Today’s topic is – ukulele for beginner players. The guitar is one of the most popular instruments among new faces in the world of music. There are plenty of reasons for this; the most common one is that everyone, deep inside, fantasizes about being a rock star. But all the jokes aside, the guitar provides simplicity and accessibility for beginners which many other instruments often lack. For instance, in a matter of a few months, you’ll be able to build a solid repertoire of some of your favorite songs, by using the knowledge of basic music theory and implementing some simple chords.
However, starting out on the guitar may be discouraging to some, and there are a few reasons for that. For instance, many guitar beginners are constantly complaining about callouses and overall lack of stamina in their fretting hand. The other reason is that it’s not that simple to figure out how the fretboard works. Contrary to keyboards, the layout and the distribution of notes can be somewhat confusing.
If you want to start playing guitar but feel like you could struggle with it, why not get a ukulele? As this particular issue is not uncommon, we figured we could do a brief guide and explain why ukulele is a great instrument for beginners before they switch over to the guitar. Here are some reasons.
Ukulele for beginner players: It’s pretty simple to learn
The first, and the most obvious reason, is that it’s far simpler. There are only four strings, and usually up to 15 or 16 frets. The tuning is different and relies on a different principle, although it is accustomed to all the basic chords. Although G-C-E-A is the most common tuning, there are also a few other options for ukulele.
This being a significantly smaller instrument than the guitar, it’s way easier to wrap your hand around the neck and press on the strings. Another reason why it makes it an easier choice is the fact that ukulele features nylon strings. Meanwhile, acoustic guitars come with metal strings, which can feel uncomfortable.
There are plenty of resources and tabs online that will help you learn a few basic chords and a solid repertoire of songs. In a matter of days or weeks, you’ll already be able to play a few tunes. After a while, you’ll get accustomed and would move on to conventional acoustic or electric guitar.
Price
Being smaller, the ukulele is usually quite cheaper compared to an acoustic guitar. The price can be discouraging, as they’re still not sure whether they’ll stick to the guitar or not. Ukulele is the safe way of knowing, without spending more money than you’d like. And even if you do give up on it, you always have a ukulele to mess around with!
Ukulele for beginner players: Versatility
One great thing about the ukulele is that there are so many different arrangements of famous songs. Almost any pop and classic rock songs have ukulele arrangements. Entire songbooks, as well as chord charts and tablature databases, are available these days. So it’s a very accessible instrument at this point.
Ukulele is getting increasingly popular
Another great reason is that the ukulele is becoming more and more popular. In recent years, you’ve probably got the chance to hear many ukulele covers on YouTube or other streaming platforms. At the same time, a lot of artists are slowly incorporating this simple little instrument in their original music. It seems that we’ll be hearing it a lot in the future.
You can take it almost anywhere with you
Compared to guitars, ukuleles are significantly smaller. This means that you can take one anywhere with you. Regular guitars, on the other hand, are somewhat impractical in this sense. They’re longer and larger, making it more difficult to take them on a trip or anywhere else.
Ukulele is just really fun and rewarding for beginner players
Above all, the ukulele is very fun to play. Whether you’re spending time with friends, family, or by yourself, you can always take it and just play and sing any of the countless songs you’ve learned.
In addition, the ukulele is very rewarding. As we said, you can cover the basic concepts pretty fast, and see the progress almost immediately. Combined with the fact that it’s a really fun instrument to play, the ukulele is a good choice for those who struggle with motivation. With each step in your progress, you’ll get more motivated to learn more and eventually take over your knowledge on the guitar.
Everything you learn can easily be transferred to guitar
While we’re at it, it’s really important to note that everything you learn on the ukulele can be transferred to the guitar. While the standard tuning is different, and you have fewer strings, the basic principles are the same. First and foremost, you’ll build up your callouses and fretting hand strength. Yes, it will definitely be more challenging on the conventional 6-string guitar, but starting with a ukulele can make it easier, compared to the scenario where you take up the guitar right away.
Another important aspect is that you’ll be able to learn some basic strumming and fingering patterns on a ukulele; which is something that many guitar students often struggle with for months. Ukulele will just provide a very simplified and entertaining way of covering this.
Last, but not the least, you’ll get familiar with intervals and basic music theory on a simpler instrument. And just like every other aspect, you’ll be able to transfer this knowledge to the guitar later on.
Image source: Wikipedia
