Sitting Position – Variation 1
There are several ways to hold the ukulele. Try different positions and find out which works out best for you.
I think this is the most comfortable way. It differs a little bit from the positions that are described in other books, but you are able to play the instrument for a long time without getting tired.
Sit up straight. Now put the ukulele on the left upper leg. The bout should lay on your thigh. Place the right hand over the soundhole. The hand should be in a relaxed position, the fingers above the strings. Press your right forearm below the wrist lightly against the ukulele and your body. Please check that you can easily swing your right hand without any stress. Use your wrist not your forearm to strum. The ukulele should lay in a stable position, now you don’t need the left hand to hold the ukulele.
You can also play just past the soundhole ( at the end of the fingerboard ), where the strings are at their lowest height. Your fingers might not get caught so easy during the strumming. But maybe you hit the body or the fingerboard with your fingertip when you brush over the strings.The fingernails of your right hand can grow longer. You get a louder, more accurate tone.
Sitting Position – Variation 2
Place the ukulele on your right upper leg. The position of the right hand is the same as described in variation 1.
Sitting Position – Variation 3
Press the ukulele lightly with your right forearm into the side of your body. You can place the right end of the ukulele in the crook of the left arm. To get a stable position, the right hand strikes the strings past the soundhole, where the last frets on the fingerboard are.This way of holding the ukulele is quite common.You can use it in sitting or standing position.Alternatively you can also use a strap ( e.g. a guitar strap ). This might be useful if you want to hold the ukulele in a higher position closer to your head or if you want more stability in one of the three described sitting positions. Read the description in the following passage (standing positions).
Standing Position - Variation 1
If you want to play in standing position, I recommend to use a strap ( e.g. a guitar strap ).It depends on your preferences and the anatomie of your body how high you hold the ukulele.
Standing Position - Variation 2
Alternatively you can use Variation 3 described in the previous passage.
Left Hand
Place the neck between thumb and finger No.1. It's like forming a loose fist.
It should feel comfortable and not be exhausting after a few minutes. Press your fingertips into the fingerboard. Don't grab on the fretwire. You should use enough power to create a clear tone.
When you use more difficult fingering techniques later ( e.g. barre chords ) you can press your thumb into the back of the neck.
You can use your thumb to grab the fourth string, if you like. Feel free to hold the ukulele in a different way, as long as you feel comfortable and relaxed when you are playing for a longer period. Keep the fingernails of your left hand short.