The ukulele ( ; ); also called a uke (informally), is a member of the

lute A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck (music), neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted. More specifically, the term "lu ...

(ancient guitar) family of instruments. The ukulele is of Portuguese origin and was popularized in

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

. The

tone Tone may refer to: Visual arts and color-related * Tone (color theory), a mix of tint and shade, in painting and color theory * Tone (color), the lightness or brightness (as well as darkness) of a color * Toning (coin), color change in coins * ...

and volume of the instrument vary with size and construction. Ukuleles commonly come in four sizes: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. Ukuleles generally have four

nylon Nylon is a family of synthetic polymers characterised by amide linkages, typically connecting aliphatic or Polyamide#Classification, semi-aromatic groups. Nylons are generally brownish in color and can possess a soft texture, with some varieti ...

strings tuned to GCEA. They have 16–22

frets A fret is any of the thin strips of material, usually metal wire, inserted laterally at specific positions along the Neck (music), neck or Fingerboard, fretboard of a stringed instrument. Frets usually extend across the full width of the Neck ( ...

depending on the size.

History

Developed in the 1880s, the ukulele is based on several small,

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

-like instruments of Portuguese origin, the , and , introduced to the Hawaiian Islands by Portuguese immigrants from

Madeira Madeira ( ; ), officially the Autonomous Region of Madeira (), is an autonomous Regions of Portugal, autonomous region of Portugal. It is an archipelago situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, in the region of Macaronesia, just under north of ...

, the

Azores The Azores ( , , ; , ), officially the Autonomous Region of the Azores (), is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal (along with Madeira). It is an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands in the Macaronesia region of the North Atl ...

, and

Cape Verde Cape Verde or Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country and archipelagic state of West Africa in the central Atlantic Ocean, consisting of ten volcanic islands with a combined land area of about . These islands ...

. Three immigrants in particular, Madeiran cabinet makers Manuel Nunes, José do Espírito Santo, and Augusto Dias, are generally credited as the first ukulele makers. Two weeks after they disembarked from the SS ''Ravenscrag'' in late August 1879, the ''

Hawaiian Gazette Hawaiian may refer to: * Native Hawaiians, the current term for the indigenous people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants * Hawaii state residents, regardless of ancestry (only used outside of Hawaii) * Hawaiian language, a Polynesian lan ...

'' reported that "Madeira Islanders recently arrived here, have been delighting the people with nightly street concerts." One of the most important factors in establishing the ukulele in

Hawaiian music The music of Hawaii includes an array of traditional and popular styles, ranging from native Hawaiian folk music to modern rock and hip hop. Styles like slack-key guitar are well known worldwide, while Hawaiian-tinged music is a frequent par ...

and

culture Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

was the ardent support and promotion of the instrument by

King Kalākaua King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a constitutional monarch if his power is restrained by f ...

. A patron of the arts, he incorporated it into performances at royal gatherings. In the

Hawaiian language Hawaiian (', ) is a critically endangered Polynesian language of the Austronesian language family, originating in and native to the Hawaiian Islands. It is the native language of the Hawaiian people. Hawaiian, along with English, is an offi ...

the word ukulele roughly translates as 'jumping flea', perhaps because of the movement of the player's fingers. Legend attributes it to the nickname of Englishman

Edward William Purvis Colonel Edward William Purvis (July 4, 1857 – August 16, 1888) was a British army officer and settler of the Kingdom of Hawaii who served as Vice-Chamberlain during the reign of King Kalākaua. After resigning from the royal household, Purvis ...

, one of King Kalākaua's officers, because of his small size, fidgety manner, and playing expertise. One of the earliest appearances of the word ''ukulele'' in print (in the sense of a stringed instrument) is in the

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...

's ''Catalogue of the Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments of All Nations'' published in 1907. The catalog describes two ukuleles from Hawaii—one that is similar in size to a modern soprano ukulele, and one that is similar to a tenor (see ).

Canada

In the 1960s, educator J. Chalmers Doane dramatically changed school music programs across

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, using the ukulele as an inexpensive and practical teaching instrument to foster

musical literacy Musical literacy is the reading, writing, and playing of music, as well an understanding of cultural practice and historical and social contexts. Music literacy and music education are frequently talked about relationally and causatively, however, ...

in the classroom. At its peak, 50,000 schoolchildren and adults learned the ukulele through the Doane program. "Ukulele in the Classroom", a revised program created by James Hill and Doane in 2008, is a staple of music education in Canada.

