You know you're a pro when you can say "boobelele" without skipping a beat. Do you always keep your whole thumb rested on the neck or do you ever use the pad of your thumb to brace your hand? I think I need to work on my finger strength. Thanks for the video James!
I've mostly relied on a strap over the years, but thought I'd give these suggestions a try. I'm working on "Santa Lucia" in Level 4 of "The Ukulele Way" and I guess I was concentrating so hard I didn't notice I'd done the whole practice without a strap! So thank you! 👍
Do you NOT recommend a strap? I prefer one so that my body/brain energy isn't being expended just trying to hold the uke, as light as it is. Thanks so much for all your very heplful and encouraging tutorials. You make it seem easy, which means you practise, a lot!
Thanks for the simple explanation of what almost every ukulele player struggles with in the beginning. You are right... not all of these ideas will work for everyone. So many variables from the human anatomy and the different instruments. An evenly weight balanced instrument is super helpful here. Also depends on what style of music you play. I have to adjust my very long forearms when I'm fingerpicking because I need to be closer to the sound hole and the wrist position can become awkward while cradling the soundboard with my forearm. And things really become fun when I switch from tenor to soprano 😂
Thanks for the video. Some instructors recommend that you put your hand below the uke without touching it with the side as you mentioned. How is this even possible though? If you aren't using the strap, you need the base of your index finger to support the fretboard, or else it will just slide down.
Doesn't work for that pesky E chord I'm still trying to master. Any transition to the E leaves the neck unsupported. Love your videos though. Keep it up!
Thank you of this video! I have played ukulele almost in the same position as I play normal sized concert guitar. With the bigger ones (tenor, baritone, guitaleles) it goes ok - but the small ones (soprano and concert size) I still have problems even in sitting position - I do not want to fall over the instrument either. I would not like to harm the body of an instrument with strap buttons - so when I need to stand, I either put my left leg on stool or use that kind of strap, that does not go ever the shoulders, but only over the neck and has a hook to been put on the sound hole. I have now understood I must think the smaller ones a bit like as playing violin. Must now also think the idea of friction given from right arm - seems logical! I namely even have over my left leg, under the guitar a piece of chamois to keep the guitar steady, so why not to keep the ukulele steady with own skin... or maybe get an extra sleeve made of some material of good friction?
I'm going to give this a try. Maybe I have to learn to form the chords a little differently, but it's been very frustrating to find a left-hand position that provides the support you're showing and still allows me to finger all the chords. We shall see!
Your Ukulele playing is just wonderful. I saw you perform with the chopstick and the comb ....how did you even figure out how to do that!? Hip Hop Ukulele with Usher's YEAH! simply amazing.
Makes sense... two points of contact; got it! Perhaps maintaining one's fretting hand against the neck, could/should reduce wayward hand movement while changing chords?
Yvainnie me too. I’ve tried his method, and sometimes even with my strap my boobs totally make it more difficult to have the ukulele where I actually do want it to be- which is why I just suck it up and use he strap
He mentioned a lady who had a special one made she called the boobalele. She had it made by Rob Collins at tin guitar in Hebden Bridge UK. She is called Clarice by the way.
Just checked this out and have tried but can't master it yet - my 'anatomy' gets in the way and trying to concentrate on correct holding position is an added distraction - will work on it. I do have a problem, though, with increasing pain in my left shoulder (fretting side) so wonder what I am doing wrong? I seem to be developing a 'frozen' shoulder and have to exercise my shoulder (painful) to try to release the build up of tension. Any advice please?
James, you continue to be an absolute treasure. But since you got your hair cut, you strike me as the responsible suburban version of yourself. I kind of miss the lazy surfer dude who absolutely killed it while playing Billie Jean. Keep on strumming, man! Same soul, different body.
I would definitely have to try hard to get used to the fret hand placement. I find a chord like Em really hard to play without pressing my thumb on the back of the neck and leaving my hand open wide.
I’m a newbie ukulele player but an old (in every way) guitar player, and I found myself solving the Em problem by fingering a G chord and using my pinkie to fret the C string at the 4th fret. It gives my fingers a more solid “structure” and for me is easy to move into and out of. There may be reasons not to do this but I haven’t found one yet.
haha same. I sit with my legs crossed and then the bottom corner of the body (of the uke) rests on my leg and then i have it at an angle so that the neck rest in the side of my hand. Not the best way to hold it cos now if i want to play standing up, well then there are some issues but wth it works.
Holding my ukulele is 1000x easier if I do it shirtless (which is how I usually practice), because the instrument has friction on its back with my stomach skin in addition to on its front with my forearm skin. However I'm concerned that if I perform shirtless, my incredible body will distract the audience from the music. I'm searching for a way to create friction between the ukulele back and my shirt fabric. Maybe band-aids will work?
I found those two videos: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8EmGkISnSAU.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-PomsIbc5gjk.html
Smaller hands, shorter fingers... I can't reach all chords while resting in the area of the hand you recommend. :o( I have an issue with the neck dropping.
I have not so big hands, either, but have played guitar since my youth. So I play ukuleles ( tenor and baritone and guileles) ) in almost the same position as I play (classical normal sized ) guitar: I have 3 points to hold the position: left leg, right forearm and chest/upper body - and the neck of the instrument is then free: I drop down my left wrist, and so it is easy to reach bigger leaps between frets (the fingers are more vertical) But I have had difficulties then with that technique in soprano and concert size ukuleles (the space is so small between frets!) For me it seems to help if I with the little ones think them more like holding on a violin - and there is a holding point the same way like seems to v´be in this tutoral video - I even have a feeling I can in the small ones reach the frets/chords a little better when I think the direction of fingers to be towards the opposite shoulder (Like J.H said in some other teaching session)
Me too. Drives me nuts . I finger pick most things and have to brace my thumb in the middle of the neck. My hand has to sit at like a 45° angle on some chords like Eb. I don't have a prayer of reaching them otherwise. I don't like the high voice of a soprano so play concert. When say I have small hands I mean that I have other woman players who have a half to whole fingertip in length on me. Groan. People say "oh kids can do it." Well their hands are more flexible than mine at 65. I think learning an instrument at a young age will give you a lot of muscle memory too. Oh well I Work with what I have and just know I'll never be that good. Its just for me anyway. 😊
