Unhappy with Ukulele Group

Jerryc41 said:
My local uke group isn't as much fun as it used to be. Some members will suggest - or bring in - a song with a dozen or more chords, many of which are new to us and not easy. Naturally, playing doesn't go very well, so there is a lot of discussion, and we wind up playing them three or more times.........
Any comments?
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I know exactly what you are talking about. A number of years ago I was playing regularly with a small group of players. Everyone was pretty much intermediate in skill level. Often, players would bring in jazz standards that they were working on. Many of these tunes were in tricky keys with numerous complicated jazz chords. Our sessions would often grind to halt as people tried to figure out the changes. In retrospect, I realize that it would have gone much better if we had sent these tunes around a week ahead so people couple figure them out and come in ready to play.

As some have mentioned, you might suggest having tunes selected and sent around ahead or hand out tunes that will be played the following week.
 
Hey Jerry. I went to the group tonight and you weren’t there. I brought my 20-year niece (visiting from Florida). On her own she has noodled around with the ukulele. So she knew C, G, G7 and F. But couldn’t really make quick changes. The group was welcoming and accommodated her with several 2 and 3 chord songs before we moved on to more complicated songs. I remember when I started with the group and how non intimidating it was. Great for the new player. You in particular put me at ease when I told you I didn’t know how to play the chords or strum. You said, “Nobody cares.”
Sometimes I get bored with the songs and bring songs i’ve Just learned and am excited about. Some have fallen flat and some were sort of adopted into our collection. Others bring songs, too. I like that our group is willing to try whatever anyone suggests. Very democratic. But we do seem to fall apart when someone strong is not leading. Sometimes we sound good and other times pretty bad. Sometimes I prefer to stay home and practice. But I’m thankful to the group for being there.
 
I used to be in a small group, we played in a circle. We'd go around and everyone got their chance to pick a song. Wasn't always my favorite song, but it was fair and probably helped people to learn a few things they might have shied away from otherwise.
 
I don’t usually belong to any groups. I’m not a group person, but, it seems to me, that it would be better to get together with a coupla three players with common music tastes and just play with them every week. If one goes to do anything with a big bunch of folks, there’s always gonna be different opinions about stuff.

My folks usta square dance in a big group, and there was always lotsa squabling about stuff at the meetings. There was even a coupla near fist-fights. Finally my folks just quit going. And an archery club I once belonged to squabled and picked sides about everything from work parties to the rules of range use.

I really don’t understand groups and clubs, etc. and I usually stay away from them. :eek:ld:
 
Our group is about to celebrate its 5th anniversary. I've been with it for all but the first six months or so. The founders split off from another jam in a nearby city, wanting to be closer to their homes, and it's worked nicely. We meet twice monthly and then have a special jam at a local bottle shop once a month on Tuesday (their slowest night of the week). We have between 12 and 25 people at any jam.

We have a "book," made up of songs brought in by the participants. The two- and three-chord songs are in the front and used for a 20-minute or so warmup. Then we move on to more difficult songs. When someone wants to add a song, they're asked to bring in a dozen copies. We circulate them, play them cold, and if we like it, it goes in the book. The system has worked so far.

We've had people drop in and out over the years. We welcome folks of all ability levels, so it requires patience. One of our better players split off to form his own group because he thought most of our songs weren't challenging enough. For the most part, though, the reason motivating the group is having fun and getting people to come back the next time.

As with any voluntary social gathering, YMMV!
 
It just occurred to me that most of the big ukulele groups just sing and plunka, plunka, plunka. What’s there to argue about? What are the songs that are too difficult?

I wonder if anyone ever thought of having an all oldies group or a folk song group or a Gospel group. That might get rid of some of the bickering.

“Why can’t we all just git along?” :eek:ld:
 
It's really hard for one group to please everybody every time what with the different skill levels, everyone's favorite music genre and that if you have enough songs for all the skill levels and musical tastes you end up with a HUGH songbook.

Maybe better to split off into different groups on different days as the first group approaches critical mass. Beginners and intermediates by genre M,T,W with advanced and beyond T. Bring everybody together Friday ('cause you learn faster if you're exposed to advanced stuff) and maybe some open mic for the brave.
 
I must be lucky because all of the folks in my groups seem happy to have friends to jam with and learn stuff from. We have a few 20-30 year olds and the occasional teenager, but most of us are 50+. That seems to narrow our song selections, but I’m cool with current stuff (love to play stuff by Train). Maybe it’s because my two main groups have more of a teaching focus than just strictly jamming. We all learn something new each month. Whether it’s new chords, complex songs, or technique.
 
I gig solo, as part of a duo, and as part of a trio. There is approximately 20 years between my duo partner and I, and our trio partner is another 20 years younger than that.

They know songs I don't know, so I must learn them, and I know songs neither of them know, so they learn as well. So far, it has worked out. I'm also the only one of the group who can't read music, but I can improvise and usually pick up the other songs pretty quickly.

Except for the Taylor Swift stuff - I like hearing it, but it takes a while for me to catch on.

As a group of 1/2/or 3, we push our limits. And they push back sometimes, but we don't give up. I'd really hesitate to bring some of the stuff we do together to a larger group, and expect it to work in one session, especially when we sometimes need 5-6 sessions to sing the same melody, and more to start harmonizing sometimes.


And sometimes, it hits on the first take - when I proposed "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You", even the 18 year-old knew the song, and we were able to harmonize the first time. Some songs facilitate that, and there is no real effort needed to make it happen.

