Please check the Frequently Asked Questions section below. If you don't see the answer to your question there, feel free to send it to us. Thank-you :-)


​Frequently Asked Questions:


1. What exactly is MAUI ? I hear about other local ukulele gatherings and get a little confused.

Madison is blessed with a thriving ukulele community. MAUI is the Madison Area Ukulele Initiative, an organization that 1) supports other ukulele groups in the region 2) offers it's own events 3) publishes a weekly calendar of all ukulele events in the region and 4) maintains a free, high-quality song book for anyone to use. MAUI's own events include monthly Sing-Alongs as well as frequent concerts by MAUI's performance group. A wide variety of ukulele classes are taught by MAUI director Andrew Wilke. They're offered through MAUI's sister company called Good Day Ukulele. For a list of other ukulele groups in the Madison area, and respective contact people, see the "Calendar" page of this website. 

2. How do I join MAUI ?

Joining MAUI is simple. Just subscribe to our email list on the "Join" page and indicate your ukulele interests. That's it! We include an "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of every email. So you can leave any time. And we never share your information. Our top priority is helping you find enjoyable, encouraging, and trusting musical community.

3. I signed-up for MAUI but I'm not receiving emails ?

Because our club has been so successful, we have more members than Gmail allows. So we now send email through a service called MailChimp. This occasionally results in emails being mis-categorized. For example, some email programs may route MailChimp emails to a promotional, or spam, folder.  When you first submit your subscription request to MAUI, MailChimp will automatically send you a confirmation email. You haven't joined until you confirm. So, if the confirmation email doesn't appear in your inbox, look for it in another folder, like "promotional", "spam", or "social", and then tell your email software to allow future correspondence from this sender. Ah! growing pains.

4. What's required to participate in MAUI Sing-Alongs ?

Just show up! All skill levels are welcome. If you only know one chord, play that chord every time it comes around. Soon enough, you'll learn another. Ukulele culture is very accepting. We sound great and have a lot of fun collectively even though many of us fall off the wagon every now and then. We just get back on and no one even notices. Many beginners think a certain level of proficiency is required before participating. Not true. Just come as you are. Let the group inspire you to play. Proficiency will happen at it's own pace...and you'll be smiling along the way.

5. Can you recommend a good ukulele for beginners ?

Certainly. Here are our suggestions to cut through information paralysis. We don't get any monetary kick-back from these companies. We recommend the  three beginner ukuleles shown below. Quality problems are very common with low-cost ukes. "Where you buy" is as important as "what you buy". Consequently, we recommend sticking with the five stores shown. Lastly, ask the store to "setup" your ukulele...preferably at no additional cost. This refers to adjusting the height of the strings and can make a BIG difference in how easy the instrument is to play. If you have "thick fingers", let us know using the "Inquiry" page of this website. We'll recommend a few ukes with wider necks.

​Spruce Tree Music (Local Madison)
​Ward Brodt Music (Local Madison)
​Heid Music (Local Madison)
Elderly Instruments (Online)
Mim's Ukes (Online)
All Strings Nylon (Online)
​
Ohana CK-10
Yes
No
​No
Yes
Yes
No
Kala KA-C
No
Yes
​Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Cordoba 15CM
No
No
​Yes
Yes
No
Yes

6. Is there anything else I need to buy other than a ukulele ?

Here are our suggestions to cut through additional information paralysis. Again, we don't get any monetary kick-back from these companies. We recommend the Snark model ST-8 clip-on tuner for approximately $11. In Wisconsin, we recommend keeping both your ukulele and a humidifier inside your case during the heating season to prevent cracking. The OASIS model OH-6 is best and cost approximately $20. Make sure to read the instructions for this humidifier. Rigid cases retain humidity much better than soft cases. They also offer significantly more protection from damage. Consequently, we recommend buying a rigid case. Lastly, a strap that holds up the ukulele's head allows your chording-hand to be significantly more relaxed. Homemade straps of cord, yarn, or ribbon are a good place to start. Attach one end to the ukulele's head and wrap the other end around the ukulele body's "waist" (threading under the uke's strings).

7. What's the best way to manage the MAUI songbook ? It has so many songs !

If you're new to MAUI, we suggest attending without the song book and sitting next to someone who has a copy. Each month, 4 to 6 new songs are added based on member's requests. That will continue. Consequently, many members have migrated to electronic tablets, like iPads. We recommend you do the same. Used tablets are rather inexpensive these days and offer significant advantages over a printed book. The song book will continue to evolve in favor of convenient tablet viewing.