Is it just me? Or does everyone have to deal with the critics?

JCryan

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I'll be the first to admit that I rarely conform to "the norm".

I've been playing for a little over a year and I love to play.

  • I'm a lefty that plays right-handed ukuleles upside down (to allow for me to play other ukuleles should I encounter them).
  • I prefer to strum using cut-out cardboard picks of my own design (which result in a washboard sound effect when strumming).
  • I don't know how to read music and am okay with that.
  • I don't make an effort to learn how to play existing songs, but rather use them as inspiration for the creation of my own songs.
  • I cannot tune my ukulele without the use of a phone app (even though I can tell when it is out of tune).
  • I don't really even have a desire to become a "talented" ukulele player, because I play simply because I enjoy playing.

Here is a quick clip of me playing one of my songs to give you a better understanding of my abilities (or lack thereof). lol



I don't know anyone else that plays the ukulele, but my brother and his kids play instruments (primarily guitar and bass). Whenever they (and even strangers) see me with my ukulele, they ask me to play a song (which I gladly do).

Yet, once I play one of my songs, they begin asking me to play a "real song" (something they know).

Then the criticisms begin...

"Maybe if you strung your ukulele for a lefty, you'd be able to improve your skills."

"All your songs sound the same!"

"Why don't you learn to strum with your fingers like a real ukulele player?"


Although I don't let it get to me, I'm almost at the point in which I just want to hide when playing to a avoid the critics.

Am I the only one that deals with this?
 
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how many people are real originals. sounds a lot like music to me.
don't let the dung eaters get you down.
 
Well they do say that everyone's a critic.

But what I want to know is how you make picks out of cardboard...
 
There is a bit of truth in all ukulele songs sounding the same. Ralph Shaw made a great point about this and addressed it in a workshop. You learn to play your first song and by the time you have learned to play your fifth song you notice they all sound the same. He was teaching a strumming workshop and we played with the same song with VERY different strum patterns and tempos, made a huge difference. Just some food for thought.

Everybody is a critic and if you march to the beat of your own drum they will zero in on you. I think your sample sounded great, very musical and engaging. Don't let the bastards get to you. Old British POW saying
 
I tell people, "I play original songs." After several years they finally realize, hey, unless they usually listen to my songs, I'm going to play something they've never heard before! :D They sometimes still ask for songs they know (never had them called "real songs"), but that's mostly kids who live in their own tiny world anyway.
 
I like your playing. If you like it as well and enjoy yourself then continue doing what you're doing. Some people just like to criticize.
 
Went and listened to your video, I like it, especially the first part with melody! Very musical indeed, and I like the sound with the picks. I too would like to know how you make them! I don't usually use a pick but would try one of those. :)
 
played with the same song with VERY different strum patterns and tempos, made a huge difference. Just some food for thought.

That is excellent advice and something i've recently been focusing on. ;-)
 
The cardboard pick gives it a little bit of a percussive sound. There's always someone out there ready to tell you what you are doing wrong...

Do what you like.

I usually have one person complain after each and every ukulele jam we have. It is the same person. Some people just can't have fun.
 
I always go off and play to myself in an empty room so I'm my only critic. I've played with my daughters in the room and their attitude is basically, "Whatever". I get no praise or criticism, they just tolerate it. One of them sang with me once when I played a Justin Bieber song for her.

I listened to your video and you're doing all right. You're already up on me by picking out a melody, something I haven't ventured to try and teach myself yet and I've been playing longer. I don't know how you play upside down like that. I don't think my brain would work that way. I don't get the pick thing but if it floats your boat... I can't read music either and will never learn. I haven't bothered to memorize songs so I'm chord sheet dependent. I'm pretty sure songs of my own making (if I were able to do it) would probably be pretty lame so I only play existing songs. I think most of what I play/sing is pleasant but most songs are not what you'd call "crowd pleasers" or sing along type of songs. My playing is pretty much just accompaniment and not anything that would be interesting to hear on it's own. Like you, I'm just having fun strumming and singing though eventually I'd like to learn some finger picking. I don't aspire to be a "talented" player and don't know that I could be even if I tried. I'm just having fun.
 
But what I want to know is how you make picks out of cardboard...

Nothing special, just cardboard picks cut-out from six-pack holders. lol

20150627_145701.jpg


---Back Story---

I began using a pick after becoming frustrated when my finger kept catching my strings on the up-strum.

Unfortunately, standard plastic picks seemed too small and would eventually slip-out of my fingers while strumming. I then began applying strips of grip-tape to them to prevent slipping (grip tape is basically sandpaper with a sticky back that is applied to the top of skateboards). Although this prevented the slipping, it made my finger tips gritty.

So I resorted to cutting-out cardboard picks, thinking that the cardboard would provide a better surface grip due to the oils in my finger tips. Another benefit to making my own pick was that I could make them larger than standard picks to provide a larger surface area to grip.

I started with thicker cardboard to prevent bending, but eventually found that thinner cardboard allowed for an easier up-strum due to the flex (less resistance).

I've since experimented with a large variety of thicknesses, and eventually found that the most favorable thickness for my picks was that found in the holders for six-packs of beer. Win-win! ;)
 
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Like you, I'm just having fun strumming and singing though eventually I'd like to learn some finger picking.

Unfortunately, I'm unable to sing while playing. lol

If I sing, I have to focus on the lyrics, but then I'm unable to play the ukulele. I suppose it is like an individual that can play piano with both hands, just not simultaneously.
 
