Should I Use a Strap with my Ukulele?
Don’t let high (or low G) anxiety get to you. If you’re wondering whether it’s time to get your ukulele strap on, here are some honest answers and easy guidelines.
Joey Lusterman
New Albums from Jake Shimabukuro, Herb Ohta Jr., and Jim Beloff
3 New Uke CDs Reviewed Jake Shimabukuro The Greatest Day [JS Records] Given how Jake’s groundbreaking, off-the-cuff recording of him playing George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” in New York’s Central Park brought him wide acclaim; it’s surprising that…
Ukulele Lesson: Sing It and Play It!
BY JIM D’VILLE | FROM THE WINTER 2018 ISSUE OF UKULELE The technique of solfège involves assigning the notes of a scale a particular syllable, and then practicing by singing different note sequences using these syllables. Italian music scholar Guido…
The Ukulele During World War II: The 442nd Infantry Regiment
The 442nd Regiment was almost exclusively comprised of Nisei—American citizens born to Japanese immigrant parents. Their ukuleles brought them joy while deployed.
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Learn to Play ‘Happy Birthday To You’ on Ukulele
Learn to play "Happy Birthday" on ukulele: Here's a simple beginner version with 3 chords to strum (C, G7, F) plus a more advanced chord-melody version.
Cocoleles: What’s More On-Brand Than a Ukulele Made From a Coconut?
No one knows when the first ukulele with a coconut shell body was made, but Hawaiian examples of such instruments from the 1910s and ’20s are plentiful.
The Evolution of a Ukulele Entertainer: Ralph Shaw
BY JIM D’VILLE | FROM THE WINTER 2018 ISSUE OF UKULELE A biography of Ralph Shaw’s life could easily be titled How to Parlay a Physics Degree into a Career as an Internationally Known Ukulele Entertainer. His is the story of…
Build a Better Uke Club: How to Make Your Club More Fun, Stronger, and Successful
BY JIM D’VILLE | FROM THE WINTER 2018 ISSUE OF UKULELE “Build a better ukulele club, and the world will strum a path to your door.” —Unknown So, you want to start your very own ukulele club. And, without a single…
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Uke Events: December 2018, January, February, and March 2019
Compiled by Audrey Coleman Submission Information To be included, email event name, date(s), and contact information to editors.uke@stringletter.com. Listings are free for ukulele events, though we may not have space to include every submission. Deadlines for the next four issues…
Smartphone Blues: The Fastest Way to Become a Better Ukulele Player
Record yourself playing these blues pieces and listen back to hone in on what you need to practice most