I haven't yet written anything on here about ukuleles, so time for the ukulele post...
What is the deal with the ukulele anyway? Why does it seem to have this quiet groundswell going on? As someone who's played the guitar for many years, and a baritone uke for a few years, I can see various reasons why it's grabbed me, though there are some conflicting feelings in there.
If you're used to the guitar, and grab a uke, it's a bit like taking a vacation at a little cabin in the woods when you're used to a larger house. You don't have as many rooms to wander around in, but it's all wonderfully compact and simplified. And this is fun. But after a week, you may find yourself missing the more complex possibilities in your big house. I try to bring over guitar tunes and get frustrated because those two bottom strings are missing, and the simplicity turns complex as I try to find an alternative in that smaller space. Simpler doesn't always mean easier. Though as you dig deeper into the uke fretboard, you find that there's an awful lot of possibilities hiding in there. Still, there are things that are easy on the guitar that simply can't be done on the uke.
Then again, if you're totally sick and tired of all of the cultural crud and associations that have adhered to the guitar over the years (from hair metal wankers to tedious singer/songwriters), the uke is a great lateral step away from that whole quagmire. Other than a vague notion of silly and goofy, the public brings very little baggage to the uke, leaving you with relative freedom as far as expectations -- besides which, silly and goofy is not the worst basis to subvert. Better than overblown and pompous, for sure.
Online at least, the uke seems to have a terrific community around it. Generally friendly, supportive and fun -- low in alpha dog competition and infighting. While there's plenty of affection for the old repertoire, they don't act like sticks-in-the-mud about it. It looks to be very open to new approaches to the uke. There's apparent enthusiasm about almost any uses of the uke, or anyway, things don't seem anywhere near as trapped in a bag as the guitar world.
Purely physically, ukes are a dream. Tiny, light, easily portable, low effort (physically, at least) to play. And so easy on my aching back.
Not to mention the long and historic association between the uke and cute gals.
I suppose the deal is that the uke is a fun instrument whose humble (and deceptive) simplicity becomes a disarming strength -- and it seems to have a lot of energy building around it at this time.
This is the part where I would typically do a list of cool uke links. But it's much simpler to point you to Ukulelia, which also appears regularly in our right sidebar Weblogbog section. Mark Frauenfelder's uke weblog catches almost any new uke link which pops up online -- between the blog entries and his Favorite Uke Sites listing, practically all things uke can be found via Ukulelia. But I will give a special nod to the fine, digest-format magazine, The Ukulele Occasional. Issue 2 should be out within a couple of months, while Issue 1 is still available.
Finally, my own minor contribution to online uke resources: a Ukulele Chord Forms Chart. Sort of a uke chord book condensed onto one page. I put it together for my own reference, but some other folks might find it useful too. It isn't really for beginners, as it doesn't tell you where to place the chord form for any particular pitch. Instead it simply provides the raw chord forms, and it's up to you to place them on the neck for the notes you want. It'll make more sense when you look at it. This isn't all possible chords by any means, but for one page, it's pretty comprehensive. Save it, print it, hang it on your tiki hut's wall.
Is there a groundswell? I have a ukulele and a banjo and I was thinking they're both kinda dead in the water. And I think I shy away from the word ukulele because it reminds me that our president can't pronounce "nuclear."
Posted by jenny at 10:05 PM, January 25, 2003.I've had a uke for a couple of years now, but haven't progressed much beyond learning a couple of easy tunes. The dearth of good tablature and other instructional materials isn't helping.
Posted by MrBaliHai at 12:21 PM, January 26, 2003.Groundswell might have been a bit strong a word choice -- it's not like there are roving gangs of ukuleleists raising havoc in the streets -- but there's definitely more energy behind it than in, say, the 70s.
Mr.BH, there's a batch of books at Elderly here:
http://www.elderly.com/books/270.htm
Though I suspect many of them are probably more elementary than you seem to be seeking.
I have to go practice guitar now. It's been a week, and I'm missing those bottom strings...
There is definatly interest brewing. In 1999 entering "Ukulele" into most search engines produced a dozen or so sites. Today it is approx. 119,000. Something is certainly swelling...
Posted by Tiki King at 11:39 AM, March 25, 2003.I live in Japan, and the uke is definitely enjoying a groundswell here. Most musical instrument stores stock at least a dozen or so different models -- much more at the bigger stores -- and there are TONS of instructional materials and tabs, from the very basic to party-trick-level arrangements. Classical, swing, bossa nova, anime music, regular pop... and of course Hawaiian. There are some AWESOME Hawaiian fakebooks available here, complete with ukulele chord boxes instead of guitar ones. I don't know why some Anglophone-country retailers aren't importing them, they would fill a big gap.
