The Ukes of Summer

If you’re a musician, or wish you were, you can’t help but notice the resurgence of interest in ukuleles: they’re everywhere. While ukes, as they are affectionately referred to, have been around a long time, until recently they have been relegated to the children’s section of the music store, wedged in between the kazoos and ocarinas. But all that has changed. Many stores now dedicate entire sections to the humble uke. They don’t sit around for long either. Music stores can’t keep them in stock. Once again ukuleles, with their legions of devoted players, are in demand. So, what’s the big deal? Let’s take a look at the instrument, its history and a few notable players. In the end, you may decide that this summer, it’s time for you to join them.

The ukulele got its start in the 1880s when Portuguese emigrants from Madeira moved to the Hawaiian Islands. With them came a great love of music and—a small, four-string fretted instrument known as the machete. The diminutive instrument entranced the Hawaiians. Such was the impression the machete made that, after several incarnations, the ukulele evolved. The rest is history.

The first great wave of American popularity for the uke came in the late teens through the 1920s, when no self-respecting flapper or college boy would be caught without a uke. The uke’s popularity was such that musical publishers clamored for more sheet music to feed the craze. Composers, of varying abilities, answered the call. The result? A deluge of new songs [many featuring indifferent melodies and banal lyrics] flooded the market in such quantities that they are still commonly encountered in antique stores. In spite of this, the era also produced a great number of songs that are enjoyed by ukulele players to this day. For a time, all was well. But as the Roaring Twenties waned, the mania wore off. Finally, the Great Depression seemed to seal the uke’s fate. As the depression deepened, the uke faded from the scene. But it would be back….

The last time the uke was hot was in the 1950s when Arthur Godfrey broadcast his hugely popular variety show. Each week, Godfrey provided his audience with a ukulele lesson. The result—millions of ukuleles were purchased by would-be virtuosi. Before the craze died out, everyone from the Beatles to Elvis had used them. Though the uke’s popularity never matched that of the 1920s, it was a harbinger of things to come.  It looked like the uke just wouldn’t die. But by the 1960s, the electric guitar had captured the fickle public’s imagination. Once again, the ukulele faded from the scene; this time ushered out by the falsetto strains of Tiny Tim.

After that, the ukulele was ancient history as far as the mainland was concerned. Of course, it still maintained its popularity in Hawaii. And there matters stood until a few years ago, when a number of players [most notably Jake Shimabukuro] introduced a new generation to the ukulele’s charms. As more players took up the uke, enthusiasm built. But this time, thanks to the Internet, the craze was not to be restricted to the United States—it became a global phenomena.

Despite the instruments resurrection, there are still people who look down at the ukulele as a toy, unsuited for serious musical endeavors. Nothing could be further from the truth. While the six-string guitar is justly popular, it’s not the only instrument capable of making music. The ukulele is a versatile instrument in its own right, capable of handling a multitude of genres from classical to jazz, country and bluegrass.

To get some idea of the ukulele’s versatility, we need only examine the work of a few stellar players. In the classical realm, the late John King should be your first stop. King, who taught classical guitar, pioneered the campanella [“little bells”] style of playing in which—ideally—no string is struck twice in succession. This results in the strings vibrating simultaneously while creating an exquisite, bell-like tone, hence the name. King primarily played soprano ukuleles with the reentrant tuning in which the g string is one octave above the other strings. This gives the soprano ukulele its characteristic tone. During the Baroque period, guitars were also tuned in this fashion. Realizing this, King adapted the music of that era for ukulele, resulting in some of the most memorable performances of all time. Try the campanella style if you dare, but be warned: it’s unbelievably difficult, especially if you have to write the arrangement yourself.

Jazz is another genre that has benefited from the uke’s renewed popularity. Of course, this is nothing new. Noted jazz bassist Lyle Ritz [also a uke player] released two albums of jazz ukulele way back in the 60s. Today, among a plethora of outstanding players, the Canadian James Hill stands out for his virtuoso playing. Although it’s not jazz, his rendition of Flight of the Bumble Bee is unbelievable. Once you hear it, you’ll never doubt the uke’s potential again.

