Inner Prop
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2010
- Messages
- 129
- Reaction score
- 0
Hi, I'm new and this is my first post. I've looked at quite a few "what to get" threads and I thought it might be best to describe my situation and desired Ends so it might be easier to help me find my ukulele Means to get there.
I played sax from 2nd grade through High School, and I still own one. I played bassoon all through High School. High School was a LONG time ago.
I picked up a "How to Play Harmonica for the Complete Klutz" book years ago and fiddled around with that, but I didn't have too much success with it. I've tried off and on several times, but there is just something I can't seem to get about it.
I picked up one of my daughter's recorders a few years ago, and that I get and can hammer out a tune on, but it really isn't that fun an instrument (people look at you kind of funny when you're an adult with a recorder), and I can't sing along with it.
I'd love to be able to be at a party or campfire and pull out my instrument and lead a song.
I really don't have the time or patience to really focus on something so some early success and some simple basic ability nearly out of the box would go a long way to keep me working at it and have fun socially with it as well.
So I'm looking at learning a few chords just to get along with a song or two to start.
I like the idea of a soprano because I think my best bet for practicing is to keep it with me as much as possible (EDC (Every Day Carry) if you will).
I like fast and bright music. I'm actually not too keen on Hawaiian music; it's just a bit to emotional for me. I do like rock covers on uke. I like blues and slide too. I know quite a few Tin Pan Alley songs (they have quite often been adopted as Scout songs and I'm a Unit Commissioner now). I also love surf music and just the idea of surf music.
I want to be able to have my uke with me everywhere and I'm really kind of a klutz so replaceable or indestructible are my choices.
I went to Uke Hunt and grabbed their "So You've Got Your First Ukulele" pdf. They give you 5 songs you should learn. I love them all (Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Ring of Fire, Hallelujah, Blitzkrieg Bop, I Wanna Be Like You) and have been known to break into singing them too often for my daughters' liking. I sing baritone btw.
I like quirky looking instruments. The little guitar look isn't very appealing to me, but I don't want it to look like a toy either. Think, will my daughter's friends say, "Wow that instrument is so cute and you're Dad is so cool," not, "Yeah, that's my Dad, don't look at him or encourage his latest crazy fad. Yeah Dad, you look SOOO cool with your Hawaiian shirt and black socks with sandals. Byeeee." Although, in the end the look is the least of my concerns.
The kicker is this, I want to ask Santa for one, but she recently suggested that we don't buy each other any gifts this year. SO, I have to keep it on the very lowest level price-wise as possible. Also, considering the fact that I've never played a string instrument and the harmonica seems difficult for me makes the idea of spending a lot on something that just isn't going to work out possibly.
If I do get it, it will be as a Christmas present from my wife to me, but she will want me to figure out what I want and just tell her so she can get it (I'm thinking musicguymic from eBay might be best).
To recap:
Large-ish adult male
Can read music, not chords or tabs
Never played a string instrument
Intend to be a casual, party, social player
Like strumming and singing
Little time
Want EDC
Like: rock, blues, Tin Pan Alley, surf
Quirky look, not dorky look
The bottom line - money. <$50 would be best, >$100 is far too much at this point
Thank you very much.
I played sax from 2nd grade through High School, and I still own one. I played bassoon all through High School. High School was a LONG time ago.
I picked up a "How to Play Harmonica for the Complete Klutz" book years ago and fiddled around with that, but I didn't have too much success with it. I've tried off and on several times, but there is just something I can't seem to get about it.
I picked up one of my daughter's recorders a few years ago, and that I get and can hammer out a tune on, but it really isn't that fun an instrument (people look at you kind of funny when you're an adult with a recorder), and I can't sing along with it.
I'd love to be able to be at a party or campfire and pull out my instrument and lead a song.
I really don't have the time or patience to really focus on something so some early success and some simple basic ability nearly out of the box would go a long way to keep me working at it and have fun socially with it as well.
So I'm looking at learning a few chords just to get along with a song or two to start.
I like the idea of a soprano because I think my best bet for practicing is to keep it with me as much as possible (EDC (Every Day Carry) if you will).
I like fast and bright music. I'm actually not too keen on Hawaiian music; it's just a bit to emotional for me. I do like rock covers on uke. I like blues and slide too. I know quite a few Tin Pan Alley songs (they have quite often been adopted as Scout songs and I'm a Unit Commissioner now). I also love surf music and just the idea of surf music.
I want to be able to have my uke with me everywhere and I'm really kind of a klutz so replaceable or indestructible are my choices.
I went to Uke Hunt and grabbed their "So You've Got Your First Ukulele" pdf. They give you 5 songs you should learn. I love them all (Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Ring of Fire, Hallelujah, Blitzkrieg Bop, I Wanna Be Like You) and have been known to break into singing them too often for my daughters' liking. I sing baritone btw.
I like quirky looking instruments. The little guitar look isn't very appealing to me, but I don't want it to look like a toy either. Think, will my daughter's friends say, "Wow that instrument is so cute and you're Dad is so cool," not, "Yeah, that's my Dad, don't look at him or encourage his latest crazy fad. Yeah Dad, you look SOOO cool with your Hawaiian shirt and black socks with sandals. Byeeee." Although, in the end the look is the least of my concerns.
The kicker is this, I want to ask Santa for one, but she recently suggested that we don't buy each other any gifts this year. SO, I have to keep it on the very lowest level price-wise as possible. Also, considering the fact that I've never played a string instrument and the harmonica seems difficult for me makes the idea of spending a lot on something that just isn't going to work out possibly.
If I do get it, it will be as a Christmas present from my wife to me, but she will want me to figure out what I want and just tell her so she can get it (I'm thinking musicguymic from eBay might be best).
To recap:
Large-ish adult male
Can read music, not chords or tabs
Never played a string instrument
Intend to be a casual, party, social player
Like strumming and singing
Little time
Want EDC
Like: rock, blues, Tin Pan Alley, surf
Quirky look, not dorky look
The bottom line - money. <$50 would be best, >$100 is far too much at this point
Thank you very much.