[Enjoy the Ukulele Even More!] How to Prepare A Song for When You Don’t Have Enough Time to Practice

Hello, Conservario here.
"When I practice this phrase and chord change, I still can't play it... I feel like I’ll never be able to get it right."
When this kind of situation continues, the fun in playing the ukulele can stop to a grinding halt.
Since each case is different, it’s difficult to give specific advice without seeing or hearing each person play, but there are two methods that can be applied to any level or phrase you’re working on.
Please come back to this advice when you’re stuck.

There are two methods:

① Focus on thoroughly practicing the basics
② Change difficult phrases or chords

Let me explain each one.

① Focus on Thoroughly Practicing the Basics

First, let’s start by changing your mindset and approach toward basic practice.
Have you ever thought of basic practice this way?
“Basic practice is something only beginners do, and once I’ve gotten good enough, there’s no need to keep doing it.”
This mindset is a big mistake.
In fact, many people think this way.
In fact, almost everyone who says they’re not improving holds this mindset.
People who get better and professional players never underestimate basic practice.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that practicing the basics thousands of times is never a waste.
Basic exercises literally form the foundation of all performances.
It’s fine to skip the basics and jump straight into practicing your favorite songs, but you will inevitably hit a wall.
I’ve seen many people quit because no matter how much they practice, they can’t seem to improve.
To avoid this, I highly recommend making basic practice a daily habit as early as possible.
Even just 5 to 10 minutes of practice a day will absolutely lead to steady growth.
I have previously written columns about basic practice, so please refer to them.

Related articles:
[Enjoy the Ukulele Even More!] Practicing for Left Hand Dexterity Part 1
[Enjoy the Ukulele Even More!] Practicing for Left Hand Dexterity Part 2

It's important to note that even the pros and big stars regularly practice their basics.
They don’t spend hours just on basics, but they check their fingerings regularly.
There’s a well-known saying that if you don’t practice for a day, you regress to the level you were at a few days ago.
It’s half true, but it’s also half wrong.
If you regularly practice your basics, skipping a day won’t make you lose much skill.
However, if you’ve neglected the basics and only practiced difficult songs, skipping even one day could significantly set you back.
Why is that?
Those who haven’t worked on their basics can only play at two extremes: just barely able to play, or not able to play at all.
It’s hard to explain this feeling with words, so let me use an analogy.
If you skip the basics and only practice songs, it’s like trying to do a wheelie on a bicycle when you can’t even ride a bike.
You might occasionally succeed, and your success might increase over time, but you’ll fail more often, and you won’t be able to ride well.
You won’t be able to go far or do things like shopping, which would make it a very inefficient use of time.
Isn’t that a waste?
If you practice the basics, you’ll be able to play anything. While it doesn’t mean you can play every song instantly, the basics will always help you in any musical context.
So, change your perspective on basic practice.

② Change Difficult Phrases or Chords

The second method is to change the difficult parts of the song.
This method requires a bit of skill, but it can help with difficult sections.
I can already hear someone saying, "If you change it, you lose the essence of the song!"
But let me ask you this:
Was the song you’re practicing specifically written for that difficult phrase or chord you’re struggling with?
If that phrase or chord is a focal point of the song, then yes, you need to be able to play it.
But if it’s not the main focal point and it’s only a small detail, it’s okay to go ahead and change it.
For example, in a song with vocals, the main focus is the singing.
If a difficult chord makes it too difficult to sing, you can just change it.
In solo ukulele pieces, there are often parts that stand out, like the chorus or the climax.
If you can play those well, it’s fine to change the more difficult sections.
But, how do you make those changes?
If you know some music theory and arranging, you can try reharmonizing it, but that might be difficult unless you're an advanced player.
What I recommend is simplifying.
You can reduce a chord by removing a note, or reduce the difficult sections by skipping fast or difficult notes.
As long as it doesn’t sound bad, it’s fine.
If it sounds odd or the transitions don’t feel right, try removing a different note.
This is not a shortcut, but it’s a process that you can experiment with while playing.
If you’re having trouble with fast strumming, simplify it to just downstrokes. This can still create a nice musical effect.
For those who sing and play, there’s even more to manage.
If your playing is so difficult that it’s affecting your singing, you’ll end up losing focus on the song itself.
Remember, when singing and playing, the singing is the main focus.
If your singing sounds good, the chords and strumming are secondary.
Always think about the priority of each element while practicing.
To be honest, the things different people focus on in the same song will vary.
There’s no definitive right or wrong way to play it.
So, it’s important to have your own perspective, but when performing with others or for an audience, be flexible and adjust your playing accordingly.

I’ve introduced two methods to help you overcome some challenges in your practice.
I hope these tips were helpful.
Thank you for reading to the end!

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