Showing posts with label ukulele. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ukulele. Show all posts

Tuesday 5 May 2020

Learn Ukulele Tips; Ukulele Practise to relax your mind.


Practise Ukulele to relax and take the Zen approach to Learning Ukulele during COVID19 Lockdown.  


"I’ve taken up the ukulele.
 You can’t come out the other end of this period 
without having developed at least one new skill."  Tom Gleisner 
 

Dont stress learning ukuleleDon't get your self in knots learning ukulele.
In  these times of stress take time to ENJOY the learning of ukulele.

We live in an age of hustle bustle and hyper-productivity; now with the COVD19 lockdown and isolation maybe it is your time to embrace learning for learning's sake.  

Society is giving you time and permission to stay home on the couch, but rather than binge on Netflix and TV put that time to good use.  Pick up that little box of joy that is a ukulele, indulge in the Zen of some mind to muscle connection and learn a skill that’s great for your mental health as well as your cognitive brain health.

Listening to music is well known to alter our moods, lift our spirits and call forth memories and help lay down new memories.  But it is immensely pleasurable to make music with your own mind and hands; to take an inanimate object and make it sing is akin to magic. 


Zen and the art of ukulele.
I am a fan of approaching practise as if one was to meditate on the physical act of making music.
Practise is by definition a repetitive process, but if you get into “the zone’ it can take on a Zen like quality that has wonderful benefits for your mental and physical well-being.  Feel the strings under your fingers, listen to the sounds you make, feel the vibration of the body of your ukulele, lose yourself in the rhythm of the repetitive task.

The creative process is essential to our mental health.  In learning to make music on this little box of joy you can find a space inside where you can allow yourself to emerge.  You can calm yourselves in the repetitive nature of developing the mind muscle connection.

Learning to coax music out of your ukulele is learning for its own sake, ukulele is most defiantly not a competitive sport.  Learning Ukulele Skills is unlike learning work skills.  Ukulele doesn't have to have an achievement-based focus, or a competitive capitalistic outcome to be valuable.

Music is a science-backed way to boost mental health during stressful times.  
Many psychological music therapy studies have shown that taking part in a fun activity helps improve your mood and allows you to function better on a day-to-day basis.   Ukulele will give you a positive boost in cognitive stimulation, mental health, and enjoyment.

Approach your lockdown ukulele as a fun hobby, be kind on yourself and it will become your mental health haven.  A little bit of joyous fun time from the uncertainty of life right now.  Expressing your artistic musical self has positive impacts on your mental health and wellbeing during times of stress.

Need a ukulele, want lessons,  need some advice, we are here to help you on your ukulele adventure.
CLICK HERE Ukulele Trading Co Australia


mentalhealth hashtagukulele hashtagmusic hashtagisolation hashtagzen hashtaglearnnewskills hashtagmusicteacher hashtagukuleletradingcoaustralia hashtagmusiceducation

Wednesday 29 April 2020

Learning Ukulele Tricks & Tips to Learn with Less Stress & More Enjoyment.



A simple mental mindset trick will help you learn ukulele
with less stress and more enjoyment.  
Don't try and be perfect.
Just try to be better than you were yesterd
ay. 


  
Giving yourself permission to be a beginner ukulele player is liberating. 
You don’t have to be the best uke player, just enjoy being a better uke player than you were yesterday. Enjoy the journey of becoming better.

TIP - If you change your mindset, your stress levels will be lower and learning will be faster. It is a physiological and psychological fact.

Stress inhibits learning.
Learning the ukulele is about getting your fingers and brain talking, brain, and fingers linked by neurons.  The more stressed about making mistakes you are, the slower your brain and fingers will connect. 

Why Stress inhibits learning?  
Well, stress causes cortisol to be released into your body, and cortisol inhibits neuron growth and cortisol also inhibit muscle growth.

You never stop being a beginner at something new.
Every time I come across a new ukulele chord or new ukulele technique I am a uke beginner again. I don't know how to do it today, but if I play it daily I realize that eventually, I will know it.  Learning to play ukulele isn't like a school with year classes, a school with exams to be passed or failed.  

