Croaky Keith
Well-known member
Uke Fever! :rofl::music:
Your story: how ukulele found you?
- Thread starter UkeStuff
- Start date
Uke Fever! :rofl::music:
OP
OP
UkeStuff
Well-known member
Thank you, everyone, for your replies (so far) to this thread. I enjoy hearing these stories (long and short), and the "marketer" in me thinks that a ukulele manufacturer should contact some of you to make some promotional materials.
My own story of falling in love with this instrument is based on career. I teach middle school music, in a setting where kids have to take band, choir, or orchestra. Ultimately, kids that take choir do so because they want to sing, or because they aren't in band or orchestra. As I result, I work with a mix of students that want to be there and those that do not, and there are no other options for those kids. My administration allows band and orchestra to be band and orchestra, but I am told that choir is to simply be an "experience." As a result, if kids don't/won't sing--there is nothing I can do. There were two other teachers in this position before me...one that left the school to teach middle school in a district where choir was not required; the other was a first year teacher that totally lost control of their classes (they had to have other teachers in the room to try to keep control of the classes). In a relatively wealthy district, it is a tough school with low income (not really diverse) and few consequence from admin or home. When kids don't care about grades, calls home, or trips to the office, there isn't much a teacher can do if a student decides to not learn or to be distruptive.
I struggled through 2 1/2 years of trying to make traditional choir work for my students. While I restored general order to the classroom versus the previous teacher, the traditional choral approach just wasn't working. And this may sound mean--since no one really seems to care about the condition of the program, I have the freedom to do other things, as long as it doesn't cost the school any money.
I had been seeing many articles about the ukulele on my music education social media feeds, and thought, "What if I brought the ukulele to choir?" So I did some research and bought four of the very cheapest ukuleles I could purchase to demo. That was November 2015. I decided to go ahead with a plan to get a classroom set of ukuleles for my classes (58 of them), and approached my parents about sponsoring a program for about a $2200 investment. Between parent donations and fundraising (no cost to the school), we bought all of those ukuleles by mid January, 2016.
I had to buy my own ukulele to work with, so I bought a Makala CE (the first one from Amazon buzzed, was sent back, and then I ordered the next one which was okay) and fell in love. The last year has been the equivalent of a master's degree in ukulele, learning all about the instrument, how to teach the instrument, and how to play the instrument. That started in January of 2016.
Here is the harsh reality: 2.5 years of working with a (percentage) of kids that at best didn't try and at worst sabatoged my attempts to teach music, I was losing my love of teaching, and with a doctorate in music education, I can admit that I had lost my love of music. The ukulele rekindled that love of music in my life.
While I am sure the choral purists out there would hate what I am doing with ukulele and choir, my "singers" appreciate the instrument as they realize that they are on a path to be able to learn and play the music they want to play/sing. A number of the previous non-participants like the instrument. And even some of the absolute toughest kids won't make any effort but will sit there and strum a C6 chord endlessly (to be honest, I don't get that part).
Make no mistake--the teaching isn't any easier, and while participation is higher than before with my ukulele/choir approach, it is still an incredibly hard job. But the addition of the ukulele helps me to get through each day, and I come home and play every night. I love the social aspect of the ukulele and getting together with others to play (and to hear their stories)
My own story of falling in love with this instrument is based on career. I teach middle school music, in a setting where kids have to take band, choir, or orchestra. Ultimately, kids that take choir do so because they want to sing, or because they aren't in band or orchestra. As I result, I work with a mix of students that want to be there and those that do not, and there are no other options for those kids. My administration allows band and orchestra to be band and orchestra, but I am told that choir is to simply be an "experience." As a result, if kids don't/won't sing--there is nothing I can do. There were two other teachers in this position before me...one that left the school to teach middle school in a district where choir was not required; the other was a first year teacher that totally lost control of their classes (they had to have other teachers in the room to try to keep control of the classes). In a relatively wealthy district, it is a tough school with low income (not really diverse) and few consequence from admin or home. When kids don't care about grades, calls home, or trips to the office, there isn't much a teacher can do if a student decides to not learn or to be distruptive.
