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| Moderated by: Tony Provencher, Richard Hefner | Page: 1 2   |
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| Why do you love your Uke/s | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Mon Feb 14th, 2005 09:03 pm |
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1st Post |
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Tim3finger Approved 
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Hey all, I am curious about the love affair that folks seem to have with the Ukulele.  I know they come in all sizes, shapes, materials, and colors. What I would like to know is, why do you like your uke/s. Be specific, if you wish, wax poetic if you care too, or be a hard fact technophile, doesn't really matter. Just say why. Multiple reasons are acceptable.I, personally, just love the feel and comfort of playing a small instrument. I also like the sound I can get when played with a pick, strummed, or fingerstyle. Guitars, and I've had a few, just haven't done it for me. Ever since I picked up a baritone uke that belonged to friend (1four5) almost a year ago, I have had one or two around all the time. My current stable consists of: Johnson Baritone ( work uke with purple/blue flame over silver base paint job ), Lanikai Curly Koa bari, Samick UK70B bari. I love all three, but want to add a cutaway baritone with electronics in the future.  How about You?
____________________ Tim "Trying to give back a little of what I've been given" |
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| Posted: Mon Feb 14th, 2005 10:48 pm |
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2nd Post |
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UkeForever Approved 
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Since I'm only allowed to have one wife... multiple ukes seems like the next best thing. I like the small size, the novelty for those who think it's novelty (it's not to me) and I like that I can easily quickly squeeze 9th, 11th and 13th chords out of a fretted instrument. The guitar is too big and sounds like an orchestra to me. I don't know why I never heard it that way before. My ukes: http://www.hoaryhead.com/pics Last edited on Mon Feb 14th, 2005 10:48 pm by UkeForever |
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15th, 2005 12:03 am |
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3rd Post |
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1four5 Approved 
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This one is simple. I have more determination than I have talent. I have less fingers on one hand than the number of strings on a guitar. This equals confusion, double duty, and frustration. I have more fingers on one hand than a uke has strings. This equals simplicity and fun. Besides, they just look right. Also, if you are playing a whiskey bar, and all hell breaks out...try tucking your dreadnaught under your arm to protect it P.S. When I started playing a uke, I didn't really have an attachment to the sound...it was purely it's simplicity. The more I play blues on my ukes, the more I LOVE the slidey ukey "clutchey" blues sound they have. I can't believe all those people who play Hawain music on an instrument that is really made for the blues 
____________________ These are the good times! |
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15th, 2005 03:10 am |
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4th Post |
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Zathras Approved 
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Uh what they said I could never "get" the guitar. I've tried a few times and it just didn't click. Ukes just seem a perfect fit for me. I like the sound, size, collectability, relatively cheap prices, just about everything. I can't wait till it warms up a bit and I can take one along camping for around the campfire. Another thing I enjoy is that they are unique. Doing a google search for guitar results in 47 million pages. Ukulele just has just over one million I guess it falls under the "novelty" aspect that UF mentioned. I would rather be a small fish in a small pond than a bit of algae in the Atlantic ocean.
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15th, 2005 07:59 am |
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5th Post |
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jef Approved
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This one's easy: It's just fun. I, too, play guitar as well as uke. I originally thought of it as an 'easier guitar' but the more I play it, the more I feel I was wrong in that judgement. This little instrument packs a whallop. I'm not sure I agree with 1four5's statement here: I can't believe all those people who play Hawain music on an instrument that is really made for the blues Blues on my re-entrant soprano sounds a bit silly. Oddly I've been playing for about 5months now and I've just started to play some Hawaiian music with a local group here (hurray for jamming buddies!) -Jef
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15th, 2005 11:30 am |
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6th Post |
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Suomipoika Approved 
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First sight of romance happened few years ago, when on TV Stefan Raab performed together with some popstars. Second movement was last november, when my multi-instrumentalist-friend performed some songs with his uke. I was sold and I had to order one uke from Germany. Even the cheapo-sound made other people furious at home, something in the simplicity of uke impressed me a lot. It is like tanka-poems, wich I discovered an year ago. With so little its possible to say so much! I decided to tell this great story for other people too and now we have a busy forum with many interested people in the internet. Just after two months, The Ukulele Orchestra on Great Britain will have concerts and we'll have the first meeting with ukefans! This tiny instrument unites much more people than similar guitars! Sepi  Last edited on Tue Feb 15th, 2005 11:32 am by Suomipoika |
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| Posted: Tue Feb 15th, 2005 03:13 pm |
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7th Post |
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liquifried Approved 
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Well, of course I love THE ukulele, I just don't have/love MY ukulele yet (still renting one from the place I'm taking classes). I am overall a fan of stringed, fretted instruments, and have been playing guitar and banjo for awhile. As I keep playing uke, though, I find myself playing the others less. A lot of it is that it's just a fun instrument, but I also think its the convenience. The more you can just pick up and play, the more you will - I really hate it when I let a day pass without playing some (any) music. My current living situation (with my house and various animals running around) makes it so I have to keep my guitars and banjos packed away most of the time (they are expensive, and the cats like to scratch). So, with the rent-a-fluke sitting on the couch or table, I just pick up and jam throughout the day (I work at home). Anyhoo, it's a day late for my valentine to the uke, but I still love it.  Jason
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| Posted: Wed Apr 6th, 2005 05:19 am |
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8th Post |
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Suomipoika Approved
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I have been thinking this again. I like to play my Jenny, it's easy to get a good "flow" with it! What about then, if you are the onlyone having fun, when you play your uke? ...yep, I don't blame them. It's propably only me, who needs this therapy of playing a uke. Listening of a uke is maybe not so recommended...? Sepi
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| Posted: Wed Apr 6th, 2005 12:36 pm |
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9th Post |
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Tim3finger Approved
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Hre is another reason I love my uke. I have been playing it/them for about 4 months almost exclusively. My finger picking has improved, my strumming has improved. I have had to learn different ways to phrase chord structures, so everything didn't sound so Hawaiian (not a bad thing). Guess what, I picked up a guitar last week for the first time in a long time, and all the stuff I have been doing on a uke (playing more cause it was fun instead of frustrating) has carried over to guitar. Gotta love them ukes, They make playing Fun! T3F Last edited on Wed Apr 6th, 2005 12:38 pm by Tim3finger ____________________ Tim "Trying to give back a little of what I've been given" |
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| Posted: Wed Apr 6th, 2005 11:15 pm |
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10th Post |
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1four5 Approved
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I will second Tim. He is older and grumpier than I am...but I'm old and grumpy enough...guitar has alway, is, and probably always will be frustrating to me. My uke is just flat out plain fun. Tim and I have basically been going down the same path since we picked up cheap guitars 16 months ago. The ukes saved both of us from guitar frustration burn out. In the recent weeks, my guitar playing has smashed through some brick walls...and I'm playing like I've never dreamed I ever could. When I trace my path back...everything I'm doing on my guitar was figured out and developed on the uke...from finger pick patterns to lead runs to strumming coordination. I will keep saying it...if a guitar is kicking your butt...get going on a uke and have a blast! Give it a month or three...then pick the guitar back up...you will be blown away
____________________ These are the good times! |
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| Posted: Thu Apr 7th, 2005 05:52 am |
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11th Post |
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Suomipoika Approved
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Yeah,.. it's maybe this solitude situation of mine and new marvelous Aquila strings on my guitar... Thanks for encouraging me, brothers! I'm going to fix some hard- and software to this computer. If it works, you'll get some records to listen.  Sepi
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| Posted: Sun Apr 10th, 2005 03:37 pm |
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12th Post |
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MonkeyToes Approved 
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1four5 wrote: This one is simple. I have more determination than I have talent. Well, I think I go the other way. I have quite a bit of musical talent (at least in the rythm department anyway), but I'm lazy. I have a good feel for things musical, but lack the discipline to learn the technical aspects of any instrument. The ukulele, in its simplicity, allows me to absorb more knowledge in a shorter amount of time to go along with my instincts. It's a good mix. The size is also a great plus. I've got a uke behind the couch and one on top of the entertainment center at home, and one stashed in a file cabinet at work. I can pick them up almost anytime and mess around with them. I'd like to get a cheapie plastic for the car at some point. The third great thing about a uke is low expectations. When I told my sister I had started to play the ukulele, she laughed. Then I played her "Come Together," by the Beatles, and she replied, "That's so awesome!" A really simple song, but unexpected song. You can be an average ukuleleist and Joe Audience will think you're a great one. I guess it's somewhat of an instant gratification issue for me.
