Learn to Play the Ukulele (No Lessons!) Part 1 - The Basics

Aloha!

Alright, I'm no music teacher, but this post will give you a guide to follow to become a self-taught ukulele player. I would say I taught myself to play well in a little over five months. But, I was able to start playing songs after only a few weeks. Below are the steps you should follow if you would like to teach yourself to play.

Step One - Acquiring your Uke

I started off by playing on a uke I borrowed from a friend, and if you can, I would recommend you do the same. Too often people go out and buy expensive instruments only to give up on it in a few weeks. To avoid this, I suggest doing a "test run" and playing a borrowed uke for close to a month. Now, whether your ready to buy your first uke or you weren't able to borrow one in the first place, what should you get? Remember, start cheap! The difference between a $100 ukulele and a $500 one are noticeable, but also won't make or break how your playing sounds. I recommend starting with a tenor ukulele over a soprano if you have larger hands. This will make the chord easier to play. DO NOT start with a baritone! A baritone uke has a different tuning than the others, and more resembles a guitar than a ukulele in sound. Therefore, the chords will be different and you'll be learning how to play a 4-string guitar instead of the ukulele. Below are some good cost-efficient beginner ukes.


https://kalabrand.com/collections/satin-mahogany-ukulele/products/ka-s
https://kalabrand.com/collections/exotic-mahogany-ukulele/products/ka-sem
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J49MFHY/ref=twister_B0185RQT3G?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Step Two - Getting Started

The first things you need to learn are basic chords and how to strum. The first chords you should learn are F, A minor, G, and C. These are all easy chords, and with them you can play a variety of songs! Here are some links to learn how to strum and play these chords.

How to Strum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eqH_jZp1Ow
Chords https://ukuguides.com/tips/basic-ukulele-chords-for-beginning-players/

To practice, I would play simple strum patterns with a simple chord progressions. Below are some exercises to try out! (Note: "d" signifies a down stroke, "u" and up stroke, and a space for a rest)

Chords: C - Am - F - G

Pattern: dduudu once on each chord


Chords: Am - C- G

Pattern: ddddu once on Am and C, and twice on G


Chords: Am - G - C - F

Pattern: dd udu once on each chord


Step Three: Playing Songs

I learned how to play the uke from watching youtube videos mostly, and no one is better than the Ukulele Teacher! I will post some links down below to easy songs. This is the absolute BEST way to learn! Just keep practicing and playing!

Playlist of asy songs:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvcoWGhnkDmhQjWXKVAkM34Qx3bxbHTn3

My top picks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12L5oWMUGAI&list=PLvcoWGhnkDmhQjWXKVAkM34Qx3bxbHTn3&index=56

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wftz-OvA7io&list=PLvcoWGhnkDmhQjWXKVAkM34Qx3bxbHTn3&index=30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFBFp6do9WE&list=PLvcoWGhnkDmjlDo_n8XAuJwmJe_uFGDR9&index=20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXGuIacVESk&list=PLvcoWGhnkDmjlDo_n8XAuJwmJe_uFGDR9&index=50

First Song I learned! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoFl8dXU-oY



Step Four: Keep Practicing!

If After about a month of playing and practicing, you should be able to play a few of the songs above! Once you've done this, keep learning new and more difficult chords and play more songs! From here on out, you should be set on your own path to teaching yourself to play the ukulele! Check out part 2 (coming soon) to take the next steps!

George Watsky: Poet to Rapper

George Watsky is an American poet turned rapper who has now published his first book. In 2009, he released his same-name debut mixtape, and mostly recently released the album "x infinity" earlier this year. Despite having a near sold out tour and having his album reach number four on the Billboard rap chart, he hasn't always been known for his rap.
Watsky began as a slam poet specializing in spoken word. Spoken word is a form of poetry written to be performed rather than read. It emphasizes rhyme scheme and wordplay, and to have an overall appeal to the ear. At the age of 18, he became the "bay state champion", winning nearly a dozen slams in 2005 before his team placed fourth in the national championship that same year. In 2006, he featured on the sixth season od Def Poetry on HBO. That year he also won placed first at the National Youth Poetry Slam in San Francisco.


Leading up to 2009, Watsky had begun to pick up a following on YouTube, where he began to release his first rap songs, including "Headphones" and "Who's Been Loving You?. Watsky had always loved rap, but had never considered it to be a career path for him. He began rapping in middle school, using it as a way to combat his awkward social skills. Whether it be battle rapping a teacher he didn't like, or stealing the mic from a DJ at a middle school dance to free style, he was always looking for an excuse to show off. After a few successful songs on YouTube, he released his first mixtape "Watsky".
Watsky's big break came in 2010, when a video titled "Pale kid raps fast" went viral, exposing him to a much larger crowd, and gaining him steady popularity. To this day he acknowledges that this video was the catalyst of his career, saying it's "probably the only reason I'm here". He achieved a large enough of a fan base to have a tour to accompany his 2012 mixtape "Nothing like the First Time".
Later that year, he signed a record deal with Steel Wool Media, a label which would let him keep many of the rights of an independent artist.

