No, not THAT kind of strap! I’m talking about using a strap on your `ukulele – and that has proved to be a hot topic in some uke circles.

Traditionally, straps weren’t used, and there are still some who insist that it’s not the traditional way. There are many, many incredible `ukulele players who never use one – and that’s great. But if you watch the plethora of YouTube videos carefully, you’ll see more and more players use straps on their ukes – including such pros as Jake Shimabukuro, Gerald Ross, James Hill and more.

I prefer a strap and encourage my students to also – especially those who are just beginning to play, but for all levels. Face it, we’re having to co-ordinate what our left hand is playing, right hand is strumming, and eyes are reading all at the same time. Who needs to worry about holding the uke in the proper position and keeping it from sliding around? A strap eliminates that problem.

A few years ago, it was hard to find `ukulele straps. For the first 3 years, I used a braided chord! But now you can find a wonderful assortment, including hand-made ones. I’ve had students who made straps from macramé, weaving, needlepoint, and a very funky men’s tie from the ‘50s!

 There are two main types. One is the ‘sling’ type which loops under the uke, comes up and hooks on to the sound hole. Personally, I don’t care for these, simply because you still must hang on to your uke or it flops down. Some inexpensive ukes – or ones made of plastic – don’t have an end block, so it’s a solution. The other type is like the usual guitar straps which attach to an end pin on the lower bout. You can tie them under the strings above the nut or have a second pin placed on the heel. It only takes about 30 seconds to have an end pin installed, and it saves a lot of worry.

In the end, it’s up to you. But if you haven’t used a strap, give it a try. You might find that suddenly everything seems a whole lot easier!