Embrace the Joy of Music by Learning Ukulele

by | Apr 26, 2020 | Musical instruments

Right now as many of us are sheltering in place, we have time on our hands. Several folks are learning something new. Many embrace the joy of music by learning the ukulele.

When you learn like a child, you can lose your inner critic. As adults we often berate ourselves when we don’t learn right away. We allow our expectations  to get in the way of learning. 

If you are willing to learn like a child, you will do something over and over again until you get it. Anyone who’s watched a baby learn to walk can see the determination of the baby in developing this skill. Well, that’s what learning ukulele can be like. You can become so absorbed in what you’re doing, that your mind becomes free of all the stresses around you.

 

Embrace Your Inner Child

I recently gave a lesson to someone who wanted to return to her ukulele. She described her day job as giving her inner PTSD.  She wanted to get away from that. And she felt that playing music would help her access her joy.

Laugh at Yourself

During the lesson many  things that went wrong from breaking a string to messing up reading lyrics in a song. My student was laughing at herself before long and had returned to the joy that children have when they are engaged with learning something new.

The Ukulele Is Soft, Gentle and Rewarding

At school, I teach children one of the hardest instruments around, the violin. However, the kids don’t get frustrated. When their sound is screeching and out of tune, they look at me and say, “Why is it doing that?” The child’s not causing the noise. Rather it’s the violin that is screechy. There is no inner criticism, simply an observation.

So, I answer the question. I explain how they can fix it. The child says, “Oh, I see” and tries again.

We’re lucky that the ukulele is much more forgiving than the violin with its beautiful gentle sounds and soft strings. The ukulele will reward with all of its joy and gentleness.

Children are used to learning new things. They’re used to being beginners and trying until they get it.  Along the way, they experience joy in learning.

So now, in this time of sheltering in place, embrace your inner child, and try something new. Embrace the joy of music by learning ukulele. Pick the ukulele and learn how to play! You’ll be glad that you did.

 

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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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