Re: 'justifying the ukulele' - TOMMY EMMANUEL plays uke!

Booli

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Re: 'justifying the ukulele' - TOMMY EMMANUEL plays uke!

There is another thread in the forum about an article on 'In Defense of the Ukulele', and as providence would have it, I just found this video. It shows virtuoso guitarist Tommy Emmanuel, playing an ukulele.

For all those that say that 'real' musicians don't play uke, you can show them this video. If they still are haters, then there is simply no hope for them.



http://youtu.be/8774DAut-W4

If you go on youtube and search for Tommy Emmanuel you will see massive amounts of evidence a 'real' musician.
 
Who is it that says that real musicians don't play uke? I have never heard this.

I may be true that many uke players are not talented musicians. Few people would dispute that. But there are certainly many, many excellent musicians that play uke as their first instrument.

Tommy is certainly a very talented guitarist playing something very simple on the uke. However, he is clearly not a talented ukulele player, no matter how loud the applause.
 
Feeling salty?
 
Who is it that says that real musicians don't play uke? I have never heard this.

Hi Ken,

Since taking up the ukulele last April 2013, after nearly 35 yrs of playing the guitar, when I have told folks of my new interest in the ukulele, they usually act with laughter and ridicule and mention something about Tiny Tim or that it is a 'toy instrument'.

I will typically show them videos from Roy Smeck, Jake Shimbukuro, James Hill, Victoria Vox, L'il Rev and by that time they have learned to keep the snide remarks to themselves unless they want to become the sole object of my attention in my crusade to alter their thinking away from this obsolete and dysfunctional belief.

Most of the time after sharing these videos and discussing the ukulele while 'educating' them, folks want to buy a James Hill or Jake Shimabukuro album immediately from iTunes or Amazon.

I am almost forced to 'fight the good fight' since it has been a lifetime pursuit of mine to eliminate ignorance whenever and wherever possible.

-Booli
 
Who is it that says that real musicians don't play uke? I have never heard this.

I may be true that many uke players are not talented musicians. Few people would dispute that. But there are certainly many, many excellent musicians that play uke as their first instrument.

Tommy is certainly a very talented guitarist playing something very simple on the uke. However, he is clearly not a talented ukulele player, no matter how loud the applause.


Ken, exactly who stated Tommy Emmanuel was a "talented ukulele player." You completely missed the point of the original post.
 
Ken, exactly who stated Tommy Emmanuel was a "talented ukulele player." You completely missed the point of the original post.

Why the aggressive tone, Bill? I certainly had no desire to offend you. In fact I completely understood the post and found it interesting. I responded to it in a way that I wanted. That's what you do on a discussion forum. A forum would be a very boring place if you just answered questions with a straight answer.
 
Hi Ken,

Since taking up the ukulele last April 2013, after nearly 35 yrs of playing the guitar, when I have told folks of my new interest in the ukulele, they usually act with laughter and ridicule and mention something about Tiny Tim or that it is a 'toy instrument'.

I will typically show them videos from Roy Smeck, Jake Shimbukuro, James Hill, Victoria Vox, L'il Rev and by that time they have learned to keep the snide remarks to themselves unless they want to become the sole object of my attention in my crusade to alter their thinking away from this obsolete and dysfunctional belief.

Most of the time after sharing these videos and discussing the ukulele while 'educating' them, folks want to buy a James Hill or Jake Shimabukuro album immediately from iTunes or Amazon.

I am almost forced to 'fight the good fight' since it has been a lifetime pursuit of mine to eliminate ignorance whenever and wherever possible.

-Booli

Hi Booli. Like you, I played the guitar for a long time. Maybe 50 years or so. My experience though has been very different. I have not really met too many people who have treated the ukulele with ridicule or contempt. A few people, who clearly don't understand the potential of the instrument, will always ask about George Formby or Tiny Tim, but it is just lack of understanding on their part. For many thousands of people worldwide though, the ukulele is a real instrument, often their first instrument and playing it is their biggest pastime.

I stopped guitar playing mainly because of the contempt for the players that I was seeing on YT. People seemed so critical. Even superb players like Tommy get criticism.

I am sure you are right that critical people's attitudes can be changed after watching videos of players like James. Interesting post.
 
Why the aggressive tone, Bill? I certainly had no desire to offend you. In fact I completely understood the post and found it interesting. I responded to it in a way that I wanted. That's what you do on a discussion forum. A forum would be a very boring place if you just answered questions with a straight answer.


Ken, why the thin skin? I thought your comment about Tommy Emmanuel's ukulele playing to be gratuitous.
 
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