What’s your ukulele “hot take”?

[SurferJay]

Get well soon .
So for a ukulele you would choose a Kamaka or Martin ?

Thank You. Honestly, I don’t know enough about either to give an honest answer I really need to visit a good Uke store and play different ukes to gain more experience . Purely based on sound samples I would love a Kamaka.. But I can fully understand why someone would choose a Martin.

 

[Simen Kjaersdalen]

My hot take is that you can be just a ukulele owner or admirer. All you need is at least one uke you own, or you would like to own.

You do not have to conform to expectations of being a musician. You do not have to conform to expectations of being a collector. You do not have to conform to expectations of being a wood expert or woody. You can be them all or none of them whenever you feel like. You can do the work to make a huge audience happy, or just please yourself at home.

You can be in tune or out of tune, and you don't need to know the difference. Same with being in time. Or you can know the difference.

Owning a ukulele is what you want it to be, and you can have several different things you want it to be. You can own a ukulele for 50 years and make it 100 things that you choose over the 50 years.

This was a very poetic approach.

 

[CPG]

Oh my, same here. I play my Flying V nearly vertical. Seems so much more natural than hunching over it.

I've never played a Flying V but my understanding is that they are perfect for the classical position. You can sorta rest the groove of the V on your leg with one leg of the V between your legs. I don't play much guitar and when I play electric I use a Tele, but I seriously considered purchasing a Flying V style guitar at one point just because they suppedly have great ergonomics (totally by accident I think) if you play in the classical position. My Tele really requires I use a strap to hold while seated in that postion. The "folk" position makes more sense on large bodied acoustics like dreadnaughts, jumbos, and grand auditoriums as the bodies lift the necks up higher which creates better ergonomics on the neck even when horizontal (and also the large bodes don't sit between ones legs as easily). I CAN play my Taylor grand auditorium in the "folk" postion because of this and because of the size it's not as comfortable between my legs as my parlor or my Tele, but I still choose to play it in the classical position because ultimatley it is SO MUCH easier on my wrists.

 

[CPG]

Yes, but I bought it as three separate books at Puapua in Honolulu in 2015. It’s actually written by two other musicians and Daniel Ho did the videos. Not sure if Ho was involved in the editorial process but anyone who plays uke should own a copy.

My only concern with this 3 book compilation is that it says it comes with AUDIO and not Ho’s videos. I don’t understand that. Am I missing something?? Each of my 3 books came with a DVD of videos of the books examples. I converted them to MP4 for easier viewing on my Surface Pro.

Thanks for this reccomendation Petey and for pointing out the difference between the combined books and the individual ones. I just ordered all three from SheetMusicPlus.

BTW, SheetMusicPlus has 20% off promotion code right now so it's a good time to order some books (maybe they do this all the time, not sure). Anyway, I decided it was time to finally invest in a decent uke book library so I bought a bunch of other books too. Lol. Look for my NUBD (New Uke Book Day).

Petey, I hope you heal up soon. That's real rough! Love your postive attitude though.

 

[PeteyHoudini]

Thanks for this reccomendation Petey and for pointing out the difference between the combined books and the individual ones. I just ordered all three from SheetMusicPlus.

BTW, SheetMusicPlus has 20% off promotion code right now so it's a good time to order some books (maybe they do this all the time, not sure). Anyway, I decided it was time to finally invest in a decent uke book library so I bought a bunch of other books too. Lol. Look for my NUBD (New Uke Book Day).

Petey, I hope you heal up soon. That's real rough! Love your postive attitude though.

You’re welcome. Those are truly first class books. They have a great arrangement of House of the Rising Sun using different techniques. Glad you got the three separate ones with the DVDs. That set is worth its weight in gold.

Just getting back now to reply as my recovery in my hospital bed is slow but I look forward to ukeing again.

