what other people are going to say, no matter how ignorant they may be.

The only thing you can control is you, and the way you feel. You know that the ukulele is a wonderful instrument. That's why you chose to play it. Let those other guys say what they want. I know you hear this a lot, but they're just jealous. I'm willing to bet that they don't play any instruments.

So in a few years, when you're dating a hot ukulele-loving chick, they'll be playing Ukulele Hero on their XBoxes, wishing they were you. Then you can smile with satisfaction and tell yourself that you made the right choice.

Until then, take the high road, brother. Don't even honor their ignorance with a remark. Stay classy, keep your eyes on the prize, and you'll reap the rewards of hard work sooner than you think.

And remember there's always a group of ukulele players here at UU who you can turn to. We know what's up.


very well said seeso!

the haters usually say nasty things to hide their own shortcomings. so like seeso said, don't let them get to you. it ain't worth it. uke on brother!
 
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Until then, take the high road, brother. Don't even honor their ignorance with a remark. Stay classy, keep your eyes on the prize, and you'll reap the rewards of hard work sooner than you think.
.....

The high road is over-rated. Slash the tires on their John Deere's to let them know ukulele is pure gangsta!
 
Seeso is a philosopher!

The people who want to make you feel bad are probably just trying to make themselves feel better by making someone else feel worse.

I'm sure there are people who appreciate your ukulele, they probably just aren't as loud about it. And chicks really like musicians... ;)
 
Yeah, and those types really do play themselves.

At my school, it was cooler to call out a bully for what they were, rather than to be one, which is why we didn't have many. I'm from a town with a large redneck population, but not everyone is a redneck. Certainly you can sit down in the quad with the nice kids who say "Hey, what's that small guitar? Didn't I see one of those on American Idol?" - "Hey, that's easier to take with you!" or maybe it isn't their thing but they're not going to be derisive about it either.. or maybe they just lightly tease you because they like you.

Are there any musically inclined kids there? At my school, band wasn't a nerdy thing. It was something that had a lot of priviledges come with it. It was something to be envied, it was the toughest letter to earn. And likewise, the choir was something that was very difficult to get into, and if you were in one of these, you were looked up to - usually more than what made you comfortable.

Those kids had clout, and also weren't adverse to new instruments. Maybe hang with them.

And we Southern people usually pride ourselves in being so curteous. :rolleyes:
 
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After living in Chas for four years, I appreciate the rolling eyes.

Yes, irony can be pretty ironic sometimes. I lived in Summerville. ;) And the iconic HS band I refer to doesn't exist anymore. As to their choir, I'm not sure. The director left when I did, because we went into the same university music program. I think the choir is probably doing better than that band is now.
 
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I live in San Diego...the Uke is quite popular at my school now...well I just graduated, but alot of people claimed me as the "original uke player", mainly because I brought it almost every single day, and so alot of people hate on the OTHER people playing...I personally don't care, haha but it does bother me sometimes when people play the uke and its tuning is off...and so someone playing a C chord sound completely horrible...And I dont mean the strings string are tuned down or up, I mean someone has an uke tuned like....I dont know, its just completely off and yeah...Then I usually tune it for them...other than that, it's cool to see that alot of people are starting to play haha
 
whats worse is when people try to tune it

kidin class:*with a surfer accent* "dude you strings are like...out of tune or something..."

me: *confused look* "no there not, i just tuned it and ukes dont go out THAT fast"

kid "dude...yea they are let me tune it for you dude..." *turns strings*

me:"wtf what are you doing"

kid:"its not in EADG tuning dude...like a bass"

i already hated this kid for other reasons before, this just added to the list. oh and he actully uses the word "dude" that many times.
 
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