Why Ukulele Is the Perfect Choice

by | May 16, 2021 | Musical instruments

Let’s find out why ukulele is the perfect choice for a beginner who is looking for his first musical instrument to play.

So, you like music. You think you’d like to play an instrument. But, you live in an apartment or dorm, so you don’t have a lot of space. You don’t want to spend a lot of money. A quiet instrument would be a big plus. And you need an instrument that can grow with you.  The ukulele is portable, inexpensive, soothing and fun. It comes in many sizes to fit the person playing it. This is why it’s the perfect choice!

The ukulele is portable

A soprano ukulele can easily fit into a backpack. In fact, I put one on the back of my road bike when I rode across Iowa a few summers ago! That way I could stop and play a song with other people whenever I wanted. You can read more about my trip here.

Because the ukulele is so portable, it easily fits in an apartment or dorm room. You can even hang it on the wall as a work of art.

The ukulele is inexpensive

You can get an entry-level ukulele for under $50-$100. And it sounds good. You can even get a water-proof ukulele for outdoor trips.

The ukulele is quiet and soothing

If you live in a dorm or apartment, having an instrument that doesn’t bother the neighbors is essential. The ukulele is a quiet instrument that you can play at any time. You will not bother anyone and you’ll increase your own happiness and joy with the beautiful sounds.

If you join a ukulele club, the ukulele is quiet enough that 30 people can all play and sing at once without painful overstimulation. (I don’t think I’d want to hear 30 trumpeters in one room at a time!)

The sound is joyful and soothing. But don’t take my word for it. Look at what Eddie and the ukulele buzz site have to say about the ukulele’s sound.

The ukulele might be small in size but the sound it produces is rich, full, and entertaining. Another reason why people like the ukulele is because of the calmness of the sound it produces. Unlike other types of instruments, the ukulele does not produce any annoying sounds. ukulelebuzz

 

Life is serious. Life can also be tough. Maybe you’re having a horrible day at work, perhaps burnt out, or stressed out about the bills and other stuff you’ve got to take care of. Playing the ukulele makes you smile.  Eddie

The ukulele comes in many sizes

How to choose the perfect ukulele size

You can always try another size. The soprano, concert, and tenor ukuleles all tune the same to GCEA so you can easily switch from one to another. The main difference is that adult hands are often more comfortable on the tenor. Children are sometimes more comfortable on the soprano. Once you can play a little on your entry-level ukulele, try out different sizes to see which one fits you best.

Many ukulele players have more than one ukulele. They use one for traveling and one for singing and strumming. When you get more advanced you can use one for chord melody and one for playing clawhammer in a fiddle band. With the tenor and concert sizes you can get low G tuning instead of the re-entrant tuning pictured above. This makes the sound more mellow like a guitar.

Different types of ukuleles sound better in different styles of music. You’ll feel good about yourself because you keep switching instruments for different sounds. You’re playing the ukulele but with the different tunings and sounds, you can play all types of music and have fun.

The ukulele is fun

With its portability and beautiful sound, the ukulele is a ton of fun! You’ll be playing in no time and will be able to play music in all kinds of styles. If you’re not a singer, join in with other people who are. You can sing and play around a campfire and share the gift of music with everyone you care about.

When you take your ukulele to your next community get-together, you’ll be thrilled. You’ll realize why ukulele is the perfect choice, indeed.

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  1. Teach a Rest Position

Create a standard position players use whenever they are listening:

  • Place the ukulele flat against the body.
  • Rest the strumming hand gently on the strings.
  • Keep both hands still.
  • Look toward the leader.

Call it “rest position” and demonstrate it at the group’s first meeting. Use the same phrase consistently: “Ukuleles in rest position, please.”

This physically mutes the strings and gives everyone a clear visual signal that playing has stopped.

  1. Use One Attention Signal

Choose a signal that can be seen or heard across the room. Possibilities include:

  • Raising one hand
  • Playing a short, distinctive chord
  • Saying, “Rest position”

Explain the signal before rehearsal begins: “When you see my hand raised, finish the chord you are playing, mute your strings, and look up.”

Avoid competing with the group by repeatedly talking over the instruments. Give the signal, pause, and wait until everyone is ready.

  1. Set a Clear “No Noodling” Expectation

Many players noodle because they are excited, nervous, practicing a difficult chord, or unaware that it is distracting. Address the behavior without embarrassing anyone.

Try saying:

“Between songs, please mute your strings so everyone can hear the instructions. We’ll always give you a moment to check chords before we begin.”

Then build short, intentional practice windows into the session:

  • “Take 20 seconds to find the opening chord.”
  • “Quietly check the change from C to G7.”
  • “Let’s try that strum together once.”

Players are more likely to stop playing at random when they know when practice is welcome.

  1. Amplify the Leader, Not the Entire Room

In larger groups, a small microphone, portable speaker, or amplified ukulele can save the leader’s voice and make directions easier to follow. Amplification should provide clarity—not to overpower the players.

Test the equipment before the session, position the speaker where everyone can hear it, and keep spoken instructions short. A microphone cannot replace an attention routine, but it makes a good routine much more effective.

  1. Create Predictable Transitions

Noodling often fills uncertainty. Tell players exactly what is happening next:

    1. “Finish the final chord.”
    2. “Rest position.”
    3. “Turn to page 14.”
    4. “Find a C chord.”
    5. “Watch for my count-in.”

Use a visible or audible count-in before every song. Once players learn that nothing begins until the leader counts them in, spontaneous starts become less common.

6. Operate iPads for music.

Many ukulele groups read off iPads, and everyone buys the same app. forScore is one of the common ones, but don’t get anything until the group leader tells you which one they use. From there, the leader or the singer/songwriter shares the music by AirDrop, so everyone is reading off the same page. Corrections land with the whole group at once, and nobody is working from an outdated copy.

 

A Simple Group Agreement

At the beginning of a session, say:

“To help everyone hear and learn, we use rest position whenever someone is speaking. When I raise my hand, please mute your strings and look up. You’ll have time to check chords before each song, and we’ll always start together on the count-in.”

The goal is not silence for its own sake. It is to create a group in which instructions are brief, rehearsals move smoothly, and everyone gets more time to make music together.

 

Here’s a list of etiquette expectations from ukulele group members to make the group learning more effective and fruitful for everyone. 

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