Don't Box yourself in.
Unfortunately, somehow we box ourselves into groups e.g. Beginner ukulele or Intermediate Ukulele or good or bad players, etc.  Our perceptions limit us, too often people beat themselves up about what they cannot do, and never seem to enjoy what they can do. 

Change your mindset - Maximize your 'cans' and Minimize your 'cannots'.
We maximize our stress over what we cannot do, we increase the release of cortisol and we inhibit our neuron and muscle growth.

Excellence in playing music on your ukulele is what happens when you play over and over again. Through consistency, your “best” will inevitably evolve. Your Brain and your fingers will form better neurological connections in small daily increments.

Embrace failure - Minimise stress - Learn faster
Becoming a musician is not about being without faults or failure, but how you learn and keep going anyway, and that way of learning leaves a positive impact on you, and on the world around you.

Success is about perception. 
If you celebrate the small wins, the small micro improvements you make daily, then that is a success!  Don’t let your perception of success be some far off distant notion of perfection. Enjoy what you can do today, and enjoy knowing that tomorrow you will be better.



Sunday 19 April 2020

Learning Ukulele Tips. Practise ukulele as Playtime

Learning To Play Ukulele Tips. Practise the ukulele like it is Playtime, not hard work.


If you approach your practise time on your ukulele with the mindset that 'this is hard work' then it will be hard work.


Take a lesson from the children. Observe children with a new game on an iPad. They just go for it, they dive in, at first they suck, then they get better.

They approach the task as play, not work. Learning through play is a term used in educational psychology to describe how a child can learn to make sense of the world around them. Through play, children can develop motor and cognitive skills required to engage in new tasks and experiences.

So pick up your Ukulele often and just have fun, just play!

Sure you will hit some bum notes, play a bit out of time, so what, no biggie.

Make some mistakes, but don't stress on them, play your ukulele and then play some more.
Enjoy the process of getting better on your Ukulele. Approach your ukulele practise time as playtime, as fun time.

Cheers CC
Now go Practise Uke err I meant go have fun.

https://ukuleletradingcoaustralia.com.au/

#ukuleletradingcoaustralia #zen #practiseasplay #explore #educationalpsychology #ukulele #kalabrand #alanwatts #musiclessons #musiceducation #musicteacher




Thursday 21 July 2016

CK-28 Concert Size "Vintage Nunes' Style Solid Mahogany Ukulele with FREE Hardcase Tuner, Setup and Postage

CK-28 Concert Size "Vintage Nunes' Style 
Solid Mahogany Ukulele.


Retail is $495.
Includes

FREE Hardcase,
FREE Tuner, 
FREE Set-up*
FREE Postage in Australia.



  
*Plus as per normal I bundle ukes with 
a full set-up with your choice of 

either Low or High G




The CK-28 Limited Edition Concert Ukulele is a crackingly good instrument and a
Star Seller of mine.


A sweet tone and great Playability with those Ultra Hip Retro Looks.


This Ukulele is really Rocking the look of that centre racing stripe and rope binding.  


And it is made fully of Solid Mahogany too boot



The Concert sized Nunes style ukulele now joins the little brother the Soprano SK-28. And it is a  Seriously Good Quality Concert Ukulele because it's an Ohana Ukulele.


"I play lots of different ukuleles every week, 

what with Personal Shoppers getting Demos 

and doing Ukulele Setups everyday. 
the Ohana CK-28 is becoming a favourite of mine, 
they are so damn sweet sounding, and they play great." CHEERS CC

ABOUT 
The 'Figure 8' or 'Peanut' body shape is a true classic, it is the closest relative of the  
Portuguese instruments brought to the Hawaiian islands.  

Dias and Manuel Nunes the earliest ukulele makers and crafted ukuleles for more than 40 years 
and are legend amongst ukulele  enthusiasts.

History tells that Samuel Kamaka and Nunes own son, Leonardo, 
were apprentices and continued making quality ukuleles. 

In 1998, the Ukulele Hall of Fame inducted Manuel Nunes  into their honorees.  

WELL DONE CREATING THIS UKULELE
Louis Wu of Ohana Music has come up with a fantastic homage to the 'original' ukulele, 
made in the traditional Portuguese / Hawaiian style.