I struggled through 2 1/2 years of trying to make traditional choir work for my students. While I restored general order to the classroom versus the previous teacher, the traditional choral approach just wasn't working. And this may sound mean--since no one really seems to care about the condition of the program, I have the freedom to do other things, as long as it doesn't cost the school any money.
I had been seeing many articles about the ukulele on my music education social media feeds, and thought, "What if I brought the ukulele to choir?" So I did some research and bought four of the very cheapest ukuleles I could purchase to demo. That was November 2015. I decided to go ahead with a plan to get a classroom set of ukuleles for my classes (58 of them), and approached my parents about sponsoring a program for about a $2200 investment. Between parent donations and fundraising (no cost to the school), we bought all of those ukuleles by mid January, 2016.
I had to buy my own ukulele to work with, so I bought a Makala CE (the first one from Amazon buzzed, was sent back, and then I ordered the next one which was okay) and fell in love. The last year has been the equivalent of a master's degree in ukulele, learning all about the instrument, how to teach the instrument, and how to play the instrument. That started in January of 2016.
Here is the harsh reality: 2.5 years of working with a (percentage) of kids that at best didn't try and at worst sabatoged my attempts to teach music, I was losing my love of teaching, and with a doctorate in music education, I can admit that I had lost my love of music. The ukulele rekindled that love of music in my life.
While I am sure the choral purists out there would hate what I am doing with ukulele and choir, my "singers" appreciate the instrument as they realize that they are on a path to be able to learn and play the music they want to play/sing. A number of the previous non-participants like the instrument. And even some of the absolute toughest kids won't make any effort but will sit there and strum a C6 chord endlessly (to be honest, I don't get that part).
Make no mistake--the teaching isn't any easier, and while participation is higher than before with my ukulele/choir approach, it is still an incredibly hard job. But the addition of the ukulele helps me to get through each day, and I come home and play every night. I love the social aspect of the ukulele and getting together with others to play (and to hear their stories)
janeray1940
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Wow Choirguy, great story and even greater that ukulele has made a difference for some of those kids! I applaud your efforts.
fowl
Well-known member
I wish I would have had a music teacher like you Choirguy back in the 50's. I would have been strummin the uke instead of waiting until I was in my 60's.
Ukulelerick9255
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I started at 58 years old with no background in music other than singing my whole life. I wanted an instrument I could sing with but didn't want to learn guitar as my brother already played guitar. I saw a video of Jake and that sold me even though he doesn't sing. Once I heard the beauty and the possibilities of the instrument and saw I could sing with it I made my choice. Since then I've upgraded to a gorgeous custom uke built by Beau Hannam that you can see if you look at my posts with pictures.
Aye! Kudos to you, Choirguy!
Despite those students that resist your efforts, I am sure there at least a few kids there for whom you are
their hero right now, or will be considered one after they leave the school and look back on your classes.
For them, you are a single radiant light and a beacon of inspiration in a hopeless sea of darkness and despair. Your classes may be the only good thing in this world that they have to hold on to, maybe even the only reason they come to school at all, regardless of truancy laws, if any.
If there was some way I could help you, just let me know and I will do my best.
JackLuis
Well-known member
Chiorguy, have you thought about introducing your students to SOTU as a way to share their experiences? Considering the range of ability in SOTU it may get them over their self consciousness. Which was for me the thing that held me back from singing for fifty years. It's hard to compare yourself to Paul Simon or any professional musician if you're just learning.
Maybe you could enter a class song once a month to SOTU, even if it didn't fit the theme of the week, I doubt anyone would mind. I know the SOTU crowd would provide them with plenty of feedback to build their self esteem and confidence.
I know I struggle to keep up every week as it takes me more than a week to learn a new song and play acceptably (to me) to post it.
Just a thought.
Maybe you could enter a class song once a month to SOTU, even if it didn't fit the theme of the week, I doubt anyone would mind. I know the SOTU crowd would provide them with plenty of feedback to build their self esteem and confidence.
