I have an issue with my ukes now

No, this isn't an excuse to buy another uke....yesterday, we were in Compass Music, and I saw 2 or 3 ukes I thought I'd really like, and Tammy took my hand, and gently led me away, saying, 'it's okay, you don't need them, it's okay....'
I think I'm gonna be okay....maybe I just need a shot of Ativan before we go next time....
Anywa, I digress. Now that I am learning to finger pick new songs, and not just strum chords, I find that I must rest on my pinkie and my right forearm. My arm rests on the edge of the side/top of my uke. After a little while, it starts to really hurt...I can barely keep it there long enough to learn a new song without a lot of pain....
is there something that can be mounted on the edge of my ukes? I've seen custom ukes that are beveled there and appear to have different wood there....I wonder how much it would cost to have that done....I don't really wanna hafta buy another uke just now....
or maybe I do.....nah, I love my Ohana....
what say you, fellow UUers?

A good excuse for another uke!

Something Like This?

Hi there

This one has an "armrest".

http://southcoastukes.com/tenor largo.htm

:cheers:

Mattyukaholic said:

A good excuse for another uke!

Click to expand...

Bingo!

Or you can wrap your arm in bubblewrap.

On ebay, a seller called taisamlu sells armrests for concerts and tenors. I think they're about 16 bucks with shipping.

Nickie said:

No, this isn't an excuse to buy another uke....yesterday, we were in Compass Music, and I saw 2 or 3 ukes I thought I'd really like, and Tammy took my hand, and gently led me away, saying, 'it's okay, you don't need them, it's okay....'
I think I'm gonna be okay....maybe I just need a shot of Ativan before we go next time....
Anywa, I digress. Now that I am learning to finger pick new songs, and not just strum chords, I find that I must rest on my pinkie and my right forearm. My arm rests on the edge of the side/top of my uke. After a little while, it starts to really hurt...I can barely keep it there long enough to learn a new song without a lot of pain....
is there something that can be mounted on the edge of my ukes? I've seen custom ukes that are beveled there and appear to have different wood there....I wonder how much it would cost to have that done....I don't really wanna hafta buy another uke just now....
or maybe I do.....nah, I love my Ohana....
what say you, fellow UUers?

Click to expand...

First ....and may I please say that as probably one of the least liked and most misunderstood posters on this forum that I am NOT having a go at the poster......really....but I did just pick up on the phrase "not Just strum chords" ...why do we tend dismiss strumming as somehow ...unworthy ,untalented or even un-entertaining ?

Some strumming ,particularly melodic strumming is as complex and difficult as any other style.......but ...to answer ...partly ..the question.....

Vary your position of picking ....look at what banjo players do ....they play around the bridge with the pinky "planted "because there is no real forearm rest..........
and they also play "up the neck" moving the right hand forward from the bridge toward the neck ..indeed up the neck and may float the right hand a little ...I do cos I play the banjo a little...and it as close a cousin to a re-entrant tuned ukelele as a guitar is to a bass strung uke....this stops the hand from cramping and gives a little relief to the muscles...then go back ..it also changes the tone of the playing somewhat ....usually .....

Don't forget as well that you are bringing new muscles and tendons into play as well ...if you are a "forefinger " strummer you will probably have a very relaxed hand and the wrist will be supplying a lot of the motion required ..finger picking the hand will remain more still and the fingers will roll and waggle (technical term alert) more....so basically just take it a bit at a time ....

I didn't take Nickie's statement to be dismissive of strumming at all, just that she was expanding her realm of playing.

Some good options presented by the replies so far.

CeeJay, knowing you're in the number one position of dislike takes a lot of pressure off guys like me.

I have a hard time playing chords and holding a strumming pattern even when not singing but when also singing forget it at this point. When I see someone strumming well and singing I'm totally impressed. That may say a lot about my skill level but still. At this point I think they are both challenging skills, picking and strumming if doing it well.

Oh, I wasn't belittleing strumming at all. It's just that's pretty much all I did for quite a while, and I got tired of it. All of our beginners in my club are strummers....that's how we learn at first.
I find strumming and picking together to be a lot of fun....and the sounds can be very interesting....
But I've started trying to learn Classical/flamenco style, and it's all picking....so....ouch....but i will take these suggestions into account and fix this challenge! Thanks guys....you ALWAYS rock!

Nickie said:

Oh, I wasn't belittleing strumming at all. It's just that's pretty much all I did for quite a while, and I got tired of it. All of our beginners in my club are strummers....that's how we learn at first.
I find strumming and picking together to be a lot of fun....and the sounds can be very interesting....
But I've started trying to learn Classical/flamenco style, and it's all picking....so....ouch....but i will take these suggestions into account and fix this challenge! Thanks guys....you ALWAYS rock!

Click to expand...

I did add the caveat that I was not belittling you , or having a go Nickie.....but no -one seems to get past the first couple of seemingly aggressive lines that I write... Oh well serves me right for being a grumpy old bastard ...there was some useful stuff afterward....

Kayak Jim said:

I didn't take Nickie's statement to be dismissive of strumming at all, just that she was expanding her realm of playing.

Some good options presented by the replies so far.

Click to expand...

yes ...nor did I ....I just picked up on it as something that a LOT of uke players say ...it was conversational ...not confrontational...and I tried to explain that I was not deriding the poster ...sorry if I did not make that clear....I also thought that I made quite a good couple of points afterwards ...but hey-ho ...no offence was intended (my latest phrase on this forum it would seem !)