SUMMARY
If you are serious about your ukulele playing and uke collecting then a 'Peanut' body style Concert is a must have for you. 

The fretboard is completely flush with the body, another vintage style feature - this leaves more of the top to vibrate, helping to shape the tone of the instrument.

This Concert has such a pleasing warm tone and easy playability that you soon realise that the old master Luthiers really were onto something good!

SPECS
Premium Solid Mahogany top, back and sides 
Friction tuning heads 
Rosewood fingerboard and bridge 
Vintage Nunes/Dias Style Rope Binding 
Bone nut and saddle 
14 frets Aquila Nylgut strings (or Worth) 
Limited edition
Vintage re-issue
Nunes/Dias style body shape
Solid Premium Mahogany top, back & sides
Rope binding
Vintage finish
Gotoh tuners

CK-28 Concert Size "Vintage Nunes' Style 
Solid Mahogany Ukulele.

Retail is $495.
Includes
FREE Hardcase,
FREE Tuner, 
FREE Set-up*
FREE Postage in Australia.








Sunday 17 July 2016

Tenor Electric Ukulele TK-70KE Ohana Premium Solid Spruce Top Koa back and Sides.

$649 Ohana TK-70KE Tenor Electric Ukulele. Premium Solid Spruce Top, Koa back and Sides. 

INCLUDES.
FREE Hardcase
FREE Setup with Aqila or Worth Strings Either Low or High G, Either Right Handed or Left Handed.
FREE Postage in Australia.



OHANA MEANS FAMILY
The TK-70KE Tenor Size Ukulele comes from Ohana Ukuleles Limited Edition Range of Premium ukuleles.  

Ohana means Family, and its where where you will find the many hand-crafted ukulele models being manufactured. The Ohana selection ranges from: soprano to baritone, mahogany to selected koa from the islands of Hawaii, conventional to vintage models, and also unique models for those who are looking for something different.

"At Ohana, our goal is to provide the highest quality product at a reasonable price. Every ukulele that leaves our warehouse is carefully inspected and set up for maximum playability. 

Yes that's right — EVERY UKULELE, regardless of model and price. Should musicians compromise on quality just because they need an entry-level ukulele? We don't think they should.

At Ohana, we believe in the basic concepts of  QUALITY, PLAYABILITY, and VALUE. As a player you deserve each of these when you purchase a musical instrument.

Ohana Music markets its products primarily through a network of excellent dealers around the world. However, we are here to answer any questions you may have. So go ahead, send Ohana an email or call; we will be happy to inform you about the products Ohana offers.
Meanwhile, have fun, share the Aloha spirit with your loved ones, and Happy Strumming!"

SUPERIOR  TONE-WOODS
Featuring a combination of Solid Spruce wood top with Solid Koa wood back and sides results in both a bright tone (The Spruce) Combined with the Koa you also get that big sustain and full sound.


GREAT LOOKS
The faux tortoise shell binding creates a a really upmarket look too separating the classy Spruce Top and the golden honey toned Koa Wood sides.

The quality Belcat Preamp of the Pick-up is fitted perfectly into the side of the ukulele.

The gloss finish is very good too, it will offer a strong long-lasting protection of the woods and it is applied smooth as glass.

Gold tuning Machines with small black buttons suit the look of the headstock.  Also the small head buttons are so much easier to use, a thoughtful touch.

ELECTRIC ACOUSTIC WITH PICK-UP
TK-70KE Ohana Tenor UkuleleThe TK-70KE is an Electric Acoustic ukulele and features pick-up with a 3 band eq with on-board pre-amp, output is strong and clear, with plenty of range in tones available from the Treble and Bass sliders, from Dark Smooth Jazz to Bright Country or Funk tones can be had.

QUALITY COMPONENTS
Keeping with the quality focus of Ohana the Ukulele is fitted with a bone nut and saddle.  Bone is not very easy to work with at all, shaping and cutting bone is difficult precision work , and time consuming.  Fitting plastic parts would have been much easier and quicker BUT when "ultimate tone" is the goal, then fitting quality components  is essential, no mater how much longer they take to shape.

The gloss finished applied is smooth and blemish free.  To achieve a fine glass like gloss finish takes time and lots of it, with many coats of spray and hand sanding between coats required to get a finish this smooth.