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| Posted: Sun Apr 10th, 2005 09:10 pm |
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13th Post |
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wayland19 Approved 
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I love the fact my uke is different to what everyone else is playing, the guitar. Guitars have come right back in fashion with pop dying and rock making a comeback (well manufactured pop rock anyway), so I was annoyed everyone was like me, and I changed and can still play the same songs in cute little parady versions!
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| Posted: Thu Apr 28th, 2005 09:25 pm |
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14th Post |
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DrGalacticFloss Approved 
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Ukulele just seemed to relieve me of all the technical savvy that is so expected of guitar players. Similar to the phonomone i experienced a few years ago when i realized that i could strum and sing at the say time on guitar. I figuerd well, "hey not everybody can sing" and or (at least has the kahoneeees to get up and do it in front of people). obviously you can become a very accomplished fingerstylist, soloist on the ukulele too but i think that because it is still seen as a novelty it will not gain the recognition of a guitar god. But then again you'll have a lot less competition on that front at the same rate.  For me i'll never become an accomplished musician on the uke or any other instrument for that matter, but i will continue to write my own little diddy's as long as i have one of these around. Will the ukulele become more mainstream in the comercial charts? Don't know..... it seems to be gaining momentum across the internet but i don't think we are nessecarily heading towards a uke boom like what was seen with electric guitars in every kids hands around the world throughout the 60's 70's and 80's.  80's ug!It seems to have been doing well enough on it's own over the years with groups like this and showing up every once and while in the hands of a well know artist. I guess i love the uke because it's with me most all the time, it gets played more, it's becoming more comfortable than my other 8 or 9 guitars, shoes, ez chair. keep on strummin 
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| Posted: Thu Jun 30th, 2005 06:41 pm |
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15th Post |
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back from the dead Approved 
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I love simplicity. In the world we live in, simplicity is often forgotten. The ukulele is the epitome of simplicity.
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| Posted: Thu Jun 30th, 2005 07:32 pm |
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16th Post |
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1four5 Approved
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Hey bftd, it's GREAT to see you here! Welcome to ezFolk...I'm telling you, this is my favorite and by far most accepting forum for the music we love!
____________________ These are the good times! |
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| Posted: Thu Jun 30th, 2005 07:43 pm |
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17th Post |
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HowlinHobbit Approved 
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back from the dead wrote:I love simplicity. In the world we live in, simplicity is often forgotten. The ukulele is the epitome of simplicity. Simple and elegant. Amen! Can't remember where I got it from but I'll often say to people, "Four strings, four fingers. How zen is that?" I also love my uke for the opposite reason. Fancy. I can do a lot of the fancy stuff -- especially the "busier" chord progressions -- on the uke a lot easier than on the guitar. I can play the stuff on the guitar but on the uke I can play it more easily and thus, better. So I guess it's not really "opposite" if it's making the fancy simpler. Simple, elegant, fancy and mo' better. The HH ukulele mantra. Howlin' Hobbit (http://www.howlinhobbit.com Got Uke? Snake Suspenderz (http://www.snakesuspenderz.com) Hot Jass, Hokum and Novelty Music... with a bite!
____________________ Howlin' Hobbit Got Uke? MySpace ezFolk UkeLand |
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| Posted: Thu Jun 30th, 2005 10:01 pm |
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18th Post |
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back from the dead Approved
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1four5 wrote:Hey bftd, it's GREAT to see you here! Welcome to ezFolk...I'm telling you, this is my favorite and by far most accepting forum for the music we love! Thanks! I've been around this site for a couple of years, but never checked into the BB, looks great.
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| Posted: Thu Jun 30th, 2005 10:07 pm |
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19th Post |
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back from the dead Approved
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HowlinHobbit wrote:Simple, elegant, fancy and mo' better. The HH ukulele mantra. I couldn't have said it better.
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| Posted: Fri Jul 1st, 2005 12:06 am |
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20th Post |
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jgoreham Approved 
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I'm very petite, and feel the uke is "me" sized (also fits in my carry-on luggage!), unlike my friends' massive guitars that weigh about as much as I do. Also, as mentioned before, 4 strings seems managable to me with my 0 years of musical experience.
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