I got my first ukulele a little over a week ago. (Amazon) Being new, it was not the best decision and I ended up returning it because the quality wasn't really there as it was a cheap model. (I didn't know any better, but I've learned more since I joined here)
I have another on the way, but in the mean time I was able to borrow a uke from a friend (who doesn't really play either, but happens to have a uke). This one is of substantially better quality than the one I sent back and I found the difference kind of amazing. The sound is so much better, I didn't realize it until I played with this borrowed one but the one I returned had a bit of a flat sound to it, kind of bland and blah. Plus no matter what I did I always had a buzz on certain chords. The borrowed uke is amazing! It's like going from listening to music on crappy laptop speakers to some kind of amazing surround sound.
That said, having been at this for a bit over week now, I still can't manage a whole song. I've been following a YouTube tutorial that is trying to teach "Riptide". People in the comment section are like "Gee I watched this video once and I'm playing Riptide like a pro! Thanks!" Me, I'm able to partially grind out the song, sort of...with some hesitation. I seem to struggle going from A to G, and my strumming hand gets a little wild and starts doing it's own thing, like a two year old child strung out on Easter candy.
Someone please tell me that I'm not the only one who's been on the same tutorial for a week and still haven't mastered it? I really love playing, I just stink at it at this point. I'm not quitting, not in any way is that a concern. I just want to hear that other people had slow progress but ended up a reasonably good player at some point? I don't expect to ever be like Jake S or anything, but darn if I don't feel as clumsy as a new born horse trying to figure out it's legs.
I haven’t read the full thread (yet) hence I go back to the original post and question “how long before you could play your first song”?
For me it was about four weeks but there are loads of factors to that so please don’t take answers too literally.
# I play other instruments and have for years so that was a real help.
# I learnt in a group with other beginners lead by a really good teacher, he’s a good player too but the type of teacher who pulls gently pulls achievements out of you.
# I turned up at a Uke Club, still being barely able to change from one chord to another, and just joined in. No one complained, we all sang and played, everyone had fun. My first song was ‘played’ and I never looked back.
# My first sessions at the Uke Club weren’t pretty, they were mentally challenging and I probably sucked. However, no-one cared ‘cause: they were just pleased to see another starter, they believed that I’d improve and (importantly) they remembered being a new starter themselves.
For what it’s worth I’ve been playing for several years now, I continue to get better and still take lessons from time to time. If I were to judge myself against the folk who post videos here then I recon it will be about a decade before I’m around that level. That skill gap doesn’t stop me enjoying what I do and making a useful contribution to the Uke group that I play in. It’s all a journey and I’d advise beginners to be not overly concerned by what they can’t do and to enjoy what they can.
A lot of folk believe that the Uke is an easy instrument to play, after all it’s taught to primary school children. The truth of the matter is that the Uke is easy to physically pick up and is relatively inexpensive, both good reasons to use them in schools. However they are also used because, in addition, they can produce quite complex music requiring rhythmic skills, use of chords and use of individual strings - all good for teaching/demonstrating music theory too. Playing a Uke to a high standard is hard, but just playing something on a Uke is easy - I love that inclusivity.