I know I struggle to keep up every week as it takes me more than a week to learn a new song and play acceptably (to me) to post it.
Just a thought.
lfoo6952
Well-known member
Choirguy:
Kudos to you for your efforts. Teaching music to kids who don't want to be there is a formidable challenge. I can somewhat relate to you because I teach disadvantaged kids at a community youth center. My kids at least asked to be taught, so they want to be there. But still I find it challenging though because they either can't fret properly, can't switch from chord to chord fast enough to keep time, don't always practice from week to week, and a whole host of other minor annoyances. One must have a lot of patience, tolerance, forgiveness, and love. I guess you call that the aloha spirit.
To answer your original question, what got me started in ukulele was my search to expand my musical versatility. I played guitar for many years, plus some percussion, piano, and violin. I found it challenging to play some jazz chords on guitar, and thought that ukulele would be easier with only 4 strings to deal with. My hunch turned out to be true, and now the ukulele is my primary instrument.
Kudos to you for your efforts. Teaching music to kids who don't want to be there is a formidable challenge. I can somewhat relate to you because I teach disadvantaged kids at a community youth center. My kids at least asked to be taught, so they want to be there. But still I find it challenging though because they either can't fret properly, can't switch from chord to chord fast enough to keep time, don't always practice from week to week, and a whole host of other minor annoyances. One must have a lot of patience, tolerance, forgiveness, and love. I guess you call that the aloha spirit.
To answer your original question, what got me started in ukulele was my search to expand my musical versatility. I played guitar for many years, plus some percussion, piano, and violin. I found it challenging to play some jazz chords on guitar, and thought that ukulele would be easier with only 4 strings to deal with. My hunch turned out to be true, and now the ukulele is my primary instrument.
OhioBelle
Well-known member
What a great idea for a thread, Choirguy! I love reading everyone's stories of how we all arrived in the Wonderful World of Ukulele. No matter how we arrived, or how long it took to get here, I think we can all agree that it's the perfect place to be!
My grandmother was a concert pianist until she found her fly-boy (my Grandfather) at a WWII dance. He swept her off her feet in his aviator uniform and soon she was a married young mother teaching piano out of her home. My grandmother had a true musical gift. Unfortunately for me, I never lived near her growing up, so missed out on the opportunity to have her teach me. My parents never gave me lessons, but I loved to sing so grew up in the choir. Fast forward MANY years to a self-made promise to teach myself piano so i could play for my grandmother. The moral of that story is, I wasn't very good, or dedicated, at teaching myself piano! So I moved onto guitar, something else I'd always wanted to learn.
My guitar learning went in fits and starts. I plodded along, but never felt entirely comfortable. I had to sit in classical position with music on a stand to even remotely get my fingers in the right place. It was starting to be a chore. And then the ukulele found me.
Wow! Perfect fit. I can sit upright and practice seriously. I can lounge and cuddle with it, noodling along and strumming. It was everything I wanted but didn't really know existed. And although my Grandmother is now playing piano for the angels in heaven, I'm sure she hears me.
My grandmother was a concert pianist until she found her fly-boy (my Grandfather) at a WWII dance. He swept her off her feet in his aviator uniform and soon she was a married young mother teaching piano out of her home. My grandmother had a true musical gift. Unfortunately for me, I never lived near her growing up, so missed out on the opportunity to have her teach me. My parents never gave me lessons, but I loved to sing so grew up in the choir. Fast forward MANY years to a self-made promise to teach myself piano so i could play for my grandmother. The moral of that story is, I wasn't very good, or dedicated, at teaching myself piano! So I moved onto guitar, something else I'd always wanted to learn.
My guitar learning went in fits and starts. I plodded along, but never felt entirely comfortable. I had to sit in classical position with music on a stand to even remotely get my fingers in the right place. It was starting to be a chore. And then the ukulele found me.
Wow! Perfect fit. I can sit upright and practice seriously. I can lounge and cuddle with it, noodling along and strumming. It was everything I wanted but didn't really know existed. And although my Grandmother is now playing piano for the angels in heaven, I'm sure she hears me.
