Started playing about nine months ago. Sometime in the fall, noticed my deltoids (shoulders) and biceps (upper arm) muscles getting sore in certain arm positions while inactive. Attributed it to the aches and pains of aging and not playing a concert ukulele for one to two hours daily. It increased after purchasing an aNueNue Moon Bird concert with a greater body depth than my Koaloha. Hmmm... could it be the ukulele playing causing the soreness?
Well, I acquired a Blackbird Clara a few weeks ago and the pain and soreness receded (narrow body depth). It disappeared last week completely as I was in Hawaii and barely played my travel uke.
Last night, day after returning from Hawaii, I went to an uke meetup. All was fine until I switched, for one song, to a Blackbird Farallon tenor so my friend could try my Clara. WHOA... the soreness came back full force by halfway through the song.
Conclusion that raising my arm away from my body to clear the uke body is the source of the soreness. The Clara is thin enough to not cause any pain, but the deeper the body, the greater the pain otherwise.
For discussion: Have others here noticed pain issues from playing the ukulele and does it change when you change to different ukuleles?
Well, I acquired a Blackbird Clara a few weeks ago and the pain and soreness receded (narrow body depth). It disappeared last week completely as I was in Hawaii and barely played my travel uke.
Last night, day after returning from Hawaii, I went to an uke meetup. All was fine until I switched, for one song, to a Blackbird Farallon tenor so my friend could try my Clara. WHOA... the soreness came back full force by halfway through the song.
Conclusion that raising my arm away from my body to clear the uke body is the source of the soreness. The Clara is thin enough to not cause any pain, but the deeper the body, the greater the pain otherwise.
For discussion: Have others here noticed pain issues from playing the ukulele and does it change when you change to different ukuleles?