New girl living in Germany: Hello, hello!

Bonhomie

Bonhomie

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Hello everyone. :)

So, I don't have a ukulele yet. I've just ordered one today and it's a really, really horrible one. I'm embarrassed to even tell you all which one it is as I got it from Amazon and paid 20 euros for it. But I am poor! And I am one of those people who is passionate about something one day and then something else the next.

For example, in the past few months I've been "passionate" about:

ballet
collecting discarded signs
Jam Legend
learning Hawaiian
circuses
hand-sewing a quilt
learning the flute and
going to surf camp

I'm terrible! And as I'm a student with part time jobs, I didn't want to pay any amount of money for something I may set aside in a few weeks. Therefore, I bought a 20 euro Stagg US10 ukulele from Amazon. Please don't shout at me!

In the reviews they said it was quite fine for a beginner. Perhaps it won't have the best sound but it will be mine. I feel very optomistic about it; it should arrive some time this week.

I really look forward to getting to know all of you and doing my best to stick with something this time! :)
 
We all started somewhere!
 
"And I am one of those people who is passionate about something one day and then something else the next."

Good for you! That is what keeps life interesting and expands us! Your ukulele will be special because it is yours and you will make music with it. Have fun learning the uke. There is nothing wrong with Stagg. The name on the headstock means nothing. I have heard and played several "no-name" ukes that sounded wonderful (I still own one!)

Welcome to the UU!
 
E komo mai, welcome to UU. A 'ukulele in the hand beats 2 at the store. ;) All you have to do is come to Hawai'i and you can learn to play 'ukulele, learn to surf, and learn to speak Hawaiian, 3 birds one stone. :D
 
spookefoote: You're right! I just have a bit further to go than other people! :D

Tim: Thanks for the kind words. I like living furiously and having passions... it's just that sometimes my wallet doesn't!

Ahnko Honu: You're right. I wish I could visit but I'm often busy with studies at the moment and don't have the cash. It's definitely a goal, though. I love polynesian languages and would really enjoy participating in a sort of immersion program. :) Thanks for the friend add!
 
Welcome to UU. Your ukulele sounds like it's a lot better than MY first one! I think you'll find that it's fun to play and you'll actually WANT to stick with it. I bought mine on a whim, and after goofing around on it a bit, I put it away and didn't get back into it for several years. I now wish I had stuck with it originally, and I definitely WOULD have if UU had existed back then. I got it back out again about a year and a half ago, and realized that I needed a better instrument. So I ended up spending about $125 (100 euro) on a decent Kala Concert model, and I have played a ukulele nearly every day since then (unless I was out of town and didn't have one with me, basically). I wish I had those 7 or 8 years of NOT playing one under my belt now! I might be better at it. Seriously, if UU and all the internet resources had existed in '02 (or if I had KNOWN about them), I WOULD have stuck with it.
 
Most of the pupils in our school ukulele orchestra play "budget" Mahalo ukes. They're great to start with and to be honest with a little bit of tinkering you can get the action real low and obviously putting decent strings on them certainly helps.

Remember that playing any uke, regardless of make or price, is infinately better than not playing one!
 
Just look at all the things you have tried as shopping or even taste testing. When you find the right one or even right four you will know it, and I think the uke will compliment a few of the others.
On the cheapy, I have a few ukes now but will still pick up my $20 bright pink one and strum away at least once a week.
 
Aloha Homie,
Welcome to the UU, I think you made the right choice in picking the ukulele because it is
a fun instrument and makes you happy. In a short time your passion will grow and you will
never want to put it down. Never mind about what your first instrument is, Mostly all of us
have started off with lo end instruments and were not detered by that. What is important is
that you tune it right, buy yourself a clip on digital chromatic tuner and it will be the best
investment you will make. There's tons of sites for learning the ukulele(MusicTeacher2010)
is one of the best for beginners. and if you run into some problems were here to help you.
Just ask, were a bunch of friendly and helpfull ukers. I'm sure when you get hooked and
become passionate with your uke you will never want to put it down as we all do. Good
Luck and keep us informed of your progress...."Keep on strumming them strings" Uke On!!
MM Stan.. For inspiration check out You Tube vids...Punch in your song, then ukulele..
Have fun Girl....you goooooo!!!
 
Welcome to the UU Family.

Please feel free to use the links below my signature to access a couple of free booklets for you to use.

Keep uke'in',
 
Good advice! ^^
You should mos def go to Hawai'i. It will be more than a passing phase.
Welcome to UU and da life.
 
Everyone here seems extremely nice. It's great of you guys to make me feel welcome! Also exciting: I survived Monday! Though, class on Monday always bums me out. :|

My ukulele should arrive Wednesday/Thursday of this week. I'm pretty excited about it, I'm not going to lie.

I read somewhere around here that a lot of your ukuleles have names. Any tips in picking out a good one? :D
 
My ukulele has unfortunately not even been SHIPPED yet. They said it should arrive between yesterday and Friday and now I don't have much hope of receiving it before my upcoming 4-day weekend. I was so looking forward to practicing! I thought I was going to be a ukulele super star come Monday! :D

A sad tale.
 
A sad tale, indeed. :(

I wouldn't name your ukulele until you hold it/her/him in your hands. You'll know what to name to call your ukulele after that.

Where in Germany are you? We have a few UU members there. One of our moderators lives in Berlin.
 
IT'S SHIPPED. Posting here brought me good luck. :)

I'm in Mainz, Germany. Watching the football game at the moment. Very disappointed with Germany's midfield. Booo. :D

Hope it arrives on Friday!
 
Hi
I am a complete noob too (only my 3rd day as a uke owner) so I have no uke advice, however, as for the starting/stopping problem ? Try this.
The 'key' period is 21 days.... studies have shown that if you can repeat a new task for 21 consecutive days then there is a 95% success rate.
That is to say that if you wish to form (or break) any new habit then all you need do is set aside 15 minutes (?) a day for practice & repeat this for 21 days then this new'chore' turns into a 'habit', it becomes normal & natural to do this daily. It really helps to get a calendar set your start date & tick off the days as you go. I have used this methoid for other things before & it really works ! I am using it again with my new uke. Good luck.

Any more experienced players want to comment\advise regarding the 15 minutes a day to start ?

By the way, you say you live in Germany but I would guess, from the the way you write, that English is your first language not your second ?
If not then I am astonished.
 
Hey stannson. :)

This "21-days" idea sounds like a very good one to me. I'm definitely going to try it out. I'll hang a calendar on the wall an make sure I practice at least 15 minutes every day. Thanks very much!

Yes, English is my first language. I grew up in the US and moved here to Germany to attend University. It took me a while to get my German to the mandatory level but now it's full steam ahead.

Looks like we'll be learning the ukulele together. I wish us both much success! x
 
Congratulations on your decision to get a ukulele and ditto on your linguistic abilities. I am a full-time professional German -> English translator and speak pretty good German, but the idea of doing a university course in English would frighten me, let alone in another language. Well done! - and especially as most Americans are worse than we Brits when it comes to learning foreign languages. We are few and far between and can consider ourselves part of an élite group - Yanks and Limeys that speak more than one language and play the ukulele!!
 
hi, willkommen im schönen rheinland-pfalz. :)
i hope you find it as cozy as i do.^^
 
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