Flute/Harp player interested in Uke!

Hi Everyone! I have a very musical background and I'm interested in picking up the Ukulele to have an instrument that I can travel with and/or bring to jam sessions with other musicians.

I have played flute for 16 years. Mostly classical music.
A couple years before I went to college, I picked up alto flute and played that with a campus flute choir all through college.

I started playing harp 8 years ago. I have a lever harp and a pedal harp. I mostly play Scottish music (have competed a few times at Highland Games around the country) but I started learning some classical music on pedal harp.

I am capable of the basics on piano (had to learn a little as a music major....) I also took a year of composition in college and LOVED that.

My ultimate goal as a musician is to get my harp therapy license in a year or two. I graduated college in 2016. I am now in the throes of wedding planning - that is taking up most of my free time, so the therapy license is a bit on hold right now.

However, flute is not a very popular instrument to bring to a "jam sesh" (even though it is compact and travels easily). Harp is great for jamming but is cumbersome and doesn't travel well. Can't take it on a trip without babying it the whole time. Camping/beach/etc are very unfriendly places for a harp. So I have been wanting to learn Ukulele to fill the gap.

I think I have narrowed down my choice to the Kala KA-C concert ukulele. I'm debating between getting the "regular" model or the KA-CG gloss. Any difference in sound? Is this actually a good model or am I about to spend money on a lemon?

Anyone else out here start their musical journey on an instrument vastly different from ukulele?

Looking forward to learning with / from you all!!

Welcome! I hope you enjoy your time here! I'd recommend going to a music store and checking out what options they have in terms of ukuleles and also check for jams in your local area, especially to make your expierence more enjoyable

Welcome to the forums!! Sounds like you have a great knowledge in music. Our son is in his 2nd year as a music ed major.

Actually, the flute is a great session instrument if you go to an irish trad session

Hi! Welcome! Yes, I’ve played lots of instruments, including flutes. I also have a baritone horn and a tuba and a keyboard. My flutes (self taught) are a concert and an alto for folk music and oldies, wooden Piccolos, Irish, fifes for fife marches and a few home made. I taught myself side drum to improve my sense of rhythm. There are others, some good, some okay and a few failures.

I like Kalas. I have a soprano, a tenor 8 string, a baritone and a tenor guitar. I use my small ukes for singin’ accompaniment, and the baritone and guitar for fingerpicking. I like gloss very much, but the dull wood sans bling seem to be the most popular. I don’t know if gloss does anything to tone, but I’m an old guy and probably wouldn’t notice anyway.

Harmonicas are also very portable too and lots of fun to play. Well, again, welcome. ld:

Welcome aboard.

I attempt to play various instruments, fife, piccolo, flute, whistle, chromatic, diatonic, & tremolo harmonicas, but it was the uke that got me playing music when I retired.

I always recommend a concert as a starting point, & suggest Kala & Ohana, so I think you'll like the KA-C, the finish doesn't make a lot of difference to the sound, but strings do, you may want to change them for fluorocarbons.

Welcome to the Forum! My own musical journey started as a child on the piano. I played guitar (not very well) during high school and university, then discovered the celtic harp about 18 years ago. Along the way I picked up a few other instruments (hammered dulcimer, bowed psaltery), but the harp was my true musical passion until last summer when the ukulele came into my life. Like you, I love it's portability. It's a wonderful gateway to making music and singing with new friends. Personally, I haven't found a significant difference in the sound between a matte finish and a gloss finish. If you buy a uke that you like the look of, you will be inclined to pick it up more frequently. And if you also make sure that the neck of the ukulele feels comfortable, and it sounds good to you, then that is what will keep you playing the uke after you pick it up. They are a great little instrument, and quite addictive. Enjoy the journey. And be prepared for more of them to come into your life, as they have a habit of multiplying.

Jan

I had an autoharp which has almost as many strings as a harp. The ukulele will be much easier to tune. I hope you have a local store where you can try the ukes out. One of the stores near me has a rental plan where you can rent by day, week or month. You might even be able to play some of the music you have on the use, but the uke has a smaller range.

Have fun picking out a Uke.

Hey G-Snap: I came from a similar background--flute using Suzuki method (you don't practice on the days you don't eat). I advise not taking it too seriously and just go with the flow. Unless you are verrrry lucky, you will not find the kind of instruction you are used to: scales, notes, sheet music, etc. That will be a source of extreme frustration (at least it was for me). You are going to see a lot of "put your pinky here...now put your index finger there." So...just go with it and amass experience and apply your theory as you go...and you'll have fun.

Welcome Gingersnap