 

[PeteyHoudini]

Thanks everyone for the well wishes and your shared accident stories. I’m slowly on the mend but mostly parked in my hospital bed with my iphone. I’ve been using this time to reflect, and also work on my Spanish verb tenses. I like to sing in Spanish.

One last hot take re: Tiny Tim. Since being in the hospital, I realized that I had bought the Tiny Tim bio back in March 2021 for my Kindle but never read it yet. So, laying here after playing PLUTO PATROL (1980s Moon Patrol), chess, and browsing Twitter, I opened up the Kindle app on my phone and noticed the Tiny Tim bio: Eternal Troubadour - the Improbable Life of Tiny Tim. Just been reading it and learning what a great musician he was despite all the mockery! He learned to overcome all the crap thrown at him. Great life lesson for us all!

 

[ploverwing]

One last hot take re: Tiny Tim. Since being in the hospital, I realized that I had bought the Tiny Tim bio back in March 2021 for my Kindle but never read it yet. So, laying here after playing PLUTO PATROL (1980s Moon Patrol), chess, and browsing Twitter, I opened up the Kindle app on my phone and noticed the Tiny Tim bio: Eternal Troubadour - the Improbable Life of Tiny Tim. Just been reading it and learning what a great musician he was despite all the mockery! He learned to overcome all the crap thrown at him. Great life lesson for us all!

So true. He was an incredible musician. I will look for that biography in our library, thanks!

 

[mikelz777]

Tiny Tim a great musician? An incredible musician? Maybe you've seen performances I haven't seen? I think that he was a great and incredible music historian but his ukulele playing was very average at best. I've read the book and I found it overall to be a pretty sad story. His main goal in life was to be famous and he achieved the heights of fame but it was built on a foundation of being a novelty, a spectacle and an object of mockery. His fall from the heights of fame was a hard one and he spent the rest of his life chasing the fame that once was but would never be again. Given his encyclopedic knowledge of early popular music it seems that he would have been well suited as an expert in the field and may have found a place in academia, lecturing, or promotion/preservation but his heart and passion were in performing. I was surprised to learn that he lived (and died) very near to me, probably a half hour or less away. I would have loved to sit with him and learn to play a bunch of that early music he loved so dearly.

 

[ploverwing]

I think that he was a great and incredible music historian but his ukulele playing was very average at best.

OK fair enough. But I think his skills were underrated because he was mocked so much for his style. I guess I was trying to imply that he wasn't a write off from a musician standpoint.

 

[badhabits]

Get well soon .
So for a ukulele you would choose a Kamaka or Martin ?

To me, that's a/the big split right there... Hawaii vs. Pennsylvania. Traditional Hawaiian/hapa haole, Tim pan alley. "West coast", east coast. Dodgers, Yankees. Tupac, Biggie. lol

 

[DJ Mango]

To me, that's a/the big split right there... Hawaii vs. Pennsylvania. Traditional Hawaiian/hapa haole, Tim pan alley. "West coast", east coast. Dodgers, Yankees. Tupac, Biggie. lol

Two of my favorite players from Hawaii of Hawaiian music , Izzy and Peter Moon , both played Martin .

 

[PeteyHoudini]

I just ordered all three from SheetMusicPlus.

BTW, SheetMusicPlus has 20% off promotion code right now so it's a good time to order some books (maybe they do this all the time, not sure). Anyway, I decided it was time to finally invest in a decent uke book library so I bought a bunch of other books too. Lol. Look for my NUBD (New Uke Book Day).

Forgot to mention, I often order from them too and they just sent me a 25% off over $40+. That’s good. I think you have to subscribe to their newsletter to get these offers.

I collect tons of sheet music collections for Piano/Vocal/Guitar and ukulele. It’s nice to have a nice paper library when sitting on a bed or at the piano.

I, too have been contemplating a uke book of the week video for years. I might start it once I’ve recovered. Cheers.

 

[casualmusic]

Do you have a perhaps controversial or uncommon opinion on a ukulele topic?