WCBarnes
Well-known member
Music was always a big part of my life. I began playing the cornet when I was about 7 years old. I loved it and listened to Louis Armstrong day and night. And when I heard him sing "What a Wonderful World" I was just taken away! In that song I could just hear his passion and it made me happy (you can probably guess that this comes back at some point...). I got the sheet music and learned to play it myself. My grandmother loved listening to me play and said she would buy me a trumpet. Unfortunately, she passed before that happened. My mother took me to the store and we got a beautiful silver plated trumpet in her honor and I played that into High School. I love jazz music and was a part of the jazz band. The only reason I stopped was because my Junior year the band instructor decided that I needed to be a part of marching band if I wanted to continue in jazz band. I was always in sports, and they conflicted with marching band, so I was forced to choose. I resented that he forced me to choose and I chose sports. I hadn't picked up the horn since. Rather sad and unfortunate.
About 8 years ago I was really missing music, so my wife bought me an acoustic guitar for Christmas. She was pregnant with our only child and thought it would be nice to play it for her. I took lessons and really tried to learn, but it didn't stick. I don't know if it was because of the steel strings (I had no idea there were classical guitars with nylon strings), the instructor wasn't very good, or that there were too many strings, but I just didn't get it, no matter how hard I tried. When my daughter was born 6 months later any spare time that I had to practice vanished and the guitar became living room decoration.
I lost my mother in 2012 and it was taking its toll on me. Holidays and birthdays were very difficult, but Christmas 2013 I was really missing her and it was very hard. This was probably the lowest point of my life. A friend of mine had just returned from a vacation to Hawaii and just loved the Hawaiian music she heard while there. She lent me a CD she brought back and of course one of the first songs was IZ singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World." The song hit me and I was just overwhelmed with emotion. I was driving to work and had to pull over. I sat there for about 30 min or so remembering playing it, and other songs, for my mother, grandmother and others. I remembered how much I loved and missed creating music. My work had a reward program where supervisors/employees can give you points for a job well done. You can then use the points to buy things from a catalog. I had accumulated a lot of points so when I got to work I searched for "ukulele." There were 2; 1 was 50 points and the other was 85. I had plenty of points, so I splurged and went for the 85 point Austin soprano. I had no idea there were different sizes, laminate/wood, types of wood, etc. (The Austin is a laminate soprano). All I knew is that I wanted to try it. It came a few days later and when I opened the box it was almost like the Pulp Fiction moment when they open the case and there is the gold light coming streaming out. It felt like that. I had to google everything about it (tuning, strumming, chords, etc) but I was hooked. I carried that little soprano everywhere I went. Walking the dogs: check; Making dinner: check; watching TV: check. It drove my wife a little crazy, but she could see the light returning to my eyes, so she didn't say anything. Well... not much. After that I found many reliable sites as well as this forum. While it may be an exaggeration that the ukulele saved my life, it is not to much to say it brought the light back to my life. And for that, I am forever grateful.
About 8 years ago I was really missing music, so my wife bought me an acoustic guitar for Christmas. She was pregnant with our only child and thought it would be nice to play it for her. I took lessons and really tried to learn, but it didn't stick. I don't know if it was because of the steel strings (I had no idea there were classical guitars with nylon strings), the instructor wasn't very good, or that there were too many strings, but I just didn't get it, no matter how hard I tried. When my daughter was born 6 months later any spare time that I had to practice vanished and the guitar became living room decoration.