Japan

The ukulele arrived in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

in 1929 after Hawaiian-born

Yukihiko Haida was a composer, ukulele player and steel guitarist. He and his brother Katsuhiko Haida founded the Nihon Ukulele Association. Early life and education Haida was born in Honolulu on 24 April 1909, to parents who were Japanese immigrants to Haw ...

returned to the country upon his father's death and introduced the instrument. Haida and his brother Katsuhiko formed the Moana Glee Club, enjoying rapid success in an environment of growing enthusiasm for

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fun ...

, particularly Hawaiian and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, authorities banned most music from the West, but fans and players kept it alive in secret, and it resumed popularity after the war. In 1959, Haida founded the

Nihon Ukulele Association The Nihon Ukulele Association () is a Japanese association for ukulele players. It was founded in 1959 by Yukihiko Haida, a Hawaiian-born ''nisei'' who moved to Japan at a young age. With his brother, Katsuhiko Haida, Haida formed the Moana Gle ...

. Japan has since become a second home for Hawaiian musicians and ukulele virtuosos.

United Kingdom

British singer and comedian

George Formby George Formby, (born George Hoy Booth; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961), was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he ...

was a ukulele player, though he often played a

banjolele The banjo ukulele, also known as the banjolele or banjo uke, is a four-stringed musical instrument with a small banjo-type body and a fretted ukulele neck. The earliest known banjoleles were built by John A. Bolander and by Alvin D. Keech, both ...

, a hybrid instrument consisting of an extended ukulele neck with a

banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and in modern forms is usually made of plastic, where early membranes were made of animal skin. ...

resonator body. Demand surged in the new century because of its relative simplicity and portability. Another British ukulele player was

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

-winner

Tessie O'Shea Teresa Mary "Tessie" O'Shea (13 March 1913 – 21 April 1995) was a Welsh entertainer and actress. Early life O'Shea was born at 61 Plantagenet Street in Riverside, Cardiff to newspaper wholesaler James Peter O'Shea, who had been a soldier a ...

, who appeared in numerous movies and stage shows, and was twice on ''

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the ''CB ...

'', including the night

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

debuted in 1964. The

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (UOGB) is a British musical ensemble founded in 1985 by George Hinchliffe and Kitty Lux. The orchestra features ukuleles of various sizes and registers from soprano to bass. The UOGB is best known for pe ...

tours globally, and the

George Formby Society The George Formby Society was created after the death of British vaudeville entertainer George Formby in 1961. A small group of his fans, brought together by an ad in ''The Stage'' placed by Londoner George Wilson,The George Formby Society met toge ...

, established in 1961, continues to hold regular conventions.

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Culture ...

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...

, and

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...

all played the ukulele. Harrison, who was a Formby fan, was a great lover of the instrument and often gave them to friends, including

Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950October 2, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He was the leader and frontman of the Rock music, rock bands Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Mudcrutch and a member of the late 1980s sup ...

, whom he taught to play.

United States mainland

Pre–World War II

The ukulele was popularized for a stateside audience during the

Panama–Pacific International Exposition The Panama–Pacific International Exposition was a world's fair held in San Francisco, California, United States, from February 20 to December 4, 1915. Its stated purpose was to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal, but it was widely s ...

, held from spring to autumn of 1915 in

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

. The Hawaiian Pavilion featured a guitar and ukulele ensemble, George E. K. Awai and his Royal Hawaiian Quartet, along with ukulele maker and player

Jonah Kumalae Jonah Kumalae (October 13, 1874 – May 6, 1940) was an American politician, businessman, publisher, ukulele manufacturer, and musician of ethnic Hawaiian origin. Though most noted for manufacturing and marketing his 'Gold Award' Kumalae Ukulel ...

. The popularity of the ensemble with visitors launched a fad for Hawaiian-themed songs among

Tin Pan Alley Tin Pan Alley was a collection of History of music publishing, music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the American popular music, popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Originally ...

songwriter A songwriter is a person who creates musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music genre and film scoring. ...

s. The ensemble also introduced both the

lap steel guitar The lap steel guitar, also known as a Hawaiian guitar or lap slide guitar, is a type of steel guitar without pedals that is typically played with the instrument in a horizontal position across the performer's lap. Unlike the usual manner of pla ...

and the ukulele into U.S. mainland popular music, where it was taken up by

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

performers such as

Roy Smeck Leroy George Alfred "Roy" Smeck (6 February 1900 – 5 April 1994) was an American musician. His skill on the banjo, guitar, and ukulele earned him the nickname "The Wizard of the Strings". Background Smeck was born in Reading, Pennsylvania. ...

and Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards. On April 15, 1923, at the Rivoli Theater in New York City, Smeck appeared, playing the ukulele, in ''Stringed Harmony'', a

short film A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film o ...

made in the DeForest

Phonofilm Phonofilm is an optical sound-on-film system developed by inventors Lee de Forest and Theodore Case in the early 1920s. In 1919 and 1920, de Forest, inventor of the audion tube, filed his first patents on a sound-on-film process, DeForest Phonofi ...

sound-on-film Sound-on-film is a class of sound film processes where the sound accompanying a picture is recorded on photographic film, usually, but not always, the same strip of film carrying the picture. Sound-on-film processes can either record an Analog s ...

process. On August 6, 1926, Smeck appeared playing the ukulele in a short film ''His Pastimes'', made in the

Vitaphone Vitaphone was a sound film system used for feature films and nearly 1,000 short subjects made by Warner Bros. and its sister studio First National Pictures, First National from 1926 to 1931. Vitaphone is the last major analog sound-on-disc sys ...

sound-on-disc Sound-on-disc is a class of sound film processes using a phonograph or other disc to record or play back sound in sync with a motion picture. Early sound-on-disc systems used a mechanical interlock with the movie projector, while more recent sys ...

process, shown with the

feature film A feature film or feature-length film (often abbreviated to feature), also called a theatrical film, is a film (Film, motion picture, "movie" or simply “picture”) with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole present ...

Don Juan Don Juan (), also known as Don Giovanni ( Italian), is a legendary fictional Spanish libertine who devotes his life to seducing women. The original version of the story of Don Juan appears in the 1630 play (''The Trickster of Seville and t ...

'' starring

John Barrymore John Barrymore (born John Sidney Blyth; February 14 or 15, 1882 – May 29, 1942) was an American actor on stage, screen, and radio. A member of the Drew and Barrymore theatrical families, he initially tried to avoid the stage, and briefly a ...

. The ukulele soon became an icon of the

Jazz Age The Jazz Age was a period from 1920 to the early 1930s in which jazz music and dance styles gained worldwide popularity. The Jazz Age's cultural repercussions were primarily felt in the United States, the birthplace of jazz. Originating in New O ...

. Like guitar, basic ukulele skills can be learned fairly easily, and this highly portable, relatively inexpensive instrument was popular with amateur players throughout the 1920s, as evidenced by the introduction of uke chord

tablature Tablature (or tab for short) is a form of musical notation indicating instrument fingering or the location of the played notes rather than musical pitches. Tablature is common for fretted stringed instruments such as the guitar, lute or vihuel ...

into the published

sheet music Sheet music is a handwritten or printed form of musical notation that uses musical symbols to indicate the pitches, rhythms, or chords of a song or instrumental musical piece. Like its analogs – printed Book, books or Pamphlet, pamphlets ...

for popular songs of the time (a role that was supplanted by the guitar in the early years of

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

). A number of mainland-based stringed-instrument manufacturers, among them Regal,

Harmony In music, harmony is the concept of combining different sounds in order to create new, distinct musical ideas. Theories of harmony seek to describe or explain the effects created by distinct pitches or tones coinciding with one another; harm ...

, and especially

Martin Martin may refer to: Places Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Europe * Martin, Croatia, a village * Martin, Slovakia, a city * Martín del Río, Aragón, Spain * M ...

, added ukulele, banjolele, and

tiple A tiple (, literally treble or soprano), is a particular type of guitar, typically with 10 or 12 strings but sometimes fewer, and is built in several distinct regional styles. A tiple player is called a ''tiplista''. The first written mention of ...

lines to their production to take advantage of the demand. The ukulele also made inroads into early country music or

old-time music Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dancing, contra dance, clogging, and buck dancing. It is played on acoustic instruments, generally centering ...

parallel to the then-popular mandolin. It was played by

Jimmie Rodgers James Charles Rodgers ( – ) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician who rose to popularity in the late 1920s. Widely regarded as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Father of Country Music", he is best known for his di ...

and

Ernest V. Stoneman Ernest Van "Pop" Stoneman (May 25, 1893 – June 14, 1968) was an American musician, ranked among the prominent recording artists of country music's first commercial decade. Biography Born in a log cabin in Monarat (Iron Ridge), Carroll Count ...

