Hi all, I'm new to this site, and I apologize if this has been posted already, I did have a look. Anyway, I've been playing ukulele for about 2 years. I still consider myself a beginner. The problem I have, is that since I've started, I've hardly learned how to pick at all and I only know one strum pattern (DDUUDU) and it's driving me crazy. I'm trying to expand my knowledge as well as I possibly can, but it's seriously starting to panic me now as my best friend is buying me a pricey electro-acoustic for Christmas and I can't possibly accept it if I'm still a novice. I know all my chords (I still have a ridiculous amount of trouble with bar chords though), I don't have a capo and I can pick my way through certain intros (Disenchanted - My Chemical Romance, Special Death - Mirah, Mona Lisa - All American Rejects, I Dare You To Break My Heart - Reel Big Fish, and Take On Me - A-Ha) but it's not enough and I'm really tired of this whole learning plateau I've hit. It might sound really silly to experts but please don't laugh at me, I know I'm a novice, but we all have to start somewhere.
Stuck In A Rut.
- Thread starter DankDayz
- Start date
Kayak Jim
Well-known member
Maybe you could use a bit of instruction, if teacher not available locally, consider Skype lessons or click on the Learn to Play the Ukulele tab above.
P.S. I play with some folks who only have one strum pattern after 5+ years and no picking at all. Don't be too hard on yourself! And welcome to the site.
P.S. I play with some folks who only have one strum pattern after 5+ years and no picking at all. Don't be too hard on yourself! And welcome to the site.
Last edited:
gitarzan
Well-known member
Google strum patterns. There's bunches of them on Youtube.
You can make a capo with a pencil and a rubber band.
You can make a capo with a pencil and a rubber band.
I feel kind of funny about posting this whole thread because of the "Learn The Ukulele" thing up there^ but to be honest I'm mostly looking for tips from other people who have gone through this rut and pulled themselves out of it.
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2011
- Messages
- 277
- Reaction score
- 1
Skype lessons are really no more expensive than regular, I've found a few instructors for $40 - $50 per hour and it is well worth it. Most of them will let you take an occasional lesson if you don't want to commit to a regular schedule.
A good teacher will help you out of a rut. Have fun learning this wonderful little instrument.
On a side note, I am experiencing this on the guitar and the teacher is having me improvise over well known tunes. For me its really hard but I find that it's really helping me to move to the next level. It's easy to go find tabs and chords and learn to play the song the way someone else plays it, I am learning how to play these songs the way I play it....
A good teacher will help you out of a rut. Have fun learning this wonderful little instrument.
On a side note, I am experiencing this on the guitar and the teacher is having me improvise over well known tunes. For me its really hard but I find that it's really helping me to move to the next level. It's easy to go find tabs and chords and learn to play the song the way someone else plays it, I am learning how to play these songs the way I play it....
Last edited:
I learned a lot about strumming (and not worrying about it) after watching this video and downloading Guido's DVD.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QUsmfAIVxk
Hang in there - for most of us it's all about having fun with your ukulele.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QUsmfAIVxk
Hang in there - for most of us it's all about having fun with your ukulele.
gitarzan
Well-known member
cantsing
Well-known member
You are certainly making progress, so don't be too hard on yourself -- we all learn at our own pace.
You sound very anxious about moving forward but, in this case, it might help to take a small step back. To break the single-strum habit, I'd suggest that you focus on playing a song or two using a simple strum, even a simple DUDU. It might help to pick a song with relatively few chords so you can concentrate fully on strumming. Singing can complicate things, so start out playing just the chord transitions with the simple strum. Every time you find yourself reverting to DDUUDU (and you will!), switch back to the simple strum. If you can routinely play through a couple of songs without reverting to DDUUDU, you will be well on your way to breaking the habit.