I lost my mother in 2012 and it was taking its toll on me. Holidays and birthdays were very difficult, but Christmas 2013 I was really missing her and it was very hard. This was probably the lowest point of my life. A friend of mine had just returned from a vacation to Hawaii and just loved the Hawaiian music she heard while there. She lent me a CD she brought back and of course one of the first songs was IZ singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World." The song hit me and I was just overwhelmed with emotion. I was driving to work and had to pull over. I sat there for about 30 min or so remembering playing it, and other songs, for my mother, grandmother and others. I remembered how much I loved and missed creating music. My work had a reward program where supervisors/employees can give you points for a job well done. You can then use the points to buy things from a catalog. I had accumulated a lot of points so when I got to work I searched for "ukulele." There were 2; 1 was 50 points and the other was 85. I had plenty of points, so I splurged and went for the 85 point Austin soprano. I had no idea there were different sizes, laminate/wood, types of wood, etc. (The Austin is a laminate soprano). All I knew is that I wanted to try it. It came a few days later and when I opened the box it was almost like the Pulp Fiction moment when they open the case and there is the gold light coming streaming out. It felt like that. I had to google everything about it (tuning, strumming, chords, etc) but I was hooked. I carried that little soprano everywhere I went. Walking the dogs: check; Making dinner: check; watching TV: check. It drove my wife a little crazy, but she could see the light returning to my eyes, so she didn't say anything. Well... not much. After that I found many reliable sites as well as this forum. While it may be an exaggeration that the ukulele saved my life, it is not to much to say it brought the light back to my life. And for that, I am forever grateful.
Youth group + depression + Jake's Bohemian Rhapsody = a trip to Guitar Center to buy a Luna Tattoo. That was 2012. I had failed at clarinet (1964) and guitar (1966). I was always a singer. In fact, singing led me into my present profession. But I wanted to play an instrument.
Now, 5 years on, I still struggle to be a musician. But my ukulele have made it possible for me to play and sing and have fun. It is as if God led me to it in the nick of time. I take lessons from a fine teacher. I have gotten some truly wonderful instruments. I have learned more than I thought possible as a beginner in my 60s. I'm part of a community that loves music and embraces aloha. I drink Mai Tais. Ukulele has been good to me.
Now, 5 years on, I still struggle to be a musician. But my ukulele have made it possible for me to play and sing and have fun. It is as if God led me to it in the nick of time. I take lessons from a fine teacher. I have gotten some truly wonderful instruments. I have learned more than I thought possible as a beginner in my 60s. I'm part of a community that loves music and embraces aloha. I drink Mai Tais. Ukulele has been good to me.
spongeuke
Well-known member
It really restarted with the 1997 El Nino. I started body surfing here N of San Francisco as the water temperature allowed 45 minute exposure. I moved to Body Board surfing with in a year.
Christmas 1999 I was asked what I wanted. I had all the surf equipment I needed. Then I remembered.
The Christmas of 1954 I was 11, my older sister got a ukulele, it had the notes printed below each string, Probably a Harmony. She didn't play it so I learned one song, Old Man River, shortly there after sibling rivalry erupted and the ukulele was returned.
A perfect fit for a would be surfer. Better late than never, I received a Vintage Gretch soprano the rest is marvelous.
Christmas 1999 I was asked what I wanted. I had all the surf equipment I needed. Then I remembered.
The Christmas of 1954 I was 11, my older sister got a ukulele, it had the notes printed below each string, Probably a Harmony. She didn't play it so I learned one song, Old Man River, shortly there after sibling rivalry erupted and the ukulele was returned.
A perfect fit for a would be surfer. Better late than never, I received a Vintage Gretch soprano the rest is marvelous.
OP
OP
UkeStuff
Well-known member
Thanks everyone, for your continued thoughts in in this thread.
Just a note to everyone about my particular post: I appreciate the positive feedback and the encouragement. What I need "all y'all" to know is what I am saying is that the ukulele has brought me back from a musical wilderness, and it helps me get through each and every day. The Opio that I bought last summer from Mim is a purposeful symbol to look down and say, "To be able to buy something like this is why I go to work."
I also wanted to add that teaching chord changes can be tough when the learner isn't motivated to learn. Where you can easily teach 3-5 new chords on the first day for an invested learner--teaching a group of 60 with a number of non-motivated learners can slow things down exponentially. In the past two weeks (every other day), we have added G and G7 to our existing F and C chords (C7 and Hawaiian D7 come next) and that is really pushing it in those classes.