SPECIFICATIONS
Solid spruce top
Flamed koa back & sides
Rosewood fingerboard & bridge
Tortoise shell binding front, back, headstock
Active 3-band EQ
Bone nut & saddle
Aquila strings
Gloss finish

The TK-70KE Tenor Size Ukulele comes from Ohana Ukuleles Limited Edition Range of Premium ukuleles.
RRP is $649 In Australia.
FREE quality Hardcase and 
FREE Setup included
FREE Postage in OZ.
















# TK-70KE #tenorukulele #ohanaukulele #electricukulele #ohanaukuleleaustralia

Thursday 12 May 2016

Kala KA-SMHTE-C Tenor Solid Mahogany Cutaway Electric ukulele

Kala KA-SMHTE-C
$525 incl Postage in Australia

With
FREE Setup 
($50 value)
FREE Hardcase
  ($75 value)
FREE Tuner 
 ($15 value)
FREE Lesson  ($30 value)

ENJOY THE SOUND OF YOUR NEW SOLID MAHOGANY WOOD KALA UKULELE
Mmmm Mahogany.  Not Only a great looking wood but also a big sound with a rich and warm tone!
A really well constructed ukulele and nicely finished too, trimmed with faux tortoise shell binding. In your hand  a nice feeling Mahogany neck capped with a smooth well Fretted rosewood fingerboard.


BONUS FREE UKULELE LESSON
Ukulele Lesson with USA Tutor Jeffrey Thomas.
Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced player, Jeff can help you out.  Jeffrey Thomas teaches Skype ukulele lessons to students of all levels around the world.  He provides webcam ukulele lessons using Skype, ooVoo, Yahoo Messenger or Google Hangout which allows the student to learn at home without having to drive to and from a music store.

THE TOP IS FREE TO VIBRATE LOUD AND CLEAR.
This Solid Mahogany Tenor Ukulele has a satin finish, and that is a good thing.  You see the thin finish allows the wood to resonate more freely.  The better the wood resonates the louder it is with better projection. (A too thick gloss finish can deaden the vibration of the wood leading to a 'dead" sounding a ukulele)

Solid Mahogany Ukuleles are firm favourites with my customers.  And the KA-SMHTE-C is a Great Value for Money tenor ukulele for you.

ENJOY THE COMFORTABLE PLAYING NECK
A Nicely contoured neck with easy playing fretboard.  If you like to so solos, or play up the neck then the Cutaway style is yours (for easy upper fret access nothing beats a cutaway)

AMPLIFY YOUR UKULELE THE EASY WAY
Add an Excellent Pickup system that amplifies very naturally the tone of the ukulele through either Amplifier, DI Box or PA

SETUP TO PLAY WELL
Plus as per usual your ukulele gets an included FREE Setup (Aquila or Worth Strings, Low or Hgh G) so your ukulele plays the best it can.   I never just pick box from the shelf and ship it.  Every uke is removed, tuned, play tested and setup.  Every factory Setup can be improved upon with a hands on setup.

A CASE TO PROTECT YOUR BEAUTIFUL SOLID WOOD UKULELE
To protect your new Mahogany tenor ukulele I include a FREE Polyfoam Hardcase.

Your Polyfoam hard case is a foam core light weight hardshell ukulele case with a black canvas type material exterior. It has an inner compartment and outer zipper pocket. This will fit your tenor sized uke nicely and includes a velcro retainer to hold the neck in place during transport.

SPECS
17 Tenor Scale (Distance from Nut to Saddle)
26-3/8 Overall body length
11-3/4 Body length
6-3/4 Upper Bout
9 Lower Bout
5-1/4 Waist
1-3/8 At Nut
All solid Mahogany top, back and sides
Faux Tortoise shell binding with black and white purfling
19 Silver-Nickel Frets
Fret position Marks at 5th,7th,10th and 12th frets on neck and top of fingerboard
Rosewood Fingerboard and Bridge
Mahogany Neck
Simulated Bone Nut and Saddle
Chrome Die-Cast Tuners








#SolidMahogany #TenorUkulele #pickup  #KA-SMHTE-C #KalaBrandUkuleles #UkuleleTradingCoAustralia