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Original Post By:
Ukebug
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Date: 3/9/2010 9:25:28 AM |
| Does anyone remember that gadget that (I think) Arthur Godfrey included with his ukes? It was an E-Z play device that went over the neck and you could press a button and play a full chord. I think it worked something like that. We have a new member in our uke club who has some nerve damage in his hand and finds it difficult to make a chord. I thought this might be helpful for him. Thanks. |
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Posted By:
jbarrymore
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Date: 3/9/2010 9:49:15 AM |
| It is called the Chord Master and they were still available on E-Bay about a year ago.
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Posted By:
Diesel
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Date: 3/9/2010 11:07:25 AM |
| Also from the newest incarnation of the old Johnson Smith catalogue of my youth: www.thingsyouneverknewexisted.com.
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Posted By:
cowbelle
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Date: 3/9/2010 12:29:30 PM |
| I've got the Godfrey contraption and it is bulky. This is heresy....has your friend considered the autoharp? It is a lot of fun to play "folk style" rather than in one's lap.
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Posted By:
Frank B
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Date: 3/9/2010 3:07:12 PM |
| Forgive me if this is a bit off subject. I am wondering if your friend has considered learning to play with his other hand. He could possibly strum with his bad hand and finger chords with his good hand. I know this would be difficult. I try playing left handed from time to time in preparation for the possibility of having a stroke and resulting paralysis (being hypertensive, a stroke is a realistic potential). Food for thought. Frank B.
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Posted By:
Ukester Brown
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Date: 3/9/2010 9:31:34 PM |
| I agree with cowbelle as to the bulkiness. Plus the chords are limited. To play it you do kind of have to hold it on your lap. Might as well get an autoharp and have all the chords.
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Posted By:
Tonya
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Date: 3/10/2010 4:54:42 PM |
I've used the ChordFinder device for my dad (Roussy-Levy syndrome--basically it's essential tremors combined with peripheral neuropathy) and a member of our little group (severe arthritis). Both wanted to play ukulele (not some other instrument) and for both of them the device, while bulky and certainly limited in chord selection, was the trick. Be aware that I believe there are two models one, with C and its basic chord family, and one with D and its chord family.
For my dad, it eventually was too difficult for him even to be able to hold down the buttons (he laughs that his tremor makes for a great tremolo strum on his right hand, though!) so we tuned down the ukulele and he plays it on his lap with a slide like a slide steel guitar. He's still happy to make music on an ukulele. It's a Fluke, with plastic fretboard, and I know he's going to wear out the frets with the slide, but who cares? He's 77 years old and making music!
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Posted By:
Ukebug
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Date: 3/10/2010 7:42:19 PM |
| Wow, you guys are great! A friend considered that we string the uke the other way so that he could finger the chords with his right hand, and strum with the left. We discussed it with the new club member, but he still wanted to give it a try and work at it bit more. I loaned him a few dvd's to watch so he could go over some basics at home. Being realistic, we think that it may not work out and tried to think of other instruments that he could play with us instead of a uke, but we never thought of the autoharp, that is a great idea. A local music store said he might have that Chord Master, but I think we'll skip that for now. Thanks so much for all of your input.
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