Why do YOU go to uke get togethers?

sillymonky

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My uke goal is to play at our local open stage (not a uke open stage, just a general one at the local bar - style is mostly folk, rock and jazz, 70% "okay" musicians, 30% awesome musicians). I expect to go for the first time in early to mid September.

However, there's a monthly uke night in the city that's an hour away from home. They give out a songbook in advance. They also sometimes have instructors coming in (Ralph Shaw and James Hill are coming over the Fall) which I will totally be going to.

My question is - other than for the instructors, why would one go to the regular get togethers? Here's my list of why nots. Can anyone provide me with the why go?

  • I have lots of songs I want to learn - learning songs for the monthly jam eats up practice time.
  • I'm terrible singing with a group. I'm loud and I like to do interesting phrasing with my voice, which I often do without thinking. I drown people out which usually annoys them and makes me feel conspicuous.
  • If all are welcome, it's hard not to assume that the level of playing would be rather basic and wouldn't push me.
  • It's a bit far away for a weeknight.

So, can you tell me why you go to uke nights? Is it the highlight of your week/month/year? I'm sure there are lots of reasons that I'm just not seeing yet. Thanks!

PS - apologies if there's already a thread on this. I did a search but didn't find anything.
 
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Being able to see/hear/touch/play other sizes/styles/brands of ukes. (Our stores here don't have a wide selection, generally speaking.)

Being exposed to new songs or songwriters that I might not run across on my own.

Practice playing in front of other people, but not in a "the spotlight is on me personally" kind of way.

Encouragement of my peers.
 
I go to my local ukulele group to play with other people. I have NEVER practiced for these meetings. They are for fun. Although its not just fun. You can learn stuff from other players. I do not sing. At all. They can't make me! :)

I do try to push things there. I am not crazy about playing C F and G chord songs so I will try to pick songs with more challenging chords. We take turns picking the songs. something for everyone. I hope I don't drive the other players nuts, but I will finger pick the melody or try arpeggios or something on some songs.

My group very graciously let me play my work-in-progress UWC song this spring. It was very good practice. I happen to suck at soloing. My nerves are horrible. I needed a safe surrounding to help lessen the nerves. When I finally worked up the courage to go to an open mic I was glad Uke group let me practice first on them.

We used to meet only one Sunday a month. Most of us wanted to get together more often. We now meet first, third and the occasional fifth Monday nights each month. I miss it when I can't go.

You get out of ukulele group what you want to get. My group allows me to do more than the basics.
 
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I don't enjoy big uke meetups because it is usually limited to three chord songs so as to include everyone as much as possible. I do enjoy the connections I make with other players and because of having gone to some bigger meetups, I have met some really amazing people. I even got to hang out and talk with Rick Turner for about 40 minutes one night because we just happened to sit next to one another.

An hour away would be too far for me too, unless of course if James Hill was going to be there. I'd drive a long way for James. The other thing I struggle with is that at big ukelele jams, there tends to be not a lot of songs played, and a lot of socializing. That's fine, but I really like to play so I just get together with a couple good friends weekly and we play a ton of songs over a couple hours.
 
The uke meetups here never went so great. They'd be announced at the last minute and then the guy would wonder why no one turned up. And he'd always be an hour or more late, and it was always in pub conditions, and then there was some shady criminal behind-the-scenes stuff that I had no idea was going on, but had been a problem for years... until it happened to me and only then was I warned. It was just a mess.

The worst part is that it drove off the most talented people. I guess having your uke stolen by the leader of the group will do that. :(

If we can ever get together without the leader and his minions, then I'm game, but it just goes to show, there's a type of lowlife that takes advantage of aloha.

Be careful, don't let any of your stuff grow legs and walk off just because they're uke players.
 
Music and ukulele are social.
Playing with others (better and worse) makes you a better musician.
You learn timing and to listen to what you and others are playing.
I go to groups where I am the best player and groups where I am the worse player.
I have met some of my best friends at gatherings. We keep our group nights to play with the group, but get together on our own to play what we want.
My personal opinion is that playing in a group is not about you.
 
