The All Purpose Ukulele Thread (Now with added interest)

[TotalNightmare]

The Ben Folds thread became the Ukulele Thread for a short time, but on the basis that there may be a fair few of us out there who like to strum away, i thought it would be best to start this thread.

A place to exchange thoughts, advise, skills and maybe even meet ups or something.

Also, take in to regard George Harrison's love for the instrument and the merry stylings of the The Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain people who delight me constantly.

Now, i've only been playing for 6 months and hope to improve considerably over time, but this is not down to wanting to master it perse, but rather out of love for the sound and as a merry hobby.

Also, i always wanted to perform my fav songs in the Uke stylings that please me so.

As a result, i may post a few of the track i have banged together on here for sharing and embarrasment purposes...


So... anyone else going to join me here?

[Jemble Fred]

Well seeing as I BOUGHT MINE FIRST!....

It's the story of the silver ear-clips all over again. You just have to copy everything that I do. And then actually bother to do it properly, which is even worse.

[Neil]

The Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain

Caught them on a show about The Big Chill the other week, and thought they were bloody brilliant.  Really made me want to get a uke, I do want to learn another instrument although I'll save that for another thread.  How much would you be talking about for a cheap uke?  And are they playable by someone like me who has very big mitts?  What - if anything - did you play before getting the ukuele?  I take it the chords are the same as on the guitar, and it's just the banjo that has different chords...is that right?

[TotalNightmare]

Yes, Jemble DID kinda get one first (only as he knew i wanted one) but i have style and grace and skill and i look fucking great in those little Ear Clip things.

Captain Sex!

Moving on.

I had never played a musical instrument in my life until i got my first Uke. It cost me about 26 quid from this very lovely music store in 'that there London' and a carry case only set me back 3 quid... so far so good.

However, the musical books for the Uke arent the best, certainly in the UK. The one i got was the 'standard issue' Uke Book with such learnable classics as 'Old Grandfathers Barn', 'Don't Spin Your Sister' and 'The Dog Went Kissin' At The Local Fair'...

and it put me off.

So i decided (as i was in LA at the time) to go to McCabe's Guitar shop and came across a huge Uke section and picked up a music book that had tunes in that not only did i know, but loved (lots of beatles stuff - foreword to the book by a G Harrison - Beach Boys, Monkees...)

So i learnt my mastering the 'simple' chords (having retuned my Uke to A E C G as advised to make playing easier...phht?!) and once you have done that, you will find it easier to find tunes you can play.

After, i went to websites with chords to popular music azchord, chordie etc and tried to learn songs i knew well as it helps it you know the rythmn and tune. Then i just picked one 'slightly' harder song to learn little by little getting better.

If a retard like me can pick it up and play it, im sure most musically minded people can.

i can now even write my own songs (i may stick STALKER'S ODE on here if i can) and generally 'riff'.

I am no where near the standard of a 'proffessional' (6 months? fuck off mate, you're still young) but i love this instrument. Its small and i have wirey hands, so that might help as there is a bit more finger twisting, in my mind, playing the Uke. But there are many different types of Uke, sizes, lengths, colours...

Either way, im proud ive actually made the effort to learn a musical instrument. Something i have longed to do for ages upon ages!

ALSO, the Uke is possibly closer to the Banjo (less finger pickin') as it has only 4 strings, its therefore not like playing a guitar at all.

[lazyhour]

The chords are different on a uke.  The strings are different, too.  It's easy as heck, though.  You just need to buy a ukelele chord book and you're away!

Edit: TottyOwl sort of beat me to it.  Bah.

The great thing about ukes is that you can play them in different ways to make them sound more banjo-y, more guitar-y, and more uke-y.  Wonderfully great if you can't afford a banjo (which I can't).  And yes, of course, forget books - just find a decent uke chord thing on the internet, then google for the chords of whatever song you want to play.  I have a £25 uke, and I bought my girlfriend a £15 one.  On balance, I recommend paying the extra tenner and getting the £25 type - the machine heads are much, much better.

[oceanthroats]

I've got a cavaquinho which is a sort of brazilian ukulele, or the forerunner to the ukulele. It was given to me last year and I still haven't figured out how to play it, mainly because the tuning has be all totally befuddled, I can play the guitar but tunings always confuse me.
I think the chords are quite different with the cavaquinho and the ukulele to gutiar chords but the experts will correct me.
As far as i know cheap ukuleles are supposed to be really really crap aren't they?
Anyway, I've got to get my act together and figure out how to play this thing. It took me an age to get myself to learn the guitar so I hope I can get going on this a bit sooner. I'd love to play it and write a few cavaquinho tunes.

[Jemble Fred]

Yes, Jemble DID kinda get one first (only as he knew i wanted one) but i have style and grace and skill and i look fucking great in those little Ear Clip things.

