Jun
5 reasons you should learn ukulele this summer
The weather is getting nicer, the spring clouds are clearing up, people are hitting the pools, lakes, and ponds, and we’re set for a beautiful summer here in the Salt Lake Valley in the beautiful outdoorsman’s paradise state of Utah. When you’re packing up your bags to go out this summer, be sure to grab your swimming suit, some drinks, and wouldn’t it be nice to have a small portable instrument to play around the bonfire later? Here are 5 reasons you should visit us at Murphy’s Guitars on Bountiful, Utah’s main street, and shop our great selection of ukuleles.
1. It’s easy to learn
The ukulele is one of the easiest instruments to pick up and play. there are only 4 strings, which is more manageable to most people than guitars (6) banjos (5) mandolins (8), and other more difficult instruments. the chord shapes are easy to memorize, and to people that already play the guitar many of the chord shapes will look familiar. The shapes are the same, they just go by different names. There are lots of great books out there that will teach you to play the ukulele, but for anyone still struggling to learn, Murphy’s Guitars offers a multitude of ukulele lessons and workshops.
2. It’s totally portable
Ukuleles come in 4 main sizes, the soprano and concert sizes are the most portable, but the Tenor and Baritone sizes are still smaller than a 3/4 size guitar, or other popular instruments. Take your uke to the beach, take it in your carry on bag on the plane, take it swimming, to the bonfire, anywhere really!
3. Uke music is the perfect soundtrack to summer
Imagine yourself sitting around the fire after a day of camping, hiking, swimming, or just chilling with friends. the soft sounds of a ukulele make the perfect chilled out background to an event like that. The ukulele’s Hawaiian roots and presence in island music make it the perfect soundtrack for a relaxing day on the beach, in the forest, or just hanging around in the back yard.
4. It’s a great instrument for anyone, young and old
As someone who usually helps customers to find the perfect music instructor for them or their child, I often recommend to parents with young children that they start them on ukulele. The uke tends to be more manageable with it’s 4 strings, and the softer nylon strings cause less discomfort in little fingers when first developing hard calluses on their finger tips. That said my wife’s grandma enjoys playing her collection of ukuleles. The uke truly is a great instrument for any age.
5. Swap your backpack for a Uke bag
All year long kids from preschool to college grew accustomed to carrying a heavy backpack full of textbooks, laptops, notebooks, and science projects. Now that summer is here its like a weight has literally been lifted from their shoulders. before you head out for a day of fun, however you want to make sure you have a safe place for your phone, headphones, and other accessories. Why not swap out a light pull string backpack for your ukulele bag? many ukulele bag manufacturers will put a pocket on the front of the case big enough to hold some small personal items, and backpack straps so you can bring your uke everywhere you go.