Showing posts with label shimabukuro. Show all posts

13 Apr 2015

13 Apr 2015T06:21

The Most Viewed Ukulele Videos On YouTube

So, just because it sounded kind of fun, I thought I would look up the most watched ukulele videos on YouTube. There certainly is something about the ukulele, perhaps more so than other instruments these days, that makes people keen to point a camera on themselves to perform. But what is getting all the hits?

Well with a search for the term 'UKULELE', in the number one spot with a whopping 64 million views, we have the most over played song on the ukulele ever, played by a cute kid.

Hot on his heels with over 19 million views we have.... Another cute kid and another massively over played ukulele song..

In at number three. With 15 million views, it's..... a kid on a ukulele. Sensing a pattern here?

At number four we have an adult at last, and who else? Jake Shimabukuro. Strangely, he does look kind of baby faced too I always find. He clearly can't match the cute kids on the vocals though as he keeps his mouth shut... Nearly 14 million views

And in fifth place, thankfully another adult. Sadly another cover of that damn 'I'm Yours' song. Admittedly a nice enough one though.

Incidentally, in the 6th to 10th place slots we have a touch more variety (including the Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain) but two MORE children and one more cover of I'm Yours.

Read in to all that what you will. For me, if aliens from another world visited planet Earth and looked at this posting as a means to understand our culture, I think they would reach a few of conclusions

1. That ukulele masters are actually children and we are somehow born with innate ability to play which diminishes as we get older
2. That there are a small number of adults who retain that gift, but they lose the power to sing...
3. That Jason Mraz is a cultural GOD worshipped on four strings the world over.

And, now, I'm depressed...

© Barry Maz

18 Jun 2012

18 Jun 2012T15:51

Uke choices of the professionals - pt1

As amateur players you probably beat yourself up enough over which ukulele to choose to play (or, like me, to play next!). I suppose it's the same for the pro's too, but have you wondered what ukuleles the professional players choose to play? Check out this first selection.

Jake Shimabukuro

Whilst Jake may have other ukes in his collection, he started playing ukulele as a child on a Kamaka uke and is said to have played them ever since. Today if you see him play he will most likely be performing on a beautiful custom built Tenor model, made specially for him.

James Hill

James is known to play many ukes, and chooses what he wants depending on the voice he needs for a particular track. If you have seen his online videos of him performing tracks like Billie Jean he is playing that on a custom uke from G String.

Eddie Vedder

I had to mention Eddie - whilst not most famous for being a ukulele player, he certainly hit the headlines and shook the uke world up last year with the release of his Ukulele Songs LP. Eddie has reported in interviews that he plays many types of uke, but on the record he is most famously associated with playing custom models from his friends at De Vine guitars.

Amanda Palmer

Another player who divides opinions, but Amanda has become completely linked to the ukulele, releasing EP's and other tracks played on it. She has been seen in city centres playing impromptu live jams on the ukulele on a range of cheap Mahalo type ukes, or playing the one above which was a gift from her father (it's a Hilo). Interestingly, whilst in her punk tradition she claims that quality and tuning don't matter too much, it would appear that Ms Palmer recognises that a bit of tuning and intonation are kinda important - playing live recently she has been spotted with a Pono model!

I hope to revisit this theme soon on Got A Ukulele with a roundup of some other famous players 'ukes of choice'.

7 Jun 2012

7 Jun 2012T09:36

Jake Shimabukuro speaks

Nice short interview piece with Jake in which he talks about how he started playing the ukulele.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

19 Jan 2012

19 Jan 2012T20:24

Jake talks up the ukulele renaissance

Jake speaks ukulele! - Nice hat too..

28 Jan 2011

28 Jan 2011T23:45

Bohemian Rhapsody on Ukulele - Jake Shimabukuro

OK OK, everyone is linking to this, so it's my duty to share.

Listen good people - this is how good a uke can sound. Those who scoff that this is a toy guitar, those who laugh when you are beginning, those who cannot take it seriously - just watch and listen.

Glorious