Ukulele is a unique instrument that resembles a guitar. It is originated in Hawaii, and it can bring the coastal atmosphere that can match the surf rock genre. However, because of the instrument’s acoustic nature, it may not fit arrangements with plentiful distortion. Ukulele is more of a musical instrument that you play to enjoy the breezing air on a beach. And the ukulele sound captures the very emotion of summer, surfing, and joyful feeling.
If you have been playing ukulele for a while by now, and you are confident with your progress in playing the ukulele, perhaps you need to go to be a pro player. With the right mindset and creativity, you can reach listeners as many as a rock star or a hip-hop musician.
Learning from the Pro
How to define a professional ukulele player? First, we can explain the professionalism regarding audience reach. If a ukulele player can get millions of views, it is already a parameter of success. On YouTube, if you type the keyword Ukulele, and you set the filter to get the videos with the highest view count, you will get Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole on the top list. He managed to reach 565 million viewers for the past eight years. And if you skim through the other musicians, you will notice that most of them only did a cover song.
It may be a harsh truth for you because we can infer that things are going to be quite tricky for ukulele players with original arrangements to be famous. However, in your creative process, the mainstream trend is one factor that you shall not ignore. In one way or another, you must generate revenues for your music production cost.
Getting the Best Gear
Pro players use pro instruments. You must not be sentimental about your ukulele because you should upgrade it as you progress with your career. Sooner or later, endorsement deals will reach you. And getting endorsed by big ukulele manufacturers like Kala and POMAIKAI is not impossible. Also, getting the best gear means that you are aware of a product’s quality. And that attitude can earn other player’s respect.
Fortunately, we live in a free information era. You can learn from reviews about ukuleles to know which type and brand is the right one for you. Also, try musician forums and study all the opinions and stories of people with the same interest as you.
Performing in Gigs
Ukulele professional players are expected to play all of the popular songs in the top music charts. If you think that idea is ridiculous, you should watch Renee Dominique YouTube channel. She did a cover song on The Carpenters’ Close to You, and she managed to get 4,5 million views and over 95,000 likes. Imagine if you can give a live performance with similar quality.
Going from one gig to another also increase the chances for your listeners to buy your music. Your audience will not respect you if you only sound good in recorded videos. Besides, playing in gigs can give you a sensation that is incomparable with digital view counts.…