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

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.

It's funny how the brain works. You don't seem to have any problems playing upside down but can't sing and play at the same time. If I had the capacity to play left handed, I'd have to re-string the uke.
 
As with the reference to Jimi Hendrix, I knew a guitar player that played "upside down". He could manage riffs that no-one else (in our group of friends) could manage simply by virtue of having fingers in places where the rest of us had just one thumb!!

Your tune sounds nice. I may not want to play it, but I'm quite happy to listen to it :)

Don't be put off by the gain-sayers ... a lot of them are probably only jealous anyway ;)
 
You sound great. You're having fun. It's your critics that have a problem, not you. Ignore them.
 
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?
I just watched and listened to your clip JC.

For what it's worth, I think it's great that you have developed your own style. I'm not one for conforming either and neither have I the opportunity to play with anybody else, so similarly, I sorta taught myself in a bubble. But it's a great way to do it in a sense because there's no pressure to "play it like this or that"...you're kinda carving out your own road and that's gotta be a good thing on a number of levels.

Just on the "play a real song" thing. Yeah, know what you mean there. I used to play mainly originals in pubs and folks would always want you to play one of the classic rock tunes or the latest hit of the day. I was always reluctant to do it and resented it a little. But in the end, and, as a suggestion, it's perhaps worth learning a couple of songs like that for your repertoire, as it will be another way into your music for your listeners and - if nothing but in their eyes - place the uke in context and give it some "credibility".

Keep doing what you're doing mate.
 
But in the end, and, as a suggestion, it's perhaps worth learning a couple of songs like that for your repertoire, as it will be another way into your music for your listeners and - if nothing but in their eyes - place the uke in context and give it some "credibility".

I did just that several months back just to prove to people that I could do it. I can now play the beginning of "Stairway to Heaven" (Led Zeppelin) and "Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton.

Just the other day, I came across a YouTube tutorial (for a song called "Summertime") which I believe was posted by a UU member. I hope to add that to my repertoire next. ;)
 
Two words: Richie. Havens.

You do you, amigo.
 
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

Lil' Rev is big about this too.
 
There is a bit of truth in all ukulele songs sounding the same.
Ways around that:

* develop a varied repertoire that extends beyond one or two easy keys and patterns
* adopt different styles -- mix-up strumming, clawhammer, 3-finger picking, soft flatpicking, etc
* switch between different ukes -- my goal is a 3-neck franken-uke strung CEAD, gCEg, and GDAE
* take breaks to play tinwhistle, harmonica, ocarina, mouth bow, kalimba, kazumpet, whatever
* or just feed your audience enough drugs that they don't notice the sameness

And really concentrate on singing whilst playing, even if the playing suffers. Most audiences (especially relatives) could care less about fancy fingerwork. Sing something they know or think they know. Doesn't have to be singalongs, but familiarity is comfortable.
 
They are all excellent suggestions, but if I invested that much effort into my playing simply to please others, I'd likely despise playing.

If Bob Ross didn't keep painting those "happy little trees", he wouldn't have been true to himself. I think I'll stick with my "happy little tunes".

Maybe I'll eventually begin posting ukulele tutorials on YouTube for those like me that choose to play their right-handed ukuleles up-side-down. ;)
 
I think it is great that you do your own thing.
You can become an eccentric and have some confusing or comical comebacks ready for critics.

(Before they can say anything) "Silence, go and absorb my greatness."
(If you don't feel like performing) "I want to play alone."
Comebacks:
"My strumming is way ahead of your time."
"It takes an evolved person to understand my music."
"Quiet, I am channeling Tiny Tim."

Of course, that is the kinds of stuff I do to pick on people, but not in a mean fashion. All in good fun.
 
