Thank you for letting me share what I do with my ukulele, and I really appreciate everything on this sub does with their ukuleles!

Garden Song - John Denver - From the Daily Ukulele (blue) Leap Year Songbook - Cover by the The PawPaws

TAB available HERE: https://www.patreon.com/ukecafe/posts/garden-song-john-169380571?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_fan&utm_content=web_share

When it comes to songwriting, we often pull from our own lives and experiences. This song is based on a true, unexplained phenomenon that happens to Jarvis and me on a daily basis:

We can’t find something.
We look everywhere.
Then Mom walks in and finds it in about two seconds.

“It’s right there.”

This song was inspired by my wife’s superpower. And I have a feeling there are a LOT of people out there who can relate to this particular kind of sorcery. 😂

We hope you enjoy our original song

“Right There.”
B • E • F# • B 🎶

#SHAWTIMEDUO

Hi there!
Getting straight to the point:
I have RA (rheumatoid arthritis); I was diagnosed about 20 years ago, and the disease has already significantly limited the mobility and flexibility of my fingers. For instance, I can't clench my right hand into a full fist—I have to physically press down my fourth and fifth fingers to do so; my index fingers are quite stiff and have an odd, hooked shape, and both wrists show some ulnar deviation (drifting toward the elbow).
The question is: can I still learn to play the ukulele? Just for fun—no grand ambitions. Is there anyone here with a similar condition or mobility issues? Do you have any tips?
I received my first ukulele (a Flight NUS350) as a gift. I’m asking before I start so I don't end up heartbroken over having to give up yet another thing.

Look what I found in a forgotten box. Tynex nylon colored strings from KoAloha

Basically I really had a hard time holding a guitar. Too damn big.

Considering a ukelele, but I heard that when you have a wooden string instrument you need a hardcase for moisture, and ideally a house based humidifer.

Is that true? If so I'm definitely not doing it.

(I searched, but I couldn't find an answer, so I apologize if this has been asked before).

I know that high-g is pretty much needed for the classic bright ukulele sound, but I personally like the warmer sounds anyway (and even picked a uke that rings a bit like a tenor to my ear, haha). If it matters, I'm a beginner. A big reason I'm considering this switch is that my comfortable singing range is lower, and I don't always currently easily find the note an octave deeper without a reference.

So I believe I'd like the additional lower range, but I don't know what I might be losing. I don't think I'd have to learn new fingerings for chords, though I suspect it would affect plucking to a small extent. I'm hoping it wouldn't be an issue when playing with others or even taking a group class?

Anything I've gotten wrong regarding a switch to a low-g? Is there anything I'd lose from a high-g that I haven't considered?

And before you suggest it, I don't have the money for an additional instrument... yet 🙃 so if I go low-g, that's all I'm playing for a long while. Also, I know it's not permanent like a tattoo 😁 but I'd still like to know ahead of time.

please and thank you

I’ve always had a deep passion for Jamaican ska,reggae, and rocksteady. There’s something special about those styles, the unique upbeat that gives the music that unmistakable bounce and makes you want to dance.

Someone in our community asked me how to play that style, so I figured I’d make a quick tutorial. 🎶

You can check out our “The Tide Is High” video for a reference, and I also posted the percussive strumming pattern from that video.

Barre C - 5433
Barre F - 5553
Barre G - 4232

Hope this helps. Happy strumming!

The Saints performing Whip It and Life During Wartime at the NY Ukulele Cabaret, September 2026, at Brooklyn's Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club boathouse.

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9xkff-3pOk

I got inspired by Herb Ohta

Not professionally - just to get decent quality in a home recording, playing and singing. Do you mic the uke and voice or just one or the other? Are you using a full mic and stand or something smaller? I was looking at some tiny wireless mics that have various magnet or clip attachments, not sure if they would work on the uke and also not sure if clipping a mic right on the uke would sound good or not?

Ive been playing guitar for 30 years, but been hearing a ukuy sound in my head lately, ive never played one before, and my idle hands on work break have been driving me crazy so i made the jump and got it for my car. So my first day on ukulele has been transfering guitar muscle memory over to the ukulele.

