I just signed up for lessons!

boojiboo

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I'm signed up for my first lessons! So far I'm just scheduled for 3 (one a week for the rest of the month). Any advice for preparing for the first one? It's on Wednesday.
 
Enjoy and do not forget to bring your ukulele! A pencil/pen and notebook may be useful.

Please share your experience with us as you proceed through the lessons.
 
I'm with Penny and Rainbow--have fun and enjoy it.
 
Enjoy the journey!
Jan D
 
Thank you all! A notebook is a good idea and I'm not sure I would have thought of it...reminding me to take my uke is probably apt, too!

I'll let you know how it goes!
 
Bring questions: What are your goals from the lesson? Is there anything specific you want to learn, are having trouble with, or want to improve?
 
Bring questions: What are your goals from the lesson? Is there anything specific you want to learn, are having trouble with, or want to improve?

I've been going over things like that in my head...I should write them down, definitely. Thank you!
 
I'm signed up for my first lessons! So far I'm just scheduled for 3 (one a week for the rest of the month). Any advice for preparing for the first one? It's on Wednesday.

Don't stress. Don't get frustrated. Don't worry.

It's easy to get overwhelmed at first - especially if this is your first instrument. But take a breath and remember that even Mozart, Jake, and Alex Lifeson/Steve Hackett/Eddie Van Halen, etc were all clumsy when they started. But most of all - like everyone else said - have fun. The 'ukulele may be perhaps the most lighthearted thing one can play!

Oh, it might also be a good idea to bring a few songs you want to learn to make it more personal.
 
Thank you! This is very new for me; I've had a few people over the years hand me instruments, and while I've always wanted to learn to play something, none of them really grabbed me. The uke is the first one I've picked up on my own, and I've been learning from books and youtube videos for a couple of months-- long enough to know this is the instrument I really want to learn! But as an adult coming in with no music theory and barely able to figure out the basics of sheet music, it's pretty overwhelming. My lesson is in 40 minutes-- so reminders not to worry and not stress are good advice. :)
 
First lesson went well! Thank you, everybody! Today was mostly going over the basics so the instructor could see where I am. He gave me some things to work on for next week, and when I thanked him afterward for his patience (hello, adult beginner here with no delusions-- I know I'm fumbling around :D ), he said I was doing fine for just starting and better than where a lot of people begin.

I told him I'd been learning at home but wanted to start taking lessons to make sure I was progressing like I should and so if I'm developing bad habits, they can get corrected before they're set. He said he played guitar for 20 years before taking his first lesson, and it took him years to break some of his bad habits. That was encouraging. I think jumping into lessons now rather than later was a good idea for me. :)
 
Sounds like a good first lesson and also that you hit it off well with your instructor. Will follow your subsequent experiences in this thread (so keep posting).
 
First lesson went well!

Congrats! If you're anything like most of us (sorry for the audacity of speaking for others) you'll find that you'll want to "practice" as much as possible and will soon feel weird when you aren't holding your uke, just strumming chords or doing a picking pattern.

One of us, one of us, gabba gabba ...
 
Congrats! If you're anything like most of us (sorry for the audacity of speaking for others) you'll find that you'll want to "practice" as much as possible and will soon feel weird when you aren't holding your uke, just strumming chords or doing a picking pattern.

One of us, one of us, gabba gabba ...

We accept her, we accept her?

It already feels that way a little. Just hanging out and holding an uke is comforting, somehow. :D
 
I'm in the same place as you are. (No music theory. Can't read music. No instrumental background.) So, I am very interested in your experience with the lessons.

If there are any uke clubs near you, I highly recommend getting involved with it. Most are really welcoming for beginner players. And it's a lot more fun when you're playing with others.

Enjoy the journey. And as others have said, have fun!
 
I'm in the same place as you are. (No music theory. Can't read music. No instrumental background.) So, I am very interested in your experience with the lessons.

If there are any uke clubs near you, I highly recommend getting involved with it. Most are really welcoming for beginner players. And it's a lot more fun when you're playing with others.

Enjoy the journey. And as others have said, have fun!

Okay, I'll try to remember to post here whenever I have a lesson!

There's apparently a club in St. Louis, which is near-ish to my town, but I've tried to contact them via their facebook page and never heard back. I'm not at a point to be playing with others, but it still would have been nice to hold out as a future endeavor. Oh, well. I'm having fun on my own, too!
 
Second lesson last night! I messed up-- a LOT-- and after I told my instructor, "I swear I PRACTICED," he reassured me that "It's harder in here." He remains patient and still told me I'm doing well for a beginner. We covered some more basics, played through some exercises, and he coached me on picking back up after making a mistake (or lots of mistakes). Sent me home with more homework.

I was really frustrated with myself for messing up so badly when I was doing so much better with the exercises at home, but I'm glad that he's still being patient. I need that. :D
 
It takes a while for "muscle memory" to take effect. Practicing by self is just the first step... now playing in front of the instructor is a whole different level. I encountered this frustration when I first taped my playing. Mistakes everywhere, timing bad, etc. even with no one else around. That is what being a beginner is about. But wait another few lessons and compare with today's and you will notice leaps and bounds in your progress.
 
It takes a while for "muscle memory" to take effect. Practicing by self is just the first step... now playing in front of the instructor is a whole different level. I encountered this frustration when I first taped my playing. Mistakes everywhere, timing bad, etc. even with no one else around. That is what being a beginner is about. But wait another few lessons and compare with today's and you will notice leaps and bounds in your progress.

Rainbow21 is right. Playing at home and playing in front of your instructor (or any other person, for that matter) are two totally different beasts. Just try to relax and enjoy the journey. Always take the long view when assessing your growth. You will experience good days and bad days, periods of growth, and plateaus where it feels like your skills are regressing. These are all normal parts of a musical journey. If you keep the “fun” part alive, you will eventually reach your destination. Best of luck!
Jan D
 
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