After a couple of days getting my land legs back and a week mulling over whether or not to buy a guitar, I have decided to go in a slightly different direction: I am getting a tenor ukulele.
Why a ukulele? Why not a ukulele? With its smaller scale, budget-friendly price, and easier learning curve, it feels like just what the doctor (and therapist) ordered.
The guitar was tempting, but it carries too much emotional baggage for me.
To me, the guitar will always belong to my dad. If I had chosen to go that route, I’m pretty sure I would’ve felt pressure to master it. And what I really want to do is play.
In my book, there’s a big difference between creative play and creative mastery.
Play is where curiosity lives. It’s loose, joyful, and full of discovery. Mastery, on the other hand, often brings structure, repetition, and the weight of expectation.
Play can grow into mastery. But in my experience, when you start from mastery, it’s all too easy to lose the sense of wonder and experimentation that sparked your creativity in the first place.
Play is freedom. It’s exploration. It’s about sound and curiosity, not pitch perfection.
When I was younger, every instrument I touched came with assignments, recitals, lessons, and report cards. Now, I just want the joy of making some mellow music, strumming along to life and lyrics.
A tenor ukulele feels like an invitation to that kind of joy, a return to childlike play, where curiosity matters more than perfection. Fewer strings, fewer expectations, more fun.
I can still learn songs I love and stretch my creative muscles, but without the pressure to become a virtuoso overnight. It’s music as it once was: simple and spontaneous.
Maybe this next chapter of my musical life isn’t about reclaiming lost skills—it’s about relearning how to play for the sake of play itself.
Keep calm and play on!
Clint 🌈✌️
P.S. As I wait for my new ukulele to arrive, I’m making a “music corner” in my studio apartment. I didn’t think I’d have room for my digital piano, but after a bit of trial and error, I’ve managed to make it all work. Yaaay!!!
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ON THIS DAY = NOVEMBER 6
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1854 = John Philip Sousa = American composer and bandleader
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Michael Cunningham
Clint, I love: "Play is where curiosity lives. It’s loose, joyful, and full of discovery. Mastery, on the other hand, often brings structure, repetition, and the weight of expectation." Same for me. I "play" in a lot of areas but "master none" and that is OK with me. I am all about play! Fondly, Michael
"relearning how to play for the sake of play itself..."
Yes yes yes, THIS!
Such a great metaphor for life itself. Excited for you!