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'Ukulele, Ukulele, Ukelele a.k.a Uke
The start page for all things ukulele on the Curt Sheller Publications web site
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'Ukulele, Ukulele, Ukelele a.k.a Uke (ukuleles.shtml) | Updated: 23-Sep-2008 - 14:55
The Ukulele
'jumping flea', Uke, ukulele, ukelele
Ukulele The ukulele is a fretted string instrument which is, in its construction, essentially a smaller, four-stringed version of the guitar. In the early 20th century, the instrument's name was often rendered as ukelele, a spelling stilll used in Great Britain. The Hawai'ian spelling 'ukulele is also sometimes seen.
WidipediA link
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The ukulele (pronounced oo-koo-lele) comes in 4 sizes Soprano (sometimes called Standard), Concert, Tenor and Baritone. Tuned like the thin 4 strings of a standard guitar. The baritone Uke uses "G" Tuning (D G B E) just like the guitar. The Soprano, Concert and Tenor uses "C" Tuning G C E A and "D" tuning (A D F# B). The Tenor can also be tuned like the Baritone ukulele. These are the same intervals as the guitar's upper 4 strings, string 4 to 3 is a perfect fourth (P4) or 11th depending on whether using traditional high tuning or a more guitar like low tuning, string 3 to 2 is a major third (M3) and string 2 to 1 is a perfect fourth (P4).
A ukulele can be a mellow-mainland or bright-island sound.
Here is a desktop
picture I created on my Mac. Click for full size image.
Here is a whole collection of desktop pictures (wallpapers).
Woman is at a uke festival with a lovely soprano ukulele under her arm. Another woman walks up and gazes admiringly at the first woman's uke, at which point the woman holding the uke looks over and says with a smile; "I got it for my husband." Second woman nods and says, "good trade."
The Ukulele History
In 1879, a Braguinha arrived in Hawaii on a Portuguese ship loaded with
laborers destined for the sugar fields. Hawaiians made the instrument their own
and calling it "ukulele" which translates to "jumping flea," It is believed to
have originated because of the way a performer's fingers jump around on the
strings.
The Ukulele Timeline
- 1879: Portuguese sailors introduce Hawaiians to small four-stringed instrument that gave rise to the ukulele.
- 1915: Panama Pacific International Exposition unveils ukulele to the world.
- 1920s: Ukuleles all the rage.
- 1940s: Ukulele craze revived by GIs returning home from South Pacific after World War II.
- 1950s: Weekly TV host Arthur Godfrey keeps ukuleles in the spotlight.
- Current: Virtuoso musicians such as Jake Shimabukuro and James Hill are altering traditional perceptions of ukulele music.
Baritone Ukulele
The baritone ukulele can be used as a small starter guitar. Easy on little tikes hands.
With more and more children wanting to start guitar at an earlier and earlier age the baritone ukulele, which is tuned just like a guitar's top (higher) four strings, is a great starter guitar.
5, 6, and 8 String Ukuleles
The most common number of strings are 4. By doubling any of the 4 strings, 5, 6 and 8 string variations are common. The Kanile’a 'Ukulele web site has a page of MP3 sound files titled Sound Files @ Kanile'a 'Ukulele. Check these out to here how quality Ukes are supposed to sound. Nothing like your cheaper Ukes in most music stores.
Ukulele prices range from a few dollars for cheap plastic toy ones up to a few thousand for custom built ukuleles using the best woods in the world. Everyone should have at least one ukulele.
More info:
- The Ukulele: Hawaii's Little Musical Giant
- How I Learned to Play the ‘Ukulele By John King
- Ukulele Hall of Fame Museum
This is the best article that I have come across on the ukulele anywhere.
Uke Scale Lengths
( Ed. I don't remember where I came across this. If you know let me know and I'll give credit where credit is due. )
Simulating Various Ukulele Scale Lengths
If you don't have any concert size instruments nearby to try in a store you can create the scale length on your tenor with an inexpensive capo. A capo on the second or third frets of a tenor leaves you with a scale length (and fret spacing) similar to a concert and the neck width at that level should be very close to that found on most concerts. And if you want to get an idea of what a soprano scale would feel like put the capo at the 4th fret and you'll be almost exactly at the standard 13 5/8 inch length. However the width at that point on a tenor will in most cases be greater than at the nut of a soprano.
“Folks, if you haven't stopped by Curt's site, do so right now! ..And get his books, they are fantastic. This guy knows his stuff and is able to pass it along too.” - Alan Johnson Proprietor, The 4th Peg
Ukulele Like Instruments
- Cavaquinho
The cavaquinho (pron. /kɐ.vɐ.'ki.ɲu/ in European Portuguese and /ka.va.'ki.ɲu/ in Brazilian Portuguese) is a small string instrument of the European guitar family with four wires or gut strings. It is also called machimbo, machim, machete (in the Portuguese Atlantic islands and Brazil), manchete or marchete, braguinha or braguinho, and cavaco. Its standard tuning is D-G-B-D
The Hawaiian islands have an instrument similar to the cavaquinho called the ukulele, which is thought to be a development of the cavaquinho, brought to the island by Portuguese immigrants. The Hawaiian ukulele has four strings and a similar shape to the cavaquinho, which was introduced into Hawaii by Augusto Dias, Manuel Nunes, and João Fernandes in 1879.
- Cavaquinho Artists
- Cavaquinho "Cavaquinho" link, Júlio Pereira
- Cavaquinho Ukulele link
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Featured Books
Ukulele Chords
NEW This small (1/2 size) chord book is a great little book to carry with you. Ukulele Chords covers basic open position and basic movable form chords. From these two chord categories a variety of songs and styles can be played.
A Guide to Ukulele Strums & Rhythmic Patterns
This book is designed as a guide to ukulele (pronounced “oo-koo-lele”) strums. From rock and waltz strums to reggae and broken chord strums.
A Guide to Ukulele Chords
This book is designed as a guide to ukulele (pronounced “oo-koo-lele”) chords. Covering basic ukulele chords that ALL uke players MUST know, movable chord forms, rock uke chords, how to transpose chords, learning the ukulele fingerboard and an introduction to 4-part “jazz” chords and more...
Ukulele For Guitar Players
Ukulele for Guitar Players is a guide to transferring the accumulated experience and knowledge gained as a guitar played to the ukulele.
A Guide to Blues Chord Progressions for Ukulele A to Z
Covers the key of C major and C minor, including a detailed accompanying text explaining the principles behind each progression and the chord substutitions.
Exploring "Jazz" Chords on Ukulele
Exploring "Jazz" Chords takes the core chords from A Guide to Advanced Chords for Ukulele and shows their use over a variety of common chord progressions based on songs from the standard jazz repertoire.
A Guide to Advanced Chords for Ukulele
If your goal is to expand your chord vocabulary, The Advanced Guide to Ukelele Chords Series is your answer. Commonly referred to as "jazz" chords. A Guide to Advanced Ukulele Chords Volume I provides detailed information on voicing 4-part chords.
The Advanced Guide to Guitar Chords
Commonly referred to as "jazz" chords this provides detailed information on voicing 4-part chords.
Harmonic Analysis For Scale Selection And Chord Substitution
Harmonic Analysis is the understanding of the functional sequence of chords. It is the process used to analyze the harmonic structure of a progression, song or composition. This analysis is then used to make scale selections for improvisation and chord substitution.
Ukulele - Reading Music Series
Reading Music in Open Position, Single Note Studies- Primer. Reading music is not as hard as one might think. It may be new and unfamiliar to you but is not hard when you have a proper plan of attack.
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