If you are just playing to please yourself, then no problem -- whatever you do that you like? Go for it. If you are looking for approbation from others, you have to deal with their likes and dislikes, and you have to decide how much time and energy you want to spend getting that. On some level, that must matter to you, since you posted a video and asked for input regarding how you do things, and this is a pretty good group of folks when it comes to being supportive in ukery. Because somebody doesn't like how you play only means something if you care what they think. (And just because they don't like it doesn't make them "haters;" people are allowed to have and voice their preferences, yea or nay. Not everybody likes the same things, and as long as they aren't being obnoxious about how they say it, it's valid.)

If you take the less-traveled path, playing only originals, you are apt to get more blank stares. They are plenty of people who like to hear stuff they have heard before. How many folks love a band at one point in their career, but get less interested in their new stuff decades later? Or when the band breaks up, they don't particularly care for the individual albums?

Part of the deal when you put yourself out there in public, whatever the venue or activity, is that you probably ought to be prepared for both negative and positive responses. And there is a risk: One of the first things you learn as a writer or performer is, don't ask how they liked it if you aren't prepared to hear the answer. Because some folks will tell you what they think and it won't always be resounding approval. Many of the posters here are kind, especially to newbies. They want to encourage them to continue on, to get better, to grow. Not all of 'em are.

I think on some level, most of us want approval, most of the time. If you are going to step into the limelight, no matter how bright or dim, developing a thicker skin other than on your fingertips isn't a bad idea ...
 
If you are just playing to please yourself, then no problem -- whatever you do that you like? Go for it. If you are looking for approbation from others, you have to deal with their likes and dislikes, and you have to decide how much time and energy you want to spend getting that. On some level, that must matter to you, since you posted a video and asked for input regarding how you do things, and this is a pretty good group of folks when it comes to being supportive in ukery. Because somebody doesn't like how you play only means something if you care what they think. (And just because they don't like it doesn't make them "haters;" people are allowed to have and voice their preferences, yea or nay. Not everybody likes the same things, and as long as they aren't being obnoxious about how they say it, it's valid.)

If you take the less-traveled path, playing only originals, you are apt to get more blank stares. They are plenty of people who like to hear stuff they have heard before. How many folks love a band at one point in their career, but get less interested in their new stuff decades later? Or when the band breaks up, they don't particularly care for the individual albums?

Part of the deal when you put yourself out there in public, whatever the venue or activity, is that you probably ought to be prepared for both negative and positive responses. And there is a risk: One of the first things you learn as a writer or performer is, don't ask how they liked it if you aren't prepared to hear the answer. Because some folks will tell you what they think and it won't always be resounding approval. Many of the posters here are kind, especially to newbies. They want to encourage them to continue on, to get better, to grow. Not all of 'em are.

I think on some level, most of us want approval, most of the time. If you are going to step into the limelight, no matter how bright or dim, developing a thicker skin other than on your fingertips isn't a bad idea ...
Well stated Steve.
 
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How many folks love a band at one point in their career, but get less interested in their new stuff decades later? Or when the band breaks up, they don't particularly care for the individual albums

That is an excellent analogy and one in which I myself am guilty.

I suppose it goes both ways...

While growing-up with a brother, who could practically play anything on a guitar, I have never heard him play anything original.

I've always found that to be quite peculiar, but simply figured "that's not his thing".
 
Are you aware that Jimi Hendrix played a right hand guitar upside down just as you are with your ukulele...!!!??? I liked your playing. Keep at it and as time goes by, you'll more than likely develop a pretty good repertoire.
 
To explore this a little more: This all depends on what you want to do with your music. If you are happy doing what you are doing? That’s what matters the most. Can’t please everyone, Ricky said, might as well please yourself …

If you are looking for approval, you might get that. And part of that process means you have to consider your audience and what they like or don’t like. If you sing a song or tell a story and nobody wants to hear it, then you aren’t communicating very well, and for me, part of music or writing or acting or art in most forms is getting people to react to what you did, and in a way that you want.

If you want them to smile, and they do? If you want them to cry, and they do? Even if you want them to be revolted and grossed out and they are? Then you did it right.

If you want them to cry, but they laugh, or you want them to laugh and they are instead revolted? Maybe not such a good job …

If you want an audience to sing along, they need to know the words and tune. If you want them to sit there quietly, and listen respectfully, then you have to provide something that causes them to do that. A newbie playing original material is going to have a harder time doing that unless s/he has something special, and even then, it is apt to be less popular than playing something they already know and like.

Certainly it is possible to get there: All covers come from somebody’s original material. The more folks who cover it, the farther it reaches.

Paul McCartney could have retired and lived comfortably on the royalties from “Yesterday” alone, if he had wanted. Most covered rock song ever, I think.

Take a couple of pretty good uke players, pick any two. Let’s say, Jake and Corey. They play covers and originals, and their audiences tend to like both kinds of material, but if you go to YouTube and look at their vids, which ones draw the most watchers/listeners?

It’s a rhetorical question: The well-known covers get far more views …

So a big part of how you play and perform is going to be based on what you want to accomplish. And it might be that covers just aren’t your thing.

Me, I like sitting in the local pub and leading a blues tune at an open acoustic jam. I can’t do jazz, (you know, using the adult chords and timing), but I can manage blues or rock or country most of the time.

I do love that group energy. To get that, I have to know songs they are apt to know, or can at least fake, and I need to be able to communicate basic patterns and timing. “This is 1-4-5 blues pattern in A, fast change from the A to D, turnaround like this …” If I can’t tell them that, I can’t lead the song.

A lot of places, if you say “Slow blues in A,” people know what you are talking about.

I’ve written some original material, and try to play things that are more musically complex than three-chord rock, but it is harder to do in a jam unless it is real simple. Those I practice elsewhere.
 
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