Ukulele

[MissNathalieVintage]

Fantastic!

 

[John in Covina]

A teen to twenty something passed me at the King Taco on Rosemead carrying a uke.

 

[Edward]

A teen to twenty something passed me at the King Taco on Rosemead carrying a uke.

Don't know about the Left Coast, but here in London they've been quite hip over the past few years.

 

[Flicka]

Amanda Palmer makes heavy use of the ukulele. She's even made a song called Ukulele Anthem that celebrates it, with pretty funny lyrics (warning: bad language):

"ukulele small and forceful
brave and peaceful
you can play the ukulele too it is painfully simple
play your ukulele badly, play your ukulele loudly
ukulele banish evil
ukulele save the people
ukulele gleaming golden on the top of every steeple "

 

[Feraud]

My son occasionally plucks the uke. He is more interested in the acoustic guitar. Maybe I'll give him some vintage sheet music and see if it sparks his interest.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Don't know about the Left Coast, but here in London they've been quite hip over the past few years.

We have several local buskers here who have taken up the uke -- which is a great relief, since some of them used to play those big, loud African drums.

 

[hatophile]

Check out Jake Shimabukuro:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puSkP3uym5k

 

[vitanola]

[video=youtube_share;-8fQePz4FcE]http://youtu.be/-8fQePz4FcE[/video]

 

[Nobert]

Here's a clip I've always liked featuring Cliff Edwards and Buster Keaton taking a unique approach to playing the uke (actually, that appears to be a taropatch, close enough).

[video=youtube;cu3p6PBix64]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu3p6PBix64[/video]

Apparently it was quite difficult to get these scenes made, as both stars were deep in the throes of addiction at the time. By the time they got Buster sobered up and ready to shoot, Edwards was off somewhere shooting up, and vice versa.

Edit: I just realized that there are at least two uke threads. I don't know if I picked the wrong one or if it matters.

 

[Nobert]

I wanted to make some posts about a few modern New England ukulele practitioners so, I decided, I would.

Melvern Taylor of Lowell, MA, is a singer/songwriter who works mostly in a sort of atomic era vibe: part lounge, part country-western, et al. He performs here with his band, the Fabulous Meltones.

[video=youtube;VV_jpACI7oc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV_jpACI7oc[/video]

 

[Nobert]

Craig Robertson is a Boston area performer and songwriter of prodigious output, he seems to write about 3 songs a week. He sometimes dips into the classic American songbook, but focuses on his own creations, many of which feature circus performers, magicians and such. He is also, I believe, an F.L. member, though not currently an active one.

[video=youtube;tXq6z7ZLAQE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXq6z7ZLAQE[/video]

 

[Nobert]

One of the local boys: South Portland's Joel Eckhaus is not only a great player--he took lessons with no less than Roy Smeck himself--he is arguably the premier luthier of ukes and other small instruments on the east coast.

[video=youtube;mkS3mIrne44]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkS3mIrne44[/video]

 

[Nobert]

Lastly, a shameless plug for Portland's former Tin Pan Alley/ Vaudeville musical act, Over A Cardboard Sea, featuring my friend Tim on uke and lead vocals, and my other friend Jimmy on piano. Not great sound quality on this one, making it hard to discern Tim's use of the George Formby "split strum" as they perform his When I'm Cleaning Windows.

[video=youtube;K3eVMXEke9g]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3eVMXEke9g[/video]

 

[Zombie_61]

I've really enjoyed these You Tube clips, but they're kinda' like potato chips and peanuts--you can't watch just one! "Oh, I'll watch this one, and...okay, now I'll watch this one, and then..." Next thing I know, an hour has disappeared. lol

Does anyone have any recommendations for a decent and not-too-expensive "starter" ukulele, preferably one with a wide neck/fretboard? I've been playing guitar on and off for about 40 years, and I've learned I have difficulty getting "clean" notes if the strings are too close together. Thanks in advance! :yo:

 

[Nobert]

I've really enjoyed these You Tube clips, but they're kinda' like potato chips and peanuts--you can't watch just one! "Oh, I'll watch this one, and...okay, now I'll watch this one, and then..." Next thing I know, an hour has disappeared. lol

Does anyone have any recommendations for a decent and not-too-expensive "starter" ukulele, preferably one with a wide neck/fretboard? I've been playing guitar on and off for about 40 years, and I've learned I have difficulty getting "clean" notes if the strings are too close together. Thanks in advance! :yo:

What you may want to try would be a concert or tenor ukulele, which are slightly and somewhat larger than the usual soprano size (the tenor, at least, sometimes has different tunings as well). There are a number of makers these days who are coming out with ukes in the $40-60 range. I find Lanakai to be one of the more quality makers on the budget end. The intonation is usually accurate, which is important on an instrument with such a small scale.

 

[Zombie_61]

What you may want to try would be a concert or tenor ukulele, which are slightly and somewhat larger than the usual soprano size (the tenor, at least, sometimes has different tunings as well). There are a number of makers these days who are coming out with ukes in the $40-60 range. I find Lanakai to be one of the more quality makers on the budget end. The intonation is usually accurate, which is important on an instrument with such a small scale.

Thank you Sir! Considering I know next to nothing about Ukuleles, at the very least this gives me a starting point to do some research.

 

[HudsonHawk]

What you may want to try would be a concert or tenor ukulele, which are slightly and somewhat larger than the usual soprano size (the tenor, at least, sometimes has different tunings as well). There are a number of makers these days who are coming out with ukes in the $40-60 range. I find Lanakai to be one of the more quality makers on the budget end. The intonation is usually accurate, which is important on an instrument with such a small scale.

Just an anectdote, but...like Zombie, I've been picking at the guitar (actually, he may be a real musician, *I'm* just a "picker") for almost 40 years. I got interested in music in elementary school, where like most schoolkids of that era, we played recorders and tenor ukuleles. I enjoyed both of them very much, and while most of my attention has been on the guitar, I still pick up the recorder now and again and dabble in other stringed intruments. But sadly, I've not played a uke in 35 years. Perhaps it's time for another instrument...

 

[Atticus Finch]

What is harder to learn, ukulele or guitar?
I've tried the guitar for some time, but had no talent for this.

My niece bought a ukulele a few years ago when they first started becoming popular (again). She showed me a few major chords and in a short while I was able to figure out the minors and sevenths and such...at least well enough to chord my way though a few simple songs. If you already have some experience with stringed instruments, learning to play the uke seems fairly straight forward. I will say this, though: I think people with smaller hands may have an advantage at first. My hands are large, and even though I’ve played guitar for years, I struggled mightily with fretting notes higher on the uke's neck.

I believe the ukulele is probably like many other fretted instruments. It’s fairly easy to learn the uke's basics well enough to produce a joyful noise, but it takes years of dedication and work to master.

AF

 

[Zombie_61]

...like Zombie, I've been picking at the guitar (actually, he may be a real musician, *I'm* just a "picker")...

ound: You've clearly never heard me play. If I know the chords I can bash out a song or two well enough for most people to recognize it, and do a little plucking at the strings, but I never dedicated the time and effort to really learn how to play one well.

...I believe the ukulele is probably like many other fretted instruments. It’s fairly easy to learn the uke's basics well enough to produce a joyful noise, but it takes years of dedication and work to master.

Well said! :eusa_clap

 

[HudsonHawk]

ound: You've clearly never heard me play. If I know the chords I can bash out a song or two well enough for most people to recognize it, and do a little plucking at the strings, but I never dedicated the time and effort to really learn how to play one well.

I have a couple of really nice guitars. The only problem with them is they don't play themselves.