Also..two "closed circuit" responses...Booli, you're already helping by sharing deep knowledge and through your friendship. JackLuis--in this middle of the year without a concert, my goal is to get them to 20 chords (the most common chords seen in songs at the Ukulele Hunt) and then to ask them to prepare a song of their own choosing (YouTube is their friend). The difficulty of the song and inclusion of singing will result in a particular grade (rubric to be created soon). They will be required to record their song, but we are going to have an open mic night in our small auditorium where some of them can share their song. If 10 kids participate in that event (I teach just under 400), I will feel like I have done my job. So that sort of makes a "live" version of the seasons.
I'm also considering holding a parent ukulele night where parents can come in, learn a bit, and start playing some songs. Some fellow teachers have also asked to start a ukulele class after school. These things have to wait until March, as my afternoons are currently booked putting together the Middle School Music (Lion King Junior this year).
Oh...the other thing I didn't say in my previous story is that mother repeatedly told me (while growing up) that I was conceived in Hawaii. Were I a girl, my name would have been Hilea Dawn. So...somehow I wonder if the food and drink from Hawaii that was being consumed while I was created has any impact on my mid-life introduction and comfort with the ukulele?
Just a note to everyone about my particular post: I appreciate the positive feedback and the encouragement. What I need "all y'all" to know is what I am saying is that the ukulele has brought me back from a musical wilderness, and it helps me get through each and every day. The Opio that I bought last summer from Mim is a purposeful symbol to look down and say, "To be able to buy something like this is why I go to work."
I also wanted to add that teaching chord changes can be tough when the learner isn't motivated to learn. Where you can easily teach 3-5 new chords on the first day for an invested learner--teaching a group of 60 with a number of non-motivated learners can slow things down exponentially. In the past two weeks (every other day), we have added G and G7 to our existing F and C chords (C7 and Hawaiian D7 come next) and that is really pushing it in those classes.
Also..two "closed circuit" responses...Booli, you're already helping by sharing deep knowledge and through your friendship. JackLuis--in this middle of the year without a concert, my goal is to get them to 20 chords (the most common chords seen in songs at the Ukulele Hunt) and then to ask them to prepare a song of their own choosing (YouTube is their friend). The difficulty of the song and inclusion of singing will result in a particular grade (rubric to be created soon). They will be required to record their song, but we are going to have an open mic night in our small auditorium where some of them can share their song. If 10 kids participate in that event (I teach just under 400), I will feel like I have done my job. So that sort of makes a "live" version of the seasons.
I'm also considering holding a parent ukulele night where parents can come in, learn a bit, and start playing some songs. Some fellow teachers have also asked to start a ukulele class after school. These things have to wait until March, as my afternoons are currently booked putting together the Middle School Music (Lion King Junior this year).
Oh...the other thing I didn't say in my previous story is that mother repeatedly told me (while growing up) that I was conceived in Hawaii. Were I a girl, my name would have been Hilea Dawn. So...somehow I wonder if the food and drink from Hawaii that was being consumed while I was created has any impact on my mid-life introduction and comfort with the ukulele?
JackLuis
Well-known member
Choirguy, If they have C-F-G/G7 they can play hundreds of songs, If you show them a key chart and how you can do I-IV-V with C-F-G/7 they can select from a bunch more in other keys by transposing. And Am is a single finger VI so they can do four chord songs.
One of the things I found very helpful early in my exploration on UU, in the Beginners Resources is Howlin' Hobbits Key info which shows most of the I-IV-V patterns in each key. It also shows the chord forms for C6 tuning. It might not excite all your students but probably the motivated ones would find it helpful for further study. I know it helped me to 'write' my own instrumentals to help me develop my strumming patterns.
It might help to 'suggest' that they post their vids on UU to get feedback from around the world. I believe that a lot of kids would jump at the chance to be on the web singing and playing to get feedback and encouragement. Of course they will learn about trolls too, but they probably know about trolls.
I'll drop this now from this thread but think about it. The UU is a external teaching assistant for Uke at least.
