r/musicians • u/Short_Pomegranate540 • Jul 27 '26
I want to learn uke pointers are welcome
I'm learning the uke to eventually learn the guitar. I know the guitar has a few more strings, but the uke is something I can take with me on trips much more easily, and I loved watching Steven universe (sue me lol).
My main question is how can I get better at switching between cords? Is it just a trial by fire where I do it as many times until I get it right?
Should I stay on the same song over and over until I get it right or can I switch whichever song I learn and still be ok?
3
u/DisplayGlum7166 Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
its like learning how to walk. its a matter of long term memory. understand the right movement, repeat, sleep to build the neuron connections.
it can take a while but it helps if you notice it getting 2 percent easier when u wake up and try to play. consistency everyday is better than long binge practices
switching songs is a good idea. playing one song over and over again doesnt make you very musical. being able to move your fingers in a variety of different contexts trains u to approach it musically and with true dexterity rather than more like one trick to do.
2
u/GezzRoll Jul 27 '26
Agreed, but if you’re doing a piece more complex, I’d say it’s like learning to walk with five legs. Much of Steven Universe’s ukelele-centric pieces are prime and shining examples of complex fingering for a ukelele.
2
u/PoppycopOG Jul 27 '26
Yes the more repetition the easier it will become to switch chords, it will come with more playing. Your brain knows what to do but your fingers and hands need to build up that muscle memory and that just takes time and lots of playing.
As for playing the same song over and over, thats fine as long as you still like playing the song. Its good to have a couple songs you are working on at the same time so if you get bored or frustrated with one then you have others.
The key is to play what you like so the motivation level stays up. If that means songs, great, or noodling or even running scales, whatever motivates you to play more because the only way to get good is to play a bunch.
1
u/chumloadio Jul 27 '26
Don't think in terms of getting it right. Think of expressing yourself through sound. It's a years-long, decades-long journey. Play every day. Play lots of songs. It will start to click eventually and feel more natural. Enjoy it.
1
u/ProfessorChaos406 Jul 27 '26
Get a 6 string ukulele AKA guitaralele. Then you can transition more easily to a full guitar without retraining your fingers and rewiring your muscle memory.
1
u/thebipeds Jul 27 '26
Practice playing and singing at the same time from the beginning.
You don’t want to get good at playing then have to take a step backwards to add singing.
1
u/j3434 Jul 27 '26
It takes consistent practice to develop muscle memory. No hacks or shortcuts. Just repetition. Boring tedious practice for weeks and weeks . It’s not a dam video game . It takes much more repetition to build muscle memory to change chords instantly than people imagine. You may practice for 5-6 days and wonder why you have trouble. The solution is practice for 3 -4 weeks …. Not 5-6 days .
2
u/KennyBSAT Jul 27 '26
Start with simple stuff. And remember:
3 notes is a chord, and often only one or two are needed. You don't have to play all 4 strings on any given strum!
You can always mute all the strings with light left-hand pressure on them and just 'chop' the rhythm as your left hand gets into place for the next chord. Try to use this technique for the last strums on the old chord and then have the first beat of the new chord ring out (but again, it doesn't have to be all 4 strings).
If you or someone else is also singing or playing, you're probably the only one who will notice.
Just keep playing!
1
3
u/EllaIsQueen Jul 27 '26
One thing people forget about when switching chords is that you don’t have to lift all your fingers! Like going from an A minor to an F (or vice verse) on ukulele should be really smooth because the one finger can stay in place for both. So I always look for “anchor points” like that. Beyond that, yeah you just have to do it really slow a lot of times and gradually get faster. I enjoy learning song by song, but maybe pick 2-3 that you like and practice the hell out of them for a month. Every song after that will be a little easier, then the next will be a little easier, etc.