, as well as by early string bands, including Cowan Powers and his Family Band, Da Costa Woltz's Southern Broadcasters, Walter Smith and Friends, The Blankenship Family, The Hillbillies, and The Hilltop Singers.

Post–World War II

From the late 1940s to the late 1960s, plastics manufacturer

Mario Maccaferri Mario Maccaferri (1900–1993) was an Italian luthier, classical guitarist, businessman, and inventor. He is noted for designing the guitar favored by jazz musician Django Reinhardt, and for designing plastic clothespins, plastic bath and kitchen ...

turned out about 9 million inexpensive ukuleles. The ukulele remained popular, appearing in many jazz songs throughout the 50s, '60s, and '70s. Much of the instrument's popularity (particularly the baritone size) was cultivated by

Arthur Godfrey Arthur Morton Godfrey (August 31, 1903 – March 16, 1983) was an American radio and television broadcaster and entertainer. At the peak of his success, in the early to mid-1950s, Godfrey was heard on radio and seen on television up to six days ...

on ''The Arthur Godfrey Show'' on television. In 1959 the Ukulele made an iconic appearance played by

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe ( ; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 August 4, 1962) was an American actress and model. Known for playing comic "Blonde stereotype#Blonde bombshell, blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex ...

as the character "Sugar Kane" in the movie

Some Like It Hot ''Some Like It Hot'' is a 1959 American crime comedy film directed, produced and co-written by Billy Wilder. It stars Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, with George Raft, Pat O'Brien (actor), Pat O'Brien, Joe E. Brown, Joan Shawlee an ...

, notably during the band's rendition of Runnin' Wild. Singer-musician Tiny Tim became closely associated with the instrument after playing it on his 1968 hit "

Tiptoe Through the Tulips "Tiptoe Through the Tulips", also known as "Tiptoe Thru' the Tulips with Me", is a popular song published in 1929. The song was written by Al Dubin (lyrics) and Joe Burke and made popular by guitarist Nick Lucas. On February 5, 1968, singer Ti ...

Post-1990 revival

After the 1960s, the ukulele declined in popularity until the late 1990s, when interest in the instrument reawakened. During the 1990s, new manufacturers began producing ukuleles and a new generation of musicians took up the instrument.

Jim Beloff Jim Beloff (born December 25, 1955) is an American musician. He is a leading proponent of the ukulele. After working in the music industry in Los Angeles, he discovered the ukulele and became an advocate of the instrument. He established Flea Ma ...

set out to promote the instrument in the early 1990s and created over two dozen ukulele music books featuring modern music and classic ukulele pieces. All-time best-selling Hawaiian musician

Israel Kamakawiwoʻole Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole (May 20, 1959 – June 26, 1997), also called Braddah IZ or just simply IZ, was a Native Hawaiian musician and singer. He is regarded as one of the greatest musicians from Hawaii and is considered the most succe ...

helped repopularize the instrument, in particular with his 1993

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

-rhythmed

medley Medley or Medleys may refer to: Sports *Medley swimming, races requiring multiple swimming styles * Medley relay races at track meets Music *Medley (music), multiple pieces strung together People *Medley (surname), list of people with this nam ...

of "

Over the Rainbow "Over the Rainbow", also known as "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", is a ballad by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Yip Harburg. It was written for the 1939 film '' The Wizard of Oz'', in which it was sung by actress Judy Garland in her starring role ...

" and "

What a Wonderful World "What a Wonderful World" is a song written by Bob Thiele (as "George Douglas") and George David Weiss. It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong on August 16, 1967. In April 1968, it topped the pop chart in the United Kingdom, but performed p ...

", used in films, television programs, and commercials. The song reached number 12 on ''Billboards

Hot Digital Tracks The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, p ...

chart the week of January 31, 2004. The creation of

YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...

helped revive the popularity of the ukulele. One of the first videos to go viral was

Jake Shimabukuro Jake Shimabukuro (born November 3, 1976) is a ukulele player and composer from Hawaii known for his fast and complex finger work. His music combines elements of jazz, blues, funk, rock, bluegrass, classical, folk, and flamenco. Shimabukuro has wri ...

's ukulele rendition of

's "

While My Guitar Gently Weeps "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album ''The Beatles (album), The Beatles'' (also known as the "White Album"). It was written by George Harrison, the band's lead guitarist, as ...

". The video quickly went

viral The word ''Viral'' means "relating to viruses" (small infectious agents). It may also refer to: Viral behavior, or virality Memetic behavior likened that of a virus, for example: * Viral marketing, the use of existing social networks to spre ...

, and as of September 2020, had received over 17 million views. In recent years, the ukulele has also been used increasingly in music education, sometimes replacing the recorder as first musical instrument. The ukulele is used both as a solo instrument and also in ensemble pieces for two or more instruments, such as Markus Rathey's song arrangements for three ukuleles.

Construction

The ukulele is generally made of wood, though variants have been composed partially or entirely of plastic or other materials. Cheaper ukuleles are generally made from

plywood Plywood is a composite material manufactured from thin layers, or "plies", of wood veneer that have been stacked and glued together. It is an engineered wood from the family of manufactured boards, which include plywood, medium-density fibreboa ...

laminate Simulated flight (using image stack created by μCT scanning) through the length of a knitting needle that consists of laminated wooden layers: the layers can be differentiated by the change of direction of the wood's vessels Shattered windshi ...

d woods, in some cases with a soundboard of a

tonewood Tonewood refers to specific wood varieties used for woodwind or acoustic stringed instruments. The word implies that certain species exhibit qualities that enhance acoustic properties of the instruments, but other properties of the wood such as ae ...

such as

spruce A spruce is a tree of the genus ''Picea'' ( ), a genus of about 40 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal ecosystem, boreal (taiga) regions of the Northern hemisphere. ''Picea'' ...

. More expensive ukuleles are made of solid hardwoods such as

mahogany Mahogany is a straight- grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Universit ...

. The traditionally preferred wood for ukuleles is a type of acacia endemic to Hawaii, called ''

koa KOA (short for Kampgrounds of America) is an American franchise of privately owned campgrounds. Having more than 500 locations across the United States and Canada, it is the world's largest system of privately owned campgrounds. It was founded ...

''. Typically, ukuleles have a figure-eight body shape similar to that of a small

acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked, its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

. They are also often seen in nonstandard shapes, such as cutaway and oval, usually called a "pineapple" ukulele (see image below), invented by the

Kamaka Ukulele Kamaka ʻUkulele, also known as Kamaka Hawaiʻi, Inc., or just Kamaka, is a Hawaii-based and family-owned maker of ukuleles. It is often credited with producing some of the world's finest ukuleles, and created the first pineapple ukulele. The co ...

company, or a boat-paddle shape, and occasionally a square shape, often made out of an old wooden cigar box. These instruments usually have four

strings String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...

; some strings may be paired in

courses Course may refer to: Directions or navigation * Course (navigation), the path of travel * Course (orienteering), a series of control points visited by orienteers during a competition, marked with red/white flags in the terrain, and corresponding ...

, giving the instrument a total of six or eight strings (primarily for greater strumming volume.) The strings themselves were originally made of

catgut Catgut (also known as gut) is a type of cord that is prepared from the natural fiber found in the walls of animal intestines. Catgut makers usually use sheep or goat intestines, but occasionally use the intestines of cattle, hogs, horses, mules, ...

. Modern ukuleles use strings made from nylon polymers, synthetic gut, or

fluorocarbon Fluorocarbons are chemical compounds with carbon-fluorine bonds. Compounds that contain many C-F bonds often have distinctive properties, e.g., enhanced stability, volatility, and hydrophobicity. Several fluorocarbons and their derivatives are ...

or wound strings composed of a (typically) nylon core wound with metal or polymers, including

aluminium Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...

and silver-plated

copper Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu (from Latin ) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orang ...

. Instruments with six or eight strings in four courses are often called taropatches, or taropatch ukuleles. They were once common in the concert size, but now the tenor size is more common for six-string taropatch ukuleles. The six-string, four-course version, has two single and two double courses, and is sometimes called a ''lili‘u'', though this name also applies to the eight-string version. Eight-string baritone taropatches exist, and 5-string tenors have also been made. 3 ukes

Types and sizes

Common types of ukuleles include soprano (standard ukulele), concert, tenor, and baritone. Less common are the sopranino (also called piccolo, bambino, or "pocket uke"), bass, and

contrabass Contrabass (from ) refers to several musical instruments of very low pitch—generally one octave below bass register instruments. While the term most commonly refers to the double bass (which is the bass instrument in the orchestral string family ...

ukuleles. Other types of ukuleles include

banjo ukulele The banjo ukulele, also known as the banjolele or banjo uke, is a four-stringed musical instrument with a small banjo-type body and a fretted ukulele neck. The earliest known banjoleles were built by John A. Bolander and by Alvin D. Keech, both ...

s and electric ukuleles. Of the standard ukuleles, the soprano, often called "standard" in Hawaii, is the second smallest and was the original size. The concert size was developed in the 1920s as an enhanced soprano, slightly larger and louder with a deeper tone. Shortly thereafter, the tenor was created, having more volume and a deeper bass tone. The baritone (resembling a smaller

tenor guitar The tenor guitar or four-string guitar is a slightly smaller, four-string relative of the steel-string acoustic guitar or electric guitar. The instrument was initially developed in its acoustic form by Gibson and C.F. Martin so that players o ...

) was created in the 1940s, and the contrabass and bass are recent innovations (2010 and 2014, respectively). Ukulele wall

The following chart shows the range of notes of standard ukulele types. Note that the range varies with the tuning and size of the instruments. The examples shown in the chart reflect the range of each instrument from the lowest standard tuning to the highest fret in the highest standard tuning. ImageSize = width:700 height:250 PlotArea = left:0 right:0 top:0 bottom:20 AlignBars = justify Colors = id:legend value:gray(0.94) # background of top and bottom legend bars id:legendtext value:gray(0.1) # text in top and bottom legend bars id:sp value:gray(1) # spacer between bars and content id:h1 value:rgb(0.99,0.2,0.90) # light violet = top of hierarchy id:h2 value:rgb(0.99,0.1,0.1) # light red-violet id:h3 value:rgb(0.99,0.2,0.30) # light red id:h4 value:rgb(0.99,0.4,0.30) # light red-orange id:h5 value:rgb(0.99,0.6,0.20) # light orange id:h6 value:rgb(0.99,0.75,0.60) # light yellow-orange, bottom of hierarchy id:gridlines value:gray(0.7) # vertical gridlines BarData = bar:pitch bar:Hz barset:ranges bar:pitch2 bar:Hz2 Period = from:0 till:651 ScaleMajor = increment:72 start:2 gridcolor:gridlines TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal # positions points used by the bars # Cx4 = middle C # Cs4 = middle C sharp Define $Cx0 = 6 # 16.35Hz Define $Cs0 = 12 # 17.32Hz Define $Dx0 = 18 # 18.35Hz Define $Ds0 = 24 # 19.45Hz Define $Ex0 = 30 # 20.6Hz Define $Fx0 = 36 # 21.83Hz Define $Fs0 = 42 # 23.12Hz Define $Gx0 = 48 # 24.5Hz Define $Gs0 = 54 # 25.96Hz Define $Ax0 = 60 # 27.5Hz Define $As0 = 66 # 29.14Hz Define $Bx0 = 72 # 30.87Hz Define $Cx1 = 78 # 32.7Hz Define $Cs1 = 83 # 34.65Hz Define $Dx1 = 89 # 36.71Hz Define $Ds1 = 95 # 38.89Hz Define $Ex1 = 101 # 41.2Hz Define $Fx1 = 107 # 43.65Hz Define $Fs1 = 113 # 46.25Hz Define $Gx1 = 119 # 49Hz Define $Gs1 = 125 # 51.91Hz Define $Ax1 = 131 # 55Hz Define $As1 = 137 # 58.27Hz Define $Bx1 = 143 # 61.74Hz Define $Cx2 = 149 # 65.41Hz Define $Cs2 = 155 # 69.3Hz Define $Dx2 = 161 # 73.42Hz Define $Ds2 = 167 # 77.78Hz Define $Ex2 = 173 # 82.41Hz Define $Fx2 = 179 # 87.31Hz Define $Fs2 = 185 # 92.5Hz Define $Gx2 = 191 # 98Hz Define $Gs2 = 197 # 103.8Hz Define $Ax2 = 203 # 110Hz Define $As2 = 209 # 116.5Hz Define $Bx2 = 215 # 123.5Hz Define $Cx3 = 221 # 130.8Hz Define $Cs3 = 227 # 138.6Hz Define $Dx3 = 233 # 146.8Hz Define $Ds3 = 239 # 155.6Hz Define $Ex3 = 244 # 164.8Hz Define $Fx3 = 250 # 174.6Hz Define $Fs3 = 256 # 185Hz Define $Gx3 = 262 # 196Hz Define $Gs3 = 268 # 207.7Hz Define $Ax3 = 274 # 220Hz Define $As3 = 280 # 233.1Hz Define $Bx3 = 286 # 246.9Hz Define $Cx4 = 292 # 261.6Hz Define $Cs4 = 298 # 277.2Hz Define $Dx4 = 304 # 293.7Hz Define $Ds4 = 310 # 311.1Hz Define $Ex4 = 316 # 329.6Hz Define $Fx4 = 322 # 349.2Hz Define $Fs4 = 328 # 370Hz Define $Gx4 = 334 # 392Hz Define $Gs4 = 340 # 415.3Hz Define $Ax4 = 346 # 440Hz Define $As4 = 352 # 466.2Hz Define $Bx4 = 358 # 493.9Hz Define $Cx5 = 364 # 523.3Hz Define $Cs5 = 370 # 554.4Hz Define $Dx5 = 376 # 587.3Hz Define $Ds5 = 382 # 622.3Hz Define $Ex5 = 388 # 659.3Hz Define $Fx5 = 394 # 698.5Hz Define $Fs5 = 400 # 740Hz Define $Gx5 = 406 # 784Hz Define $Gs5 = 411 # 830.6Hz Define $Ax5 = 417 # 880Hz Define $As5 = 423 # 932.3Hz Define $Bx5 = 429 # 987.8Hz Define $Cx6 = 435 # 1047Hz Define $Cs6 = 441 # 1109Hz Define $Dx6 = 447 # 1175Hz Define $Ds6 = 453 # 1245Hz Define $Ex6 = 459 # 1319Hz Define $Fx6 = 465 # 1397Hz Define $Fs6 = 471 # 1480Hz Define $Gx6 = 477 # 1568Hz Define $Gs6 = 483 # 1661Hz Define $Ax6 = 489 # 1760Hz Define $As6 = 495 # 1865Hz Define $Bx6 = 501 # 1976Hz Define $Cx7 = 507 # 2093Hz Define $Cs7 = 513 # 2217Hz Define $Dx7 = 519 # 2349Hz Define $Ds7 = 525 # 2489Hz Define $Ex7 = 531 # 2637Hz Define $Fx7 = 537 # 2794Hz Define $Fs7 = 543 # 2960Hz Define $Gx7 = 549 # 3136Hz Define $Gs7 = 555 # 3322Hz Define $Ax7 = 561 # 3520Hz Define $As7 = 567 # 3729Hz Define $Bx7 = 572 # 3951Hz Define $Cx8 = 578 # 4186Hz Define $Cs8 = 584 # 4435Hz Define $Dx8 = 590 # 4699Hz Define $Ds8 = 596 # 4978Hz Define $Ex8 = 602 # 5274Hz Define $Fx8 = 608 # 5588Hz Define $Fs8 = 614 # 5920Hz Define $Gx8 = 620 # 6272Hz Define $Gs8 = 626 # 6645Hz Define $Ax8 = 632 # 7040Hz Define $As8 = 638 # 7459Hz Define $Bx8 = 644 # 7902Hz Define $max = 650 PlotData= align:center textcolor:black fontsize:10 mark:(line,black) width:16 shift:(0,-4) barset:ranges color:h1 from:$Dx2 till:$Cx6 text:classical guitar color:h3 from:$Ex1 till:$Ex6 text:all ukuleles color:h6 from:$Gx4 till:$Ex6 text:sopranino color:h5 from:$Cx4 till:$Cx6 text:soprano color:h6 from:$Cx4 till:$Ex6 text:concert color:h5 from:$Gx3 till:$Ex6 text:tenor color:h6 from:$Dx3 till:$Cs6 text:baritone color:h5 from:$Ex2 till:$Cs5 text:bass color:h6 from:$Ex1 till:$Bx3 text:contrabass color:legend textcolor:legendtext align:left fontsize:7 mark:(line,white) width:12 shift:(3,-4) bar:pitch from:0 till:$max at:$Cx0 text:C0 at:$Cx1 text:C1 at:$Cx2 text:C2 at:$Cx3 text:C3 at:$Cx4 text: C4 (middle C) at:$Cx5 text:C5 at:$Cx6 text:C6 at:$Cx7 text:C7 at:$Cx8 text:C8 bar:Hz from:0 till:$max at:23 text:20 Hz at:65 text:30 at:105 text:44 at:153 text:70 at:190 text:100 at:232 text:150 at:262 text:200 at:304 text:300 at:344 text:440 at:392 text:700 at:430 text:1000 at:472 text:1500 at:502 text:2000 at:544 text:3000 at:583 text:4400 Hz bar:pitch2 # exact copy of bar:pitch from:0 till:$max at:$Cx0 text:C0 at:$Cx1 text:C1 at:$Cx2 text:C2 at:$Cx3 text:C3 at:$Cx4 text: C4 (middle C) at:$Cx5 text:C5 at:$Cx6 text:C6 at:$Cx7 text:C7 at:$Cx8 text:C8 bar:Hz2 # exact copy of bar:Hz from:0 till:$max at:23 text:20 Hz at:65 text:30 at:105 text:44 at:153 text:70 at:190 text:100 at:232 text:150 at:262 text:200 at:304 text:300 at:344 text:440 at:392 text:700 at:430 text:1000 at:472 text:1500 at:502 text:2000 at:544 text:3000 at:583 text:4400 Hz

