Got a ukulele!

Finally I made up my mind to take up a new instrument while I wait for a chance to sing in a choir again.  I had been thinking about learning a ukulele for half a year, so it's high time, and I will probably not regret even if I do not like it or lose interest.

The mall was not crowded at all, which is great.  A friendly shopstaff helped me choose a good ukulele for me.  The size is important: a soprano is the smallest one, which has narrow flets.  Women and children often play a soprano ukulele.  A larger one is a concert-size ukulele.  It's an alto ukulele with a louder and lower sound.  It seems to be a standard size, but it looked like some flets were wide and it may be hard for me to press down some chords?

I ended up choosing a soprano ukulele, Famous FS-1G, thinking that narrower flets would be easier for me to handle.  I also chose a smaller guitar when I was playing the guitar, but still it was hard to press down some chords because my hand was small. (or maybe I didn't practice enough to be able to open it wider?  When playing the piano, I can open my hands wide open and I don't have any difficulty playing most pieces)

The wood is also important for ukulele sound - spruce, mahogany, and coa are commonly used.  Spruce makes crisp and clear sound, while mahogany makes soft and mellow sound.  Coa is in between.  I liked coa best when I looked at ukulele in Michigan, but it is expensive!  Also whether the wood is laminated or is a single board also influences how expensive it is.  I got a laminated mahogany, a typical one for a beginner.  There was a better sounding one with a laminated Ovangkol, Cotone CS3S.  It is more expensive but makes crisp and good sound.  The price difference speaks.  Ovangkol is a legumious tree spicies found in Africa.. Intersting.  But for now as a beginner, I picked a basic one.  I can get a high-end one if I become a good ukulele player.  

Anyways... It's exciting to have a new instrument!  It's also cool to carry around an instrument because I don't get to do it as a singer and a piano player.  I'm practicing the very first "You are my sunshine". 

I hope to play some songs for my aunt, who does Hawaiian dancing!