{"id":137100,"date":"2016-03-03T21:56:50","date_gmt":"2016-03-03T11:56:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=137100"},"modified":"2020-10-21T12:01:28","modified_gmt":"2020-10-21T02:01:28","slug":"wanted-ukulele-players","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/03\/03\/wanted-ukulele-players\/","title":{"rendered":"Wanted: Ukulele Players"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Former Member for Nanango Dorothy Pratt is on the hunt for people who share her new passion … having fun with ukuleles!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

March 4, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

Former Member for Nanango Dorothy Pratt has a new love in her life. So does her husband Tony.<\/p>\n

The couple have both fallen in love with the ukulele after a Pacific cruise introduced them to the joys of this often-overlooked (and sometimes maligned) musical instrument.<\/p>\n

As Dolly tells it, Tony purchased a ukulele on one of their island stop-overs because there were some ukulele players on the cruise ship offering free lessons.<\/p>\n

It turned out to be so much fun that she bought a ukulele of her own when their cruise ship stopped at the next port of call.<\/p>\n

“It’s an absolutely brilliant instrument,” Dolly said.<\/p>\n

“You can learn three chords and be playing in under an hour – no kidding!”<\/p>\n

In fact, that was how she and Tony learned. Fellow cruise passengers showed them three simple chords the first day; then another three the next day; and then, at a slower pace, several more as the cruise progressed.<\/p>\n

And after each lesson the whole group – learners and experts alike – played and sang together.<\/p>\n

Tony said he received his first tuition from an expert player.<\/p>\n

“He was a very big guy, and he looked a bit funny holding a small ukulele. But boy, could he play!”<\/p>\n

His tutor showed him how to get started, and Tony was amazed at how quickly he picked things up.<\/p>\n

There are four main types of ukuleles, which range from the smallest (a soprano) through to concert, tenor and the biggest size, a bass.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dolly and Tony have three of them, and may consider getting a bass ukulele one day to complete the set.<\/p>\n

“A ukulele is one of the easiest instruments to learn how to play, a lot easier than guitar. And they’re also one of the most inexpensive. You can pick up a quality ukulele for less than $100,” Dolly said.<\/p>\n

Over the last six months since the couple returned from their trip, Dolly has formed a small group of fellow enthusiasts who meet once a week at her Kingaroy home to play together and learn from one another.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“It doesn’t matter if you’re any good or not,” Dolly said.<\/p>\n

“We all have lots to learn, so we play and sing together and just have fun doing it.”<\/p>\n

Dolly has also put together a music book containing 500 tunes she’s already mastered, or is currently working to master.<\/p>\n

“I can’t play all of them perfectly, but I can play them so the tune is recognisable,” she laughed.<\/p>\n

Her ambition is to one day be able to play The Blue Danube, though she admits she may be a little way off achieving that just yet.<\/p>\n

Recently two of her group of six announced they will be moving to the coast, so now Dolly is looking for new members to replace them.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“It doesn’t matter if players are experienced or not. We’re happy to teach anyone and we’re not critical,” Dolly said.<\/p>\n

“The whole aim of our group is just to get together, make some music and have fun doing it.”<\/p>\n

Interested? Give Dolly a call on 0419-778-015.<\/p>\n