Posted by Matt at 05:52 AM, March 26, 2003.Dearth? Dearth?!! And after all my hard work, no less. www.alligatorboogaloo.com/uke
Posted by Jerrold Connors at 02:38 AM, March 31, 2003.I have switched from the guitar to the Uke because of my travel schedule. I was getting tired of boring TV. Now I can play along to the shows, even playing while the sound is muted.
It is difficult to travel with a guitar because of it's form factor. My Uke's fit in the overhead compartment easily. They are lighter to carry and easier to manuver. Besides how would you feel if you left your guitar out in the hotel room. I leave my Uke out in the open in the room and hope they play it.
4 strings and 4 fingers makes it more difficult to get the sound from a Uke that I was used to with a guitar, but the challenge is worth it.
Posted by AndyW at 07:12 AM, April 06, 2003.Sure gives you an incentive to find a partner who likes to play quiet. I have a friend who plays fender bass, and when he plays his kind of busy bass lines accompanying my ukulele on a nylon string guitar's low strings, it doesn't feel like there's anything important missing. I don't miss the low strings because he's got 'em.
Posted by Steven Strauss at 03:58 AM, April 09, 2003.Well, I also switched from guitar to Ukelele. It's so easy to just pick up and play that sweet sounding music. My kids get a real kick out of it when I play songs for their birthday or other parties. Maybe they'll grow out of it one day, but I know I won't...
Posted by Brian at 09:09 AM, February 26, 2004.A recent PBS show was a tribute to George Harrison that featured some fine musicians playing George's tunes on the uke. Apparently Mr Harrison carried a couple of ukes with him everywhere.
Posted by Earl at 06:31 AM, March 15, 2004.Aloha,
your chord forms rocked my world... i was about to rack my brain making one of these when i stumbled upon this.
www.alligatorboogaloo.com/uke is a cool site, and thank you, but i believe that all tab should move to the "guitar pro" format... check out MySongBook.com... and if you feel compeled, tab out some music in this format.
for those of you looking for more uke music go to Mysongbook.com and you can acctually transpose any guitar song into UKE. some songs work great... others have frustrated the ______ out of me. id like to see more uke songs on there (there arent any now) mysongbook has THOUSANDS of guitar songs complete with midi and all tracks... yes all tracks. so incase you need the bass, guitar, etc... its all there
check it out...i learned purple haze :) hehehe
Posted by Conrad at 05:56 PM, March 30, 2004.I am trying to get chords for George Formby's music eg: I'm leaning on a lamp.
Thanks
Posted by John at 12:14 AM, July 25, 2004.Regarding George Formby, try asking these folks:
http://www.georgeformby.co.uk/
M.Ace, can I get your permission to repost your Uke Chord Forms Chart? It's terrific! Thanks!
Posted by Alan J. at 10:02 AM, September 23, 2004.Alan J., go ahead. I made it to be shared. Anyone is welcome to post a copy at their site (just don't link to this copy -- it won't work).
Rumble Pups are the most famous ukulele players around. Always listed as "Best of the Best" visit the Pups at :http://www.angelfire.com/stars5/rumblepups/harley/
Posted by Rumble Pups at 08:45 PM, January 25, 2005.enjoyed flicking through your site, it was quoted on "this morning" t.v program, that the "in instrument" is the uke! i met a great player some years ago, named SAM BASS AND HIS UKE, he was part of the black and white minstrel show on telly
i often wonder if he is still plucking somwhere.
i've played and sang george since 1930,s, he was the best. i also knew sunderlands g.f.
billy "uke" scott but that is along time ago.
i play and sing at our fellowship mess "forces"
which meets every month. best of luck to you,
and all other pluckers...banjo jim.
Hey, there:
I'm working on a story for a major musician's magazine and I want to mention some cool recordings that feature uke--and that came out somewhat recently. Something a little unusual (perhaps rock-related), not just standard Hawaiian music, would be cool. Got any suggestions?
Thanks for your help!
shawn
Posted by shawn at 07:26 PM, June 29, 2005.Shawn, start over at Midnight Ukulele Disco at http://www.ukuleledisco.com/
The obvious suggestion would be Jake Shimabukuro's amazing cover of "While my Guitar Gently Weeps" (of which midnight has a live video) but there's a wide range of stuff.
Go to any uke site and folks will have their favourite rock/punk/pop/blues/reggae/r&b/traditional artisits.
Posted by Brad at 06:54 PM, July 21, 2005.Here in MD, we are fortunate to have a visit by Maui's Hawaiian & Jazz artist Henry Kaleialoha Allen giving `ukulele workshops: CD/book/one & half hour classes followed by Q&A @ $50 Aug/Sept. For details, email HulaAloha@verizon.net
Posted by Kas at 08:57 AM, August 24, 2005.Matt: I'd import them if I knew how.
-- Dave Cone UkeleleWorld.Com
Posted by DaveC at 06:02 PM, August 24, 2005.