A few months ago my cousin made one of his regular visits from Toronto and he, my twin brother and my sister-in-law came up to my place (they live two floors below me). As we were sitting around, my cousin asked me to play my ukulele for them, so I got out one and knowing my sister-in-law loved Iz's version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." I started to do it, when suddenly my cousin and sister-in-law looked at each other and burst out laughing. I know I don't have much of a voice, but I have to say, that really hurt my feelings. I immediately stopped, put away the uke and vowed to myself that I would never play for them again, and I never have.

I have to say, the members of the group I'm with don't ever have anything negative to say about my poor voice or when I hit clams on my bass or uke. It's a pleasure to play with them.
 
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Families are often your worst critics. If they don't like what you do, they say so and usually bluntly. Of course they hear you at your worst when you're trying to play something new and making mistakes all over the place, stopping and starting and playing the same thing over and over until you get it right. I never play in front of my family, it's not worth it. If I get out an instrument, all I usually get is groans.

I belong to a History group and I was doing an item about Sir John Franklin's ill-fated expedition to find the North West Passage. I thought I would start it by singing Lady Franklin's Lament as the song encapsulates the story of the expedition very neatly. When I got out my ukulele, my wife's eybrows shot up and the inward groans were obvious. It actually went down very well with the rest of the group and made a good introduction to the rest of the presentation.

As to choosing what to play. My primary purpose in taking up ukulele was to accompany my singing. The songs I sing are songs I like but I do sing in public so choosing what to sing does involve considering what might be well received and it's always worth having a few "crowd pleasers" under your belt but I don't think anyone would advocate singing something you don't really like. You might have to do it if you had an audition or were taking an exam but singing in public for pleasure, you should please yourself. Mix your material, yes. Include stuff that may be less popular and mix it with stuff that you know will go down well. If you write your own songs mix old and new - you have to test out new songs but mix them in with better known songs. Same principles apply if you play mainly instrumental material.
 
Hahaha!

I'm quite familiar with that reaction.

This has been a well received and contributed to thread, thanks.

Giving this topic more thought has brought me to see that if you are going to play in public or just for other listeners it had better be something they are familiar with and hopefully like. A gigging musician or comedian would not knowly perform material that experience shows is not well received. Get a repetoire of 3-4 popular, well known songs. Play them that stuff and keep your personal music to either the end or just to yourself for your own enjoyment.

Or develop really thick skin. I think it's great you play your own stuff and your own style
 
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It's really a shame that most people are so insecure that they avoid anything that isn't sanctioned by the media. If I hear a street musician I want to hear original music. Most songs are best done by the band that made them popular.
 
I'm in the "I play for myself" camp. Playing and learning the ukulele is something I strictly do for myself, as a meditative, creative activity, and I try not to let any competitive or comparative aspects taint it for me. If people happen to hear me and they like it, that's cool -- always fun to make people smile or enjoy something. If they don't, c'est la vie. I don't play for them.
 
...Get a repetoire of 3-4 popular, well known songs. Play them that stuff and keep your personal music to either the end or just to yourself for your own enjoyment.

Or develop really thick skin. I think it's great you play your own stuff and your own style

The general advice is to start and end with the well known material and play the new stuff in the middle. You need to mix the popular and the less well known. A well established performer can get away with a set of all new material but most of us have to mix it.

...Most songs are best done by the band that made them popular.

Not necessarily true. We used to say of Bob Dylan back in the 60s that his songs were great but generally better when sung by others. the problem is that people often get upset if someone does something different with a song rather than accepting that everyone is entitled to interpret the song in their own way and to listen with an open mind. Often a different arrangement of the song is refreshing to hear simply because it is different.

The important thing is to make the song your own. Don't try to slavishly copy the original, give it something that makes it different and yours. Good example: Iz's version of Over The Rainbow is completely different from Judy Garland's original and both are good.
 
...when you're trying to play something new and making mistakes all over the place, stopping and starting and playing the same thing over and over until you get it right...

I actually know "Rainbow" well and was doing a good job with it, despite my voice, that's what bothered me so much.
 
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