[Enjoy the Ukulele Even More!] Commonalities Between the Ukulele and the Guitar

Hello, Conservario here.
Many people, not just myself, can play both the ukulele and the guitar.
Although they differ in appearance and the number of strings, they have many similarities.
Being able to play both instruments can positively impact your performance on either one.
If you’re a ukulele player who is also interested in guitar, please read on.

■ Left Hand Changes the Notes and Right Hand Plucks the Strings

This applies to almost all stringed instruments that you hold and play.
Not just the ukulele and guitar, but also bass, violin, and cello are all the same (although for violin and cello, the sound is made by vibrating the strings with a bow).
For right-handed people, this is a familiar sight, but left-handed players often set up their instruments the opposite way.
In that case, the string tension is also reversed.
If you're used to fingering the strings with your left hand and plucking with your right hand, you can surprisingly start playing other instruments quickly, even when switching.
Of course, the feel of the instrument, the number of strings, and the tuning are different, but after a little playing, you can pick up how to play a different instrument fairly quickly.
I personally think it's similar to driving a car.
Each car has its quirks, and the steering wheel and gear changes might be different, but you can still drive.
When you play different instruments, you start seeing your main instrument from a different perspective, which I think only improves your musical ability.
If you know people who can play various instruments, ask if you can try playing one of them sometime.
Of course, if you're financially comfortable, it’s also a good idea to buy a variety of instruments yourself.

■ Left Hand Techniques Transfer Easily

Hammering, pulling, sliding, and others...
Left hand techniques are the same on both the ukulele and the guitar.
If you practice these techniques carefully on the ukulele, you'll be able to use them without any problem when switching to guitar.
However, if you've played guitar before, as you might know the strings of the guitar and the ukulele are different.
Guitar strings are made of steel, which gives them the bright, sharp tone characteristic of guitars.
While these strings have good sustain and durability, they are, frankly speaking, harder and more difficult to press.
Therefore, applying the same amount of pressure as on the ukulele won’t produce the correct sound on the guitar.
You don’t need intense strength training, but proper finger training is necessary; otherwise, the techniques you’ve learned won’t be effective.
It’s best to practice on an actual guitar, but if you don’t have one, practice on your ukulele while being mindful of the differences.

■ Right Hand Techniques Also Transfer Easily

Just like with the left hand, many right-hand techniques can also be applied directly from the ukulele to the guitar.
Strumming, fingerpicking, brushing, muting, and others...
Many people think guitars are played with a pick, but guitars are also frequently played with the fingers.
Ukulele players have an advantage over guitar beginners since they’ve already developed their right hand technique on the ukulele.
Moreover, if you’re used to playing with a pick on the ukulele, it becomes even easier to play guitar.
Advanced ukulele players can even perform special techniques like the "Batikin" or "Roll Strumming," although it requires some advanced skills.
I occasionally do this too, but since guitars have more strings, and the strings are stiffer, it's harder to perform these techniques as well as on the ukulele.
However, practicing fingerpicking on the guitar while trying to do Batikin or Roll Strumming-like movements is excellent for finger training, even though you wouldn't normally make those movements on the guitar.
If you can perform Batikin on a guitar in front of guitarists, they’ll be amazed—it's a moment where you'll feel grateful for playing the ukulele.
When practicing finger picking on the guitar, be careful as your nails can wear down easily.
Picking with the same strength as on the ukulele can be damaging, so start gently.

■ Summary

I’ve shared some common points between the ukulele and guitar.
If you can play the ukulele, you'll be able to learn the guitar quickly as well.
However, if you’ve learned chords by shape alone, be cautious.
Even if your finger shapes are the same, the chord might be completely different.
For example, if you play the G chord on the ukulele and press the same shape on the guitar, it will result in a D chord.
This is due to the difference in tuning.
However, if you’ve memorized chords by their note names (e.g., Do, Mi, Sol, Re, Fa, La), you’ll be able to play them on any instrument without issue.
So, if you’re comfortable with chords, it’s a good idea to be aware of the notes you are playing, as this will help you memorize chords faster and enable you to add arrangements to solo ukulele pieces.
If you’re interested, I recommend that you study a simple theory book.
Each instrument has its own strengths—ukulele has its own unique beauty, and so does the guitar.
The guitar has more strings and can produce both lower and higher tones than the ukulele.
Once you get used to it, you’ll be able to play things on the guitar that are impossible on the ukulele.
Once you’re able to play both, you’ll understand the unique qualities of each.
I encourage you to try playing the guitar.
Once you can play the guitar, you'll naturally be able to play the bass as well, which will raise your level as a musician significantly.
Thank you for reading until the end.

The “sound & person” column is made up of contributions from you.
For details about contributing, click here.