Ukulele

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I wrote not long ago about my stupid notion that I might learn to play the acoustic guitar. Listen, if teenage rockers can do it, why not an old fart like me? But upon consideration, I had an even better idea. Why not the ukulele instead?
 

Reasons:

·        Ukuleles are smaller than acoustic guitars.

·        Ukuleles are cheaper than acoustic guitars.

·        Ukuleles have only four strings compared to six on an acoustic guitar, which ought to make them 33% easier to play.

·        Ukuleles are cuter than acoustic guitars.

·        The sound of a ukulele has far less carrying power than that of an acoustic guitar, which means you irritate less people if you play it badly.

And so forth.
 

So I shopped around online. Being a cheapskate, I bought one from Amazon for thirty-five dollars. It’s adorable. Everyone online warned me that cheap ukuleles go out of tune easily, which has turned out to be true, but it’s shiny and playable, and tuning it is good practice.

In a few days I learned half-a-dozen chords. I am relieved that the instrument has a soft voice; I can go in my room and close the door and strum away – out of tune or not – and not bother a soul, not even Partner in the next room. My arthritic old fingers still refuse to dance up and down the strings, but – with time – who knows?

 

(Now - would anyone like to hear a nice spirited rendition of 'Hawaiian War Chant'?)

(No one?)

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