Français
English
Français
| favorite ukulele |
Ia ora na Christophe and Maxime! Can you introduce yourself ?
Hello, my name is Christophe, I am 49 years old and I am a photographer in Côtes-d'Armor in Brittany.
Hello, my name is Maxime, I will soon be 42 years old, I work as a psychiatric nurse and I live in Normandy.
How long have you been playing the ukulele?
Maxime: The first time I touched a ukulele was in 2011, a ukulele that I could n't tune because of the tuners that turned when I tried in vain to get it to produce correct notes, then I was given one (an Aloha 20 soprano) in 2012 which allowed me to get started.
Christophe: I started playing the ukulele in 2013 thanks to Maxime, who got me hooked . At the time, I was looking for an instrument I could play solo and acoustically because playing bass by myself was starting to bore me. Max showed up at my house one day with his ukulele, and it was a revelation! The next day, I ordered my first ukulele (a Flea Tiki Surf, which I still use), and from then on, we thought we could form a duo for fun.
Why did you choose to'learn the ukulele?
Maxime discovered the ukulele in 2009 after a trip to Polynesia, and it influenced him because he liked the sound. He went back in 2012 knowing how to play. Otherwise, we didn't really learn formally; we just picked it up as we went along. But since each of us already played an instrument, the ukulele seemed like a fairly accessible one. Even though we did n't learn overnight, it wasn't long before we were posting our first covers online!
Why this instrument rather than'another ?
Maxime: I played a little guitar, and the ukulele seemed simpler to me. There was also the appeal it brought to others. This instrument was out of the ordinary , and we really liked its size. Even as beginners, we thought we could play in friends' bathrooms or other people's rooms because we don't need much space, and also in gardens, hence our name Ukulele in the Garden.
Christophe: I agree with Maxime, and I 'd even add, why this instrument over others? Coming from a bass background, I was sticking with a 4-string bass and I loved its fun and joyful side. The fact that I could play everything on the ukulele immediately convinced me . It's a really friendly instrument that puts a smile on people's faces as soon as you play the first chord. The ukulele is portable and affordable, which is actually its biggest drawback because once you buy one, you want 20! Joking aside, since 2012, we've collected different ukulele models, from sopranino to tenor, including electric and Polynesian ukuleles. This way, we can choose the ukulele that matches the musical style we want to play.
How did you learn to play it?
Maxime: On the job and mainly by watching tutorials on Youtube but with a basic understanding of stringed instruments.
Christophe: Like Max, I learned on the job, through tutorials and especially by ear . Starting with songs you already know also helps a lot.
Have you taken music education lessons and if not, do you think'can we learn the ukulele without music theory?
Maxime: I learned on my own without music theory, but you have to realize that lessons allow you to progress faster by giving you a solid foundation and enabling you to manage time and read tablature easily. That said, Christophe and I participate in Master Classes during the St-Denis d'Anjou ukulele festival, which allows us to correct some bad habits. But it 's not essential if you already have a background in music (or at least I think so).
Christophe: I 've never taken lessons and I don't know music theory, just the Master Classes with Maxime. Actually, I 've always played by ear ; it 's not necessarily the best option, but it's always served me well . Lessons do allow for better mastery of the instrument , learning tablature, and playing in the right tempo. Ultimately, it 's about feeling it out. If you want to take lessons, go for it, and if you don't, it won't stop you from playing.
What are your favorite songs to play on the ukulele?
Oh, so at the beginning, it was definitely about making quirky songs, songs we knew how to sing, and as time went on, each of us brought our own musical influences. Max likes French punk and rock, which I do n't necessarily listen to, and I'm more into Anglo-Saxon indie rock and folk, which Max is discovering. Basically, you could say that when we do a cover, one or the other of us is always hearing the song for the first time. It 's actually great to discover songs like that and especially to reinterpret them in our own way. In short , we're open-minded; it can go from a Radiohead cover to Ludwig Von 88 or Dinosaur Jr., and end with a cartoon theme song, but always having fun . We like to invite our friends to sing with us.
Are there any artists who inspire you?
Maxime: The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain was a revelation in their quirky style, and they really made an impression on us! They do n't directly influence our playing style, though we do maintain that quirky edge. That said, we don't necessarily only draw inspiration from ukulele groups, and that 's the starting point for what we do today . We're more influenced by Oldelaf 's music , and especially by Les Petites Bourrettes, whose songs we cover very often because of their funny lyrics, which also work well musically for the ukulele. Anyway, you can play just about anything on the ukulele!
Christophe: In the ukulele world, it 's undoubtedly the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain! We saw the group perform at the St-Denis d'Anjou ukulele festival , and we also had the chance to chat with them and take masterclasses with George Hinchliffe. This group plays everything with a great sense of humor , and that 's definitely what influenced us the most. I agree with Max about our inspirations and the fact that we can play just about anything on the ukulele. Even though I enjoy listening to artists like the Ukulele Clan Band, James Hill, and Zoé Bestel, I also love playing The Cure, Pixies, Nick Cave, and Sufjan Stevens.
Do you think it is difficult to'learn the ukulele? Why ?
Maxime: It 's not necessarily difficult to learn the ukulele if you already have some basic skills, and having taught beginners who had never held an instrument in their lives, I can tell you it's possible, but it 's a much more demanding learning process. Finger placement is more complicated, but they pick it up fairly quickly with routines, and in a few months, they're relatively comfortable playing a song.
Christophe: I agree with Maxime on this point. Having already played a much larger neck on my bass, I didn't have too much trouble positioning my fingers, but it will still take hours of playing to get used to it. After all, it 's like anything else; by constantly moving your fingers over the frets, you eventually develop more flexibility and can hold the pieces better.
Do you have any advice for someone?'one who would like to'put there?
Have fun playing the ukulele! Even if you 're not playing it perfectly, it 's not a big deal! Sometimes notes will skip, but just keep playing with a smile; it'll sound better next time. The ukulele community is really welcoming, and you can always get help and guidance, which will help you progress much more easily.
Finally, where can we find you on the networks and do you have future projects related to the ukulele?
You can find us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ukuleleinthegarden/), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/UkuleleInTheGarden/ ) and Youtube (https://youtu.be/8RFBXr3j6HI ).
For future projects, we'd like to see each other again because between the pandemic and the distance that separates us, we haven't been able to do any new duets, but we're going to make sure to bring some new material in addition to some old pieces that we would like to play at the end of October.
Then the main project is to seriously work on a set and do some open scenes.
Thank you Upa Upa Tahiti for devoting this interview to us.