In 2013, Watsky released "Cardboard Castles" followed by "All You Can Do" in 2014. Cardboard Castles reached the number the top spot on the US, UK, and CAN iTunes charts, his only album ever to do so. Both albums had sold out tours, and the All You Can Do tour covered four continents with over 60 shows, and featured Watsky's live band "Crème Fraiche".
In 2016, he released "x infinity", as he tour for the album is currently in progress. He still incorporates spoken word into his music today, with songs like "Never Let it Die" and "Springtime in New York". His raps reflects many of the same aspects of his poetry, a dedication to wordplay and clever rhyming.

I love the story of Watsky almost as much as I love his music. To me, a poet becoming a rapper illustrates that rap can truly be an art form. Exploiting the devices of language is a unique skill, and there are few who do it better than Watsky. I look forward to attending his concert in Boston later this month.

A Modern Industry

20 years ago, the only people releasing albums and mixtapes were artists who either signed record deals or had paid a professional studio. Today, just about anyone can create an album and release it. Services such as YouTube and Soundcloud allow anyone to share their music with the world, and anyone can use iTunes to sell their music if there is an audience to buy it. This allows artists who may not have been discovered otherwise to make a career out of music.
This has a brought a new meaning to the term "underground" artist. 20 years ago, this would be the unsigned artist paying a professional studio to record/mix their album. Now, many of these artists are creating music without ever paying a studio. Really, it only takes a few hundred dollars to create a home studio (excluding the price of a laptop or computer). Artists can network with producers from all over the world, who are often willing to collaborate for free, or for a very low price. This allows a great number of people to produce near studio quality albums from their own homes.
I am personally thankful for this innovation, as it has allowed me to hear a great amount of music I may have not heard otherwise. If you don't use Soundcloud, I would highly recommend it. Using it will allow you discover new music that you wouldn't otherwise be exposed to.
Who knows, maybe you or someone you know will be the next artist producing a home studio album.


Thanks to my friend Matteo for developing the version of the "Media Cycle" theory I used in this post.

The Goodbye Post

Well, this will be my last post on this blog. I hope I could expand your musical horizons and share my thoughts on music with you. Maybe you learned something, maybe not. Either way, it's been fun to be able to keep this blog. Remember to never be afraid to like any type of music. Whether it be mainstream rap, Pop you hear on the radio, underground hip-hop, heavy metal, nerdcore, house, local artists, or whatever it is you like. There is no reason to not listen to what you enjoy, but there is also no reason to not try new music. As for me, I have no career as a musician. But, that doesn't mean I won't be involved in the underground music scene. In the future, I will be working as a songwriter, producer, and creative consultant with a few other friends/artists. So wish me luck!

- Tmain

EPIC Cypher on x infinity

Check out this ten minunte song featuring nine rappers including Wax, Watsky, and Dumbfounded! Incredible lyricism displayed here.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrHPTWTSFgc

Learn to Play the Ukulele (No Lessons!) Part 3 - What comes next?

So, if you've made it this far, your probably just as good, if not better, than me. So, what should we do now? Well, for one, we gotta keep practice. I challenge myself to learn a new song every one or two weeks. I'm also practicing my scales and improvising skills (which aren't quite there yet). I'm writing my own songs along side one of my friends. So, what about you? Have you considered writing your own music yet? Give it a shot!

I've also begin to begin trying new instruments. I recently acquired a baritone ukulele, and have begin to learn to play it, and with it I'm also learning the guitar. I think it's important to expand your musical arsenal. If you are looking to get a new ukulele, whether it be cause your ready for and upgrade or want to try a new sounding uke, I personally prefer Kala brand ukes. They also sell guitars and bases. They have everything from cheap fun ukes to good-priced quality ukes, and even an elite collection with prices ranging from $1,200-1,800!

Check them out! https://kalabrand.com/

The only thing to do now is practice. Play harder songs with faster chord changes, complicated strum/pick patterns, and memorize more chords. Once you've reached this point, it really is up to you now! You've successfully taught yourself to play, No teach yourself to get better!


Just for fun, take a look at the ukes I'm DYING to get! Their price tags aren't too much, and their unique sounds would be awesome to add to my collection.

https://kalabrand.com/collections/pacific-walnut-ukulele/products/ka-pwc

https://kalabrand.com/collections/solid-spruce-top-flame-maple-ukulele/products/ka-fmsg

Is Poetry Music?

Honestly, that's for you to decide. Though they are similar, I would not say they are same. There is definitely a cross over, and some poetry is music, but not all of it is. They are both art forms that can stand alone or be joined together. Check out these videos and see for yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6n8TG5n45Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GvTLfV8fls

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja-n5qUNRi8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbeK6_R4dFU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcIwZ1Dth0c