You sound very anxious about moving forward but, in this case, it might help to take a small step back. To break the single-strum habit, I'd suggest that you focus on playing a song or two using a simple strum, even a simple DUDU. It might help to pick a song with relatively few chords so you can concentrate fully on strumming. Singing can complicate things, so start out playing just the chord transitions with the simple strum. Every time you find yourself reverting to DDUUDU (and you will!), switch back to the simple strum. If you can routinely play through a couple of songs without reverting to DDUUDU, you will be well on your way to breaking the habit.
itsme
Well-known member
DankDayz, don't know whereabouts in England you are, but have you looked for some local groups? Don't know how many are in the UK, but meetup.com has lots of local groups where you can get together with likeminded souls, whatever your interest.
I've found getting together with other uke players is not only a lot of fun, but you can learn a lot from others as well. There are several groups fairly close to me, been going to one nearly every weekend. Have met a lot of other players and gotten to know many of the regulars. It's always a welcoming environment, everything from absolute beginners to accomplished musicians. And did I mention, we have a LOT OF FUN playing together!
I've found getting together with other uke players is not only a lot of fun, but you can learn a lot from others as well. There are several groups fairly close to me, been going to one nearly every weekend. Have met a lot of other players and gotten to know many of the regulars. It's always a welcoming environment, everything from absolute beginners to accomplished musicians. And did I mention, we have a LOT OF FUN playing together!
HBolte
Well-known member
Check all of the UU resources from Aldrine.
Great lessons here: http://www.theukulelesite.com/intermediate-lessons
Learn some picking patterns and apply them to chords in any song that you like.
Great lessons here: http://www.theukulelesite.com/intermediate-lessons
Learn some picking patterns and apply them to chords in any song that you like.
igorthebarbarian
Well-known member
This one's useful too:
http://www.ezfolk.com/uke/Tutorials/Strumming/strumming.html
http://www.ezfolk.com/uke/Tutorials/Strumming/strumming.html
One of the best things I've done lately is to learn the Formby style of syncopated strumming for my banjo uke. It was a little tricky at first, but it enabled me to improve my strumming technique with other styles of music as well. I guess you could say, "train the brain." I also play a little conga drum, and have used my drum beats as inspiration for strumming patterns. As has been pointed out, just go to youtube and search ukulele strumming. If you want, you could put an appropriate adjective before the word strumming for a specific strum. (latin, jazz, blues, bluegrass, Formby, etc.)
tainauke
Well-known member
Perhaps the problem is that you have hit a certain comfort zone, and it's hard to put yourself at "risk".
I did hit a stagnation period and it's hard because you're ok with what you're doing and starting to learn new things, you really feel as if you had never picked up an ukulele before that.
For the strumming, the best thing is to find another strumming pattern (even a down, up, chunk, down, up, chunk...), really any other strumming pattern will do. Start with chords that you know well (like C, F, G), and start really slow, really slow, because you have muscle memory and your wrist will want to go back to the strumming pattern you already know. So start slow with the new strumming pattern until your wrist gets used to this new strumming.
For learning new songs, there are tons in the library in "Learn to Play the Ukulele". For each song, Aldrine suggests a strumming pattern as well as a picking pattern. Try to learn new songs with new technics, like rolls, chunks, or some finger picking. Choose songs that will challenge you.
UU+ is really great too. Plus you can learn a lot about music theory which is quite interesting.
Uke Minutes are really cool also and quickly go over technics and some music theory.
Just remember to go slow and challenge yourself.
Good luck.
I did hit a stagnation period and it's hard because you're ok with what you're doing and starting to learn new things, you really feel as if you had never picked up an ukulele before that.
For the strumming, the best thing is to find another strumming pattern (even a down, up, chunk, down, up, chunk...), really any other strumming pattern will do. Start with chords that you know well (like C, F, G), and start really slow, really slow, because you have muscle memory and your wrist will want to go back to the strumming pattern you already know. So start slow with the new strumming pattern until your wrist gets used to this new strumming.
For learning new songs, there are tons in the library in "Learn to Play the Ukulele". For each song, Aldrine suggests a strumming pattern as well as a picking pattern. Try to learn new songs with new technics, like rolls, chunks, or some finger picking. Choose songs that will challenge you.
UU+ is really great too. Plus you can learn a lot about music theory which is quite interesting.
Uke Minutes are really cool also and quickly go over technics and some music theory.
Just remember to go slow and challenge yourself.
Good luck.
