That intermediate feeling...

(the) Indigo Getdown

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Have you ever just been sitting there, strumming on a uke, when it suddenly dawns on you that you're ready to advance to the next level of playing?

It hit me about a month ago that I've learned just about everything it seems I can under the beginner banner, so its time to move up into intermediate territory.

So then the question comes, what's next?

Some of it seems obvious, like learning the basic scales and searching for more challenging tabs. And, of course, practice practice practice.

But how does one keep challenging themselves to become a continually better player?

I've gone farther in three years with the ukulele than I have with over ten years at the guitar, which is an encouragement of itself. But I don't want to stagnate - I want to keep improving my techniques and chops on the uke.

So I guess this thread is for all of those who were beginners, but have since gone on to more advanced playing. What keeps you motivated? What keeps you inspired to practice and dig for new gems to learn?
 
I'm still a beginner/novice, but all the great players were beginners at one time. I think the fact that you are contemplating the next move is a wonderful indicator that you will continue to improve and grow. I need to start working on finger picking. I'm insecure about trying it and really buckling down to learn it. Yet, I'm also tired of strumming, so it is time to jump in.
 
I think my problem is the opposite.

There are soooo many things that I want to do, and to be proficient at that I get information overload. Things like fingerpicking, flat picking, hybrid picking, scales, arpeggios, complex chord progressions, styles of music like jazz and bluegrass and on and on.

I make the mistake of jumping around to various things instead of concentrating on just one thing.

There's always something new that I want to learn so I always feel like a beginner!
 
For many, finding others to play with that challenge us, be it a club, open mic's, jam sessions, etc. etc.
 
If moving on to finger-picking is a mandatory step toward an Intermediate or Advanced Level, while I
can pick out melodies within chords and have a small reperatorie of songs (where I don't sing),
I'll have to label myself an Intermediate or Advanced... BEGINNER!

As a singer/strummer, I rarely venture toward finger-picking, and content myself with learning the
songs I love to sing. As I learn them I include them in my latest 'Performance Songbook' and just
enjoy singing and playing them at various gigs and events.

I don't think ukulele playing has standardized 'Levels of Achievement' so there will be Beginner
finger pickers as there will be Beginner strummers; and Intermediate and Advanced. :)

It's all good!

keep uke'in',

PS the challenge and inspiration comes from others, but mostly from the inside...
what do you want to accomplish with your uke playing? :)
 
The best way to become a better ukulele player is to become a better musician.
 
I think it's different for different people, personally I like to find a more difficult song that I really enjoy and attack it as a way to progress.

me too, just practicing a technique for it's own sake is too much like work, and playing should be fun.
 
I'm sure there's much smarter and better ways to do things, but I just always keep on the look-out for songs I like. Popping in the song name + ukulele chords in the search engine of choice and the handful of song chord sites keeps me busy. At any given time I might have half a dozen song sheets on my desk (printed) and I plow through them as whim takes me. Do I nail every one? No way. Do I remember them without the chord sheet in front of me? Rarely. But I keep plugging away at songs that move me - and in the meantime, learn new chords and how to put those chords together in a way that makes the songs flow. I pretty much just play for my own pleasure and seem to inch forward as a result.
Playing and singing songs (to myself) turns my screw. It still is a thrill to hear some version of some song I like take form from my fingers. Jeez! That's magic!
 
Always Challenge yourself. Always.
 
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I didn't think of finger picking as a mandatory step either, just what I want to work on next, where my fingers and ear are leading me.

If moving on to finger-picking is a mandatory step toward an Intermediate or Advanced Level, while I
can pick out melodies within chords and have a small reperatorie of songs (where I don't sing),
I'll have to label myself an Intermediate or Advanced... BEGINNER!

As a singer/strummer, I rarely venture toward finger-picking, and content myself with learning the
songs I love to sing. As I learn them I include them in my latest 'Performance Songbook' and just
enjoy singing and playing them at various gigs and events.

I don't think ukulele playing has standardized 'Levels of Achievement' so there will be Beginner
finger pickers as there will be Beginner strummers; and Intermediate and Advanced. :)

It's all good!

keep uke'in',

PS the challenge and inspiration comes from others, but mostly from the inside...
what do you want to accomplish with your uke playing? :)
 
I am sure you have not tried all the different strumming patterns, different tunnings, second and third finger chord positions etc...
 
What I do is to take the songs that I already know well and try to add something to it. I was just working on "All of Me" which is one of the first songs I learned. But now I add some single notes to it, switch up to using different chord inversions, use more techniques, such as using the bar C chord and sliding down to an A7. Once you know the chords to a song, you can do an awful lot using different right hand techniques.
 
Been at the Uke for a few months now, got a bunch of chords and strums down along with a few songs I like by way of muddling through various internet resources...happy enough so far but thought I'd try some lessons with a teacher & see where that gets me (starting tomorrow:)).
 
When you first start out, you aren't any good, but you don't know any better.

The toughest hurdle to jump is when you learn enough to know how bad you are. That's when it's time to get to work
:cool:
 
The best way to become a better ukulele player is to become a better musician.

This is a very deep thought, with a lot of truth to it.
I found when I started adding some theory to what I was playing I advanced much faster.
Attend a ukulele festival where there are workshops, don't overload yourself, but find something you are interested in.
Workshop tid-bits from James Hill, Gerald Ross and Sarah Maisel have made a big difference to me.
 
I found when I started adding some theory to what I was playing I advanced much faster.

damn straight. once i learned how to transpose, i could now play and sing songs that i couldn't do before. i even wrote my own transposable uke list at http://chords.kazoolist.com . i just learned "Easy" by Lionel Richie and the rhythm took a little getting used to. my next challenge is "Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye and it's a doozy. i'll have to break it down into the 4X4 beats because the lyrics go all over the place. i've been doing this since xmas and i've been to about three open mics. seems like the folks like jumpy songs like "Crocodile Rock", "Black Magic Woman", "I Just Called to say I Love You", which are my staples. my bravest one is "Smoke on the Water" with the audience participation on the riff part. the uke is my meditation and relaxation. prolly do it too much. even though i'm in good shape, i could use more exercise. cheers.
 
Have you ever just been sitting there, strumming on a uke, when it suddenly dawns on you that you're ready to advance to the next level of playing?

It hit me about a month ago that I've learned just about everything it seems I can under the beginner banner, so its time to move up into intermediate territory.

So then the question comes, what's next?

Some of it seems obvious, like learning the basic scales and searching for more challenging tabs. And, of course, practice practice practice.

But how does one keep challenging themselves to become a continually better player?

I've gone farther in three years with the ukulele than I have with over ten years at the guitar, which is an encouragement of itself. But I don't want to stagnate - I want to keep improving my techniques and chops on the uke.

So I guess this thread is for all of those who were beginners, but have since gone on to more advanced playing. What keeps you motivated? What keeps you inspired to practice and dig for new gems to learn?


are you self learning? if yes, Find a teacher to have lesson~~~i think this is most direct way to have improvement~^^~dont give up!
 
A lot of great nuggets of wisdom and things to consider here. Appreciate all of the comments so far. I guess the best thing I can do is keep going, even when it feels like I'm not getting anywhere.

Lately I've been trying to find some more difficult tabs to tackle and picking up a bit of theory whenever I find an educational read on the topic. Guess I'll continue on this road, and hopefully start seeing some more progress in the coming weeks and months.

Thanks again for all the input! If anyone else has something to add, by all means do so.
 
I don't know if this will apply for you, but go back and take another look at some songs you naively tried to tackle as and extreme beginner. Before I got my first Uke I decided (foolishly) that the first song I was going to learn was "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" (surprise, surprise)... I had several tutorials in a playlist on YouTube ready to go. After about an hour of fumbling thru chord changes I decided I wasn't ready yet. Fast forward 6 months. I tried it again, and was able to play the basic DDUUDU version. A while after that, I got something close to the strum IZ used. Last week I was playing with some Low G picking patterns. Came up with one that made me think of that song and applied those chords to my pattern. Changed the chords up a little. Now, not only can I play the song, but I have a version in my pocket that only I can play. Maybe you have a song you gave up on, or one you feel like you're not quite ready for you can dive into. aaaaaaaaaaand that's my rant...
 
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