The Ukelele
About
The ukulele is a four stringed instrument of the lute family. It is descended from the Portuguese ‘machete’ from the 19th century and is a Hawaiian adaptation. There are many forms of ukulele that differ in size and musical register. They are:
- Piccolo – The highest pitched of the ukulele family
- Soprano
- Concert
- Tenor
- Baritone
- Bass
- Contrabass – The lowest pitched instrument.
They differ in length from roughly 16″ for the smallest to around 32″ for the largest. All types have four strings typically made from nylon.
Not a ‘mini-guitar’
Despite their similarity of design, they cannot be regarded as a type of ‘mini-guitar’. The 4th string is the second highest in pitch. Another marked difference from the ukulele and guitar are the separate heritage of the instruments and the differences in playing style and musical evolution.
Tuning
Some of the ukulele family share tuning registers. These are indicated below.
Picolo ukelele:
Soprano and concert ukelele:
Tenor “Low G” tuning (the more common tuning pitches the fourth string up an octave to a high G note):
Baritone ukelele tuning:
Bass ukelele tuning:
Contrabass ukelele tuning:
These indicate the tunings in most common usage. Alternatives can be used.
Playing
The ukelele is typically a small instrument and as such tends to be held against the chest. The picking hand holds the body against the players chest while the fretting hand adds support.
Strings are plucked using the fingers and thumb of the picking hand. Chords are typically strummed using the thumb. A plectrum can also be used but tends to not be the norm.
The instrument has gained popularity in recent years due to it’s profile being raised by pop music performers such as Taylor Swift, Jason Mraz, Vance Joy etc. Noteable Hawaiian YouTube performers include Israel Kamakawiwo’ole who gained fame for his version of ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’.
The higher profile of the ukelele in pop culture has led to a high availability of reliable sheet music and scores in print and on the internet. In recent years the London College of Music has developed and implemented a more formal music grade exam system which allows students the opportunity to gain a formally recognised qualification.
Are you interested in learning how to play the ukelele?
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