The ukulele seems to be everywhere these days. From popular hits like Vance Joy’s “Riptide,” to classics like Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s rendition of “Over the Rainbow,” to the full-blown ukulele rock stars like Jake Shimabukuro, the ukulele is well and truly back to the height of its popularity. Why? Here are some frequent comments that we hear from fellow ukulele lovers:
All instruments have unique challenges. However, the ukulele does have some great characteristics that can make starting to learn the instrument more enjoyable. Like when beginning acoustic guitar, the ukulele tends to be a strumming instrument rather than one that plays individual notes. This means that with a few simple chords you can play many different songs and achieve great results with a reasonable amout of practice. After you learn the first few chords, more complicated chords will follow and more difficult songs can be mastered with time. In addition to ukuleles being available at reasonable prices (well made concert ukuleles made by Cordoba start at only $99, see the Cordoba 15CM here), the ukulele is an instrument that can excel in a wide variety of styles, so regardless of your personal tastes the ukulele can be your musical partner.
While there are four primary sizes of ukulele (soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone), the smaller soprano and concert tend to be the most popular. The fact that these instruments are small makes learning a little easier for everyone. The ukulele is as comfortable for a child to play as it is for any adult player. The spaces between the frets are closer together, meaning that the hand rarely has to contort into difficult and uncomfortable shapes. In addition, the strings on a ukulele are made of unwound nylon. Nylon strings, like those on a classical guitar, are much softer underneath the fingers and won’t develop heavy calluses on your fingertips.
We hear this one a lot. The casual nature of the instrument allows for it to be easily picked up when a free moment in your day opens up. Whether that is on your couch at home, while camping, or in the ukulele’s natural environment on the beach, it is always there for your entertainment and relaxation. The ukulele is also a social instrument–no matter where you go, you will likely find someone who can strum a few chords or at the very least be able to have a conversation about how cool the ukulele is. While efforts are being made to have the ukulele become more of a concert instrument (see Jake Shimabukuro above), it is above all things fun and technical prowess on the instrument is often overlooked in favor of sheer enjoyment.
To learn more about the wonderful Cordoba ukuleles that we carry, please visit our website.
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