Holding the Ukulele (woman)

I've been playing the ukulele for around a year now, but I simply don't manage to play it while I'm standing. It always drops! Do you have any tips?

If I'm playing it sitting down, I have no problems, but if I play while I'm standing I encounter some difficulties, especially if I have to change from a non fretted chord to a fretted chord, or any chord to an Em, for example. I can play some easy songs standing, but very very few and if it has fretted chords I can't manage to play them right, or if I do they sound very messed up. I've tried lots of positions until I found one I'm comfortable with but it's been more than 6 months that I'm trying to play in this position and I didn't notice any big improve.

I don't think my boobs are the problem. Or maybe they are but I never noticed it, but I wouldn't say they are. They don't bother me, so I wouldn't say they're the main reason why I can't hold my ukulele.

I don't want to use straps to play, though, because I've seen lots of girls play without them, so I know it is possible, and also because I play the guitar and found them really uncomfortable. Maybe playing the ukulele without it is much difficult, but possible! So do you have any tips that don't concern straps?

What size of uke are you playing? A tenor is more likely to drop than a soprano, just due to size...

Usually the uke would rest in the crouch of your (right) arm with your forearm pressing it against your ribcage like in the videos below (in the first she even holds a heavy resonator without any straps):
http://youtu.be/vF7fTbS4GBs
http://youtu.be/-LbL6Rp8IJY

And we've already had quite some suggestions (incl. various straps) in this thread a while ago.

I had exactly the same problem for a long time. Then I got a uke leash - they're on the thread mentioned above.... I found it really helped, especially if you fix it up so that your uke is in the best position, tucked up as above - and the strap just acts a support - but the best thing is that after just a short time, I found I could manage without it! So it was well worth buying. The other thing is to find better ways to change chord when the chord you're going to is awkward, like Em. I couldn't do G to Em, until people gave me good tips - like for G, barre strings 3, 2 and 1 at the 2nd fret, using 1st finger, and middle finger plays 3rd fret, 2nd string. Then for Em, just put your ring finger on 4th fret, 3rd string. I always use that now. Hope this helps!

Welcome to UU Dudablei!

I know guitar straps can be uncomfortable, but that is partially because guitars are so big and heavy. Ukes, are much smaller and lighter, and a thinner strap can be pretty helpful. For standard chords, with nothing to fancy up the neck, you might do fine without a strap. But for more freedom to play more difficult arrangements, a strap makes a big difference. If you look at some of the professional ukulele players, you will see straps (James Hill, Brittni Paiva, Taimane Gardner).

–Lori

Have to second the motion for a Uke Leash. I don't care for straps as a rule, either, but the light support from the Uke Leash makes the uke a lot more stable when fingerpicking and/or rapidly changing chords. Definitely a big help!

What size are you playing? I don't need a strap for soprano, but I do for tenor.

Third the Uke Leash!

With practice comes the ability to not need a strap -- esp. for strumming. Fingerpicking is harder. I sit when I play, but can do strumming standing up.

I am giving serious consideration to using a strap. But it means having a strap button put on the neck. I haven't quite got myself talked into that yet.

sukie said:

I am giving serious consideration to using a strap. But it means having a strap button put on the neck. I haven't quite got myself talked into that yet.

Click to expand...

Not with a uke leash, it doesn't, Sukie! No strap button needed, because the uke leash fits around your shoulder, not the bottom of the uke!

I'd love to hold a ukulele woman but my wife would probably object...

John

Here's how I hold an ukulele woman:

A number of great tutorials on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/results?sear....3062.2-1j1j0j4.6.0...0.0...1ac.1.Zek_G1VbX3Y

This may sound odd, but what kind of a top are you wearing?

Some material (especially manmade or rayon) is just particularly "slide-y" when playing ukulele and adds to the slippy action. When I used to play my Ovation more frequently, the plastic back was exceedingly slippery on some blouses. I've even seen people slide a patch of that rubberized-stuff you use to pad glassware in cupboards under the ukulele and then they could play away with much-decreased slippage (the patch of material just rested between the uke's back and their front).

Also, I find I'm able to keep a better "hold" on the instrument when I have sleeves/sweater arms which leave the right forearm bare. When I lead our little group I emphasize that much of the "hold" of an ukulele is done with that fleshy part of the inside of the forearm. I even have beginners play for three to four minutes and then we look for the indentation/mark that should show on that part of the arm to give them the feedback that they're putting the pressure on the uke's body with the correct part of the forearm.

Women's bodies hold the ukulele a bit differently, I think. The breasts can be a problem for some--but then again, I find that the protruding tummies on some of the guys are also challenging! If you've been playing a guitar, maybe you're keeping the ukulele a bit further away from your body than you need to; I sometimes compare holding an ukulele to cradling a baby; close and held with love!

Does that help a bit?