So, how can you join the ukulele renaissance this summer? While acquiring a ukulele is not a problem, deciding which one to get is another question. Prices range from $30 to $30,000. The good news is, because of the low string tension on ukuleles, and the consequent lack of bracing required for the bridge and soundboard, even modestly priced ukuleles can be quite serviceable—and a lot of fun too. So, cost should not be an issue for most people. Beyond financial concerns, prospective players are faced with choosing from four basic sizes of ukuleles: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone [in ascending order].  In addition some luthiers make their own sizes, such as the sopranino: smaller even than the soprano. So, let’s take a look and see what might be right for you.

The soprano, smallest of the four standard sizes, is what most people think of when they hear the word ukulele. Its strings are normally tuned gcea, as in: “My dog has fleas.” With its compact size [about 20” long] and twelve to fifteen frets, it not only provides that characteristic ukulele sound, but it’s ideal for camping and travel. That’s the beauty of the uke; you can always find room for it. Try wedging your cello in the back of your Volkswagen with the camping gear sometime and you’ll see what I mean. In most people’s minds, the soprano is the ukulele.

Next up in size, the concert ukulele normally comes with a somewhat larger body and an extended fret board that increases the chromatic possibilities of the instrument. And so, rather than the 12-15 usable frets available to most soprano players, the concert uke will enable them to play up to the 20th fret or so. While this sounds great in theory, and is frequently useful, it comes at a cost. As you increase the length of an instrument’s fret board [and its strings] the frets become farther apart. This results in the player having to spread his or her fingers out further in order to make a chord. Increased string length also results in increased string tension; you have to press down on the strings harder. For persons with short fingers, this may be a consideration. Before purchasing, it’s best to try different sizes and types of ukes to find what’s right for you.

Larger still are the tenor ukuleles that, because of their greatly expanded fret board, are excellent for jazz and other genres that may place a premium on chromatic range. For individuals with large hands, the wider spacing of tenors might come as a welcome relief, after attempting to maneuver their fingers within the confines of a soprano fret board.  On the other hand, if you gave up trying to play the guitar because you couldn’t reach the chords, you might not like the tenor uke either. For those players that do enjoy the tenor, several custom luthiers make arch top tenor jazz ukuleles that cost thousands of dollars and involve extensive waiting periods. For impatient [and impecunious] types like myself, makers such as Kala offer an electro-acoustic arch top that, for a few hundred dollars, sounds great and is ready to ship. You can plug it straight into your computer to record too.

The baritone ukulele is the largest of the traditional sizes. So large, in fact, that it resembles a parlor guitar. That’s appropriate because, in essence, it’s exactly that—a tenor guitar with nylon strings. The baritone ukulele also has a very guitar-like tone due to the tuning of its strings: dgbe. If that sounds familiar, it should. That is the same tuning as the “top” four strings of the six-string guitar. So, the baritone is tuned differently than the other ukes and, although the same chord patterns are used, they do not correspond to the same chords as played on the smaller ukes. When playing the baritone, the player is essentially using what guitarists refer to as “inside” chord forms that are frequently used in jazz. For these reasons, guitar players may find the transition to baritone ukulele particularly easy.

Beyond mere size, there are other considerations the prospective ukulele player need consider. Part of the fascination surrounding ukuleles comes from the diversity of forms they take. In addition to normal ukuleles, some are constructed as resonators, like slide guitars used by blues players. Banjo ukuleles, or banjoleles, are offered as well and have the characteristic twang of their larger brethren. At least one company is now making the ukulele equivalent of a bass for those with low-frequency aspirations.

Between the various price ranges, sizes, and types, aspiring ukulele players have a lot to consider when choosing their first instrument. Consideration should be given to the type of music one wishes to play. While the arch top is great for jazz, it won’t do so well for bluegrass. Likewise, the banjo ukulele may not be your top pick for playing Bach. It all depends on what you want to do. In the beginning, it’s best to try out every uke you encounter. You’re sure to find something you like.

After gaining some experience, you’ll realize that ukuleles are not toys. Rather, they are highly versatile instruments capable of creating sublime music. With a uke in hand, you’re ready to tackle everything from folk songs around the campfire to classical music in a chamber orchestra. And their small size ensures they’ll always be with you. This summer, pack a uke on your next outing—you won’t want to put it down.