How to hold? Which fingers shall i use?

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honoratt

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Hello,

i have some questions and i couldn't have found any anwsers in the google or forum. Here there are:

- I gotta soprano ukulele a week ago and i have no idea how to hold it? Every youtube videos i saw was reffering to baritone size. No matter how i hold my fretboard is going down or i can't hold chords at the upper (10-12) frets. Please show me photo or explain how to hold it both in sitting and standing and both while finger picking and strumming. ;)

- Second one refers to the finger i use to 1. strum and 2. fingerpicking. Shall i use thumb only? Or all fingers? Or just index in strumming?

i would be very greatful for any constructive anwser. thx.
 
If you just started out on uke, chords are bound to be tough at the 12th fret. By 10th-12th fret, I assume you mean the frets closer to the main body of the uke, and not the headstock. You hold the uke lightly in the crook of your elbow, or however is most comfortable. The neck tends to point a bit up if you do that. When I was first starting out, I found that I could find a comfortable way to hold it if I stopped thinking about it. Hope that helps maybe a little bit!
 
it is just impossible to hold it only with right arm without left one, it is just too small, what am i doing wrong?

it's not only about last frets, but also if i need to play for example 6-5-3 on a string i need to stop holng uke wiht left hand and it is the moment it slips down
 
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mm stan said:
Aloha Honoratt,
I hold my soprano's at the neck at a 2 o'clock position and cradle it between my ribs and upper inside forearm...hope it works for you...Good Luck..
Click to expand...

and are you able to just take left hand away and your uke doesn't slip?
 
Aloha Honorattm,
I can if I apply more pressure between my forearm and body...maybe a uke leash would work well for you...send a PM to UU member ..Punch in. Lori , she sells them to support the ukulele neck for
15.00 I think...then you can concentrate on you playing rather than holding the uke or dropping it...Hope it helps...Happy Strummings. MM Stan
 
mm stan said:
Aloha Honorattm,
I can if I apply more pressure between my forearm and body...maybe a uke leash would work well for you...send a PM to UU member ..Punch in. Lori , she sells them to support the ukulele neck for
15.00 I think...then you can concentrate on you playing rather than holding the uke or dropping it...Hope it helps...Happy Strummings. MM Stan
Click to expand...

yeah, nice reply, just don't hold, buy a leash, thx m8!!! -.-
 
honoratt said:
yeah, nice reply, just don't hold, buy a leash, thx m8!!! -.-
Click to expand...
actually the leash is to help you,,,,after a you get comfortable you will learn how to hold your ukulele....everyone is different
do what works for you...but try what was initially stated above.. actually the way we hold the uke these days is alot easier
than the old hawaiian way above on their forearm...
 
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in simple chord-strumming songs there is no problem
only when i change some chords or i need to play something with picking it just falls, i am going mad !!!!

i can hold it and play, u get it right? i just can;t hold it with my right arm, it is just too small, i don't have place to put the pressure on and strum simuntoesly
 
Holding technique is so variable - it depends a lot on you build. I find that I tend to hold ukes very high on my chest using my ample belly as a sort of shelf to keep them from sliding away. I find a soprano body much easier to hold this way than a concert, and I use a strap with tenors.

The bottom line is to find something that is comfortable and that keeps the uke from moving around too much. Generally, I use my right forearm to hold the tail of the body against my body and that works fairly well.

John
 
Ya want that neck to point up, 45 degrees is a good guide. Think in terms of classical guitar technique, you can get all sloppy later. There's a classical guitar player who's one of the very best, the name Julian Bream comes to mind, who looks just like a how-to illustration in a textbook and his playing is Heavenly. Keep your thumb on the back of the neck not waggling around saying Hi, etc.

Generally the textbook way is the right way to go, the only exception being the US Army's textbook way to throw a hand grenade back in the old days ..... it's a good thing I think explosions are kinda cool even up close.
 
I'm also struggling with how to hold my hand to form the chords so they'll ring clear. I found a video on YouTube by UkuleleMike that helps.

It's at 2.14 on this video.

 
Decided to try and take a couple of pictures to show how I hold it, and hopefully give y'all some idea.

ukehold01.jpg


ukehold02.jpg


I'm real skinny, so my hip bone sticks way the Hell out, and I can rest it on that, but the same thing applies. The second photo shows my own personal reference point, if I hold the ukulele like that, then I can comfortably rest my thumb over the 12th fret, which is were I strum. Notice, though, that all I'm doing with my left hand is supporting the neck. If you're having trouble with it wobbling about all over the show, then when you make a chord the grip up there will tighten any way. Dunno if I do it "Right" or not, but I pretty much never clasp the neck, it just makes for more movement when I'm changing chords, so it's always as loose as possible.

Changing some chords can be a real ass pain, and I've figured out my own work arounds based on what I know my hands can do. My fingers are very thin, so I can comfortably hold down chords, where some people would use one finger for two strings, I can use one for each string and be fine, which makes certain chord changes so much easier. Work around what you have, just because that's how it's shown in a video doesn't mean it will be the best way for you. It's all about practice and finding a comfortable way to do things.

Hope any of that crap helped some how!
 
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