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Why the Ukulele is the Perfect Instrument to Start Playing
"I tell every customer who walks into the showroom the same thing: 'Sooner or later, I'm going to create a ukulele course for non-musicians.'"
The hardest part of taking on the daunting task of learning a musical instrument is that there's just too much to know. It's already tough to follow discussions between musicians—a mix of incomprehensible language, mathematical calculations, and rules you've never heard of... If we add obstacles like:
- Constant practice
- Correct posture
- Sore fingers
- A sense of rhythm
...the desire to start can vanish in an instant. If you're one of those people who thinks this way, I have great news for you: the ukulele is the ideal instrument for you.
But, you have to follow these six rules:
1. Don't rush
You'll discover that with just one chord, you can already play some really fun songs. The important thing is that you always have fun!!! If you find something too complicated or boring, don't treat it like an obligation you have to face right away with hours of frustrating study. That will surely lead to negative results and you risk losing your enthusiasm.
My advice: Try to alternate the more complicated stuff with things you're better at. Ten minutes of difficult practice followed by ten minutes of pure fun playing a song you already know is more effective than an hour of frustration.
2. You don't have to be a virtuoso to play
Most of you are driven by the desire to sing and play songs while accompanying yourselves on a musical instrument. To do this, you don't need to know all the chords by heart or have a perfect sense of rhythm, let alone any knowledge of music theory. There are various levels at which you can play a song, and they all have equal value if they make us happy. You can simplify chords, find less complex rhythms, or use visual aids. The result might be less "cool," but it will have allowed you to finally feel like "the King of the Rock."
3. Don't lose your enthusiasm
Our own head is our worst enemy. If what we're doing doesn't excite us, laziness or discouragement will win out. So, to avoid this, do things you enjoy. Who's to say you can't fully enjoy the passion of playing even if you only play a C chord for your entire life?
4. Find teachers who ignite your passion
I'm convinced that the best teacher isn't the most technically skilled, but the one who helps you grow by following your passions. There's a big difference between a book and an in-person lesson: in the first case, we adapt to the author; in the latter, at least in principle, it's the other way around.
5. Start with a serious instrument
I didn't say expensive, to be clear. When we start, we shouldn't think about anything other than having fun, so let's immediately avoid instruments that constantly go out of tune, that sound objectively bad, or that have obvious defects like sharp fret ends. Trust reliable sellers!
6. Perform right away!
In the courses I teach, I have an ambitious goal: a public concert after a maximum of 5 lessons. Not a recital for relatives, but a real concert. Most of the time the result is technically poor, but afterward, all I see are smiles. Enthusiasm overcomes all barriers and is highly motivating.
"If this is the result after less than a month, imagine after a year!"
Playing in front of people pushes you to share and always find motivation. So don't get stuck playing in your bedroom for relatives who are forced to listen to the same song 20 thousand times... just go for it!!
So, Where Do You Start?
As you've seen, learning to play the ukulele isn't a matter of innate talent, but of approach. It's not an impossible mission, but a journey to be enjoyed step by step. These six rules aren't musical techniques, but tips for keeping the most important flame alive: the flame of fun.
Now that you have the right mindset, you're ready for the first concrete step.
The First Step: Choosing Your Travel Companion
It all starts with choosing the right ukulele for you. A good instrument will make your life easy and the journey enjoyable. A bad instrument can turn enthusiasm into frustration. To help you make the perfect choice and avoid the most common mistakes, I've prepared a video guide just for you.
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