| The ukulele is a relatively easy instrument for | | | | cheapest ukuleles are fine for testing the water |
| beginners to learn. After a few minutes, you'll | | | | and deciding if you enjoy the ukulele, but once |
| probably be strumming a few chords. Because of | | | | you start to get serious about playing, it's well |
| its size, it is the perfect instrument for kids to | | | | worth you getting a higher quality ukulele. $50 - |
| learn on. To kick start your learning here are ten | | | | $100 will buy you a ukulele that is so much better |
| ways to get you off to a running start. | | | | than the very cheapest makes. |
| 1. Record yourself playing. Playing and listening at | | | | 6. Put good strings on your ukulele. As soon as I |
| the same time is like trying to rub your stomach | | | | get my hands on a new ukulele, I immediately |
| and pat your head. It's much easier to evaluate | | | | replace the strings. Almost always the strings that |
| your playing if you listen back to it and knowing | | | | come with the ukulele sound awful and are |
| what mistakes you're making is halfway to fixing | | | | unpleasant to play. My choice of strings is Worth. |
| them. | | | | Another good brand is Aquila. |
| 2. Listen very carefully to music you like. Try to | | | | 7. Hold your ukulele loosely. It is all to easy to |
| work out how to play what you're hearing. | | | | choke the tone and volume out of your ukulele |
| There's nothing wrong with 'borrowing' ideas from | | | | by holding it too tight. Pay close attention to how |
| other musicians. | | | | the top players like Jake Shimabukuro hold the |
| 3. When you are practicing - play very slowly. It's | | | | ukulele. |
| much easier to speed up once your fingers know | | | | 8. Pay attention to other ukulele players. Watch |
| what they are doing than it is to try and fix | | | | how they hold the uke, how they strum, how |
| problems playing at top speed. | | | | their fingers move. See if you can pick up any |
| 4. Learn how to read tab for the ukulele. Tab | | | | ideas to improve your own playing. |
| shows you exactly how a song is played - what | | | | 9. Learn how to tune up properly. There's nothing |
| string and fret to play and when to play it. There | | | | that offends the ears more than an out of tune |
| are many sites on the internet that have ukulele | | | | ukulele. You can buy ukulele tuners or you can |
| tab for all sorts of songs. If you search for 'how | | | | download them free on the internet - I use the |
| to read ukulele tab' on Google, you'll find some | | | | AP Tuner. |
| helpful articles. | | | | 10. Have fun. The ukulele has a reputation as a |
| 5. Buy a reasonable quality ukulele. The very | | | | fun instrument - keep it that way. |