Learning how to play an instrument, in this case the ukulele, can benefit a person and
improve their lives in many ways. Studies show that this increases the capacity of your memory, teaches you patience and perseverance, and includes many more benefits. Not only that, but knowing how to play an instrument is very enjoyable. Learning the basics to playing ukulele is not as difficult as it seems. This guide shows a few basic steps for beginners that are easy to follow and remember. Step 1: Choose a ukulele. As you may already know, there are different types and styles of ukulele. The most noticeable and used are: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. There are many factors to keep in mind while choosing your uke. You can choose by size (smallest- soprano, largest- baritone; in respective order mentioned above), sound (higher timbre/tone- soprano, lowest timbre/tone- baritone), or price. Although you may choose to your liking, it is more recommended to buy/use a soprano ukulele if you are a beginner. Step 2: Know the parts of your ukulele. This instrument has many parts to it, but there are four that are the most important and you should know: the body, neck/fretboard, head/tuning keys, and the four strings. Body: the bottom, hollow wooden part. It makes up of most of the instrument. The body has a hole under the strings above which you strum. Neck/Fretboard: the neck is the long wooden piece that sticks out of the body and is underneath the strings. Although the neck “makes up” the whole wooden piece, it is actually known as the rounded bottom part. The top part of the neck is called the fretboard. The frets on the fretboard are sections of the fingerboard divided by metal strips that go across fretboard, perpendicular to it. Each fret corresponds to a different note or pitch for each string. Head/Tuning Keys: the head is the top part of the uke. The tuning keys are located here; they stick out from behind or on the sides of the head. They hold the strings, and as the name suggests, are used to tune the uke by turning them. The Four Strings: there is not much explanation, as the name says it all. Although, it is good to know that, depending on the type of ukulele you buy, they may be different. The lowest or thickest string is known as the 1st string, moving upwards to the highest or thinnest string which is the 4th string. Step 3: Tune your ukulele. Your ukulele will most likely not be in tune when you first buy it. To tune the ukulele, you have to twist the tuning keys on the head. With time the strings will need to be tightened more often, as they lose tension. To have the correct tuning, you can buy an electric tuner or use an app (or website) that helps you tune your strings and make sure they are not sharp or flat. If you do not tune your ukulele properly, you will not be content with the sounds it makes and will not be able to play the songs you wish to, since they do not have the correct notes/tuning. Another thing to keep in mind is getting the closest you can to pitch perfect for each string. Tuners will help you make sure they are the closest they can be to pitch perfect and the needle (or whatever it is) will align with the note you are looking for. If you do not do this, and leave a string(s) a little sharp or flat, you might notice the sound to be slightly off and it can be very bothersome. Step 4: Correct posture for playing. If you are sitting or standing, you should always use the same posture and hold your ukulele the same way. The uke should be between your right forearm and your body, resting in the crook of your elbow. The ukulele should be held near your waist or chest. The neck of the uke should be resting on the thumb and web of your left hand. This lets you reach around with your other four fingers and touch all strings. You should have your back and shoulders straight, not hunched. You will have a better appearance when playing and reduce the amount of pain and tension in your back. This is the recommended posture even if you are left-handed, but you may feel uncomfortable and wish to strum with your left hand. If this is the case, please search ukuleles or postures that are specifically for left-handed people. If you do not use and develop the correct posture, you may feel uncomfortable, not get a good sound from the uke, and potentially harm your wrists and/or back over time. Step 5: Chords. Knowing how to play simple but important and most used chords is key to ultimately being able to play uke. Now, to play chords you must know the correct fingering. You can learn the fingering for each chord by searching online, through an app, or by asking someone with experience. The simplest chords are minor and major chords (note: if you do not know about minor and major chords, you might want to search/learn about them!). A note to keep in mind is that there exists different fingering for each chord. This may depend on which fret you start on. Once these chords are mastered, you can move on to more complex chords such as 7th, suspended, and many more. Step 6: Strumming. This might be the easiest part of playing. You can use a ukulele pick or use your fingers to strum, the latter being the most common way of playing. If you use your fingers, you should use your nails to strum down, and the fleshy part of fingertips to strum upwards. When strumming, try not to do it above the hole in the center of body, but instead higher, near the fretboard. If you are playing a certain song, you might want to listen the original and pay attention to the strumming (if there is a guitar or ukulele) or pay attention to when chords change in the background of the song. If you do this, you can play on your own, without the song, and have the correct strumming or strumming that is similar and would fit the song. With some patience and good use of these steps, learning the basics of playing ukulele will be very easy. The basic major/minor chords are easy to learn and play. Once you know these chords, you can play a lot songs that you know and love. You can even write your own songs if you want! Once you have mastered the basics, you will be able to play ukulele, and then go onto harder things. Not only is playing ukulele entertaining, but it is good for the soul, can benefit you in a lot of ways, and may even improve your life! By: Daniela Velasco Ardilla -- contributing writer Comments are closed.
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June 2019
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