I got a Ukulele! Now I have to learn to play it?

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NAF1138

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Hi all. I am a brand spanking new owner of a Kala KA-S. I have been a guitar player for... A couple decades (really? Cripes I have gotten old) and fell in love with ukuleles back when I was visiting Hawaii 10ish years ago. I have, since then talked myself out of buying a Ukulele every year until this year when I gave in.

I play guitar and bass, so mechanically I'm in okay-ish shape. But I'm having some difficulty wrapping my head around everything being just a little different. Still, it's a blast, and I am kicking myself for not getting one sooner. I may have to get myself another.

Looking forward to becoming part of the uke community.
 
Welcome!
Nah, you don't have to learn to play it, but it's a whole lot more fun if you do.
 
Lots of great stuff online. Google ukulele for guitar players. Lots of kindred spirits. Glad you joined us.
 
Welcome to the Forum!
 
Hiya,
I've been playing uke for several years now, but like you I can from a guitar background. So some specific tips for you!

1) It's very like a guitar, but it IS NOT a little guitar. Don't squeeze chords as hard as you're used to. Fretting with too much force will actually bend the note up slightly and make chords sounds slightly out.

2) The sweet spot to strum on a guitar is generally somewhere around the soundhole but on a uke it's around the point the neck joins the body. Strumming also requires a much lighter touch than on a guitar.

3) Tuning is of course comparable to the 4 highest strings of the guitar so shapes will be familiar. However as your reach is greater you can stretch to make chord inversions that would be impossible on a guitar.

4) Enjoy! :)
 
Thanks for the guitar specific stuff. It's weird reading through the new player info because there is some stuff I don't need (I am not having any trouble with chords or fingerings) but the music theory is all just different enough that it makes my head hurt.

Figuring out some of the inversions and stuff has been fun. I feel like I haven't quite wrapped my head around the benefits of the high G yet. But you are right, it's very much not a small guitar. Which, for me anyway, actually makes it better.

Oh, and I find the prospect of tying on new strings pretty intimidating. I am a steel string guitar player and never had to tie down my strings before. I was thinking of changing out my strings at first, but now I think I will roll with what I have for a while.
 
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Oh changing strings is easy enough. If you're unsure I'd suggest looking up a youtube video how-to. There are plenty out there. No need to rush to change strings though. Unless they are especially crappy in which case changing them will make a big difference.
 
If you do change the strings be prepared for them taking a lot longer to bed in than steel guitar stings, they still go out of tune even after a few days. Once they are settled though they last longer as they don't corrode.

Enjoy your uke!
 
Hi and welcome ! I quote Ambient Doughnut. Changing string is easy and ... well... can be quite addictive, at least for me :)
Well, IMHO usually soprano sounds better with High G (more interesting sound), but if you want to change... well, do it ! Experimenting is part of the fun.
Just keep in mind that usually you will have to file the 4th string slot at the nut to accomodate Low-G string that is usually thicker.
But don't feel intimidated.
 
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