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Ukulele
This small 4-stringed instrument originated in Hawaii and was based on Portuguese instruments. The instrument has seen a recent resurgence in popularity as more mainstream musicians have incorporated it into their repertoire.
454 Questions
Why is a contrabass bigger than an ukulele?
To provide for deeper/lower sounds that you can't get from the short strings of an ukulele.
Should I learn to play the fiddle the banjo or ukulele?
That is entirely up to you. The ukulele is very easy to learn. The fiddle is probably the most difficult and the banjo in between the two.
Lanikai LU-21 (w/ Aquila strings)
Awesome uke! I started out with it
What is the best key of diatonic harmonica to harmonize with a DGBE tuned baritone ukulele?
I took this to a specialty board for stringed instruments and this is what was posted in response on the Baritone Ukulele thread:
Unfortunately, there exists no such animal. Each "Key" for a harmonica of any nature is relative to the key played by the instrument being accompanied, NOT THE TUNING OF THE INSTRUMENT.
For instance, key of G, straight harp would be a G harp. Cross harp in G would be played on a C harp (out of second position).
So, pick the key that you are going to play in and select the matching harmonica. Actually, you can obtain a pretty inexpensive set of multiple keyed harmonicas for a fairly low price.
Does Julia Nunes play the ukulele?
She certainly does, and very well! She won the Bushman Ukulele contest in 2007 and was the leader of the YouTube Ukulele Orchestra at their anniversary celebration. She has released 4 CDs with a combination of ukulele and guitar music. She is currently touring and plays both ukulele and guitar in her concerts.
How do you know what size strings for an ukulele?
You need to determine the size of your ukulele. It is determined by measuring the length between the nut to the bridge of the instrument. The video linked below show you how to measure and what sizes they are.
If you know what size of ukulele it is and what tuning you will be using then there's no real problem, string makers indicate on the packet (or in advertising) what size the strings are designed to fit. You also need to make sure that the set you acquire has the proper strings for your tuning, such as Low G or High G
If in any doubt the best thing to do is take your instrument to a music store that sells ukuleles, they should also sell strings.
WARNING fitting the wrong strings can seriously damage the instrument.
Why doesn't a trumpet sound like an ukulele?
Because you blow with one and you strum the strings on the other. The reverberations of the metal makes the sound in the horn while it is the wood resonating to the strings that makes the sound for the ukulele.
How can you stop your ukulele from going out of tune so quickly?
Keeping an ukulele in tune talks a bit of time, but here are the basic tips:
1. Store the ukulele in a consistent temperature and humidity area.
2. Make sure the strings settle in. New strings take a while to stretch out and the knots to tighten up.
3. Make sure your tuners are not too loose. There is a small screw at the end of the tuners. This can be tightened, maybe a quarter turn at a time, to keep them from slipping. And be careful not to slip and scratch the uke! On some ukuleles, the tuners are really loose. Don't over tighten, but make sure the tuner doesn't loosen up when you turn the string to the correct note.
The Tiki Kings Ukulele database indicates that there were ukulele's with that brand name made in Chicago in the 1960's and in Japan in the 1970's.
Where can you buy ukuleles in Epsom?
One source would be eBay. Starter ukuleles are available for about 10 pounds. Real Music and Purple Turtle are a couple of shops that carry ukuleles.
What is the highest pitched ukulele?
That would be the sopranino, the smallest ukulele that is commonly made. The fret board is less than twelve inches. It is tuned like any other ukulele, G'CEA.
Can a chromatic guitar tuner be used for other instruments like the ukulele as well?
Yes, as long as it shows the notes and not the string number you can use it for an ukulele. Many chromatic tuners have a mode setting that will allow you to change to different instruments.
Are there any Lady Gaga songs that can be played on the ukulele?
Sure, you can pretty much do any of them on Ukulele. Look up sweetafton23 on YouTube and look for her version of Pokerface. She uses ukulele, piano, table and Pocketsynth.
What is the name of the instrument that is the descendant of the Ukulele?
The Tahitian Ukulele is considered to have been based on the Hawaiian ukulele.
Ukuleles range in price depending on what they are made of and the time put in construction. There is also size differences.
You can buy in inexpensive Uke for as little as $25.
Good middle range ukuleles can be purchased for around $100.
A high end model can run many thousands of dollars. I was looking at one the other day made of cherry for $3,500!
You can obtain in inexpensive ukulele at around $40.
You can obtain a good ukulele ranges from $80 to $300.
Really good ones can cost as much as $5,000 when custom made. Some vintage ukuleles, highly sought after for their tonal qualities, can be found in the $4-5,000 range.
Could anyone translate these for an ukulele 8 8 8 8 7 7 8 3?
The number sequence could mean two things.
The four consecutive "8"s could imply pressing down on all 4 strings on the 8th fret.
Likewise, "7783" could mean pressing down on the 7th fret on the G and C strings, 8th fret on the E, 3rd on the A.
Generally, with stringed instruments, a string of numbers like that can only mean a chord "chart". Since that's about all you can effectively convey without actually typing out a chart or tab (tablature).
If the numbers are on a tab scale, they indicate the fret to use for plucking individual notes. To read tablature, simply hold your ukulele flat. The 4 lines match the four strings and the number represents the fret. If the numbers line up vertically, you are to hold them down while strumming.
What type of ukulele should a male tenor get?
What ever type he likes. Size will be a combination of the size, hand flexibility and the fret board will be affected. Sound is what you will pay most attention to.
Since they are normally all tuned the same, it doesn't make much of a difference.
Can an eight string mandolin be strung to the same strings as a tenor ukulele GCEA - thanks?
You could certainly tune the Mandolin like that. It just requires the right size strings to be used. You could then use ukulele tabs to play songs, but the sound would be different.
What is the best book to learn to play the ukulele?
Most of the books available will do a good job of getting you started. Even the older ones will work well to introduce you to the chords and strumming patterns.
The top string, referred to as the 4 string is normally a high G.
A simple G chord is
0000
0103
0020
Does ukulele have a long U sound?
The correct original Hawaiian pronunciation has a long OO sound ("ooh-kooh-lay-lay"), but the common American pronunciation is a long U ("you-kooh-lay-lee").
Where can you get free printable sheet music for ukuleles?
There are dozens of sites with lots of choices in music. Ukulele Underground, Ukulele Hunt and Chordie are all sites with lots of ukulele music for no charge.