That's a wee bit disingenuous, seeing as I've been banging on about buying one since I saw Jack Docherty playing Honolulu Baby in the early nineties. This would be a better description for ye:

"I got into the ukulele when my good friend finally ordered a cheapo one from an auction site after more than a decade of intending to learn. It turned out to be a rip-off piece of shit which snapped in two when even vaguely tuned, so he put it to one side and rarely looked at it again, and as he's got ten thumbs that's probably a good thing. I bought a good ukulele for the same money he paid a few weeks later. I also am shockingly under-endowed."

[mwude]

The Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain

Caught them on a show about The Big Chill the other week...

I was there at the time & caught them largely by mistake.  Easily the most fun I had that whole weekend.  Not simply for the music which is both hilarious & very skilful, but also for their superb banter with the crowd.  They are on again this year and are the only band that I have decided that I *must see*.  Too much fun.

The Ukes website says they are also playing loads of other dates this summer (including Glasto on the sunday).  They really are a great band for a festival sunday afternoon, just when you're wilting and not feeling really up for anything they come on and gently persuade the entire crowd to get up and dance.

I'm afraid I don't strum myself.  But when I see an opportunity to strum the praises of the Ukelele Orchestra I play it with both hands.  I'm sure that if you play guitar & see these guys you will be very tempted to purchase a ukelele.

[mothman]

Right at the start, can we establish who I'll have to fellate to get a copy of the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" cover that TUOGB did on Jools' Hootenany?

[TotalNightmare]

Yes, Jemble DID kinda get one first (only as he knew i wanted one) but i have style and grace and skill and i look fucking great in those little Ear Clip things.

That's a wee bit disingenuous, seeing as I've been banging on about buying one since I saw Jack Docherty playing Honolulu Baby in the early nineties. This would be a better description for ye:

"I got into the ukulele when my good friend finally ordered a cheapo one from an auction site after more than a decade of intending to learn. It turned out to be a rip-off piece of shit which snapped in two when even vaguely tuned, so he put it to one side and rarely looked at it again, and as he's got ten thumbs that's probably a good thing. I bought a good ukulele for the same money he paid a few weeks later. I also am shockingly under-endowed."

Mwah ha ha ha

You are SO easy to wind up sometimes

(thanks for bigging up my genitalia, i thought you were going to be cruel there for a second)

[TotalNightmare]

Right at the start, can we establish who I'll have to fellate to get a copy of the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" cover that TUOGB did on Jools' Hootenany?

As far as i know, its not on the currantly released album, but they are re releasing a few of their older stuff, so it may turn up. I dont know too much of their work at the mo, but learning more each and every day.

[Neil]

Thanks for those replies, I might pester my sister into getting me one for my birthday.  Yes, stick up Stalker's Ode and any other uke songs you have knocking around pleeeease.

EDIT:  Do you have to use your little giner much on the uke?  My main problem with the guitar is that I bust my little finger when I was a kid and I have limited control over it now - which makes certain chords a right pain in the hole.

[Boss Mew]

Bilmey
I didn't know ukes were popular amoungst 'whores round these parts

I have two ukes
I want to save up and get an electric one that looks lovely from here; http://www.risa-music.de/English/Products/Electrics/electrics.html

[A Passing Turk Slipper]

Oooh, I'm going out now but when I return I will contribute to this thread. Ukeleles are fun fun fun.

[TotalNightmare]

Bilmey
I didn't know ukes were popular amoungst 'whores round these parts

I have two ukes
I want to save up and get an electric one that looks lovely from here; http://www.risa-music.de/English/Products/Electrics/electrics.html

GASP!

i mean, its just mad enough for me to want and look daft playing!

And i will try and find someone daft enough to put up Stalker's Ode (NOTE, i am not a good singer, but i am proud of the song)

[TotalNightmare]

EDIT:  Do you have to use your little giner much on the uke?  My main problem with the guitar is that I bust my little finger when I was a kid and I have limited control over it now - which makes certain chords a right pain in the hole.

Apart from some tricky chords, i find i very rarely use my little finger on the Uke. But then, i could be playing it wrong.

[A Passing Turk Slipper]

Ah, I love my ukulele. I need a new one though (lazyhour is right when he says the 15-18 quid ones have shit machine heads), this one is the one I think I'm gonna get, it looks pretty good doesn't it. On mine I mainly play stuff like the Beach Boys, I like playing stuff which is nice to sing along to. The sound of the ukulele is just so great, there's nothing like going and sitting at the bottom of the garden on a sunny day and having a nice strum, it makes me happy anyway. I just tune mine like the bottom four strings of a guitar, I get really confused with different tunings - I bought a mandolin a while ago which I tune GDAE and that is confusing enough before messing around with any uke tunings I have never used before. Anyway, I've got to keep this post small as my keyboard needs new batterys and typing is frustrating. What are your favourite songs to play on your ukes then? A favourite of mine (after seeing George, Paul and Ringo doing it on the Anthology extras DVD, which is worth the money for the box set by it's self) is Ain't She Sweet. Neil, you should definitely get yourself a uke, I'll maybe somehow try and catch the bit of the Anthology disc where they are all jamming with them in George's garden - that will definitely inspire you to get one. (If anyone could help me out with how to do the copying of just that bit then that would be great, I've got a DVD writer just not the know-how). As you play guitar it will be a lot easier and you will be able to avoid using your pinky - there are loads of two finger chords and stuff. They sound great and are really cheap so definitely worth getting. I want a banjo as well.

[Monkeyfucker]

Thanks for those replies, I might pester my sister into getting me one for my birthday.  Yes, stick up Stalker's Ode and any other uke songs you have knocking around pleeeease.

EDIT:  Do you have to use your little giner much on the uke?  My main problem with the guitar is that I bust my little finger when I was a kid and I have limited control over it now - which makes certain chords a right pain in the hole.

does your sister know this? :p

Im sure shell ge t you one if you really want one !

How different are they from playing a guitar?

[Neil]

does your sister know this? :p

Im sure shell ge t you one if you really want one !

How different are they from playing a guitar?

Haha yes :-) Would be cool as I get fud up with playing the electric guitar and fancy some acoustic action (and my acoustic guitar is a piece of shit.)  I guess they must be fairly similar to playing a guitar without a pick if you keep them in standard tuning?  

Neil, you should definitely get yourself a uke, I'll maybe somehow try and catch the bit of the Anthology disc where they are all jamming with them in George's garden - that will definitely inspire you to get one.

Oh I vaguely remember that, do you know which disc it's on?  Is it the last one?  I have all those sitting in the bedroom and would like to watch that again.  I remember (from the Harrison trubite I think) people saying that Harrison always took two ukes with him on plane flights so that someone could join in with him if they fancied it.

Anyway, some links that I have found:

http://www.ukuleledisco.com - Midnight Ukulele Disco.  Check out the version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps  on there! Wow.  Will you really get a decent sound like that out of a 25 quid Uke?  I'd be interested in hearing what they sound like.

This site has tabs and some nice mp3s to download, the one of Mele Kalikimaka is especially lovely.

[A Passing Turk Slipper]

Those links look interesting, I'll check them out later. The ukulele jamming is on the 'Recollections' bit of the extras disc - my favourite bit of the whole box set is on that, so great to watch them all hanging out together with the added plus of Ukuleles. The one Paul plays is absolutely lovely - it must b custom made as I've never seen one like it despite looking lots.

[A Passing Turk Slipper]

Ooh check out this for nice ukulele as well.

[Neil]

Oh I've not seen that then, I only have the main shows.  I seem to remember Paul and/or George playing them in someones kitchen or something?  Anyway yes, would love a look at that if you can ever figure out how to capture it.

[A Passing Turk Slipper]

I'll definitely try and put it up then, anyone got any idea how? I could just copy the extras DVD and send it to you if I can't get it to work.

[SurferGhost]

Serious question this, not the feed for a punchline:
What's the difference between a ukelele and a banjolele?

[A Passing Turk Slipper]

Well appearance wise a Banjolele looks like a mini banjo whereas a ukulele normally looks like a mini guitar (although you get loads of different shapes and stuff). Sound wise, though I don't think I've ever heard a banjolele I'm guessing it just sounds more banjo-like.

[SurferGhost]

That obvious then? D'oh.
Cheers APTS.

[Jemble Fred]

Yes, Jemble DID kinda get one first (only as he knew i wanted one)

That's a wee bit disingenuous, seeing as I've been banging on about buying one since I saw Jack Docherty playing Honolulu Baby in the early nineties.

Mwah ha ha ha

You are SO easy to wind up sometimes

Seeing as you've just given me a brand new uke for my birthday, I shall only hit you once.

I also now know two chords, but it's going to be an uphill struggle from here.

[sam and janet evening]

I love the Ukulele and get very cranky when it's dismissed as a joke instrument. It can be very pretty and almost Harp-like if played finger-pick-stylee. Mine's a fairly cheapo model but with a little tinkering (tightening the tuning pegs) it's adequate. I started arranging songs for it a while back (I could copy them up if anyone's interested...) which brings me to a request: does anyone know the (piano or Guitar) chords for 'Bedazzled'? I figured part of it out on the uke the other day and would like to finish it, but I am having to transcribe it off the record which is a bit of a trial. I searched but to no avail. Anyhow if you can help then it would be much appreciated(and I promise to share the Uke chords with you...).

[Jemble Fred]

Can I just ask – when you first start playign in earnest, should your fingers (the chord hand, not the strumming one) really hurt quite this much? When I wake up, I try and form a fist and it's agony.

And I still can't quite manage Em.

[sam and janet evening]

Can I just ask – when you first start playign in earnest, should your fingers (the chord hand, not the strumming one) really hurt quite this much? When I wake up, I try and form a fist and it's agony.

And I still can't quite manage Em.

If it's the first instrument you've picked up (as I seem to recall you saying it was) and you're playing it a fair bit (as you should be, practice makes adequate...), I should imagine that a bit of cramp is normal. If symptoms persist consult your doctor.
how are you playing Em then?