Video Lesson: Straight vs. Swing Rhythm
BY DANIEL WARD | FROM THE WINTER 2019 ISSUE OF UKULELE Does this song swing? What are “even-eighth” notes? What is a blues shuffle? Do I even know when I’m strumming with a swing or not? How can I tell?…
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Watch Taimane in Playing for Change’s Fantastic New Video of Robbie Robertson’s ‘The Weight’!
No doubt many of you have come across one or more of the fabulous videos put out by an organization called Playing for Change, in which musicians from all over the world collaborate in real time performing a popular song,…
Checking in with Jake Shimabukuro on Tour
By Laurence Vittes As with most top-tier ukulele players Jake Shimabukuro is a very busy guy. From now through February 2020 he’ll be playing concerts with his trio in more than 30 cities, featuring both original tracks and takes on…
Why Does Crocodile Rock? Inside Elton’s John’s Hit
By Jim D’Ville When I was growing up, I wanted to be on the radio. My first break came in high school when I was on the staff of Fort Bragg High’s Timberwolf Radio. We were allotted 15 minutes every…
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Les Tussing on His Cigar Box Ukuleles
By Laurence Vittes Turns out Les Tussing, a 71-year-old retiree with an interesting ukulele habit, is based in Folsom, California, where Johnny Cash once sang at the prison, and is now rated as among the most attractive of Sacramento’s suburbs.…
Founding Director George Hinchliffe Talks Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain’s Upcoming World Tour
BY LAURENCE VITTES In addition to playing the ukulele from his youth, George Hinchliffe has played Hammond Organ in a soul band, electric viola in a free jazz group, electric mandolin in wedding band, and worked briefly with Michael Nyman,…
John Denver & The IV Chord
by Jim D’Ville Sure he had those boyish good looks—the impish smile, wire-rim glasses, and floppy hat. But it was his extensive use of the IV chord in his music which commanded us to turn over our hearts to him.…
Great Ukes: Supertones, Smecks, and Quality Instruments at Friendly Prices
BY SANDOR NAGYSZALANCZY | FROM THE FALL 2019 ISSUE UKULELE MAGAZINE In the past few years that I’ve been writing the Great Ukes column, folks have asked me what exactly constitutes a “great” uke? Does it have to be fancy,…
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Joanna Wallfisch is Biking with her Baritone Ukulele
Wallfisch's Far Away From Any Place Called Home is a song cycle inspired by a musical quest down the West Coast of America in August 2016—all by bicycle.
The Metronome In Your Head
By Jim D’Ville In the Fall 2019 issue of Ukulele, Grammy award-winning musician Cathy Fink presents a wonderful lesson extolling the virtues of incorporating a metronome into one’s daily practice regimen. She’s right! The metronome is the one true musical…