What are your daily exercises?

Jo3x

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Ever since I've started learning uke. I only do two kinds of practices/exercises: 1) finger dexterity exercises (like those to make left hand fingers more independent); 2) just pick one song that I like and play it over and over again. I thought every song would require some technique, by playing a song over and over again, l'd master that technique finally. And by learning more songs, I'll have more techniques.

But recently, I realize I might be wrong. Just like an athlete who wants to jump higher and higher, he/she cannot just do jumping all day long, he/she also needs to do other exercises to strengthen her/his muscles. Thus, I've almost stopped learning new songs.

So could anybody share your daily exercise if you have? Or actually for people who are experienced with uke, daily exercise is not necessary, just playing songs are enough?

If anybody can help recommend some resources on exercises, it'll be even better. I'll definitely purpose them.

What I'm looking for is for different techniques/skills, what are the best exercises? Some examples like: barre chord improvement exercises, high fret low fret changing exercises, pinky exercises, right hand exercises etc.

Thank you very much in advance!
 
When I started, I just practiced tunes, 2 or 3 times a day for about 15~30 minutes at a time, & not always every day. :)

Sort out your priorities to start with, I wanted to play melodies, so I learned where the notes were on the fretboard first.
Then I started to learn some of the easier chord shapes, & practiced changing between them, then went on to try out some strumming & picking patterns.

But then, I'm not a very good player, so take everyones advice, & then choose what works for you. ;)
 
I strum these chord changes in 9 to 12 keys and their relative minor. Sometimes just 9 keys if being lazy to avoid too much finger strain in B/G#m, F#/Ebm, Db/Bbm.

I V vim F (I), I iiim iim V, I iiim iim7 V7, I IV V7, vim iim iii7, I vim IV V.

For example in C/Am the sequences would be: C G Am F, C Em Dm G, C Em Dm7 G7, C F G7, Am Dm E7, C Am F G.

I vary the strumming, like sometimes I work my chucking/chunking same time.

Usually when I start I strum the above C/Am sequences and then check my ukulele tuning before doing the rest.
 
I think that before you ask this question you should set back and think about what you want to do with the ukulele, how you picture yourself in a year, two years, five years. Then go from there. Someone who sees themselves in a coffee shop singing and playing songs for an audience would take a different approach than someone who wants to challenge themselves in their music room to be able to play scales in every key. I'm a firm believer in practicing what you want to do. I've gone off in different directions and disciplines over the years thinking that somehow there would be a crossover effect, and it hasn't been. Some of them have been fun in themselves, but the amount of time it took and the value that I got out of them made me think that perhaps I would have done better by just sticking to what I was doing. Anyway, set goals first and then work towards them. Working towards nothing is not really beneficial in my opinion.
 
As the previous poster said, it depends on the skills you want to develop and the style of playing you're looking to master. But as a general rule I'm a big believer in setting some time aside to practice scales on a regular basis.
 
The closest thing to a routine I have is play daily the next setlist our leader sends out twice a week for our Monday and Thursday rehearsals.


8 tenor cutaway ukes, 3 acoustic bass ukes, 8 solid body bass ukes, 7 mini electric bass guitars

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children's hospital music therapy programs. http://www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: https://www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/videos
 
I'm fairly new to this and have been trying Uncle Rod's to work on transitioning and just running scales
http://ukulelebootcamp.weebly.com/
The problem I'm finding is that I don't really have any timing for strumming or the like.
I've figured out all the notes on the strings, but can't do it in my head quickly, and I don't understand progressions well.
I'm feeling a little like you feeling a little lost. Finally decided to sign up for a group class to see if it helps. Will get back to you on that.
 
I play "Mrs. Brown you've got a lovely daughter" until my wife throws me a dirty look because Jim Acosta's on CNN and she wants to hear him.
 
I strum these chord changes in 9 to 12 keys and their relative minor. Sometimes just 9 keys if being lazy to avoid too much finger strain in B/G#m, F#/Ebm, Db/Bbm.

I V vim F (I), I iiim iim V, I iiim iim7 V7, I IV V7, vim iim iii7, I vim IV V.

For example in C/Am the sequences would be: C G Am F, C Em Dm G, C Em Dm7 G7, C F G7, Am Dm E7, C Am F G.

I vary the strumming, like sometimes I work my chucking/chunking same time.

Usually when I start I strum the above C/Am sequences and then check my ukulele tuning before doing the rest.

Thanks for that!
 
I think that before you ask this question you should set back and think about what you want to do with the ukulele, how you picture yourself in a year, two years, five years. Then go from there. Someone who sees themselves in a coffee shop singing and playing songs for an audience would take a different approach than someone who wants to challenge themselves in their music room to be able to play scales in every key. I'm a firm believer in practicing what you want to do. I've gone off in different directions and disciplines over the years thinking that somehow there would be a crossover effect, and it hasn't been. Some of them have been fun in themselves, but the amount of time it took and the value that I got out of them made me think that perhaps I would have done better by just sticking to what I was doing. Anyway, set goals first and then work towards them. Working towards nothing is not really beneficial in my opinion.

Thank you very much for your suggestion! My singing is not good. My focus and goal of playing uke is fingerstyle. I hope some day I can pick a classical guitar to play classical music. I hope I can achieve that goal before my first grand child is born (my first child is now 1.5 years old :)), and I can play to him/her. I didn't start with classical guitar because I thought uke was much easier...
 
I'm fairly new to this and have been trying Uncle Rod's to work on transitioning and just running scales
http://ukulelebootcamp.weebly.com/
The problem I'm finding is that I don't really have any timing for strumming or the like.
I've figured out all the notes on the strings, but can't do it in my head quickly, and I don't understand progressions well.
I'm feeling a little like you feeling a little lost. Finally decided to sign up for a group class to see if it helps. Will get back to you on that.

Yeah, my timing was also not good. But later I started strictly following a metronome at very low tempo. At first it's like painful, but over time, I can feel that I have some kind of timing now.

I too cannot figure out notes in my head quickly. I'm still not sure if that's a must have ability or not for fingerstyle playing.

Let me know if the class will help. I'm also considering to find a teacher. It's been a really long time since I found my last "aha" moment.
 
I play "Mrs. Brown you've got a lovely daughter" until my wife throws me a dirty look because Jim Acosta's on CNN and she wants to hear him.

Haha, my wife just enjoyed an Amazon Prime Day using my credit card.
 
I always recommend this http://ukeofcarl.com/hanon-for-ukulele-free-ebook/ it will help develop dexterity, strength, correct fingerings, a good ear & a lot more :D

Hi Camsuke,

Do you know if there are some videos demoing how to play the pieces in the book? I tried to play them, but cannot figure out which finger to use for each note. My playing is really unnatural. Especially moving up and down the neck.

Thanks a lot!
 
I always recommend this http://ukeofcarl.com/hanon-for-ukulele-free-ebook/ it will help develop dexterity, strength, correct fingerings, a good ear & a lot more :D

Thank you!

I use a finger stretching exercises that are used by pianists and some guitarists. I find that I can reach "longer" shaped chords better after that. I found them on You Tube. I also warm up with Sam Muir's right hand arpeggios.
 
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I play the chords of To You Sweetheart Aloha sometimes more than twice and then ending chords of the bridge of I Can See Clearly Now.
It is mainly to see if I can please myself and I do.
 
Well, I walk the dogs daily and a bike ride 3-4 times a week...used to do yoga, but it's hard on my poor old arthritic body...:shaka::D
 
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