Completely Awkward

cosmoblue · Feb 13, 2009

Ok so I am feeling a bit confused about how I am supposed to be holding my uke. The twins should be a)above the uke, b)cozy under the uke, c) below the uke, or d)other? Seriously I have a soprano and c+ girls. I am brand new and nothing feels uncomfortable but I am sure somebody here has a good tip for me.

UkEdman90 · Feb 13, 2009

rest em on thoze bad boys! haha! my gf is in the same boat! just let it chill there likr burdah Iz did! No disrespect towards a great great man by any means guys!!

oh pics or ban!

hahahaha jkjk:rofl:

MisoHappy · Feb 13, 2009

Try sitting down and holding it closer to your lap. I dno how you're holding it above, but it you could hurt your wrists.

If all else fails, what feels the most comfortable?

MisoHappy · Feb 13, 2009

UkEdman90 said:
rest em on thoze bad boys! haha! my gf is in the same boat! just let it chill there likr burdah Iz did! No disrespect towards a great great man by any means guys!!

oh pics or ban!

hahahaha jkjk:rofl:

:rotfl:
*ehem* I mean......Yes, you should try that cosmo

khrome · Feb 13, 2009

The uke has such informal guidelines - typically the answer for everything is "go with what's the most comfortable". For me, when I'm sitting I like the uke below the twins. When I'm standing I like them right on top of them because it feels like I'm not going to drop the uke. If I had a strap, I'd probably go with below the twins. Sometimes I like to have it diagonally between the twins like a sitar. So dunno!

A uke teacher might have a different opinion tho.

MisoHappy · Feb 13, 2009

khrome said:
Sometimes I like to have it diagonally between the twins like a sitar.

Ditto!!

khrome said:
A uke teacher might have a different opinion tho.

Nah, they can't make you hold it any which way

salukulady · Feb 13, 2009

My sopranino and soprano and 6 inch banjolele set on top on the twins. Concert, tenor and baritone on the lap.

wickedwahine11 · Feb 13, 2009

I always play my tenor sitting down, with the twins above, and tenor in my lap. As for the soprano, I just rest it on my chest, but admittedly, I find it a bit awkward.

I can't remember what size you bought at McCabe's...if it is a soprano it might be a bit hard to play in your lap, in which case I would hold it to your chest instead. But a concert or tenor works well in your lap.

sukie · Feb 13, 2009

Ask deach. They do get in the way sometimes, don't they?

dinkadink · Feb 13, 2009

I use a strap with my soprano. I just had a guitar repair shop install a strap button on it for me. Sitting or standing, it still seemed to "rock" like a see saw no matter what I did.

Don't seem to have too much of a problem with my fluke. Something about the shape and size that makes it easier to hold securely.

It sounds like you could benefit from a strap. If nothing you try is really comfortable, a strap will fix all that. And there are different kinds of straps, some use buttons on the uke to attach, and some are kind of like a necklace with a little hook that hooks onto the soundhole. Either way, you can adjust the length to find the most comfortable position. I wear my soprano pretty high.

Hope this helps! I had the exact same dilemma when I first started. Good luck! -Heather

salukulady · Feb 13, 2009

One problem with a strap, many brands of sopranos don't have any bracing at the bottom to screw a button into for the strap. And when using a uke thong, if you are an enthusiastic player, you can damage the edge of the sound hole, (which I did). After a while I just learned how to hold a soprano, standing or sitting.

cosmoblue · Feb 13, 2009

wickedwahine11 said:
I always play my tenor sitting down, with the twins above, and tenor in my lap. As for the soprano, I just rest it on my chest, but admittedly, I find it a bit awkward.

I can't remember what size you bought at McCabe's...if it is a soprano it might be a bit hard to play in your lap, in which case I would hold it to your chest instead. But a concert or tenor works well in your lap.

I cannot imagine only paying sitting down. I don't want to stopp playing (well strumming the two chords I am learning over and over again) so I follow my daughter around the house with it.

dinkadink said:
I use a strap with my soprano. I just had a guitar repair shop install a strap button on it for me. Sitting or standing, it still seemed to "rock" like a see saw no matter what I did.

I am so glad that you talked about the "rock". I have that sometimes too. I guess I hadn't thought of a strap.

cosmoblue · Feb 13, 2009

salukulady said:
One problem with a strap, many brands of sopranos don't have any bracing at the bottom to screw a button into for the strap. And when using a uke thong, if you are an enthusiastic player, you can damage the edge of the sound hole, (which I did). After a while I just learned how to hold a soprano, standing or sitting.

That is a very good warning. I want no harm to come to my uke. I love her.

freedive135 · Feb 13, 2009

It's not just a problem for you girls.... some of us "portly" gentlemen with over size pec's suffer from it too!!!

Still tryin to figure out how to keep my little Pono from sliding around!!!

dinkadink · Feb 13, 2009

cosmoblue said:
I cannot imagine only paying sitting down. I don't want to stopp playing (well strumming the two chords I am learning over and over again) so I follow my daughter around the house with it.

I am so glad that you talked about the "rock". I have that sometimes too. I guess I hadn't thought of a strap.

Couldn't hurt to find out if your uke has the proper bracing to add a button for a strap. Especially if you're running after a little one. You can just throw the uke over your back and do all kinds of stuff without ever having to put it down.

khrome · Feb 13, 2009

freedive135 said:
Still tryin to figure out how to keep my little Pono from sliding around!!!

If you wear a short sleeve shirt, how about trying to move your sleeve up so your skin touches the uke. Your skin is tacky in comparison to the shirt so it might keep it from slipping. I usually have a tank top on when I play and don't have the slipping problem, so I'm guessing that might be why.

cosmoblue · Feb 13, 2009

khrome said:
If you wear a short sleeve shirt, how about trying to move your sleeve up so your skin touches the uke. Your skin is tacky in comparison to the shirt so it might keep it from slipping. I usually have a tank top on when I play and don't have the slipping problem, so I'm guessing that might be why.

This is so helpful. I was wearing a long sleeved shirt and I pushed it up and it is so much more steady. Thank you.

freedive135 · Feb 13, 2009

Yea I do the short sleeve thing, I even cut the sleeves off a couple sweatshirts for when I am banished to the basment to play is 58 deg down there. The other half says I look "So White Trash".

Nuke-ulele · Feb 13, 2009

For the dudes, you could also just go shirtless, Red Hot Chili Peppers Style.

generem · Feb 13, 2009

I got the Jumping flea Collar Ukulele strap last ukulele festival in Cerritos CA. I had a hard time playing my Kala concert standing up so I used this. It wraps around the bottom part of the Ukulele while you hold it and it hooks on the sound hole. Works pretty well for me...

Here is a link

Completely Awkward

Active member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Aloha

Well-known member

Well-known member

Active member

Active member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Active member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Similar threads