Should You Learn Ukulele Before Guitar?

Are you confused, Should you learn Ukulele before Guitar, or learn guitar first?

Well, it all depends on your own choice and taste. But I suggest first you learn Ukulele then shift to guitar.

It will be more beneficial and easier for you to learn ukulele before guitar.

You can consider guitar and ukulele as twin sisters however there are some basic differences between guitar and ukulele.

The texture of both instruments is almost the same. The major difference in size is found in ukulele and guitar.

Ukulele is smaller in size than the guitar which makes it easier to hold, while the bigger size of the guitar makes it a pain to hold and practice for long periods of time.

Apart from this, there is also a difference in the number of strings found in ukulele and guitar, guitar has 6 strings and ukulele has 4 strings.

The standard tuning of a guitar is EADGBE, while the standard tuning of a ukulele is GCEA.

Due to the less number of strings, even if you are a beginner, you can see easily understand its nuances.

Playing ukulele is really a bit easier than guitar, so after learning ukulele well, you would not face many difficulties in learning guitar.

These are some advantages to learning ukulele before guitar.

Now let’s discuss these in detail.

5 Reasons Why Should You Learn Ukulele Before Guitar?

However, there are several reasons to learn Ukulele before guitar, I have covered the 5 best reasons here.

Reason 1: Ukulele Is Easier to Learn

Many people consider ukulele and guitar to be the same, but it is wrong.

There is a difference in the shape and texture of ukulele and guitar. 

The construction and shape of the guitar are complex. That’s why it’s difficult to learn it quickly. 

While the shape and texture of ukulele are a bit simpler compared to guitar, so any beginner can easily understand its basics. 

Ukulele is smaller in size compared to guitar and it has four strings.  Guitar has 6 strings which complicate the construction of the guitar. 

Definitely holding strings on the ukulele is easier than the guitar. Afterall, you are messing with only 4 strings which is a lot easier to handle compared to the 6 string guitar.

Additionally, there is a difference between the standard tuning of guitar and ukulele.  The standard guitar tuning is EADGBE, while the standard ukulele tuning is GCEA.

Due to the different tuning pattern, you can easily play chords on ukulele, even the C chord can be played only by pressing the last string on 3rd fret and other strings open.

Reason 2: You Can Transfer Your Ukulele Skills to Guitar

You can easily transfer your ukulele skills to guitar because the guitar and ukulele are built almost the same way. 

• Both are stringed instruments
• Strumming patterns are almost same
• If you love fingerstyle then shifting from the ukulele to guitar is easy
• Both have fretboards (I admit ukulele has the smaller one).

People also consider ukulele and guitar as twin sisters of each other. 

If any person knows how to play ukulele and has understood the basics of ukulele then he can learn to play guitar with very little effort. 

As I have told you above both ukulele and guitar have strings in musical instruments, so if a person knows how to play ukulele, then he is already familiar with strings

Obviously, he will not face much difficulty in learning guitar after ukulele.

Reason 3: Ukulele Strings Do Not Hurt Like Guitar

Ukulele have nylon strings, while acoustic and electric guitars have steel strings, due to which any beginner can face pain in the fingers while playing it. 

To avoid this, one should play the guitar strings slowly, and if pain occurs, keep one’s fingers immersed in ice or apple cider vinegar, which provides relief. 

But, ukulele strings are made of nylon, which does not hurt like guitar strings. 

That’s my second reason why should you learn ukulele first. 

Reason 4: Ukulele Is  Smaller So Easy to Hold

There is a size difference between guitar and ukulele.  Ukulele is smaller in size compared to the guitar.

That’s why it is easy to hold and practice for a long time and you do not face any kind of trouble. 

The smaller size makes it more portable than the guitar and you can easily take it from one place to another. 

Reason 5: Ukulele Comes Under Budget

One of the main reasons for learning ukulele before guitar is, it is slightly cheaper than guitars. 

While guitars are expensive, it is not in everyone’s budget to buy them.  So if you want to learn guitar and you do not have much budget to buy it then ukulele can be a good option for you in low budget. 

It has also been seen many times that some people buy expensive guitars, but while learning they get bored very quickly and stop learning in the middle.

So, I suggest you to not waste your money.

Instead, you can buy a ukulele first to see if you are interested in learning it or not. And, if you can hold your enthusiasm then you should go for a guitar.

Can You Learn Ukulele and Guitar Both at the Same Time?

No one can give correct answer to this.  It depends on the ability of the person learning how he is able to learn ukulele and guitar. 

If you are a beginner then you may face some difficulties in learning ukulele and guitar simultaneously as both musical instruments are different in design. 

The number of strings is also different in both instruments. 

Apart from this, the standard tuning of ukulele and guitar is also different. 

So if you are a beginner then I recommend you to learn one musical instrument at a time but still for a beginner it can be beneficial to start with ukulele and you will be able to learn it easily. 

Learning both musical instruments at the same time can be a hassle and you may get bored and leave it midway. 

That’s why it’s best to learn slowly by building up an interest in the ukulele first. Once you have your hands on ukulele then shift to guitar.

Would Learning Guitar and Ukulele at the Same Time Mess up Your Skills?

Yes, it is absolutely right to say that learning ukulele and guitar at the same time can mess up your skills.

They have different textures. 

The number of strings also varies in these.  Apart from this, the standard tuning is also different in these.

Ukuleles and Guitars Have Different Textures

• The number of strings is different in both. Ukulele has 4 strings whereas Guitar has 6 strings
• Standard tuning also varies
• Chord structures are different
• Ukulele has smaller fretboard compared to guitar

Due to all these reasons, it is recommended that beginners should learn one musical instrument at a time and give their hundred percent to learning only so that perfection can come in their craft. 

Learning guitar and ukulele together can mash up your skills and cause you all kinds of problems.

How Much Time Did It Take for You to Learn Ukulele

It is difficult to tell how long it will take a person to learn to play the ukulele. 

It depends on the learning ability and interest of the person. How a person is learning ukulele with dedication and hard work also determines how quickly a person can learn to play ukulele. 

In general, anyone can master the ukulele well in 6 to 7 months, and if you come from a musical background, you can learn even more quickly. 

You should not rush to learn ukulele but take time and focus on learning it with perfection and it is beneficial to be patient while learning ukulele.

Can You Self Learn Ukulele?

Yes, you can learn to play the ukulele on your own, but for that you need to understand some of the basics. 

If you understand the basics then it will be easy for you to learn to play ukulele and you can learn to play ukulele without any difficulty. 

You can take the help of a knowledgeable person to understand these basics.  Also, you can watch Yotube tutorials related to ukulele.

You also need to choose a good ukulele to learn to play the ukulele on your own. 

In order to learn to play the ukulele, you need to keep a few things in mind, such as:

• Correct body posture
• Use metronome
• Right tuning
• Holding techniques
• Daily practice
• Chord formation basics
• Basic knowledge about Ukulele
• Some hard work, interest, passion and patience
• Correct your mistakes

By adopting all these tips, you can easily learn to play ukulele yourself. 

Bottom Line

Ukulele and guitar have few similarities so if you learn to play ukulele first then you will easily transform your skills into guitar.

I have mentioned multiple reasons above why should you learn to play ukulele before the guitar.

So, get a ukulele and start practicing it and you will see how fast you are getting into this.