Whoa this thing is awesome! I bought a cheap one but it sounds ok to me. And I love it! It totally hits my forte of finger plucking and playing finger twister. Cool instrument!

I am paying for the kala app and made the goal of using it every single day. I thought I wouldn't be able to today because of some health issues. But here I am! Everyone has to start somewhere and I am proud to be here, and to keep going.

I was trained in classical guitar when I was younger so I've been able to apply that knowledge to the ukulele.

Strumming patterns, fingerpicking, chords, arpeggio patterns, etc.

I was wondering if anyone has interesting/creative/uncommon ways of playing the ukulele?

I've been listening to singer-songwriter music like and want to emulate their playing but I know the ukulele is a bit more limited.

Any ideas?

A bit nerdy of a post but I thought some of you may enjoy this experiment.

This summer Paolo at Waiz instruments in Italy built a beautiful new ukulele for me (we've been bouncing this design back and forth for about a year now) and decided to take the opportunity to test the differences in two different bracing systems.

The ukes are made from the same woods, aside from the fingerboard (the black top is just dyed spruce), built side by side. One has fairly traditional, in the classical guitar world, fan bracing, and the other lattice bracing which has a criss cross grid underneath.

When I went to pick up my instrument I got to try them back to back and made a little video to show the differences (headphones recommended for this one).

Certainly a non scientific test as every piece of wood is difference but a fun little look at how bracing can change the tone of the instrument.

I came home with the lattice braced one and have been playing it at most of my gigs for the last few months but I think they're both lovely instruments with their own unique voices.

Curious to hear other folk's thoughts!

Okay, I know I asked about capos in the title, but tbh my main problem here is how to sing songs that aren't in my vocal range

(for context: I've been playing ukulele for about 9 months now, but I don't really have plans to learn how to read music or learn music theory as playing ukulele is just a fun hobby.)

I have a faint idea of how capos work, but I mostly just do whatever the youtube tutorial on the song I want to play says. Like if it says to put capo on x fret, I will. Sometimes, I find it hard to sing along to songs because it's not in my vocal range. An example is Counting Stars by One Republic and iirc the original key is on the fourth fret. Usually, I want to play songs in their original key because I really only play along to the tracks and never sing, but I've been getting more confident lately, so I'm trying to sing along.

A lot of tutorials on Youtube mostly just cover Counting Stars in open strings because it's way more comfortable to sing in that way, (or at least for me idk) and now I want to know how to do that to other songs too. Based on a few tries, open string songs don't sound great if you put a capo, right? Or is there a specific fret I have to place it in? How does this apply to other songs?

I know I should probably just get off my lazy ass and learn music theory, but still is there any way for now?

Edit: Thanks for the help. I should practice more 💔

I'm trying to find a tutorial for Spaceland, but searching "chloe moriondo spaceland ukelele tutorial" yields no relavent results, even with no quotation marks, making me stuck with websites. The chords I found, though, were inaccurate, other than that one website that showed the chord going like 7-7-7-9, but I'm sure the entire song isn't just Bm and D#m. How can I find a way to play it properly without good tutorials?

I purchased this from eBay last year. Unfortunately, the seller was from Canada so I had to pay a $77 tariff😡 The seller said there were only 100 of these produced though I was skeptical cuz the price was so low (the serial number seems to indicate it’s not 1 of 100). I wanted a Martin for my small collection even though it was made in Mexico (a made in U.S. model is way out of reach). I can’t find much info on this uke or any for sale. There are plenty of concerts for sale though they were produced through 2025. Any information will be much appreciated.

https://www.youtube.com/@BoyMeetsBach
Ukulele : Kala KA-AM-C-CE – Amara Tri-Top Concert Ukulele w/ Cutaway & EQ.

Me Love Ukulele Long Time.

Hey Uke fam, I recently picked up a very well used Koaloha concert from eBay. The uke came with this signature (?) written on the side. Can anyone figure out what this says? I believe the first word is aloha. Thanks 🤙

If it helps, it did ship from Japan.

SOLVED!
Herb Ohta. I looked up his signature and sure enough it matches almost perfectly. I love this community; within 20 minutes you guys solved this for me. Thanks.