I’ve been playing classical piano since I was 6, and played clarinet in marching band in junior high.  I love all things music.  My family has always had a ukulele in the house but I never formally learned how to play when I was little – I knew the typical four chords – C, G, A and F.

About 3 years ago, my dad had a stroke and lost mobility in his hands.  I remembered how he loved to play the uke so I thought it would be good dexterity practice to try to get him into it again.  I also wanted to learn so that I can help him with chords that he had forgotten.  That was when I discovered an amazing online community of ukulele enthusiasts at Ukulele Underground.  There were no egos, just kind people with “the aloha spirit” willing to help anyone from newbie to advanced player.  UU started from humble beginnings by three guys living in Kauai, HI – Aldrine, Ryan and Aaron.  Aldrine would film tutorials from his bedroom, or might amaze us with his face-melting renditions of Super Mario or Pokemon theme medleys.  Now, UU has turned into a ukulele university with live and recorded classes in a professional setting.  But the old forums are still there, for more of an informal setting.

I was very active with the community for a few years, until a congenital disorder started affecting the joints in my hands.  I can no longer play uke except for short sessions at a time, and even then it will take days for my hands to recuperate.  But I will always remember all the people at UU who helped me learn to be a better player, and who supported and encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone when it came to performing.

The uke is becoming a more popular instrument these days, and less stigmatized as being a “joke” kind of instrument.  It’s seen as a serious instrument now, as it should have always been.  I encourage anyone who is thinking about taking up the uke to check out Ukulele Underground.

Here are a few videos I did when I was in my “ukulele prime.”  It was also a good time to experiment with video editing, recording and music editing, and “synth” programming (on my Nintendo DS’s).

No frills version – just a computer mic, no cuts, no audio effects: