Ukuchords App review

I really like it when a product does exactly what it says on the tin. I also like it when that same product costs me nothing at all - nada, zilch.

Say hello to Ukuchords - the App for iPhone, iPod Touch and (I presume) iPad.

And yes, it does do what it says on the tin - this is a free (YES FREE) download from the Apple App store for ukulele players - its an interactive chord reference for standard tuning.

It works brilliantly - you select your root chord name from the wheel on the right, and up pops a nice clear finger position diagram for the chord at the top.

Spin the wheel in the middle and you can scroll through major, minor, 7th, dim, aug, (and many others) and the chord diagram at the top automatically adjusts.

Scroll the third wheel (this is the one I really like) and it shows you alternate fingerings, and the same chord at different places, or barres, down the neck.

Its that simple, its that free, its genius.

Shortcomings - ok, I suppose there are some - it doesnt have every chord under the sun in here (but most you will need ever (and more) as a beginner), and it only applies to standard GCEA tuned ukes... but its a freebie and a freebie that I dont think any uke playing owner of the Apple devices should be without.

KISS was an old Brit war motto (Keep It Simple Stupid).  This does that a treat. Highly recommended.

Download it here

LINK

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What is it about this ukulele picture

Do a google image search for ukulele and you will find many links to this image.

You can see why - how happy is that!

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Ukulele's to aspire to - nice tour of Kamaka factory

I long for a Kamaka ukulele.

Found this nice vid about them and the factory.

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Techy way of taking your ukulele tabs with you

Hi folks, sorry been away for a while so no updates.

In that time though I got myself a new toy - one of these

Click Here

So... So what.... Why are you posting that here, you may ask.

Well, this little box of tricks is an ereader, for books and magazines, but also has another cool feature.  You can display word documents or pdf files on it.

Hmmmm... what does a ukulele nut think of that - <>  I wonder...

Yes, put your tabs and chords on it!  I tried it, put some songs on we are still working on (and for which I keep forgetting chords or lyrics or both) to take along to our last jam session.  Came in very handy and very clear to read because you can zoom and bump the fonts up.

Coolest of all, the device has its own email address, so you just email the files to it - no wires!

Will try to get some pics of tabs running on it soon.  You do need to take some care to keep formatting and its best to get the tab fitting the dimensions of the Kindle screen then printing to pdf - but it does work really well.  Also has plenty of storage space on it, so I could probably put all my tabs on it (hundreds) easily!

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Fairport Convention - Ukulele Central - video, chords, lyrics

Saw the Fairporters doing this new ukulele song which is quite fun.



And being the nice guys they are, they have made the mp3, song lyrics and chord charts all available free on their website

Ukulele Central chords
Ukulele Central lyrics
Ukulele Central mp3
http://www.fairportconvention.com

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Cliff Edwards on ukulele

Surprised myself that I have never posted anything re Cliff Edwards on my uke blog - he was a real ukulele pioneer!

Listen closely, he's also the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio!

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Nice review of Norwich Ukulele Festival

Courtesy of Norwich Evening News

Norwich hosts first ukulele festival

DAVID BALE

Last updated: 19/09/2010 12:31:00

The ukulele festival in Norwich

Fans of the ukulele packed into the Ten Bells pub in St Benedict's Street on Saturday for the city's first ever ukulele festival.

Best known as the instrument played by 1930s and 40s entertainer George Formby, the ukulele is enjoying a surge in popularity - and is picking up converts in Norwich.

The Norwich Ukulele Society was set up in February and now attracts more than 40 people to its fortnightly sessions.

The mini-festival witnessed the first time Guitar George has played a ukulele on stage and also saw a rare solo set from Noel Dashwood (of Dumbfoundus), who has just played the O2 in London.

The Norwich society was founded by Gemma Cullingford and Amy Wragg, both of whom attended the festival.

Amy said: “The last time ukuleles were so popular was during the depression of the early 1930s.

“They're cheap to buy and easy to play, and I think their resurgence is probably down to the current economic recession.

“They work well for introducing children to the joy of music and similarly for those of us whose small hands tried the guitar, but couldn't quite reach those interesting chords (like me).”

The society is led by ukulele teacher Gemma Cullingford who said: “It's quite a sociable instrument and it brings people together. It's very easy to play so that's satisfying for people who may have struggled to master the guitar, and it's great fun.”

The Norwich society rehearses fortnightly at the Ten Bells and Amy said a neighbour recently complimented them on the sound after hearing David Bowie's Starman played on a ukulele.

James Maas, 17, who makes up ukulele duo The Two Ukes with Doug Archer, and was playing at the festival, said: “I really like the sound. We are a ukulele covers band and play rock covers in a different style.”

The two-piece's biggest gig to date was last year in front of 8,000 fans when they supported Britain's Got Talent winners Diversity, who turned on the Christmas lights at Chapelfield shopping centre.

