I played violin for nearly 12 years but haven't picked up an instrument in decades. I'm feeling the need for music making in my life now but don't want the pain of a bowed instrument. I thought about mandolin and still may get one but am looking hard at the ukulele.
Anyone play one now?
Bass guitarist here. I can't speak to the ukulele, but I do own a mandolin that I tool around with periodically. I don't know if it's the semi-exoticness of it, or the fullness of the sound with the doubled strings, but it's just a lot of fun to noodle around and experiment with - everything just sounds cooler than it would on a guitar or bass. It's also tuned like a violin (GG-DD-AA-EE) so you'll be right at home pretty quickly. Not to take away from the ukulele though...just my experience!
I really need to get back into learning guitar. I didn't get very far and it has been so long I feel I am just back to square one.
Clarinet and saxophone here. Beauty of working at a boarding school is now I am part of the band and chorus with the kids so it keeps me active playing it.
I play trumpet in the house band for our local performing arts center. I was actually recruited by my former employee when he heard that I had played trumpet for college mariachi group. Music has always been a fun hobby/interest for me so I joined up with the house band. With the exception of a couple people who were professional musician, most of us are just folks that like coming together for a fun jazz session.
Currently I'm learning piano and guitar just because I'm interested. Also my father-in-law bought my kids a guitar, so I thought, well I should learn a little bit just in case they want to learn it and ever have any questions.
I am finding the whole business of three finger chords almost childishly easy. I need to print out a chord chart, but I am finding the going a lot easier than I thought I would. Right hand needs a bit of work, but I am sure that will come as well.
I am surprised by how pleasant the sound is even when produced by a rank beginner. Coming from violin where it takes four years to no longer make injurious noises, this is a wonderful surprise.
The one I borrowed from my nephew is a concert Uke, but I think I would feel a lot more comfortable with a tenor given my meaty fingers. I will probably order one by the end of the month.
Found a very nice mandolin on Craigslist that I might get as well. Watched a few youtube videos on it and it looks like I would be very much at home. Thinking that may be a next month thing.
I really need to get back into learning guitar. I didn't get very far and it has been so long I feel I am just back to square one.
Speaking of the guitar, I'm in the same boat. Anybody know of any good websites with videos/tutorials to help beginner guitarists? I'm looking at lessons but haven't found a place I like yet. At least this would get me started.
Wembley wrote:I really need to get back into learning guitar. I didn't get very far and it has been so long I feel I am just back to square one.
Speaking of the guitar, I'm in the same boat. Anybody know of any good websites with videos/tutorials to help beginner guitarists? I'm looking at lessons but haven't found a place I like yet. At least this would get me started.
Also, if you have an electric then rocksmith is a great tool for just getting you to play.
When i was 18 i got a teaching diploma for the electric organ and then stopped playing music for years! Then i somehow ended up playing timps in a concert band and now i'm learning horn! Aiming for my Grade 4 this Spring. Eep.
I have two tenors and a baritone. I enjoy them both, but it's a been a while since I took them out. Thanks for the reminder. I should really get back to that.
Just discovered uketabs.com. I can see this consuming several evenings.
Also, if you have an electric then rocksmith is a great tool for just getting you to play.
I second Rocksmith. That, along with Amplitube on iOS, opened up guitar playing for me. I ain't playing in front of a crowd, but those two tools helped me break through a wall I had hit.
I am a mediocre guitar player of some skill. Mostly chords and simple riffs learned from playing a lot of alternative rock in my bedroom during the 90s. I have Rocksmith and love what it's doing, but my current machine isn't really powerful enough to do it justice. Mostly I just use tabs and play along to mp3s or youtube videos of songs I like. I also second justinguitar.com.
I was very briefly in a co-worker cover band put together at an old job of mine. We played our company's holiday party, but disbanded afterward due to time commitments. It was a ton of fun while it lasted. I am in the striped sweater all the way on the left with the acoustic/electric.
Yes, it's true. Hockey player, guitar player, gamer, Java developer, 20% fluent in German on Duolingo. Truly, I am the 21st century Renaissance man.
Just discovered
uketabs.comhttps://ukutabs.com/. I can see this consuming several evenings.
FTFY
I've been considering picking up a ukulele. I don't play anything (fiddled around with the blues harp for a bit) but a friend of mine started playing and it was relatively easy for him though he's very musically inclined.
got to screw around with a mandolin in a music shop today. I think I need one of those.
Paleocon wrote:Just discovered
uketabs.comhttps://ukutabs.com/. I can see this consuming several evenings.FTFY
I've been considering picking up a ukulele. I don't play anything (fiddled around with the blues harp for a bit) but a friend of mine started playing and it was relatively easy for him though he's very musically inclined.
Generally speaking, any instrument with frets or keys is going to be relatively easy. The positioning is more forgiving, and the muscle memory is a lot easier to build up.
groan wrote:Paleocon wrote:Just discovered
uketabs.comhttps://ukutabs.com/. I can see this consuming several evenings.FTFY
I've been considering picking up a ukulele. I don't play anything (fiddled around with the blues harp for a bit) but a friend of mine started playing and it was relatively easy for him though he's very musically inclined.
