Archive for the ‘Ukuleles’ Category
Ukuleles…One… Two…Three
Ukuleles are traditionally made out of wood, although varieties have been made entirely of plastic. Cheaper ukuleles are made from ply or laminate woods. Some cases, it can come with a soundboard made out of spruce, which is an acoustically superior wood.
There are multiple sizes of a ukulele. The most common are the soprano ukulele, concert ukulele, tenor ukulele, and the baritone ukulele. The standard ukulele is the soprano. This type is the smallest, which is the standard size. In 1920 is when the concert size was developed, which is the soprano. The largest is the baritone, which was created in 1940.
Whenever I travel, I like to learn about the native music. Naturally, when I visited Hawaii I decided to investigate ukulele music. The friends I was staying with during my break recommended listening to the work of the late great Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo‘ole.
The first song they played for me was the ukulele medley of “Over the Rainbow” and “What a Wonderful World.” I instantly recognized the song from a variety of movies and television commercials. Intrigued, I started listening to all of his albums chronologically. I particularly enjoyed how he blended other musical genres, like jazz and reggae, into his songs. Kamakawiwo‘ole died in 1997 from weight-related respiratory illness. Ten thousand people attended his funeral and he was only the third person in Hawaiian history to lie in state at the Capitol building.
It’s no secret that the ukulele is most commonly associated with Hawaiian music. But, did you know that the instrument was derived from a combination of two Portuguese instruments? Two very different instruments in deed: the braguinha and the cavaquinho. There’s speculation as to how this hybrid-style instrument came to be exactly, but rumor has it that a Portuguese traveler arrived in Hawaii carrying a similar instrument, which caught the eye of the locals.
In Hawaiian, the name ukulele can be defined as “jumping flea.” There are many theories about how this instrument’s name came to be. Some include the idea that it was a trait of the traveling passenger’s demeanor or the way a players fingers jump around from string to string while playing the ukulele. Even if the origination of the ukulele and its name are still a mystery, one thing is certain – ukuleles became popular, and fast, within the Hawaiian culture.
Until a few years ago, I had always associated the ukulele with traditional Hawaiian music – and for good reason. The instrument is actually a minor variation on stringed lutes that were played in Europe for centuries. Eventually, some Portuguese immigrants introduced that lute to natives of Hawaii, and the craze spread throughout the islands. Now I have a much more sophisticated view of the instrument’s potential, however, after hearing the song “Postcards from Italy” by Beirut.
The song is sung as a lamentation for lost people and places, and it perfectly utilizes the ukulele’s versatility. It can be used to strum mournful lullabies or uplifting chants. Baritone ukuleles feature an entirely unique tone, especially those made from the wood of Hawaiian koa trees. In recent years, the electric ukulele has become almost as popular as its acoustic counterpart.