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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
Is the solid mahogany koloa baritone ukulele a good ukulele?
Harmony made some the of finest Ukes since the 1920s. Purchase price at the time was reasonable. Since, however, many of these, especially those built in the 1940s and 50s are very collectible.
The vintage Ukuleles often have some really good tones. The wood has had decades to 'relax' allowing them to really reverberate. I have two that are over 40 years old and they make some big sound!
In a Christmas episode of "Happy Days" (titled "White Christmas"), Big Al (played by Al Molinaro) brings a Harmony baritone uke to the Cunninghams' house party.
Should you buy an ukulele or a guitar?
There is no right or wrong answer to this.
The ukelele is generally considered much easier to play. There are only four strings (rather than six on a guitar) and just strumming the open strings on a ukelele using standard tuning almost produces a C major chord (it requires a single finger press to turn it into a C major chord, vs. the guitar, where producing a C major chord from the standard tuning involves pressing three strings and only strumming five strings rather than all six). The fact that the standard tuning is so close to a major chord (any major chord) means that it's easy to play other major chords as well, using one finger as a "bar" to press all the strings at the same fret.
The other aspect is that learning to play the ukulele will make transition to another stringed instrument such as a guitar relatively straight forward. Once you get the chord shapes down, they can be used on several instruments, the shape will create another chord, but the fingering is close. With the variety of instruments and sizes, the ukulele can play any type of music. Look for Jake Shimabukuro on YouTube and see some of the boundries he's pushing!
If your goal is just to be able to play a stringed instrument ... any stringed instrument ... the ukelele will work for you. If you want to play rock, get a guitar (unless you want the main part of Train's "Hey Soul Sister" in which case get an ukulele).
If you're playing folk music, you might consider an Appalachian dulcimer, which is usually tuned in either the Ionian or Aoelian modes for playing music in major and minor keys respectively, has three (or four) strings, and you "note" only on one string (two, on the four-string version, but they're tuned identically so it's still a single press), with the other two strings playing a "drone" note (this is similar to how bagpipes work, so a dulcimer actually works pretty well for Celtic/Scots music also). At the same time James Hill won Canadian Folk Album of the Year playing ukulele.
How does the ukulele help people?
In general, it is difficult to show major affects of something like an ukulele on society. However, the ukulele has a defined history and known origin. It was adapted quickly by the Hawaiian Royal Family and became a unique part of their culture. The state song and many other songs written by them are associated with the islands and it is difficult to portray Hawaii without incorporating the sounds of this instrument.
Where can one go to learn to play the ukulele?
In order to learn to play the ukulele one can visit the 'Ukulele Underground' website where they have a video demonstration. One can also find help from 'ukeschool' and on 'YouTube'.
Is an ukulele a guitar or a bass?
Not really. The standard ukulele tuning is very different then a guitar. The bass ukulele could be tuned from a bass guitar.
What is the highest note a soprano ukulele can produce?
the highest note you can play on a soprano recorder is high b. this is a freakishly high note so be careful not to blow into your recorder really hard while playing this note because you'll pop your Eardrums!
What other names does the ukulele have?
Many players tend to use the term "Uke" as a nickname for the Ukulele.
Some refer to their instruments by the maker or the type of ukuleleor a nickname they have for their 'babies', things I've heard include:
My Martin
Fluke - a quality plastic uke that is great for the beach
Flea - same people who make the Fluke
The Beater - usually the first ukulele one had, no longer the favorite, but servicable.
A ukulele is sometimes abbreviated in writing and speaking as uke.
No, but they are in the same plucked lute category of stringed instruments. Many compare it to a guitar, in that they are very similar in shape and in the method of playing. The ukulele usually has 4 strings and a guitar typically has 6. The ukulele is much smaller.
Will using a guitar pick on an ukulele mess it up?
It will certainly increase the wear on the strings. And the hard plastic will scratch the finish up faster than using fingers. But there typically won't be a problem, but most prefer to play the ukulele without a pick.
How many strings does an ukulele have?
The ukulele comes in pretty much any color you would wish. They can be painted in hundreds of colors, though they are often natural wood stained in traditional instrument patterns such as the sunburst.
For what type of occasions do you use an ukulele?
Play it! This is a very versatile stringed instrument that can be used in any genre of music.
Strum it like a guitar.........most people who play the ukelele sing along too.
How long does it take to build an ukulele?
Lots of factors involved:
- The age of the strings
- Whether the ukulele is plastic or wood or a combination
- How humid the weather is and what the temperature is
- How tight the tuners are
I have some inexpensive (less the $20) ukuleles I purchased used that will stay in tune for a week with moderate playing. But the first few days of new strings I had to tune daily.
How do you play a G chord on an ukulele?
Your strings are known as eBGDAE with the little high pitched string being e and the lowest thicker string being E. I like to remember it as " easter Bunny Gets Drunk At Easter " The frets are the lines that go across the neck of the guitar. They are numbered. 1 being near the top, closet to where you tune your guitar. # Place your first finger on the second fret on the A string. # Your middle finger goes on the third fret on the E string. # Your pinky goes on the third fret on the e string. (Optional: You can place your ring finger on the third fret B string)
Did the ukulele come first or the guitar?
The banjo is older than the ukulele as the banjo was created between the 18th and 19th century by African slaves in the US whereas the ukulele was derived from Hawaii where it is believed Portuguese soldiers at the end of the 19th century introduced this instrument to the locals of Hawaii.
What kind of band would an ukulele be in?
They could be in any type of band. Train includes an ukulele in their instruments (Hey, Soul Sister).
Where can you get the ukulele chords for 'Delta Dawn'?
In the 'Related Links' section, there is a link to a website containing the ukulele chords for 'This is the First Day of my Life' by 'Bright Eyes'.
Is it easier to play a mandolin or an ukulele?
It would be difficult to say which was harder. But the guitar has 6 strings and a ukulele only 4. That makes the ukulele easier to learn most of the chords on. Depending on the type of music, it may be easier to learn certain songs on the guitar.
What kind of ukulele do they use on the show adventure time?
I have been unable to determine. The instrument played by Pendleton Ward on a short video looks to be a soprano sized, but could be played on any type of uke.
The musical instrument has been seen with three different spellings:
Ukulele - Usually considered the most correct at this time
Ukelele - Still used by some
Ukalele - this is considered an error prumolgated through numerous music publishers in the early 10's and 20's.
Is the Santa Rosa ukulele a good brand?
It is definitely an entry level ukulele, one that is often used for beginning classes in schools and groups.
I've seen reviews that say they like it and others that say they don't. If you can hold it and play it before you buy, you can determine whether it will work for you. There are many inexpensive models available, you might be well served to call a store or online place that sells ukuleles of various types and consult with them.
Does a tenor ukulele use nylon string?
You can. A Tenor ukulele is a bit bigger than a standard ukulele, so it might be harder to get the strings to the correct tuning, but it shouldn't be a problem.
How many centimeters long is a tenor ukulele?
Depends on what quality instrument you wish to purchase. You can buy a tenor ukulele for as little as about $100 and going as high as $5,000 for a custom made instrument. A Fender tenor can be purchased for about $150.
What size ukulele does Paul McCartney play?
According to Paul McCartney, he plays a Gibson brand Ukulele that was given to him by George Harrison.
How much is your ukulele worth?
Lots of factors involved in determining value. Condition, actual age, the markings on it and the sound are going to factor in. Harmony was a common brand and made for the low end market. I purchased a 1950's Harmony for less than $15. Great sound, but some stenciled painting and it had been varnished.