Generally speaking, any instrument with frets or keys is going to be relatively easy. The positioning is more forgiving, and the muscle memory is a lot easier to build up.
I'm finding that out. And I am a little shocked at how many songs are basically just the repetition of the same 4 easy chords. As long as I have the strumming pattern down, I can already play nearly half the pop and folk song repertoire with just C, G, F, and Am. Looks like I will get to impress folks at St. Patty's Day since just about all of the Irish standards use the same four chords.
I'm finding that out. And I am a little shocked at how many songs are basically just the repetition of the same 4 easy chords. As long as I have the strumming pattern down, I can already play nearly half the pop and folk song repertoire with just C, G, F, and Am. Looks like I will get to impress folks at St. Patty's Day since just about all of the Irish standards use the same four chords.
Obligatory plug for the 4 Chord song.
According to the comments, he's playing E, B, C#m, A throughout the video, so using the chords you already know, that's the same as C, G, Am, F, but moved up two steps. On a guitar, you could put a capo on the 4th fret and play C, G, Am, F and it should sound just like the E, B, C#m, A in the video. I don't know how ukes and mandolins are tuned, or if capos even work on those things, so YMMV. I also don't have my guitar here, so I can't double-check.
A word of warning, he is transposing all of those songs up or down into the same key, so that same progression of E, B, C#m, and A won't work on the radio version of the originals. But some placement of a capo and C, G, Am, F should get you there.
3 and 4 chord patterns will get you through the vast majority of popular music. Until you hit the Beatles, anyway. 
Paleocon wrote:I'm finding that out. And I am a little shocked at how many songs are basically just the repetition of the same 4 easy chords. As long as I have the strumming pattern down, I can already play nearly half the pop and folk song repertoire with just C, G, F, and Am. Looks like I will get to impress folks at St. Patty's Day since just about all of the Irish standards use the same four chords.
Obligatory plug for the 4 Chord song.
According to the comments, he's playing E, B, C#m, A throughout the video, so using the chords you already know, that's the same as C, G, Am, F, but moved up two steps. On a guitar, you could put a capo on the 4th fret and play C, G, Am, F and it should sound just like the E, B, C#m, A in the video. I don't know how ukes and mandolins are tuned, or if capos even work on those things, so YMMV. I also don't have my guitar here, so I can't double-check.
A word of warning, he is transposing all of those songs up or down into the same key, so that same progression of E, B, C#m, and A won't work on the radio version of the originals. But some placement of a capo and C, G, Am, F should get you there.
3 and 4 chord patterns will get you through the vast majority of popular music. Until you hit the Beatles, anyway.
Then i somehow ended up playing timps in a concert band and now i'm learning horn!
French horn perhaps? 
I play horn for my bacon these days, so if you need any repertoire to practice hit me up.
I know of another professional musician on this forum. Any others off hand?
The more I research it, the more mandolin looks like the appropriate instrument for me.
Ah, a percussionist.
I know of another professional musician on this forum. Any others off hand?
I do declare!
I make farty noises for money. Most times it's fun.
I'm a mediocre guitar player with 20+ years of experience. I don't have a natural talent for the guitar but I have fun anyway. It helps to learn some basic music theory (scales, etc.) which I put off for years after starting to play.
Well, I finally broke down and bought a mando. It's a decent student instrument, but the action between the E and F is pretty stiff and the metal strings mean my index finger it very tender after just an hour of practice. Forgot how nice it was to have a really nice violin.
It took a little while to knock off the rust, but it is all coming back.
Discovered how much I still know from 12 years of violin. working on Kreutzer etude #2 on mandolin and finding it more enjoyable than when I was 10.
I never learned to play an instrument as a kid and kind of regret it. I've been thinking seriously about learning piano/keyboard.
I have an old keyboard from the late 90s at my parents' house that I tried out. It's hardly an ideal instrument but it sounds fine to my untrained ear. I was thinking of starting on that, and then if I stay with it maybe trading up for something better or getting some lessons.
I have tiny hands but I'm a fast typist so I was hoping I could learn to compensate. I was mostly planning on playing simple things and some video game pieces.
I have tiny hands but I'm a fast typist so I was hoping I could learn to compensate. I was mostly planning on playing simple things and some video game pieces.
You might try out the free demo of this: http://www.synthesiagame.com/.
Discovered how much I still know from 12 years of violin. working on Kreutzer etude #2 on mandolin and finding it more enjoyable than when I was 10.
It is amazing how much i remember from my youth. My fingers just still know where to go 15 years later.
Demyx wrote:I have tiny hands but I'm a fast typist so I was hoping I could learn to compensate. I was mostly planning on playing simple things and some video game pieces.
You might try out the free demo of this: http://www.synthesiagame.com/.
Thanks, I've seen that, and it does look fun, but I also really want to learn to read proper music, which I don't think that would help with very much.
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