Guitar Or Ukulele

What to learn: Guitar or Ukulele

Playing music is something I think everyone should try. You may be thinking that you can only be good if you already have talent, but the truth is that practice makes perfect.

Yes, someone with talent will learn faster and will find it easier to level up. However, if you practice enough, you can sound much more professional. If you are reviewing this article then you are not sure whether to start playing guitar or uke.

First, let’s agree that there is no right answer to such questions because, at the end of the day, it’s personal preference. So please don’t expect me to give you a solid answer to this question.

Anyway, I can still help you answer this question yourself because I can walk you through the differences between these two instruments to help you make up your mind. I’ll also mention some of the challenges you’ll face when trying out any of these instruments, along with some tips and tricks to make it easier for you. I hope that by the end of this article, you will be able to see things clearly and make a decision.

1. Size and Shape

   It is clear that guitars are much larger than ukes. Also, a standard guitar has six strings; on the other hand, a ukulele has only 4. If you take a closer look at the construction of both, you can see that the ukes have a thinner fingerboard.
   This is specifically an advantage over guitars because one of the most common challenges when beginning to learn guitar is stretching your fingers. Although this can be applied in most cases, if you have large hands, you don’t need much stretching.
   On the contrary, playing uke when you have big hands is not a piece of cake.

2. Riffs

   Nobody can deny that when it comes to riffs, guitars are the best. Not only do they have more strings, so they can technically produce a wider range of melodies, but they also have an acoustic or sometimes electric charm.
   The ukes, on the other hand, are louder and the melodies sound more cheerful. You will be able to find a variety among the same ukes because some ukes are bigger than others.

3. Chords

   Well, chords are much easier to play on ukuleles. Many of these chords require the use of only one finger, unlike on guitars. The uke fretboard is smaller than that of the guitar, so the distances between each fret and the neighbor are less. This makes it easier to play ukes because, as I mentioned earlier, you don’t need much stretching.
   One thing you should ask yourself is, why do you want to play this instrument? For some of you checking this out right now, you want to play an instrument so you can sing. And that can change the situation, the reason is that you will have to find out what sounds better with your tone of voice.
   For example, if you have a low voice range, then the ukulele is not the way to go simply because the melodies are too bright. Also, some of you may want to play some melodic acoustic tones, and in this case, a guitar is one way to go. But if you’re on a different page and want to play something simpler and more attractive sounding, I recommend you play the uke. Add to this the Hawaiian touch that the ukulele gives to your song.

4. Techniques

   When it comes to strumming, these two sound very different because the number of strings is greater on a guitar. This makes guitars sound much fuller and louder, however, strumming a guitar requires much more precision than is required when playing a uke. You should practice it a bit and be a bit patient.

5. “Pickup” Speed?

   There are many angles to consider in order to answer this question. It is an endless debate; Many people will say that uke is much easier to play, but in so many scenarios, this is not necessarily true.
   Still, it can’t be argued that the learning curve for ukes is any easier. So if you are a beginner and want to be able to play music faster without the need for a lot of practice, go for the uke. Most ukes are much smaller, easier to control, have fewer strings, and you’ll learn a new song in a matter of days.
   Personally, although I play both instruments, some guitar pieces are engraved in my heart. When it comes to guitars, it’s a bit more complicated. At first, you may feel like you are making slow progress, which is why some people give up.
   However, if you give it some time for the callus to form on the tip of your finger, I guarantee it; You will master a lot, and the more you learn, the easier it will be to learn even more with guitars.

6. Affordability

   Money is probably one of the things you are thinking about right now.
   No one wants to spend their money on something they don’t save and aren’t sure if they will continue to use it, and that’s normal. The obvious choice, if you’re looking for something that doesn’t cost much, is to buy a ukulele, not a guitar. Guitars are much more expensive than ukes. In reality, even a second hand guitar will cost more than a good quality new uke.

Conclusion

By now, you should at least be able to decide which one you lean towards more. Let me tell you this from my own experience, whether an instrument is easy or difficult to play, choose the one that goes with your favorite style of music.

If you choose a ukulele because it’s easier and you don’t like the sound of it, then it doesn’t make sense. And if you decide to go with the guitar just because you want to look more professional or because it’s a common thing in school or college, you’ll eventually give it up. Whatever you choose, be patient, allow yourself to understand your finger positions and how to move between the frets.

Stay motivated and be creative with your music. And most importantly, ENJOY!

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