It’s no accident that the ukulele has become such a popular instrument, often replacing the recorder as the first instrument learnt in schools. It is smaller, lighter and has fewer strings than a guitar, so is easier to manage. Parents and teachers may breathe a quiet sigh of relief that they are spared the piercing shrieks of a class of 30 beginners on the soprano recorder. The ukulele can also provide a gateway to other stringed instruments such as the guitar or banjo. But the ukulele isn’t just for children and can be enjoyed by players of all ages and a range of abilities.
A bit of history…
The ukulele originated in Portugal from similar instruments such as the braguinha. In the late 1800s, Portuguese immigrants brought them to Hawaii when they came to work in the sugarcane fields. The story goes that the Hawaiians were so impressed by how the fingers of the musicians flew across the strings that they called the instrument “ukulele” – which translates as “jumping flea”. The King of Hawaii at the time, King David Kalakaua, loved the ukulele. With his support, the ukulele was adapted to accompany traditional Hawaiian hula dance performances, developing the lively rhythm that characterises modern hula performances.
The ukulele is reported to have arrived in the USA in 1915, where it became important in vaudeville, jazz and country music. It was introduced to Japan in 1929 by Hawaiian-born Yukihiko Haida and Japan is often said to be the ukulele’s second home. The Japanese flash mob group, Ukulele Afternoon, descend on beaches and shopping malls to play as a group. They believe that the ukulele can play any genre of music, from movie music to techno, mambo or rock.
Arguably the most famous British ukulele player is George Formby. In fact, he played a banjolele, which is a ukulele hybrid with a banjo resonator body. He inspired George Harrison of the Beatles, who is said to have a ukulele in every room of his house. The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain is a British musical ensemble founded in 1985, featuring ukuleles of various sizes and registers. It has performed in sold out gigs across the world, from Buckingham Palace to Sydney Opera House via Shanghai and the Glastonbury festival. It also organises play-alongs with up to more than 1,000 participants at a time, at workshops for children in the UK, USA and New Zealand. It is accredited with the significant increase in British interest in the ukulele.
How to choose a ukulele?
There are four different sizes of ukulele. The soprano ukulele is the smallest at 21 inches and produces the typical ukulele sound often associated with Hawaii. The next size up is the concert (or alto) ukulele, which measures about 23 inches. However, someone with large hands might prefer a tenor ukulele (26 inches). A baritone ukulele (30 inches) uses a different tuning than other sizes of ukulele so the chord shapes are different too.
It’s important to pick a good quality ukulele. Factors that can make a difference include the “action” of the ukulele, which is the angle and height of the strings and the fretboard. Poor action can be either too high (so you have to press down harder on the strings to make the chords) or too low (causing buzzing and difficulties with tuning). When choosing a ukulele, you should also look at the type of wood. Mahogany, koa, maple or rosewood are all good quality woods for the ukulele body.
Staplehurst Music Centre is running a weekly ukulele ensemble on Saturday mornings at Staplehurst Primary School. To find out more about this or our other ensemble opportunities, or to enquire about music lessons, contact us through http://www.staplehurst-music-centre.org/ or Facebook.
