subject: Minneapolis Music Lessons - Guide To The Kinds And Styles Of The Ukulele [print this page] The ukulele is really a very little guitar that originated from an island in Portugal called Madeira. This instrument was known as "braguinha" in Portuguese. In 1879, travelers took a ship from the island of Madeira to Hawaii. Craftsmen who witnessed this instrument being played were fascinated and began producing it for Hawaiians. The instrument was nicknamed "ukulele," which actually means, "jumping flea." It is also called "uke" for short.
Ukes are different from guitars in a number of ways. They are generally extremely lightweight and simple to carry. Original style ukes are easier to learn to play simply because they have fewer strings. They are also simpler on the fingers. Ukes are, nevertheless, limited within the range of notes that could be played. They're great for musicians who want simplicity!
These days this instrument is still extremely popular in Hawaii and is being shipped to music lovers around the world. Let's take a look at the types and styles of ukuleles.
Four Kinds of Ukuleles
You will find 4 standard types of ukuleles, which are concert, soprano, tenor, and baritone. The most commonly used kind is the soprano ukulele. Each type, except the baritone, is tuned using the well-known tune/phrase "my dog has fleas!" This involves hitting the keys G, C, E and then A. The tenor type is 1 octave down from soprano. The baritone's tuning is accomplished using this order of keys: E, B, G, D.
You will find also hybrid ukuleles becoming produced these days, for example the banjulele (banjo body), taropatch (eight-stringed instrument) and ukelin. These specialty instruments are generally developed by individuals or specialty musical instrument businesses. Some are even extremely collectible these days.
The soprano uke is the smallest at about 21 inches long. The concert uke is about 23 inches long. The baritone uke is 30 inches long, and also the tenor uke is 26 inches long. The baritone and tenor ukes are much more similar to regular-sized guitars, only with just 4 strings.
Styles of Ukuleles
Ukuleles might also come in a variety of styles, colors, and shapes to reflect the personality with the musician. Some examples of style variety are the Bushman ukuleles, which are available in styles such as Jenny Soprano, Jenny Pineapple, Jenny Concert, Jenny Tenor, and Jenny Baritone.
A ukulele maker may use a selection of high-quality woods to produce the instruments for example Mahogany to give the instrument a brilliant finish. The shapes with the instrument may vary as well. Some resemble the normal guitar shape although others may be totally oval-shaped, comparable to a pineapple shape, or have a piece "cut away" at the neck.
With prices ranging from $169 and up, anybody can own a ukulele. They can be ordered online for music fans that live in areas where the ukulele isn't readily available locally. There's also a wide variety of ukulele strings and accessories for example felt picks, tuners, amplifiers, shoulder straps, strap buttons, tuning machines, ukulele humidifiers, and more. Whether 1 wants a cheap ukulele to maintain around the home for fun or an costly 1 for professional concerts, it's simple to find just the correct style online.
