Do you have a "style"?

[UkingViking]

When I see videos of the most famous ukulele virtuosa play, like Jake etc. I instantly realize that I am never going to be able to play like them. Fortunately It doenst really bother me. It is not the style I am going for, with all those notes and purely instrumental stuff. I like to hear them, but that is not how I would express myself musically. That way it is comforting to have an idea of your style. That way you don't judge yourself the same way.

I like to blend strumming and finger picking, and play mostly for singing. But I love instrumental intros, fills and breaks etc.
Mostly genres like easy listening, folk and jazz.
There are many people out there better at that than a happy amateur like me too, but it is not as intimidating or unachievable to learn just a little bit of what those can do.

[Croaky Keith]

Yeah, I guess I've got my own style.....

When I have posted on the Seasons thread, I have a kind of talk along style rather than singing, & wrote some ditties, to which I just strummed a few chords.....

When playing for myself, I just pick a tune, mainly with my thumb.

[RafterGirl]

Hey RafterGirl,

Hooray for 30s, 40s, (even 20s and 50s) music!

Although I grew up in the 60's I really like my Mom's generation of music.
To me the melodies and the lyrics are more memorable and singable

email me at ( rohiguchi@seattleschools.org ) and I'll share my songbook(s)
so we can enjoy the same music in different locations... together

keep uke'in',

Thanks Rod. So many songs from that generation translate so well to the ukulele. I've looked at your songbooks many times, great stuff. One of the chord melodies I've worked on lately was "Stormy Weather." Love that song.

Right now I'm working on a chord melody for "Bridge Over Troubled Water." I'll be playing it this Saturday at my uke group. We're doing 60s music, and I signed up for one of the open mic solo spots. It took me awhile to decide on a song, but this one is so beautiful. Hopefully my brain & fingers work properly on Saturday, and don't get overcome by nerves.

[Rllink]

I did a search for music styles and I came up with a Wikipedia page that lists all of the music styles.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_music_styles

I do like the blues and I was really surprised how many blues styles they listed. Holy cow, who would have thunk? Going through the list, cow punk caught my eye. I don't think that I have ever played cow punk, but I might start.

I'm pretty sure this isn't what the OP is referring to. So if someone will define style for me, I'll try to narrow it down a bit more. Seriously, I don't know if I have a style or not. I play with a lot of people and in several groups and I think that my playing style depends on who I'm playing with. Whenever you play with others you have to adjust. I do have my owns "style" when I play just by myself, but I couldn't put a name to it. It is just my style. It is how I play. But my "style" also isn't just reflected by playing the ukulele. I sing, like to busk, do the occasional coffee shop gig. So my singing and my stage presence plays into it as well. It isn't just about playing the ukulele, because to me the ukuele is just one part of it. A hard question to answer.

[lakesideglenn]

You’ve either got or you haven’t got Style!

[Joyful Uke]

Cow punk, huh? Sounds interesting.

I apologize for my lack of ability to define what I'm trying to mean by style.
It appears that I'm using the word incorrectly, though I had always thought that things like rock, blues, and cow punk were genres, but I guess a genre is a musical style, so that's circular.

But within the same genre, there are different styles - or whatever the word is - of playing. John Hartford and Earl Scruggs both played bluegrass banjo, but not in the same way. Sam Bush and Bill Monroe both played bluegrass mandolin, but not in the same way. Their playing was distinctive, (at least until enough people copied them, I guess), and you could pick them out from other players. Whatever made them distinctive is what I'm trying to call style.

Maybe that doesn't help explain what I'm trying to say, (especially if you don't know the musicians I'm mentioning), but it can't hurt to try again, I hope.

[Rllink]

Cow punk, huh? Sounds interesting.

I apologize for my lack of ability to define what I'm trying to mean by style.
It appears that I'm using the word incorrectly, though I had always thought that things like rock, blues, and cow punk were genres, but I guess a genre is a musical style, so that's circular.

But within the same genre, there are different styles - or whatever the word is - of playing. John Hartford and Earl Scruggs both played bluegrass banjo, but not in the same way. Sam Bush and Bill Monroe both played bluegrass mandolin, but not in the same way. Their playing was distinctive, (at least until enough people copied them, I guess), and you could pick them out from other players. Whatever made them distinctive is what I'm trying to call style.

Maybe that doesn't help explain what I'm trying to say, (especially if you don't know the musicians I'm mentioning), but it can't hurt to try again, I hope.

I know what you mean. I was just having some fun with it. No offense meant.

[Joyful Uke]

I know what you mean. I was just having some fun with it. No offense meant.

I did think that your post was fun. And I really am going to try to find out what cow punk is, and what is sounds like. I might like it. :-)

I was just mulling over my lack of vocabulary to define what I was trying to say. But, I played my ukulele for a bit, and decided it didn't matter if I've got the words or not. I'm having fun anyway. :-)

[Steedy]

I play ukulele Nashville style...

[Davoravo]

Everything i play sounds the same, i practice different rhythms but once i start singing my brain automatically strums D-D-UUDU. Accompanied by deep, mournful very slightly flat singing.