Maybe I have the wrong idea of how you are holding the uke but I had the same issue a long time ago, so now use a more classical guitarist position. Basically check out how Jake holds his tenor, or see Corey here. I hold my ukes with the headstock a little higher like Jake. So try resting the heel/butt of your uke on the top of your right thigh about where the pocket of your jeans is. Tilt the headstock up toward your left shoulder and then push it forward away from your body to about 45 degrees. Now the top rim of the body should be under your arm, but the weight should be balanced on your thigh. Your forearm should now be mostly parallel to the soundboard/top of the uke, and resting only lightly on the top corner of the lower bout of the uke and just partially across the edge instead of just on the edge. You should be able to have your right picking hand and fingers float at a more comfortable and natural angle along the neck and be able to move from around the soundhole and up the neck and back.

Or is it mostly fingers hurting? Try magnesium gluconate and flaxseed oil supplements to help with stiffness and pain.

I assume you do not use a strap. I've added strap buttons to all my ukes and it makes a world of difference, no more pressure pains. I'm about to receive a custom uke and I'm immediately going to add strap buttons.

Yes, I always use a strap.

Teek, are you a physical therpaist? Or a contortionist? LOL....I guess I'll have to try this at home...I'm at work now....no ukes allowed....sheesh....

Thanks!

Yes, Bill I always use a strap, except on my soprano, which I rarely play. It hurts like the devil....Drs have never been able to help me much with pain....I've learned to deal with it on my own. I have a very low threshold for pain, it sucks.
It is quite possibly incorrect technique. I have VERY short, small pinkies, so that puts more pressure on my forearm, and places my hand at a weird angle. I am NOT trying to hold the uke with my right hand/arm.
I only practice for 15-30 minutes, then I quit, usually due to pain. I never try to "play through it", I'm a 63 year old nurse, I know better. I don't usually last long enough to develop any hand/finger pain.
I have to work this out, these huge red creases on my arm look and feel horrid! I'm determined, and if it takes a whole new technique, or ergonomic positions, or a device, or any combination of these, I will perservere!

That's the spirit. I'll bet you'll figure something out if you're willing to look under every rock. Usually where there's enough will there will be a way.

Nickie said:

Yes, Bill I always use a strap, except on my soprano, which I rarely play. It hurts like the devil....Drs have never been able to help me much with pain....I've learned to deal with it on my own. I have a very low threshold for pain, it sucks.
It is quite possibly incorrect technique. I have VERY short, small pinkies, so that puts more pressure on my forearm, and places my hand at a weird angle. I am NOT trying to hold the uke with my right hand/arm.
I only practice for 15-30 minutes, then I quit, usually due to pain. I never try to "play through it", I'm a 63 year old nurse, I know better. I don't usually last long enough to develop any hand/finger pain.
I have to work this out, these huge red creases on my arm look and feel horrid! I'm determined, and if it takes a whole new technique, or ergonomic positions, or a device, or any combination of these, I will perservere!

Click to expand...

If there are creases on your arm due to the edge of the instrument, starting off by softening the edge seems like a logical first step. I'm not sure if the EBay ones which are taped are a good idea. There are folk who make these armrests here in the US for other instruments, and they may help. On the short term even a beanbag or small cushion of sorts may be worth trying.

Nickie, I noticed the same thing myself (if I'm understanding you correctly). I get a crease in my strumming arm right where it hits the lower bout. I do use a strap too on most of my ukes and try not too rest heavily or clutch the uke tightly. I mostly notice this when I play my Flea as it has a much sharper edge than any of my other ukes and this is my only strapless uke. I haven't decided how I want to add one on the flea, so as to not disturb its flat bottom. I'm hoping that when I do add a strap, I can hold it in a way that is less annoying.

I used a leash and then added velcro to the bottom of my Fluke and the end of the leash and easy attach it at the bottom of the Fluke. It works perfectly as a full strap. I mean perfectly.

I have chronic pain issues and have also had serious repetitive strain injury that left me barely able to use my hands for over a year. I do a ton of stretches now for my hips and back to keep moving and I try to be aware of posture and other body positions that could create imbalance or injury. This was even before I had back spasms for five months that could be bad enough to make me have to slide out of bed and crawl to the bathroom because I could not stand up and walk. I even sleep on a board now because my mattress is a wreck. This was difficult with because I walk dogs for a living and I was doing 4 miles a day or so. I mentioned chelated magnesium because it's vital for nerves and a lack can cause muscle cramps, and it helped where muscle relaxers and Aleve only did a little plus made me dizzy and sleepy and sick to my stomach. Flaxseed oil is an anti-inflamatory but you have to be careful because it thins your blood.

I can play a little every day now but there were a few years where I couldn't even hold a few simple chords for 15-20 minutes once a week without pain.

Let me clarify the position I was suggesting with videos since words have failed me, lol. I am still struggling to figure out how to hold my own ukes but I aspire to this!



Jake Shimabukuro

Corey Fujimoto (Note how straight he can keep his left wrist).

Zach Shimizu & Corey Fujimoto

Lil Rev

James Hill

Tom Culbertson

Sylvan Music guy

Rick Turner

Kimo doing a lazier version though he does the other too. You'll have to fast forward to the 7 minute mark, lol.