Nationwide, the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain has been putting a unique spin on contemporary tunes, inspiring ukulele players to take on more inventive material, covering everything from punk to hip hop.

What unusual musical classes do you run in Norwich? Email reporter David Bale on 01603 772427 or email david.bale2@archant.co.uk.

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Ukulele beginners tips - Intonation - what is it?

If you are beginning with ukulele and have no string instrument background, you may be confused by this oft used phrase - what is it though, and why should you be worried if it is bad?

Intonation refers to the ability for a ukulele to be in tune not just when the strings are plucked "open" but also when fretted anywhere else on the neck.  Bad intonation will basically mean that your uke wont play in tune even if your strings are tuned perfectly when open.

Its down to mathematics.  The position of the frets on the neck are placed accurately in relation to the scale length of the instrument (distance between nut and saddle).  When set correctly (and assuming the instrument is set up well) holding a string at any fret and plucking will give you precisely the note that is supposed to be played at that fret (see my fret roadmaps on chord page to check them HERE )

If you find that your uke, despite being tuned correctly is sounding bad at certain frets, it could be a number of factors, from easy to difficult.  In line with my earlier post regarding buzzes, have a run through this checklist in order to see if you can isolate the problem

1. Bad strings?  A badly made string can cause tuning problems along its length - try swapping the string to see if that cures it

2. Action at the saddle - this refers to the height of the saddle.  If a saddle is too low, it can cause buzzing but equally, if too high, can cause problems with intonation.  Again, this comes down to mathematics (switch your brain on and think of pythagoras!).  For the maths to work, and the frets to accurately give you the right notes, it assumes that the strings run as close as possible as to be parallel with the line of the fingerboard.  If you imagine a seriously high saddle, the strings will run at an increasing height away from the fingerboard approaching the bridge - like the hypotenuse of a long thin triangle - if this is the case, your open tuned string will sound fine, but you are stretching and pushing the string down when fretting and this will give you an off note.  The answer is simple - sand the saddle base down and re-install, taking care not to sand too much or you will get buzzing -the answer is to do it a little, replace it, repeat.

3. Action at the nut - this is tricker to deal with, and may be something you give to a luthier.  Again if the nut slots are too high, you get same effect in reverse.  To lower nut slots be very very careful and I would recommend using nut files especially for the purpose.

4. High frets? - in some cases high frets can cause problems as the string will have to dip down as you press it and stretch - characteristics of this are a note that sounds fine held softly but sharpens when you squeeze - dramatic cure is to have the frets dressed down, but much easier fix is to play the uke a little lighter with your fretting hand!

5. Something more serious - sadly, if the above dont fix the issue, you are looking at a badly made uke or a neck out of alignment.  Either get a refund, or it its a valuable oldie - look for a fix.

At the end of the day, if you are buying new, the best way to avoid this is to physically play before you buy - take a digital tuner with you and test the thing.  If thats not possible though, I hope the tips above show that a lot of issues are easily fixed.

Buying cheaper ukes in particular tends to raise the chance of intonation issues, but usually its just a string or saddle issue that will fix it.  Beware - even top end instruments with bad set up can slip through the net!

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Latest ukulele jam - a convert!

Just completed our latest (short -2hrs ish) ukulele jam at local pub. Lots of fun. A bit of Hank Williams, bit of Paul Simon, plus others and some traditional folkie stuff.

Anyway, reason for post was a good friend was there who I usually play guitar with. A few weeks ago I was talking to him and mentioned I play ukulele and his response was, "you're joking? Waste of a good practice session...."

So in we walked and he scoffed again. We deliberately opened with a couple of tunes he likes on guitar and he was soon singing along. Next he asks for a play (and being an accomplished guitarist he picked it up immediately). The result is he is now looking to buy one.

Ukulele's do that to people. The idea sounds silly but the reality is addictive and lots of fun!

A convert!

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Ukulele songs I enjoy playing

It can be hard for a beginner to find inspiration for new songs to learn. There is a wealth of ukulele tabs and song sheets on the web to look at but where do you start.

As I said in an earlier post, due to copyright crackdowns I am avoiding placing song lyrics on this blog for fear of having the site closed. What I provide below though is a list (in no particular order) of songs I like to play on uke. I obtained chords and lyrics for ALL of these on the Internet. If these song titles give you inspiration, then perhaps you can find them too!

(tip, I keep my songs printed in a ring binder slipped inside those clear plastic wallets to protect them.

Everybodys Talking - Harry Nilsson
Hey Good looking - Hank Williams
Reason To Believe - Tim Hardin
Jackson - Johnny Cash
Ring of Fire - Johnny Cash
The Weight - The Band
Minnie the Moocher - Cab Calloway
Creep - Radiohead
No Woman No Cry - Bob Marley
Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding
Accentuate The Positive - Dean Martin
Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head - Burt Bacharach
Dream a little Dream - Mamas & The Papas
Big Rock Candy Mountain - Trad
Your Cheating Heart - Hank Williams
Sunny Afternoon - Kinks
I'll see You In my Dreams - Joe Brown
Maggie May - Rod Stewart
Five Foot Two - Sam Lewis
When I'm Cleaning Windows - George Formby
The Ukulele Song - Loudon Wainwright III
For me And my Gal - Leslie and Goetz
I Wanna Be Like You - Jungle Book
Something - Beatles
When You're Smiling - ??
I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate - ??
Valerie - Zutons
King Of The Road - Roger Miller
In The Summertime - Mungo Jerry
Ain't She Sweet - ??
Livin On A Prayer - Bon Jovi
Black Horse and The Cherry Tree - KT Tunstall
Dirty Old Town - Pogues
Wild Wood - Paul Weller
African Skies- Paul Simon
Come Up And See Me - Steve Harley
Yes Sir That's my baby - Bing Crosby
Mad World - Tears For Fears
Delilah - Tom Jones
Leaving Of Liverpool - Dubliners
Days - Kinks
Stuck In The middle With You - Stealers Wheel
Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
Down Under - Men At Work
Losing My Religion - REM
Orange Blossom Special - Johnny Cash
Get Rhythm - Johnny Cash
Ripple - Grateful Dead
Leaning On A Lampost - George Formby
Watching The Detectives - Elvis Costello
Friday I'm in love - The Cure
You've Got A Friend in Me - Randy Newman
Yoshimi pt1 - Flaming Lips
Fat Bottomed Girls - Queen
Smells like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
Tonight You Belong To Me - ??
Pennies From Heaven - ??
Heart of Gold - Neil Young
Me And Julio - Paul Simon
She - Gram Parsons
Bring me Sunshine - Morecambe & Wise
Summertime - Gershwin

Have fun!

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Famous ukulele players - part 3

Will I Am - Black Eyed Peas

Shirley Temple

Patrick Wolf

Robert Plant

Famous ukers part 1

Famous ukers part 2

3UBKTCWVVBCR

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Ukulele in cartoons

Doing a bit of searching, it struck me how common it used to be to see the ukulele in cartoons and other kids tv - I suppose the fun nature of the uke fits the fun nature of the ukulele.  Have a look at some of these!

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Ukulele beginners tips - Buzzes and rattles

My Ukulele Is Buzzing... One of the most common questions I get at Got A Ukulele is 'how to fix ukulele buzzing'?  In the best case it will be something simple like technique, but in the worst case can signal something serious like a flawed uke.

Yet, discussion forums are awash with theories and advice (some useful, some not so), so I thought it useful to give my own thoughts. I have structured these from the simple to the serious, so if you have a buzz you can go down the list and hopefully solve your problem at an early stage before things get difficult. It's most often something simple so dont rush down the list without ruling out the easy stuff!!

1. Is it your technique? Getting a clean sound from a ukulele depends on good technique with your fretting fingers. Ensure you are pressing the strings perpendicularly to the neck and squarely between the frets. Ensure your fingers are not touching other strings. This will be difficult at first but practice! Sometimes buzzes can also occur due to over strumming or the position of the strum. Calm it down a little, strum at the end of the fingerboard.

2. Is it actually the strings? Buzzes don't need to come from the strings so check the rest of the ukulele. Are the tuner fittings tight? Are there any other fittings that are coming loose? The collars on the front of tuners are a common culprit. Another often overlooked culprit is string coils at the headstock, or the bits left over where you tie them on the bridge - trim them! I've even seen people think they have a buzz when it was the battery compartment rattling (or the clip on tuner clip!). Basically all sorts of things can buzz from the vibration that playing the ukulele causes. Check everything - wiring, trim, strap buttons, tuner bushings, collars, screws, you name it.

3. Is it a case of bad strings? Due to the nature of ukulele strings, it is possible to get a bad string in a pack. Can you isolate the string that is buzzing? May be worth swapping it, or another odd tip that often works, take it off and string it the other way around. This can solve problems where manufacturing has left a thin or thick spot on the string. But Barry - I dont want to waste a set of strings!! Seriously? If it isn't the strings - it means the strings you took off may still have life in them. Put them in the sleeves of the new pack and keep them in your uke case as spares! You WILL be changing strings at some point anyway!

4. Action at the saddle - we are now getting into more difficult territory, but easily fixed. If the saddle at the bridge is too low the strings are likely to vibrate against frets when strummed. Take off or loosen strings and pull out saddle carefully with long nosed pliers. To raise it you have two options. Either put a thin shim (or two) of wood veneer in the base of the saddle slot, replace saddle and strum. The alternative is a new saddle cut and shaped very slightly higher than old one. Your aim here is to raise it just enough to stop buzzing and we are talking thousandths of a millimetre. Raise it too much and you will cause intonation issues.

5. Action at the nut. Now we are in difficult territory. If the slots in the nut that the strings are on are too deep you are likely to get buzzes particularly on the lower frets. The fix is more difficult and you may now want to seriously consider going to a luthier. To try yourself you either need to fit a new nut (carefully tap out old nut and replace, filing down slots to suit action without buzzing) or try something cleverer!

I have successfully raised nut slots individually by taking a spare saddle and sanding it making sure to collect the dust. Apply a drop of super glue to the dust and quickly mix with a cocktail stick then fill In the offending nut slot (carefully). Breathe on it to start curing and leave overnight. What you have done is create a hard invisible fill to the nut slot you can re file down to the right height.

6. Others - if the above don't work then I am afraid you may have serious problems. You may have an offending fret that is too high and needs to be filed down. I would recommend a guitar tech doing this. Persistent buzzes may also signify a badly made uke, a neck out of alignment, a popped brace,  or a bowed neck. If this is the case, and the instrument is new, I would return it. If it's an old or used instrument the decision whether to get it professionally fixed will depend entirely on the value of the instrument. I'd consider getting a vintage Martin fixed, but not a Makala dolphin!


I hope this is of use and helps remove any panic you may have. Buzzes are common and in the vast majority of cases are simple to solve. Just work down the list and good luck!

And if that isn't helpful enough - a video for you!

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Ukulele beginners tips - Nuts and Saddles

We've looked at strings, woods, tuners, so about time I moved on to some guidance on the other important parts of a ukulele.

The uke works by holding the strings in tension over a sound chamber to resonate the sound - as a child you may have done the same thing with rubber bands and a tissue box.  In order to make this play accurately, some maths comes in to play.  For the frets to accurately change the notes of the strings when held, it is important that the string length is uniform and set in relation to these frets.    The parts of the uke that hold the strings at the correct length are the nut (at the top end of the uke by the tuners) and the saddle held in the piece of wood glued on to the body of the uke below the sound hole.  The distance between these two is the scale length.

As with all stringed instruments, the quality of these parts and how they are shaped is critical to a well playing instrument.  To high at the saddle and you will have too high an action, too low and you will get buzzing as the strings touch the frets.

Likewise at the nut - if the slots are cut too low, you will get buzzing at the low frets, too high and you raise action, and worse can cause a sharpening of notes when pressed at the 1st and 2nd frets.

In both cases, if the string is not as parallel to the finger board as is possible without buzzing you can get into intonation problems (ie frets not giving you the exact note they should)

Adjusting action for tuneability and to remove buzzes is something I will cover in a subsequent post, but on a nicely set up instrument if you hold a string at both the 1st and (say) 12th fret, you should be able to just slip a thin business card between the string and fret at or around the 6th.

So what are these items made of?  Well in cheaper instruments, almost certainly plastic, or a composite material which is basically plastic, but is trying to big itself up by calling it something else (stand up please NuBone and Tusq).  In more expensive instruments, these parts may well be made of bone, or a hardwood like Ebony.

Some suggest that moving up in quality will impove sound, but I think this is subjective.  On a steel strung acoustic guitar a change from plastic to bone saddle will make a noticeable difference - Im just not sure that you will notice that difference (for the hassle) on a consumer level ukulele.  I am happy to be persuaded otherwise though!

As a final thought - if you are fiddling with your saddle and remove it to take it down in height - remember - this is the key point of the instrument that transfers sound into the body of the uke.  It is essential the base of the saddle is sanded totally flat and when re-seated makes a perfect fit into the bridge mount.  This is even more important if you have a piezo pick up fitted under the saddle, as you may find a badly seated saddle results in volume differences across strings (not good)

Word to the wise - if you are not sure what you are doing but want a change to your ukulele - take it to a reputable guitar tech!

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Looks familiar...

They say imitation is flattery..

This made me laugh

(US followers, he's a soccer player..)
http://gotaclaudemakelele.blogspot.com/

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Ukulele beginners tips - All about wood - not all ukuleles are equal

Beyond brand names and sizes probably the most talked about topic when it comes to ukulele is the wood they are made of. In fact, when you are on the path to buying your first uke, you will probably find your mind boggled at the choices.

The differences in wood discussions (and tonally, we are referring to the wood the body is made of) will tend to be either whether it's solid or laminate or what type of wood it is.

SOLID V LAMINATE

this refers to the thin pieces of wood that make up the top, back and sides of the body of the ukulele. In simple terms, solid wood is just that, a thin slice of wood taken in one piece, and laminate refers to thin veneers of wood glued together in a sandwich like plywood.

Solid wood will unarguably give you the better sweeter sound, and in many cases better volume. Without getting too techy its simply that the solid piece resonates and sings better than laminated wood.

Solid wood instruments are also much more expensive, so you will find the vast majority of cheap (under £100) instruments will be either all or part laminate (you can get instruments with solid tops but laminate back and sides which is a kind of halfway house)

The cheapest all solid wood instrument that I would recommend are those made by Brüko.

So is solid better? Well I'd have to say yes, and the expensive top end instruments are all solid. That said, if you are a beginner there are some great laminate instruments like the Lanikai range and the Makalas. Additionally (to confuse further) the superb instruments made by Fluke are actually laminate wood tops, but they get their signature sound from the design and plastic backs (more on that later)

TYPES OF WOOD

beyond the solid vs laminate discussion, you will also want to consider the type of wood. To be perfectly honest I think this is very subjective, wood type does change sound, but for better or worse depends totally on your ears - you need to try them out!

Also, at the very cheap end, with all laminates I'd argue that you don't need to worry at all.

If you are going solid though i suppose the most common wood is mahogany. As well as looking great, it gives a lovely warm tone. Other include spruce (bright tone) cedar and the traditional wood for ukuleles, koa. (be aware, solid koa instruments are hugely expensive!). You may also find woods like mango and acacia.

This player can't tell you what sounds good, or what looks nice to you ( these different woods all look totally different!) so have a play yourself.

If you are beginning and finding it difficult i think you really can't go wrong with mahogany though. Sounds good , looks good and is not too expensive.

OTHER THOUGHTS

other than the above which is mainly concerned with tone, you will find other woods for necks and fingerboards but these are just cosmetic factors.

Further confusion comes in plastic backed bodies like flea, fluke, applause and dolphins ( works very well in projecting sound) carbon fibre bodies, cigar box bodies but I suppose they are for another thread!

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Got questions - edition 1

A couple of questions came in, so time for answers.  Keep questions coming and I'll answer in another blog post


1.Hi. I'm a first time uke buyer and first time instrument owner. I'd really like to take this seriously but as a college student I don't want to go all in with a super expensive uke to start. I'm thinking of shooting for the $50 range. From what I've read up on Makala seems to be the best for that price. What are your opinions on the best starter ukes? Does plastic or wood make a difference (like the older vs new dolphin makala models)? Does regular or pineapple make a difference? Also, I'm a lefty. Is there any way to get uke's restrung to fit lefties? I'd hate to try and learn everything upsidedown/backwards. Thanks so much!


Wow - a few questions in that post.  The Makala is certainly a great uke for the money, and gets many many rave reviews.  It does need a bit of tweaking and set up though, so I'd buy from a reputable dealer who can assist with that.  In the price range you are talking about, there is really only the Makala and the Mahalo to consider (aside from the real rubbish).  Mahalos seem to have very variable quality control - i personally got a bad one.  I have struggled to find a bad review for the Dolphin though.

The plastic back on the newer dolphins is supposedly a cost saving feature, but from reviews I have read, it has certainly improved the sound.  It also makes the uke that little bit tougher too


Different uke shapes do offer slightly different sounds, but at this price point I suspect you wouldnt notice much difference between a standard uke shape and a pineapple - its more about cosmetics


If you are a lefty, just restring the other way - ukes generally dont have angled saddles as the scale length is so short, there is no need, so they work either way up.  You may have to widen (slightly) a nut slot but maybe not.  Again - speak to a good dealer, and they should do that for you when you tell them you want Aquilas on it (believe me, on a cheap uke, you DO want aquilas on it!)



2.How important are the strings? As a new Ukulelean (?!) I've gone for the dolphin based on you reviews, but for now decided to stick with the current strings. I've also seen coloured strings http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DOUBLE-SET-COLOURED-EXTRA-LONG-BANJO-UKULELE-STRINGS-/170532629539?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments&hash=item27b4896c23 which get good reviews and sound pretty good on a mahalo!


Testing different types of strings is a long process as there are quite a few out there.  Check my blog by searching for "strings" and you will see some of my opinions.  Generally though, on cheaper ukes, like the dolphins, they will arrive with very cheap strings which are just nylon.  You can do a lot better and certainly Aquilas on a dolphin will bring it alive.  Better strings firstly, just sound better, but stay in tune better, are more accurate along the neck and just feel better.  Tough tension strings like Aquilas work very well on cheaper instruments as they drive the laminate tops much better.


As for the strings in your link, I dont know them but would wager that they are just a cheap string that is being sold for novelty factor - due to the colour. (they are also banjo uke strings so not the right strings for your Dolphin which is a soprano!)

So in answer to your main question - strings are very important.  Look at Aquila, Worth, Martin flourocarbons - they are my faves.  On the entry ukes, its hard to look beyond aquila though.

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25 years!!

Celebrating 25 years of Ukulele Orchestra

September 09, 2010

THE Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain is on tour celebrating its 25-year anniversary.

After two previous sell-out shows at the Princes Hall, Aldershot, the orchestra is returning to the venue with their silver jubilee show, God Save the Ukulele Orchestra, on Monday, September 13, at 7.45pm.

The orchestra has been performing for a quarter of a century, expanding from gigs in London pubs and village halls to touring the world and playing in the Royal Albert Hall.

Over the last 25 years, the orchestra has sold out theatres, appeared on TV in many countries, been its own record label, video production company, management and concert agency – its success goes on and on.