To experience the energy of the group! Also, I'm new to the ukulele, about three months now and mingling with a group of like minded people is great. Just like belonging to this forum. Fortunately my group meets Saturday mornings on the first Saturday of every month If it were the evenings during the week, I wouldn't be able to make it since I live forty miles away.

Another reason is that it helps me advance. It just moves me up to a new plateau and I like to see what ukuleles others are playing. I met a women at the last meeting that plays a baritone. Her husband makes ukuleles and it was one of his. We also had a visitor that was there on vacation.

The biggest reason is because, it FUN!!! ;)
 
The upside of the negative stuff is that there are nice people in the group and if we could ever manage a time to jam...heck yeah!

But in the meantime, I have to get that rush from whenever my hubby decides to crack out the bass or guitar. Unless your friends are all "eww ukulele!" - jamming isn't limited to just other ukers. :)
 
It's group therapy. You can see that there are other people who are just as weird and crazy as you are.

Also, I like the process of playing together as a group. I don't why. It's just fun.

The last uke together event that I attended included an open mic portion. I enjoyed that very much.
You get to see others who play worse than you do, and that is encouraging.
You see others who play better than you do, and that is inspiring.
You see some who play about as well as you do, and that creates comraderie.

Also, uke people are generally pleasant and accepting people. We are nice to each other. This, combined with food and drink is pleasant.

Quit thinking about it. Find a bunch of ukers and go hang out.
 
I went to my first Uke Group last Sunday. It really was a lot of fun. The founder set it up on Meetup and another person joined and mentioned it here and shazam, nine people showed up. It was a great group. We used the Daily Ukulele by Jim Belnoff (sp?) and it took the C G F Am stuff and took it little bit further, into the land of 7ths and 9ths and minors and more. Attendees ranged from some performers to some beginners. Most were in between. Everyone seemed to have a nice time, I was sorry when it ended. I'll be there this Sunday.
 
Hmmmm, how to put this......................to gain valuable, needed, social skills?
 
It's group therapy. You can see that there are other people who are just as weird and crazy as you are.

Also, I like the process of playing together as a group. I don't why. It's just fun.

The last uke together event that I attended included an open mic portion. I enjoyed that very much.
You get to see others who play worse than you do, and that is encouraging.
You see others who play better than you do, and that is inspiring.
You see some who play about as well as you do, and that creates comraderie.

Also, uke people are generally pleasant and accepting people. We are nice to each other. This, combined with food and drink is pleasant.

Quit thinking about it. Find a bunch of ukers and go hang out.
Well said!
 
I drive 45 minutes to my uke group every Tuesday night (usually only takes half an hour to get home). Why is it worth that kind of time and long drive through rush hour traffic?

1. As many others have said - it's fun! I enjoy singing and strumming and socializing with other people.
2. It teaches me to blend. Like you, I have a loud singing voice and I am used to harmonizing when I want to and phrasing songs in ways that interest me. Playing with the group is a challenge to me to blend and not stand out.
3. See kindness in action every time. We play some 3 chord songs and we play some songs with 15 chords that seem like they have to be made up. EVERYONE is welcome no matter what level you are at. We warmly encourage beginners and tell them that if they only know C then just play C whenever you see it. We also make room for the stellar players to solo during bridges and other appropriate parts.
4. Our group has a bass! I do not have a bass player at home :-(
5. The magic! Sometimes, all of us with our disparate styles and abilities just come together and magic happens. I wouldn't want to miss that magic for anything.

Nix
 
Exceptional people are fun almost without a ukulele.
 
Thanks so much for all your reasons everyone :) There were definitely a few things on here I hadn't realized, like that sometimes room is made for more advanced playing or that it's a good way to get rid of "in public" nerves (I don't get nerves when I sing in public, but a introducing new instrument will likely shake that up a bit). Will definitely try it a few times and see how it goes. Thanks again for all your advice :)
 
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