Does your partner, husband, wife, significant other understand your uke obsession?

My wife and I went on a Hawaiian cruise in 2014. She wanted to take the free onboard lessons and we only went a couple of times because it conflicted with the line dancing class. We went again in Dec 2017... this time we stuck with the class, run by Brian and Rowena Vasquez. That is when I was bitten by the Uke bug. When we were on land in Honolulu we went to PuaPua Ukulele and bought a random Uke (wish i had known more about ukes before buying it).

Although my wife was the one that really wanted to do the Uke class... she never really got the "bug" and kind of stopped playing. Which is rather weird because she's very talented musically because she grew up playing piano and the electone. Perhaps not challenging enough for her :p....... Myself, I'm still strumming away and I find it very challenging as I never really grew up playing music. I thought I've gotten pretty good!! until I bought Fred Sokolow's Ragtime solo arrangements last week, and trying to learn "The Entertainer" and playing with the track is very challenging. But it's funny! the human brain is an amazing thing. If you're stubborn like me and keep practicing eventually you can play it spot on.!
 
My wife and I went on a Hawaiian cruise in 2014. She wanted to take the free onboard lessons and we only went a couple of times because it conflicted with the line dancing class. We went again in Dec 2017... this time we stuck with the class, run by Brian and Rowena Vasquez. That is when I was bitten by the Uke bug. When we were on land in Honolulu we went to PuaPua Ukulele and bought a random Uke (wish i had known more about ukes before buying it).

Although my wife was the one that really wanted to do the Uke class... she never really got the "bug" and kind of stopped playing. Which is rather weird because she's very talented musically because she grew up playing piano and the electone. Perhaps not challenging enough for her :p....... Myself, I'm still strumming away and I find it very challenging as I never really grew up playing music. I thought I've gotten pretty good!! until I bought Fred Sokolow's Ragtime solo arrangements last week, and trying to learn "The Entertainer" and playing with the track is very challenging. But it's funny! the human brain is an amazing thing. If you're stubborn like me and keep practicing eventually you can play it spot on.!

When we went to HI in 2002, I was impressed by all the ukuleles - everywhere. I bought a cheap one in an ABC store, but I didn't do much with it till I found a local group twelve years later.

Yes, it is amazing how the brain can learn. In the beginning, I was ready to give up on the uke because I couldn't get my fingers to make a G chord. Now it's second nature.

I saw Fred and his wife perform a few days ago. They're a couple of great players, and I like his books.
 
My wife was a Music major in college. She can play the piano and has sung in classical choirs. My musical experience was as a mediocre trumpet player in the high school band and a casual plunker on my roommates guitar in college. After I retired I got intested in ukuleles. I talked my wife into going to a free beginners class at a local music store. We stayed for the general ukulele jam afterwards. That was the last time my wife played a ukulele. She does come on Saturdays mornings occasionally and sings along with the ukulele group, she has traveled with me to a couple of ukulele concerts and to one festival. She is happy to let me play and do my thing. She does offer critique my singing (lot’s of room to find fault there). She is also not sure why I would need more than one or two ukuleles. She only has one piano. But in general she is happy I am finding a creative outlet.
 
My wife loves it.

My son's not quite so understanding. . .
 
my wife wouldn't let me sell one of my ukes, unless i get one to replace it. Specifically, i would have to get a solid zebrawood uke, before i can replace the zebrawood laminate i have (and don't play often at all).

Since that discussion, i think i've acquired another 4 or 5 instruments, but i'm still prohibited from getting rid of that specific uke.

And the only criticism i got after buying a new pa system was that i didn't have her check the specs first, as she has previously worked in the a/v design industry - but when she saw it was in the jbl professional series, she allowed that i had made a good choice.

So yes, she is comfortable with my having 23 ukuleles. And 4 spinning wheels, 20+ drop spindles, and around 50 pounds of roving, waiting for me to spin it; and did i mention the looms? 2 in storage, 2 waiting to be used. (plus the new portable loom i just got for her).

She also just taught me to knit, as physical therapy. Soon, i can start using some of that yarn i've made, over the past 5 years... Unless she beats me to it.


-kurt​

LOVE this!
 
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Carry them around the airport when you are flying somewhere and everyone will know that you are a piano player. You can get to the gate early and play for everyone else's enjoyment. :) Kidding aside, my friend has a keyboard that he has to have with him everywhere he goes.

Yeah, and nobody will say "Oh, what a cute little toy guitar you have there!" :rolleyes:
 
Thanks for sharing that, it was very heart warming. My parents passed on before I took up ukulele but I know my mom would have loved it if I played for her.

When my mother was in her final illness I offered to play Pearly Shells for her as she drifted into a nap. By the time I had checked the tuning of 3 strings she said, "That's enough," and fell asleep. That's the closest I got to playing for her. But it is a sweet memory.
 
My wife does not play, but she gets it. She is Hawaiian, that probably helps!
So I have 10 ukuleles, two guitars, a bass, and her late grandpa's steel guitar.
The only criticism I get is when learning a song, she gets "burned out" on the repetition...
 
Hmmm... do wives support anything we do???

Maybe this should be a poll. I'm curious because my wife is on another planet when it comes to my uke obsession.

I'm sure there is a song in there somewhere. ��

I'm pretty sure that unless I was to take up making things for her to wear like jewelry she'd be dead set against me doing it. :wallbash:

-- Gary
 
My gf is also a musician, so while she doesn't have the collecting bug, she understand the joy of playing a great instrument. I always thought that musical instruments are a great obsession; they bring joy into your life, and they can usually be turned back into cash if times get hard. Try doing that with lift tickets or greens fees!
 
Well, we both took that free Uke lessons offer on a cruise. We now both have a collection of ukes. He’s also,added more than 1 bass and I more than 1 guitar. We spend time playing in jams, song circles, etc. we don’t play very well but we play bad together. We’ve been married 53 years and it’s the 1st hobby we’ve shared.
 
Once in a while I get “the look” from the wifey when I try bring my uke with me when we go out on errands. Hey, it’s better then staring at my phone aimlessly waiting in line 🤷🏻*♂️
 
Not only does my wife also play the ukulele, she plays the UBass in our quartet, the Ladies Of Uke.
We met at an ukulele jam session.
I feel pretty lucky.
 
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