With renditions of all types of music from Tchaikovsky to Nirvana, the Ukes turn up on stage with precision to tear the house down.

No tricks, no vocal enhancements or overproduced wizardry are used – just one ukulele per performer is enough for standing ovations after every gig.

You’ll never think about music, humour or entertainment in the same way once you’ve seen and heard the Ukulele Orchestra.

Pre-show dinners are also available, and will be served in the Tichbourne Suite. To book a meal, please call the box office on 01252 329155.

Tickets are priced at £18, £17 concesssions, £16 Friends and are available from the box office on 01252 329155 or online at www.princeshall.com.

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Ukulele Tabs iPhone app - REVIEW

What a marvellous new app from the marvellous Ukulele Tabs website.

I spotted this app by chance in the app store, and noting it was FREE (yep, free!) I gave it a whirl.

I think its absolutely top notch! Read on

This app basically brings you the Ukulele Tabs website, and all of its many tabbed songs onto your iphone for using out and about.

On starting the application you are greeted with this page which shows you the monthly top viewed tabs, and an option to switch to the overall top tabs.

Across the bottom of the screen are other navigation options, to Browse (via an alphanumeric menu), to Search (by keyword, by song or band) and something called downloads - this is a very handy button - when you are online, you can choose to "save" a tab you have found, and will then appear in the downloads section when you are offline. Brilliant for cost saving, or if you are an ipod touch user.

There is a massive range of songs on offer, as you will well know if you use the Ukulele Tabs website as I do. The very best thing though is the way the songs are presented. You get an image of all the chords used in the song along the top of the screen and the words below that you can scroll through. But see that little "PLAY" button and slider - click that and the words start to scroll upwards - adjust the slider to time the scroll in time with your playing and hey presto, even the longest song will scroll automatically for you - no fumbling for "next page". What a great feature.

Sadly, my only gripe is the gripe I still have with Uke Tabs, and its not remotely their fault. They were threatened with legal action recently for copyright infringement in publishing lyrics, and in an amazing show of support from members, all songs were re-typed with XXXX in place of many of the words. Now, this is fine if you know the words to a song, but not very helpful if you dont. As I say, this aint their fault, but it is worth noting.

That said - its a great, polished little app that works brilliantly. I am now wondering why I need visit the website!

Top marks - if you are interested - the app is available from - HERE

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Nice Mainland Banjolele review

With thanks to Ukisociety

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Ukulele fretboard roadmap

Following a couple of requests, I can provide the following - a map of all notes on the uke neck in various tunings.

Choose your preferred tuning and away you go! (Yes, yes, I KNOW there are other tunings.. but honestly... where do you want me to stop?). The labels at the top of each diagram are the tuning names, and also the notes of the four strings played open. Convention is actually that the tuning is named after the note on the third string open, to GCEA is 'C Tuning', DGBE is 'G Tuning' and ADF#B is 'D Tuning'.

You will also note that by looking at them the sequence of notes all repeat in the same way no matter what the tuning. This is because each of these standard tunings only differ in the notes they are tuned to at the nut, but the relationship between the notes is the same in each case. You could therefore also use these diagrams to work out what notes would follow if you went to a different tuning in the same relationship. For example, if you tuned your ukulele to F tuning (CFAD) - simply find a CFAD on any of the diagrams below and assume that is the nut position. You then know that one fret up from the nut you would get C#,F#,Bb,D# and so on. So long as the strings are tuned in the same relationship to each other, this will work for any ukulele tuning.

(To print - simply right click and either save the file or open in a new window or tab to get the big version - then print from there!)

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Another call for Uke tutors

Hi folks

Well my page of uke clubs and societies received a good response, and there are plenty of links on there.

Less can be said for my page of tutors which is looking pretty empty. Come on people! If you are a tutor, anywhere in the world, and you want some help promoting your service, do get in touch and I will add you to this page

http://gotaukulele.blogspot.com/p/ukulele-tuition.html

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Baritone Uke chord chart

It just struck me, whilst I had provided a chord chart for standard GCEA ukulele tuning, I hadnt provided one for Baritone version of this musical instrument, tuned DGBE - essential if you are learning how to play the ukulele baritone style!

Presto - here you go. As you will see, the chord shapes are pretty much the same but you are transposing down 4 notes - the standard C chord shape plays a G, the F plays a C etc - in fact -these chord shapes mirror the fingering on the top four strings of a guitar in standard tuning

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WHY NOT DONATE TO HELP KEEP GOT A UKULELE GOING?


THANKS!

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Ukulele related comments that annoy me to bits

Thing about the uke is this, it's seen as rather quirky, and also probably quite rare when compared to, say guitars. But certain comments from people really get my goat. Here are a few of my favourites (or is that least favourites??) in no particular order.

1. "THAT'S A SMALL GUITAR" - no, it's not a guitar, it's a ukulele, four strings.... Usually followed by "well it looks like a guitar"...... Arrrgggghhh! No it doesn't!!!

