A ukulele is fun if you seek an inexpensive, low-pressure, fast, and healthy way to unwind. It is one of the best instrument when it comes to playing your favorite tunes or songs. Also, you can use this instrument to write your music. This requires you to memorize chords. Also, you need to learn how to hold a ukulele and play it the right way. In this article, we will tell you how to pick and hold a ukulele. Read on!

How to hold a ukulele?

Before you begin playing the ukulele, you need to pick it up. Make sure you don’t swing it by the headstock. Also, you must use the ukulele hole to properly hold it. Sometimes, not holding it properly can cause warping around your neck and your body. So, you must learn how to properly pick up the ukulele. So, grab your ukulele by the neck so that the neck properly goes in line with the body.

There are different ways to hold your ukulele instrument. Make sure you are well-aware of the stance, for example, the correct position is necessary when you sit down. Also, the location of your hand is essential too. So, make sure you feel relax and comfortable.

Place the Ukulele against the chest

First, you must place the instrument against your chest. This is the right way to hold the instrument. It is important to hold it tightly with your forearm. No matter if you are using a right hand or left hand, the necessary thing is that your forearm is across the top edge of the ukulele’s lower part.

Tilt it slightly upward

Some ukulele players feel comfortable to hold the instrument horizontally. It is best to tilt the ukulele slightly upward. This allows you to play the chords easily. Likewise, you must adjust the position in the playing course to avoid straining your hand.

Keep the elbow at 90 degrees

To hold the instrument correctly, we recommend you keep your elbow at an angle of 90 degrees. At the same time, press the instrument against your upper body – i.e. your chest area with the help of your forearm.

Keep in mind the 90 degrees angle will change a bit while you play the instrument. So, for the initial setup, you need to hold it at the right angle. Avoid maintaining the 90 degrees angle all the time because it can cause strain in your arm and back.

Hold the Ukulele tight

In case you feel that the instrument is slipping from your chest area and the arm, you can hold it tighter. Holding it tight does not mean putting a lot of pressure on the chest. On the other hand, do not bend the neck of the instrument because it can cause the ukulele to go out of the balance and sound out of the tune.

So, you need to perform a quick test. This allows you to see if you need to hold it loosely or tightly. The important thing is to make sure the ukulele instrument stays in the right position – i.e. against your chest.

How to fret chords?

Your first arm will help you hold the instrument in a fixed position. Use your second hand to fret the chords. For this, you need to place your thumb on the neck of the ukulele. The best practice is placing your thumb behind the neck. Also, some experts suggest placing it between the third fret and the nut.

Besides, we recommend you to place the pad of the thumb at the backside so that there is no wrapping of the thumb over the neck top of the instrument. Some people wrap their thumbs around the neck. Don’t do this. This can cause hand strain. You can feel comfortable by placing your fingers in the right way. This is up to you.

Now, wrap your fingers around the neck of the instrument. Make sure, your fingers are around the neck of the instrument. Make them parallel to the instrument fret. Next, you need to allow your finger to freely float above the fret.

Use one of your hands to hold the weight of the ukulele. The hand that you use for fretting must not hold the ukulele weight. Again, try to keep it a bit tighter against your chest. Otherwise, the ukulele will slip.

What if you are left-handed?

Even if you are left-handed, you can easily hold a ukulele. The basic principle is the same for both right-handers and left-handers. For some left-handed players, it is not easy to play the instrument. Although the holding principle is the same, you can reverse the instructions of playing. For this, you need to restring the ukulele. This means you have to reverse the strings.

Wrapping up!

Expert players say that there is not a single correct position to hold a ukulele. It is all about your comfortability and easy-of-use. However, in this article, we have told you the basic method that is good for beginners and experts alike. Following the steps above, you can hold and play the ukulele easily.

What is the proper way to hold a ukulele?

To properly hold your ukulele, follow these steps:
  1. Keep it close to your chest. Hold the body of the ukulele to your chest, with the neck running parallel to the floor.
  2. Hold the neck in your left hand. Hold it near the top of the neck, but not on the very top, or headstock.
  3. Bend your right arm at the elbow.

Does it matter which way you hold a ukulele?

The way you hold a ukulele is a vitally important part of making it sound good. The uke is such a small instrument that choking all the sound out of it is all too easy. A general guideline for holding your ukulele is to try to touch it as little as possible.

Do you strum a ukulele with your dominant hand?

You use your dominant arm (that is, the right arm if you’re right-handed) to strum your ukulele . Resting your thumb on the finger is important: it gives your finger an extra bit of stability so it makes a cleaner sound when you strum.

Do you strum all the strings on a ukulele?

When strumming the ukulele, you typically play all four ukulele strings at the same time with your right hand, using a downward motion. Make sure you keep your hand relaxed, don’t tense up and strum from the wrist.

Should I use a pick for ukulele?

Do you need a pick to play ukulele? Traditionally, the ukulele is played with the combination of fingers and fingernails. But while you don’t need one, you absolutely may use one! The pick can be useful at times and it is your instrument after all!

Can you teach yourself the ukulele?

The self–learning route of learning to play ukulele consists primarily of reading books and searching online for free lessons. Chances are your friend googled learn how to play ukulele and got started (which by the way, isn’t it amazing we can do this?).

Is ukulele easier than guitar?

The ukulele is easier to learn than the guitar and other stringed instruments like the mandolin. Its soft nylon strings are gentler on your fingertips and don’t create finger pain like guitars do. Plus, it only has four strings, which makes chord shapes and scales easier to learn.

How do I choose a beginner ukulele?

Is the ukulele hard to play?

So how hard is the ukulele to learn? Overall, learning the ukulele is not very hard for most people, which is why it’s one of the most popular instruments in the world. The learning curve is short – even a beginner can pick up some basic chords and play!

Why is ukulele so hard?

The initial learning is easier than guitar; in a very short time you’ll be strumming along with favorite songs. Taking it to the next level is just like any other instrument. It takes dedication and practice. That being said the physical demands of the uke are less than playing cello, bassoon, etc.

Should I learn ukulele or guitar first?

For absolute beginners who want to start making music quickly, the ukulele is recommended. However, there are some reasons that the guitar may be easier for you personally to learn. As we mentioned before, the ukulele’s frets are quite small. This makes it more difficult for people with larger hands to play chords.

What is a good cheap ukulele?

The Best Cheap Ukuleles: My Top Picks
  • Kala KA-15S. Donner DUS-1 21. Aklot AKS21.
  • Kala KA-15S (Soprano) Kala KA-15C (Concert) Kala KA-15T (Tenor)
  • Donner DUS-1 21 (Soprano) Donner DUC-1 23 (Concert) Donner DUS-1 26 (Tenor)
  • Aklot Soprano AKS21. Aklot Concert AKC23. Aklot Tenor AKT26.
  • Mahalo MR1BU Soprano. Lanikai Kohala Soprano.

Is a cheap ukulele good?

If your budget is tight, I recommend Kala KA-15S Soprano Ukulele and Oscar Schmidt OU2 Concert Ukulele. Both are good budget ukuleles, the sound quality, and the look is great for the price.

What is the most popular ukulele?

The soprano size is probably what most people picture when they think of the ukulele. It is the most common size and makes the classic, traditional ukulele sound.

How can I make my cheap ukulele sound better?

Step 1: Change the Strings

Changing them even with the cheapest Aquila strings will give your ukulele a much better sound. It really makes a clear noticeable difference! I use Aquila Super Nylgut strings (Aquila code 101U), with a low G (which gives it a nice sound that’s a little bit deeper).

Why does ukulele sound bad?

This is normal. New strings need time to stretch and “settle” into place. That said, watch out for old strings too. While older strings might not stretch as much, the quality of the sound will go down, and if you inherited an old ukulele from your grandparent’s attic, then, definitely change the strings!

Why does the G on my ukulele sound bad?

If so, your nut slots are too high – the impact that has is it lengthens the string very slightly when fretting at the lower notes involved in a chord like a G and makes them slightly sharp. A lighter touch on the fingers can help but if the nut is really high – not so much.

How do I make my ukulele sound deeper?

By tuning the top g-string down an octave, you add five additional notes to the bottom of the ukulele’s range of pitch. This produces a fuller, deeper sound to the ukulele.