Hot takes about strings:

a. I like crisp higher tension strings for lively picking patterns such as guitar solos and fiddle tunes. Dislike soft spongy strings beloved by many.

b. Haven’t spent time sampling various strings. Fluorocarbon is plenty good enough for me.

c. I love the sound of fresh strings; and change them every few months.

d. I’m amazed by uke club players who say original strings on 3-5 year old ukuleles are still great. They are amazed by results of gifted new strings.

e. Perplexed by savvy players who ask the music store to install new strings. And think it’s complicated to learn.

Cheers

 

[ploverwing]

e. Perplexed by savvy players who ask the music store to install new strings. And think it’s complicated to learn.

Well... a brand new instrument that you just purchased is a little intimidating to then change strings on for the first time if you're a total noob, IMO. Plus I had a traumatic experience with a string snapping as a kid that put me off doing anything like that for years. I've now overcome that, and yes, it's such a quick, cheap way to change the tone of your instrument. If you don't like it, change 'em back, or try something new, no big deal. Honestly, I'm almost more SAS than UAS, trying all the different options, lol.

 

[Nickie]

Me, too. Overly happy music irritates me.

Ha ha, spoken like a true melancholic. I love your posts!

 

[Nickie]

Very true and completely valid point. BUT for myself it wasn’t until I learned to improvise that I had that moment where I just close my eyes and be one with the music. Don’t worry I’m not going to start chanting.

I guess it’s like anything. Yesterday I was surfing and I thought to myself how long surfing had been part of my life (nearly 30 years). I still remember my first wave (like the first song on the Uke) and there is no doubt as you get better the experience in both becomes more immersive.

If I was going to choose a surfboard it wouldn’t be the latest performance model. It would be more of a vintage style which defies all of the latest trends. Only because that’s the experience in after. I’m guessing it’s the same for a Uke.

Long post I’m in bed with Corona

May you be well!

 

[Nickie]

Tiny Tim a great musician? An incredible musician? Maybe you've seen performances I haven't seen? I think that he was a great and incredible music historian but his ukulele playing was very average at best. I've read the book and I found it overall to be a pretty sad story. His main goal in life was to be famous and he achieved the heights of fame but it was built on a foundation of being a novelty, a spectacle and an object of mockery. His fall from the heights of fame was a hard one and he spent the rest of his life chasing the fame that once was but would never be again. Given his encyclopedic knowledge of early popular music it seems that he would have been well suited as an expert in the field and may have found a place in academia, lecturing, or promotion/preservation but his heart and passion were in performing. I was surprised to learn that he lived (and died) very near to me, probably a half hour or less away. I would have loved to sit with him and learn to play a bunch of that early music he loved so dearly.

Still, Tiptoe Through the Tulips is still one of my faves. We DO NOT sing it in falsetto. I'd guess that we've performed it at least two dozen times.

 

[don_b]

Gotoh UPTs are to Ukuleles as 24 inch rims are to Automobiles.

—my wife, when I try to pitch $70 tuners for my $170 ukulele

 

[Nickie]

Gotoh UPTs are to Ukuleles as 24 inch rims are to Automobiles.

—my wife, when I try to pitch $70 tuners for my $170 ukulele

I'm not sure if I'd put them on a $170 uke, either. But i did have them put on my cocobolo uke, and now it stays in tune better. And I don't have to make faces while tuning it anymore.
(She's right, those 24" wheels look stupid, to me. There are people driving around in $1000 cars with them on here.)

 

[don_b]

I'm not sure if I'd put them on a $170 uke, either. But i did have them put on my cocobolo uke, and now it stays in tune better. And I don't have to make faces while tuning it anymore.
(She's right, those 24" wheels look stupid, to me. There are people driving around in $1000 cars with them on here.)

I’m still not convinced! They’re beautiful! And they’d made my uke fit in the case so much nicer!