2. "IS THAT A TOY?" - closely related to item 1 above

3. Said to me when playing my traditional soprano shaped uke, NOT my banjolele, "IS THAT A BANJO?" - it looks absolutely nothing like a banjo!!! Also closely related to 1 above..

4. When they enquired how much my mainland was, "HOW MUCH??????", erm, yes, its a real musical instrument... They do get much more expensive too...

5. "HAH YOU ARE JUST LIKE GEORGE FORMBY / TINY TIM" - now whilst I have no passion for Tiny Tim, I am quite fond of George, but really, there are plenty of other players, new and old, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Joe Brown, Eddie Vedder, Loudon Wainwright, Rufus Wainwright, Billy Corgan, Joe Strummer, Amanda Palmer (the list goes on)... When this is mentioned they glaze over... This comment obviously goes hand in hand with the other favourite "CAN YOU PLAY WHEN I'M CLEANING WINDOWS?"

6. Said to me by a ukulele player "IT'S ONLY A UKE, YOU DON'T NEED TO TUNE IT IT'S JUST FOR RHYTHM" erm... Jake Shimabukuro anyone?

7. Said to me by a guitar player, "UKULELE? NAH, WASTE OF A GOOD PRACTICE SESSION".... no comment...!

I'm sure readers have many others and would be interested to hear them in the comments section.

On the plus side the above comments are outweighed by the usual smiles and general interest I find is shown to you when you get a uke out at a gig!

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Something on Uke - Paul McCartney

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More Loudon on Uke

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Mainland have done it again

Readers of this blog will know that I adore Mainland ukes - the quality, the sound, the service - all top notch.

Well Mike at Mainland has done it again - and is releasing a Mainland Banjolele!

This is definitely going on my christmas list....

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Disaster!

I have been diagnosed with a RSI/carpal tunnel/tendonitis injury in my wrist. It's actually at the base of the thumb where it meets the wrist and is excruciatingly painful!

The cause could be a number of things, and the obvious culprit is the use of a computer mouse / keyboard. Well I do that a lot, but it also really hurts when I flex the wrist in the direction I strum uke and guitar...... Could I have been injured by the uke??

Anyway, bad news is that my wrist is in a splint to restrict movement and keep it rested for a week. No uke playing for 7 days!!

After that, it's exercise time to strengthen surrounding muscles to avoid it happening again, then I'm good to go!

(anyway, I blame the guitar not the uke, have had some lengthy gigs recently when we have played some violently chugging country blues, and I'm sure that did it....).

Ouch!

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Copyright crackdowns - a sad road we are on

I'm asked quite often (and I also note from google search terms for this site) why I don't put up chords and lyrics for popular songs, or video tutorials.

Well, that was originally part of my plan but in the last year the greed machine that is the corporate music business decided that people giving up their own time to try to educate others in music, for no reward was just 'not on'...

The obvious cases involve the excellent Ukulele Tabs website and YouTube (though I'm sure there are others, such as chordie)

In the case of the former, UT is a community created database (massive database!) of all sorts of songs with full lyric and chord listings for uke.  Then the greed machine stepped in and pointed out they were infringing copyright and hit them with very real threats of very nasty legal action.  The UT site appealed to it's members who diligently went through the 1000's of songs and replaced all but first lines or key change words of songs with XXXXXXX.  This apparently gets them off the legal hook, but makes using the songsheets a bit of a pain.  A sterling effort from the fans but to me the site just isn't as much use now.

As for YouTube, a number of uke playing colleagues who have posted their uke versions of popular tunes online (as I have) have been hit with angry emails from YouTube telling them to remove material or have their accounts closed.  In one case an account was indeed closed.  Again, these videos are put up by passionate people who want to spread the ukulele word and help others- they ain't trying to get a record deal or get paid!

Now I don't know the full legal INS and OUTS but I was advised that if you put music and lyrics up not for profit and for educational purposes, then that is ok.  Seems the lawyers prefer the heavy handed approach and are hitting everyone.  We are all greedy crooks apparently (surely it's the other way around???)

As for me, I can't be doing with the hassle, and therefore this blog will continue as a useful tech source of info, with reviews, humour and snippets I like.

I do have some songs on my YouTube page, but am waiting on my email to remove them.  I've linked a couple on here in the past, so check them out.

Google will find you lots of uke chord sheets for your own use, so equally I would only be repeating what others already do so well

I think it's a really sad state of affairs. I fully understand the music biz trying to crackdown on file sharing or pirated cd's, but honestly, does posting the lyrics of a song accompanied by ukulele tabs pose a real threat to the music industry?


In a bygone era, songs were always copied, reinterpreted, passed on - that's what folk music is. Didn't stop the really talented dudes getting record deals and getting rich...

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Got questions about ukulele?

Whether you are a beginner or an old hand, I'm gonna try to start a regular feature - "Got questions?" in which i will shout out to the whole interweb thingy for questions to be posed to me about Ukulele.

