How to Hold a Uke

ukesnotukes

ukesnotukes

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Hi all,

I have a tenor sized uke and I know this may seem like a very strange question, but what is the proper way to sit and hold the uke? When I play, I find the uke slipping all over the place.
 
Aloha UNU,
Welcome to the UU and our forums and the ukulele...I like to rest the bottom right bout of the ukulele on my right lap and hold the neck at a 2 o'clock position....but whatever is comfortable
for you...here is a video....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0piM1L3a9Rc have fun and enjoy..Happy strummings, MM Stan
 
When I got my first ukulele (a tenor) about 3 months ago, I loved it immediately, but I struggled to find a good way to hold it. I finally bought a Uke Leash (you can google it). Everybody is different, but the Uke Leash completely solved all my "holding issues," and my only regret is that I waited so long before I got one.
 
You might look on YouTube for instructions on how to hold a classical guitar. It's a very functional position and you need a little footstool or something to put one foot on, but once you feel what a really super functional and proper position feels like you can go from there. You *can* hold a uke in that style and it won't slip around much.

But once you've learned that position, well, we don't give recitals in concert halls so much as play and sing around camp fires etc. You can save yourself a lot of work by getting a strap.

For me, I made a strap right away, and yep I drilled a hole in my uke to put a strap button on it.
 
+1 on there being no right and wrong way - you need to be comfortable yourself - check out Youtube vids of different people playing to get ideas, but when you find something that works, just make sure it is secure, comfortable, and not slipping.

Some people suggest putting grippy velcro type pads to the back of the instrument (I have never felt the need) or using a strap -(I do that from time to time)

Have a read of - http://www.gotaukulele.com/2011/01/ukulele-beginners-how-to-hold-and-strum.html
 
I just slapped a strap on that sucker - but for when I'm too lazy to pull the strap over my shoulder, I wedge the uke into the inside of my elbow on my right arm, pushing the neck out with my left. That way it's gripped nice and tight, but you don't affect the tone as the back is clear of your body and can vibrate nicely.
 
Thanks everyone for all of the great suggestions! I love how supportive UU is already!

The uke leash is looking like a good buy, and at $3.99 I might as well give it a try! The two o'clock suggestion from mm stan helped me. I was trying to hold the uke more at a 3 o'clock position, which made my wrist more uncomfortable. I also wasn't "wedging" the uke like byjimini said, and that helped too! Good to know that there is no "right" and "wrong" way to hold it as well. I already feel much more comfortable. Thanks again everyone!
 
One more note--the $3.99 item at ukeleash.com is for a "headstock strap" only. The full Uke Leash, which includes a headstock strap, goes for $14.99. I'm a cheapskate, but for me, it turned out to be money well spent.
 
I think I have 5 leashes, I just leave each one in the case with the uke. I alkso have a couple extra headstock pieces. I like them that much. One nice thing is you can get a color or material that goes with the uke.

If it's a gloss finish uke I find they are harder for me to hold. Some people use a little "Uke rug" that lays over the thigh and you rest the bottom of the lower bout on that for friction to keep it in place.
 
I use a thin strap that my local music store suggested. I like to play standing up, and I find the tenor is hard to pin in place with an elbow the way I would a concert or soprano.
 
As a lady who does not have a flat front, the uke can be a little slippery, so I really like the Uke Leash as well!
 
Please forgive me for reviving this very old thread, but I found myself wondering today whether finger style uke players find it more comfortable to hold / strap your uke just a tad lower than strummers do. For months I've believed my home made bootlace strap to be precisely the right length but now find myself feeling it may be easier to finger-pick (standing) if the uke's center-mass is around 4 inches below my belt buckle rather than at my belly button.
 
Oldscruggsfan said:
Please forgive me for reviving this very old thread, but I found myself wondering today whether finger style uke players find it more comfortable to hold / strap your uke just a tad lower than strummers do. For months I've believed my home made bootlace strap to be precisely the right length but now find myself feeling it may be easier to finger-pick (standing) if the uke's center-mass is around 4 inches below my belt buckle rather than at my belly button.
Click to expand...
Interesting question. I find for classical style pieces, I like the headstock up a lot higher than typical, kind of like what classical style guitarists do. I'm interested in what others have to say about your observation/question.
 
Put on a strap, sit down in a comfortable armless chair and hold the ukulele at 45 degrees. You need to be able to see whatever you are working on without changing your position. An adjustable sheet music stand will work. Be sure to tune your Uke before beginning practice.
 
Oldscruggsfan said:
Please forgive me for reviving this very old thread, but I found myself wondering today whether finger style uke players find it more comfortable to hold / strap your uke just a tad lower than strummers do. For months I've believed my home made bootlace strap to be precisely the right length but now find myself feeling it may be easier to finger-pick (standing) if the uke's center-mass is around 4 inches below my belt buckle rather than at my belly button.
Click to expand...
What I'm about to say is all true. An orangutan is mistakenly thought to have short legs, but their legs aren't short. On the contrary, their arms are long. It's also true that I had breakfast with an adult orangutan at the Singapore Zoo. (I wasn't wearing a tie. This one's a private joke)
So, you've been holding up your ukulele by it's bootstraps. Classic.
Wait, you probably own a gun, so I better cut it out.
Seriously, I think a lot would have to do with the angle you prefer to hold the neck at. Closer to horizontal would necessitate holding the ukulele lower, and vice versa.
For my transgressions, you get to take a few shots back at me, but not with that firearm, of course.
 
Oldscruggsfan said:
Please forgive me for reviving this very old thread, but I found myself wondering today whether finger style uke players find it more comfortable to hold / strap your uke just a tad lower than strummers do. For months I've believed my home made bootlace strap to be precisely the right length but now find myself feeling it may be easier to finger-pick (standing) if the uke's center-mass is around 4 inches below my belt buckle rather than at my belly button.
Click to expand...
I play (with my fretting hand) higher up the fretboard when I am playing fingerstyle than strumming. I also fingerpick closer to the sound hole than where I strum the strings. Holding the ukulele higher up on my body makes both of these easier for me.
 
Renaissance-Man said:
What I'm about to say is all true. An orangutan is mistakenly thought to have short legs, but their legs aren't short. On the contrary, their arms are long. It's also true that I had breakfast with an adult orangutan at the Singapore Zoo. (I wasn't wearing a tie. This one's a private joke)
So, you've been holding up your ukulele by it's bootstraps. Classic.
Wait, you probably own a gun, so I better cut it out.
Seriously, I think a lot would have to do with the angle you prefer to hold the neck at. Closer to horizontal would necessitate holding the ukulele lower, and vice versa.
For my transgressions, you get to take a few shots back at me, but not with that firearm, of course.
Click to expand...
Thank you. Hilarious and helpful at the same time. Sounds as if I’ve been holding it correctly, but I’m going to slightly lengthen the strap just for good measure.
 
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