Bad Habits

pootsie

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As I try to learn to play this twangy thing I have in my lap, I'm wondering what are some bad habits to avoid falling into?

I know that bad habits are hard to unlearn, but how do I know if I'm picking one up?

Can you name one or two, and tell me how to avoid or overcome them?

THANX!
 
It's 6:55AM, my tongue tastes like the bathroom carpet in a nursing home, my eyeballs are as sticky as Mr Sticky the Stick Insect and there is a herd of Bewildebeast trying to escape from my head.

So, on balance, I'd have to say that Gin & Tonic in large quantities is a fairly bad habit.
 
Overeating? Not washing my hands before I play?
 
Spending more time hanging out on ukulele forums, and less time actually playing your ukes?

Spending more time shopping for ukes, and less time actually playing your ukes?

Spending more time boasting about how many great ukes you have, and less time actually playing your ukes?

These are a few things I've observed that, while not necessarily bad habits, might impact one's playing negatively. Just an observation.

Seriously though - I've learned to play with a pretty free-form, anything-goes approach. I use weird fingerings, for instance. About the only "don't do this, ever" thing my instructor insisted on when I started was not using my thumb to fret notes, but I've caught him doing that on occasion so my conclusion is - whatever works!
 
Blaming your 'uke for fret buzz when it's actually your fingering.

Not taking time to learn to play chords by themselves before trying to speed through a tune.

>> Spending more time hanging out on ukulele forums, and less time actually playing your ukes?

I am so guilty. Damn! This is perfect. Go play now, pootsie and read no more replies!
 
Hi Pootsie ,
Great question....it must be 'cause I asked (and keep asking) the same thing!
Apart from the obvious everyone has stated ie spending too much time on the forum..

Technical :
not taking the time to get your fretting hand position open and with a dropped wrist - makes all those bar chords sooo much easier Later on (ymmv of course)
Not taking the Time to ensure your fretting fingering is as close as comfortable to the frets with the minimum pressure needed to cleanly play the note.
Forgetting to play through a sequence slowly until it is clean - Instead trying to get "close enough" at full speed because it ands cooler :)

Non technical
Forgetting that this is supposed to be enjoyable
Spending more time "practising" than playing...

Yadda yadda

Good luck!
 
Spending time playing your uke when you're really supposed to be doing something else.

On reflection...mmmmm

Perhaps I'll stop there :wtf:
 
Habits I wish I would not have done from the start:

- Holding the neck incorrectly, use the thumb to support the hand on the back of the neck and arch the fingers. Easier to learn once than relearn after your tendons start hurting or your strings are buzzing. .

- Strumming one way all the time, learn different right hand techniques from the start and from the start on each song, easier to learn from the start than relearn.

- Playing from sheet music all the time, Learn some songs to play from memory, the more you learn the easier they are to learn.

Thing I wish I had done from the start:

- Identify the keys you normally sing in and transpose songs to fit your voice not visa-versa.

- Learn the diatonic scale the key(s) your "voice" is in IE:
do re me mi fa so la ti do - Example key of A = A B C# D E F# G# A

- Don't just "transcribe" from sheet music while playing, Understand what a 1 4 5 is and an AABA structure. Read about Nashville numbers.

- Find someone else to play with, doesn't have to be another uke, any instrument will do.
 
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Spending more time hanging out on ukulele forums, and less time actually playing your ukes?

Spending more time shopping for ukes, and less time actually playing your ukes?

Spending more time boasting about how many great ukes you have, and less time actually playing your ukes?

These are a few things I've observed that, while not necessarily bad habits, might impact one's playing negatively. Just an observation.

Seriously though - I've learned to play with a pretty free-form, anything-goes approach. I use weird fingerings, for instance. About the only "don't do this, ever" thing my instructor insisted on when I started was not using my thumb to fret notes, but I've caught him doing that on occasion so my conclusion is - whatever works!

Guilty, guilty, guilty, and.......you get it. :agree:
 
Just thought of one that really *is* a bad habit - if you play with others, don't make yourself miserable by comparing your progress to those around you, and don't go talking about how much you suck in front of those who... maybe don't suck as much because for whatever reason they put a lot more hours and/or effort into playing. Not only will it succeed in making you feel miserable about yourself, but you'll make those around you feel bad as well.
 
Wow, thanks all for the good input.

As to Kahuna's advice, I learned that one the hard way but it's been about 9.5 years since I kicked that habit (or at least since it stopped kicking me).

I am trying not to spend too much time thinking about, reading about, oogling and posting about ukes and instead actually playing. I am also careful to keep my critters hung up or in a case out of baby-reach and OFF THE COUCH. (Thanks, Mike!)

As to the actual playing habits, that is what I was really trying to find out about. I have tried to be conscious of keeping my wrist down and that has seemed to help. I have not once used my thumb to form a chord. Plus I am trying to learn songs by heart, taking my time to learn little bits slowly before going all out.

Are there any other bad PLAYING habits anyone could mention?
 
If I know I'm going to be playing for longer than 20 minutes, I do the hand exercises I posted a few weeks ago. I'll have a look to see if I can find a link.
 
Spending more time hanging out on ukulele forums, and less time actually playing your ukes?

Spending more time shopping for ukes, and less time actually playing your ukes?

lol This one hit home!


Don't set your standards so high that playing your uke isn't a pleasure.
I started imagining playing songs for my friends, and it almost ruined the whole experience for me, because i am a perfectionist. I'm playing for ME!
 
I think almost any habit can be bad or good, depending on your goal. So, the first thing you have to decide is "why do I play the ukulele." (Maybe the worst habit is not answering that question?)

For example, one's person's "rut" of playing the same handful of songs over and over and over again is a "bad" habit if your goal is to become "a ukulele player." On the other hand, if your only reason for picking up the ukulele is to please yourself and relieve life's little stresses then that might actually be a very good habit.

And...yes...I have considered going into politics. :)

John
 
Just thought of one that really *is* a bad habit - if you play with others, don't make yourself miserable by comparing your progress to those around you, and don't go talking about how much you suck in front of those who... maybe don't suck as much because for whatever reason they put a lot more hours and/or effort into playing. Not only will it succeed in making you feel miserable about yourself, but you'll make those around you feel bad as well.

Heh, heh. I should probably take notes on this one. I don't so much compare myself to others...well, maybe a little...but I definitely have a "problem" with self-disparagement. I think it's sort of a defense mechanism...I know I play better than some but I also know I play worse than many and it seems almost dishonest not to admit it...but maybe I should admit it more to myself and less to those others. :)
 
Blaming your 'uke for fret buzz when it's actually your fingering.

Not taking time to learn to play chords by themselves before trying to speed through a tune.

Both good points. While it's important to have an instrument that is set up reasonably well I see way too many beginners who just buy uke after uke trying to find the one that's "good enough" when the real problem is technique. If in doubt, hand your uke to someone who is a really good player - if it sounds good in their hands then it's time to stop shopping and start practicing!

Second one is a real biggy that we've probably all been guilty of - I know I have. One of the best pieces of advice I had when learning guitar was "when you're practicing a new song, don't just play through the rough parts and let mistakes stand. Slow down until you can play it through properly, then work on speed. If you make a mistake, go back to the start of a phrase or section and play it through again before proceeding." Of course, rehearsal for a band gig is a whole nother ball game, there you need to play through the mistakes and learn to recover from them because you've got a limited rehearsal time and the whole band can't come to a grinding halt because you fat-fingered a chord change!

John
 
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