10 Basic Tips On Playing The Ukulele Instrument

Ukulele is a musical instrument from the lute family of instruments and is commonly associated with Hawaiian music. It was first used in the 19th century as the Hawaiian adaptation of the small guitar-like instrument of the Portuguese called machete.

King Kalākaua also incorporated its use into royal gatherings and performances, another reason why the instrument is widely established on the island. Kamaka Ukulele, one of the famous makers of the ukulele, is based in Hawaii and is known to have created the first pineapple ukulele.

Ukulele is indeed famous not only in Hawaii but also in other parts of the world. And if you haven’t tried playing one, now is the time to learn how to play the instrument. Below are the ten easy tips you could follow when playing the ukulele instrument.

1. Find a good ukulele instrument

How the instrument is made plays a significant role in the tone it produces. If you are serious about playing the
instrument, then the first thing you need to do is to find a decent ukulele. There are lots of stores that sell
ukulele instruments; however, not all of them sell a well-made ukulele. You will find good ukulele prices range from $80 up, so if
you find an instrument being sold at a price lower than that, then more likely that the ukulele isn’t good enough or
won’t stay in tune. You might also like to try playing the instrument at the store and listen to its tune before
deciding to purchase it.

2. Hold your ukulele correctly

Correct posture and the way you hold your ukulele also affects the tone that your instrument produces. When
sitting, let the body of your instrument rest on one of your legs and place your dominant hand on top of the
ukulele. Make sure that the neck of your instrument is “floating” in the air. And when you are standing, hold
your instrument against your chest. Don’t hold the ukulele too tight so that the sound it produces can properly
vibrate through its body.

3. Always tune your ukulele before playing

Tuning is crucial as it prepares your instrument before you play it. Ukulele tuning will enable you to
adjust the correct pitch of the instrument. You won’t want your device to sound too high or too low.

4. Learn the basics first

You might have seen in YouTube the fantastic music that ukulele can play and you also can’t wait to try them
yourself. However, if you are still amateur in playing the instrument, it is recommended to learn the basics first.
Ukulele is easy to learn, but you need a lot of practice to master it.

5. Use UkuTabs.com

The website UkuTabs.com is such a big help to anyone who is still trying to learn to play the ukulele instrument.
Majority of the fantastic musicians who play ukulele had one way or another tried UkuTabs.com to learn new
songs. The good thing about the website is that it features chord diagrams for each chord in a song. Aside from
that, you can also alter the keys of the song to easier chords.

6. Practice makes perfect

This may sound cliché, but this is particularly true with learning to play the ukulele. Start with the simple up and
down strumming. And when you already get the hang of it, you can then add some slapping and palm muting.
Before you knew it, you have already come up with your strumming patterns.

7. Do finger exercises

Finger exercises will help build calluses on your strumming fingers which are a great help so your fingers will hurt
lesser when playing the instruments. And don’t forget to cut your fingernails on your fretting hand so that you
could produce a clean sound when strumming the ukulele.

8. Play along with other ukulele musicians

Already a part of a band? Good for you! If you’re only playing ukulele as a hobby, then why not jam with others
who also play ukulele instruments. It is like hitting two birds in one stone. You can improve your ukulele playing
skills, and at the same time, you’ll get to have fun with your friends.

9. Record yourself and listen to it

One way to improve your skills in ukulele is to record yourself while playing the instrument. Then after that,
listen to how you played the ukulele. Take note of the mistakes that you had committed while playing the
instrument and later try to correct them next time.

10. Have fun

Learning to play ukulele shouldn’t be a burden to you. Don’t pressure yourself if you think you’re not learning
fast enough. Frustration will only distract you. Just have fun while playing. Remember that that most important
thing about playing ukulele is to enjoy the music your produce.

If your a beginner and want some ukulele lessons please visit here. I offer online lessons as well!