Perhaps you’ve admired those stunt pilots who turn and spin in the sky, leaving behind a trail of colorful smoke. Now suppose you decide you want to pursue that skill and take some stunt-flying lessons.
It would be a pretty good idea to learn now to take off, fly level, and land the plane first, right?
So who do so many beginning ukulele players (and players of other instruments, as well) want to start learning fancy “strums*” and fingerpicking patterns when they haven’t yet learned some of the very basics of rhythm and melody?
Like venturing into the woods without a basic knowledge of the terrain – memorizing a step-by-step set of moves is okay as long as you don’t get lost. But take one step off the beaten path and you can suddenly find yourself lost, both in the woods, and in the music.
Think of how much more satisfying your playing experience would be if you knew a little of what you were doing. This doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice all other musical exercises until you know all about theory and rhythm. There are plenty of things to learn, and as long as you are learning something – you are doing good.
Fortunately, if you get lost and don’t know that to do while playing the uke, you won’t find yourself plummeting toward the earth in a death spiral.
But take the time and effort to learn the basics. It’s worth it.
* Strums… let’s say “strumming patterns” instead.
All In Good Time 