One of the things I found very helpful early in my exploration on UU, in the Beginners Resources is Howlin' Hobbits Key info which shows most of the I-IV-V patterns in each key. It also shows the chord forms for C6 tuning. It might not excite all your students but probably the motivated ones would find it helpful for further study. I know it helped me to 'write' my own instrumentals to help me develop my strumming patterns.
It might help to 'suggest' that they post their vids on UU to get feedback from around the world. I believe that a lot of kids would jump at the chance to be on the web singing and playing to get feedback and encouragement. Of course they will learn about trolls too, but they probably know about trolls.
I'll drop this now from this thread but think about it. The UU is a external teaching assistant for Uke at least.
Nickie
Well-known member
When I 1st became a hospice nurse, I didn't really have any hobbies. I saw a YouTube video of the UOGB doing The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, and thought, this is a hoot! And I thought I bet I could play for hospice patients and make their journey a little easier....a used baritone found me, then a brand new concert uke landed in my hands, and we became instant friends!
70sSanO
Well-known member
Almost 10 years ago I was on eBay looking at acoustic guitars and Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's Over the Rainbow came on the radio and, for the fun of it, I decided to take a look at the ukulele chord shapes online. I did not want to learn new chords. When I saw that the shapes were the same as guitar chords, just a different key, I started to do a bit of research on different brands of ukuleles and where to buy one.
My research paid off as a few weeks later I had a KoAloha Soprano that I bought on eBay from MGM. From that point on, I was hooked. I did move that soprano a few years later since I was playing a tenor all the time and the soprano was just sitting in the closet.
I will say that the ukulele has exceeded any expectations I had and it has brought me nothing but years of joy.
John
My research paid off as a few weeks later I had a KoAloha Soprano that I bought on eBay from MGM. From that point on, I was hooked. I did move that soprano a few years later since I was playing a tenor all the time and the soprano was just sitting in the closet.
I will say that the ukulele has exceeded any expectations I had and it has brought me nothing but years of joy.
John
I have played guitar for a few decades and acoustic guitar was always my favorite. Mostly instrumental stuff like John Fahey, etc. When my daughter was little she liked to sit on my lap and strum my guitar while I fretted chords. She was playing the violin at the time. So, I decided to get her a uke as it was small like her and maybe she would like to play it herself. It was actually a Flea tenor, as I thought this would also be an opportunity to see what the plastic body sounded like. Well, she ignored it for a decade or so and then I decided to pick it up out of the corner and strum a few things. I was really hooked by the campanella technique of John King and Rob MacKillop and I've been going strong ever since. I occasionally go to a Uke group with my wife and that's about the only time that I ever strum it - mostly finger-picking and chord solos for me! I currently almost exclusively play a re-entrant tuned Pono baritone. I mostly loan out the Flea to beginners at work, as it is more robust than an all-wood instrument.
drbekken
Well-known member
Choirguy; teachers like you are the most important people in the music world; more important than popular music stars, famous classical conductors, opera singers, international jazz musicians or college dudes like me. You are in the absolute frontline, teaching music and its culture to kids who may not be exposed to such activity in any other arena. The work is HARD, but all-important. Maybe years after they left your classes, they will appreciate it to such an extent that they actually become musicians, or at least, they will remember stuff you were doing. Some will also mature into good listeners, with an interest and an ability to reflect on what they hear. It's almost impossible to believe it in the heat of the moment, but it is true. The way you write about your work shows that you are a compassionate teacher who cares about your students. They need people like you for as long as you can keep it going.
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Recovering Bassist
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mother repeatedly told me (while growing up) that I was conceived in Hawaii. Were I a girl, my name would have been Hilea Dawn. So...somehow I wonder if the food and drink from Hawaii that was being consumed while I was created has any impact on my mid-life introduction and comfort with the ukulele?
I musta been conceived in Hawaii too cause everything I sing comes out in a Waikiki!
I musta been conceived in Hawaii too cause everything I sing comes out in a Waikiki!