-Kurt​
 
Sometimes the solution is to start your own group. I got tired of playing corny or juvenile songs, in keys I couldn't sing...or ones we played poorly w/ a dozen or so unfamiliar chords. While I'd rather not be the leader, I do get the final say on what goes in our songbook...familiar tunes, not too tough and singable for most (we lean heavily toward "the People's key" of G). We do The Eagles, The Beatles, Neil Young, Willie, Hank, Otis, Buffet, etc. I take suggestions and I don't have to LOVE a song to included it (Sloop John B, not a fav) if many folks like it, BUT I can't HATE it (These Boots are Made for Walking, Puff the Magic Dragon, yuck). We keep our list to about 100, adding and subtracting occasionally.
We go around in a circle with each person getting a chance to select from our songbook and to lead (if they want). Works for me. Another plus, if you start your own group, you get to pick a location and time convenient to you. You don't need a ton of folks to get started. You can have a nice time jamming with just a handful of interested people.
 
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Our group has been around for ten years now; with 'new' songs (new to the group that is!) we generally give out the songsheets, and suggest everyone plays around with it at home,and listens to the original recording (if available) and then we play it for the 'first time' at the following meeting. It seems to work for us. Our songbook is now over 200 songs,and we play a couple of dozen at each meeting, old favourites, newer ones that we like, and some 'off the wall' shots that we have in the book, but maybe have not played for a while! Each group has its own dynamic,and our aim is to keep it interesting without being intimidating! We are all around the same standard of playing, and having settled into a pattern, we have had newbies drift in and out, when they (for example) want to play all the latest music chart hits,and they discover that we don't do that! Easy going, no stress, pick a song you/we like, learn it as a group, and stick with it. It suits us fine.
 
I've only been to three different local groups here in the UK, and they are universally terrible. You certainly won't advance your playing, or even hear yourself playing, and they generally play dross. That's just my experience of course :D
 
We have a core of songs we play at gigs without too much rehearsal. New songs are introduced one or two at a time. Often these songs are unfamiliar to all so we take time to learn chords and phrasing, sometimes changing the arrangement completely. It is an evolving exercise.
I also try to teach finger style, right hand technique and alternate chords and voicing. Some times it sticks some does not.
I try not to end up sounding like so many other, well intentioned groups. I like to create our own individual sound and style but still able to fall back on the old favourites to suit the gig.
 
Down Up Dick said:
. If one goes to do anything with a big bunch of folks, there’s always gonna be different opinions about stuff.
And an archery club I once belonged to squabled and picked sides about everything from work parties to the rules of range use.
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That conjures quite a vision. Feather flew?
 
Are ukulele players the only instrumentalist birds of a feather who often like to flock together?

Not meant to sound snarky, but I'm genuinely curious. I don't think I've ever encountered this phenomenon with regard to people who play any other instrument. Suzuki violin groups, perhaps, but that's part of their educational phase, not so much a social gathering.

bratsche
 
bratsche said:
Are ukulele players the only instrumentalist birds of a feather who often like to flock together?

Not meant to sound snarky, but I'm genuinely curious. I don't think I've ever encountered this phenomenon with regard to people who play any other instrument. Suzuki violin groups, perhaps, but that's part of their educational phase, not so much a social gathering.

bratsche
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At a recent uke fest, I heard two people say, "Get twenty ukuleles together, and you have a party. Get twenty guitars together, and you have a fight." I prefer a party to a fight. :D
 
Uke Don said:
I feel your pain. Gave up on my local group some time ago. Too many current top 40 songs (which I and most other members can't relate to) or 12 chord songs. There was constant turn-over of group members, and the organizers don't seem to get it. Uke is supposed to be fun.
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That ain't nothing! I relate best to music 3 or 4 hundred years old. :nana:

-- Gary

PS I'm not actually not a banana despite the emoji!
 
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bratsche said:
Are ukulele players the only instrumentalist birds of a feather who often like to flock together?

Not meant to sound snarky, but I'm genuinely curious. I don't think I've ever encountered this phenomenon with regard to people who play any other instrument. Suzuki violin groups, perhaps, but that's part of their educational phase, not so much a social gathering.

bratsche
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Bluegrass jam sessions are much more frequent here than uke jams.

Could be a function of our location, of course. And bluegrassers play a wider variety of instruments. Just don’t let a drummer in the building!
 
bunnyf said:
Sometimes the solution is to start your own group. I got tired of playing corny or juvenile songs, in keys I couldn't sing...or ones we played poorly w/ a dozen or so unfamiliar chords. While I'd rather not be the leader, I do get the final say on what goes in our songbook...familiar tunes, not too tough and singable for most (we lean heavily toward "the People's key" of G). We do The Eagles, The Beatles, Neil Young, Willie, Hank, Otis, Buffet, etc. I take suggestions and I don't have to LOVE a song to included it (Sloop John B, not a fav) if many folks like it, BUT I can't HATE it (These Boots are Made for Walking, Puff the Magic Dragon, yuck). We keep our list to about 100, adding and subtracting occasionally.
We go around in a circle with each person getting a chance to select from our songbook and to lead (if they want). Works for me. Another plus, if you start your own group, you get to pick a location and time convenient to you. You don't need a ton of folks to get started. You can have a nice time jamming with just a handful of interested people.
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I’ll second this. There needs to be a leader to keep the group moving and curate the songs, but (as when I lead our group), the leader doesn’t have to be the best player or singer. So long as you have someone moderately competent :rock::anyone:
 
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