The instrument I recommend for beginners that excels in cost-performance, time-performance, and portability, from someone who failed at playing and singing countless times.
Haisai! How is everyone doing, how are you all?
(Hello! Everyone, how are you all doing?)
It's nankul naisa (everything will work out).
Kalamai · Mihi · Mahalo · Aloha
(Kalamai, Mihi, Mahalo, Aloha)
Kalamai — Please give me light
Mihi — To acknowledge/accept
Mahalo — Thank you/gratitude
Aloha — Love/harmony/awakening
I have added Ho'oponopono words to my greeting.
The estimated reading time for this article is about 3 minutes.
It's short, so I think it's just right.
I want to convey the charm of the ukulele!!!
Sorry for shouting so suddenly!
But that's how much
the ukulele wave is coming lately.
Actually,
this article has been sleeping in my drafts for a long time, but
since I decided to start streaming my ukulele practice on stand.fm starting this month,
I wanted to convey 'why the ukulele' before that,
so I decided to finish writing it.
I started the ukulele one year ago.
Until then, I had repeatedly tried and failed at playing and singing with a guitar,
and I had been searching for a good instrument.
I also tried the piano, but
it was even harder to play and sing than with the guitar,
so I gave up on that too.
At that time,
I happened to see a video on YouTube of Kiyosaku Uezu, the vocalist of MONGOL800,
singing "Chiisana Koi no Uta" with a ukulele,
"This is it!"
I thought.
Chiisana Koi no Uta / Kiyosaku (MONGOL800, UKULELE GYPSY) x Kennel Aoki x RIRIKA - Acoustic sound flowing at sunset [Okinawa Beachside Session 1/5]
What was stressful about the guitar
The stress I felt with the guitar was
that my fingers couldn't reach and muting was a hassle.
"I hardly ever use the 5th and 6th strings, and
I felt they weren't necessary for me" all along.
At first, I had an image of the ukulele as an "instrument for seniors," so I had excluded it from my options, but
when I looked into it thinking that if there are only 4 strings, I might be able to play and sing,
I found it deep and interesting!
And "This is definitely going to be popular" I was convinced.
In fact, there are many more people who can play it overseas than in Japan, and
many people can play simple songs to some extent from the very first day.
Types and features of ukuleles
There are several sizes of ukuleles.
Soprano - The image of what is commonly called a "typical ukulele"Concert - Often used by professionals or for solo performances
Tenor - Not many people use it, but I've realized it's perfect for singing while playing
Baritone
Personally,
I recommend a tenor or baritone for singing while playing.
Since the baritone is unique, I would like to explain it in another article.
(Simply put, the tuning is different from a regular ukulele and is the same as the 1st to 4th strings of a guitar.)
Because the strings on soprano and concert ukuleles are short, the tuning is less stable, and people with large hands may find it difficult to press the chords.
It might actually be a size for advanced players.
It might actually be a size for advanced players.
There are still more benefits to the ukulele
Because the ukulele has a smaller body, I think you can buy one with similar specs for about a third of the price of a guitar. Also, because it has fewer strings, the chords are much easier to press.
The appeal of the ukulele does not end here.
I will introduce more in future articles.
The ukulele is an instrument that I intuitively felt I would continue playing for the rest of my life.
I am writing this with the hope that its charm will reach as many people as possible.
Since the ukulele is truly accessible and highly recommended, I want to share it with as many people as I can,
so I plan to write short articles and compile them into a magazine.
Thank you for staying with me until the end.