I will then do my best to answer a good dozen and post the answers on here.

If there is anything burning you want to know about uke, or about my thoughts on ukulele - either email me or post a comment on this post and keep checking back. MAKE SURE YOU MARK YOUR QUESTION "GOT QUESTIONS - VOLUME 1"

obviously, if I get none, this will be a short lived feature........

Thanks!

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Gus & Fin do it again - BLOCKBUSTER!!

Love these guys

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First ever Norwich Ukulele Festival! 18 September

Had an email this morning from one of the co-founders of the Norwich Ukulele Society, who advise me of their forthcoming, and first ever, Norwich Ukulele Festival

Looks like it will be a great do, and I am pleased to help promote it here.

getonthesoapbox is proud to present the first ever…

NORWICH UKULELE FESTIVAL
(in association with the Norwich Sound & Vision convention)
Saturday 18th SeptemberThe Ten Bells
1pm – 1am

FREE ENTRY

1pm – 8pm = ALL AGES
8pm – 1am = 18+

It’s hard to miss that these lovely four stringed instruments are currently having their biggest resurgence since the 1920’s. They have been described as the ultimate punk instrument, cheap to buy and easy to get something out of. They work well for introducing children to the joy of music and similarly for those of us whose small hands tried the guitar, but couldn’t quite reach those interesting chords (like me).

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain have been putting a unique spin on contemporary tunes, inspiring ukulele-ists to take on more inventive material, covering everything from Punk to Hip Hop. The creation of the Norwich Ukulele Society in February 2010 seems to have come at just the right time, with our fortnightly meetings attracting up to 40 people. The society is led by local ukulele teacher Gemma Cullingford who has now built up rather an impressive repertoire and skill level amongst our members.

So is born this mini-festival, a celebration of all that is fun, accessible and entertaining about grabbing these unassuming instruments and taking to the streets. The local area is rich in musical talent across the board but rather often, tucked away amongst these musicians’ tools, is a ukulele or two.

We are chuffed to pieces to be hosting a rare solo set from Noel Dashwood (of Dumbfoundus). Aside from getting to the final of a nationwide music competition with his band and having just played the O2, he recently shot to stardom when a video of him busking on the streets of Norwich ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’ was featured on a Polish TV show, sending his youtube views through the roof!

NORWICH UKULELE FESTIVAL looks like this…

Performances from:
The Two Ukes / Norwich Ukulele Society / Daniel Buckland / Noel Dashwood / Jim The Legend / The Accidental Harmonies / Norfolk Ukulele Society / You!

Open Mic sessions:Throughout the day and night. Solo or groups with ukes only please, in the spirit of the festival. Email in advance to express your interest or just turn up on the day: getonthesoapbox@hotmail.co.uk

Lessons from: Gemma Cullingford. Two sessions at 3pm and 5pm, £5 per person. Book in advance to avoid disappointment: gemma@ukulele-lessons.co.uk

Prizes for:
Best dressed – think Hawaiian chic, flowers in your hair and grass skirts.

Games:
The Big Uke Quiz at 7pm, with ‘guess the tune’ section played live on the ukulele.

Art:
We will be making it look pretty but we want your help! There will be massive rolls of paper around with tons of pens and pencils, help us transform The Ten Bells into a ukulele-ist heaven.

Wanna get involved?
If you have an idea or skill that you would like to bring to this event please email me and lets get it on!

Special guests, performances, discounts and demos to be announced so tell your mates and watch this space as we bring the first EVER Norwich Ukuele festival to your doorstep.

Brought to you by:
www.myspace.com/getonthesoapbox
www.youtube.com/getonthesoapbox

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Ukuleles are undesirable instruments???

This story on the Guardian made me seeth - Transport for London supposedly cracking down on busking and classing the banjolele as an "undesirable instrument"???

These buskers need our support - I'm passionate about keeping the busking tradition going (I have done it myself when a student), and over the last few years TfL have made things tougher and tougher.

Now to have a supposed list of "undesirable instruments" is just nuts

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2010/aug/31/transport-for-london-buskers

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Open to offers to undertake reviews

Well, this blog has been going a while now, and I am pleased to note that the visitor numbers are pretty high - averaging around 500 unique visits a week, and last week that hit 700+

It's clearly being read and syndicated on other blogs, so....

My review pages seem to get the most hits, so I figure that I would be more than happy for any manufacturers out there (of either Ukes or accessories) to get in touch with me if they would like me to test and publish a review on any of their gear

Get in touch through the blog (email at foot of page) and I'd be happy to help giving you an impartial review.  Highly Strung in Wantage were happy with a couple of reviews and linked back from their store to my blog

here -http://www.highlystrung.co.uk/acatalog/Makala_Ukuleles.html

and here -http://www.highlystrung.co.uk/acatalog/Ukulele-Banjos.html

Am pleased to report that I know from direct emails that my reviews linked on those pages led to a number of actual sales!

Banging the gong now over, thanks for listening!

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