Tuning

One of the most common tunings for the standard or soprano ukulele is C⁶ tuning: G₄–C₄–E₄–A₄, which is often remembered by the notes in the "My dog has fleas" jingle (see sidebar). The G string is tuned an octave higher than might be expected, so this is often called "high G" tuning. This is known as a "

reentrant tuning On a stringed instrument, a break in an otherwise ascending (or descending) order of string pitches is known as a re-entry. A re-entrant tuning, therefore, is a tuning which does not order all the strings (or more properly the courses) from the ...

"; it enables uniquely close-harmony chording. More rarely used with the soprano ukulele (but more common on larger sizes) is C⁶ linear tuning, or "low G" tuning, which has the G in sequence an octave lower: G₃–C₄–E₄–A₄, which is equivalent to playing the top four strings (DGBE) of a guitar with a capo on the fifth fret. Another common tuning for the soprano ukulele is the higher string-tension D⁶ tuning (or simply D tuning), A₄–D₄–F₄–B₄, one step higher than the G₄–C₄–E₄–A₄ tuning. Once considered standard, this tuning was commonly used during the Hawaiian music boom of the early 20th century, and is often seen in sheet music from this period, as well as in many method books through the 1980s. D⁶ tuning is said by some to bring out a sweeter tone in some ukuleles, generally smaller ones. D⁶ tuning with a low fourth string, A₃–D₄–F₄–B₄, is sometimes called "Canadian tuning" after its use in the Canadian school system, mostly on concert or tenor ukuleles, and extensive use by James Hill and J. Chalmers Doane. Whether C⁶ or D⁶ tuning should be the "standard" tuning is a matter of long and ongoing debate. There are historic and popular ukulele methods that have used each. For the concert and tenor ukuleles, both reentrant and linear C⁶ tunings are standard; linear tuning in particular is widely used for the tenor ukulele, more so than for the soprano and concert instruments. The baritone ukulele usually uses linear G⁶ tuning: D₃–G₃–B₃–E₄, the same as the highest four strings of a standard 6-string guitar. Bass ukuleles are tuned similarly to the

bass guitar The bass guitar (), also known as the electric bass guitar, electric bass, or simply the bass, is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is similar in appearance and construction to an Electric guitar, electric but with a longer nec ...

and

double bass The double bass (), also known as the upright bass, the acoustic bass, the bull fiddle, or simply the bass, is the largest and lowest-pitched string instrument, chordophone in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding rare additions ...

: E₁–A₁–D₂–G₂ for U-Bass style instruments (sometimes called contrabass), or an octave higher, E₂–A₂–D₃–G₃, for Ohana type metal-string basses. Sopranino ukulele tuning is less standardized. They are usually tuned re-entrant, but frequently at a higher pitch than C; for example, re-entrant G⁶ tuning: D₅–G₄–B₄–E₅. As is commonly the case with string instruments, other tunings may be preferred by individual players. For example, special string sets are available to tune the baritone ukulele in linear C⁶. Some players tune ukuleles like other four-string instruments such as the

mandolin A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...

, Venezuelan

cuatro Cuatro, Spanish (and other Romance languages) for the 4, number 4, may refer to: * Cuatro (instrument), a family of Latin American string instruments, including: ** Cuatro (Venezuela) ** Puerto Rican cuatro * Cuatro (TV channel), a Spanish free-to ...

, or

dotara The ''dotara'' or ''dotar'' ( ''dütüra'', দোতৰা ''dütora'', ; ''dotora''), (literally, “Of r ‘having’two strings”) is a two- stringed, plucked musical instrument from South Asia, with most contemporary models having four ...

. Ukuleles may also be tuned to

open tuning Guitar tunings are the assignment of pitch (music), pitches to the open string (music), open strings of guitars, including classical guitars, acoustic guitars, and electric guitars. Musical tuning, Tunings are described by the particular pitch ...

s, similar to the Hawaiian

slack-key Slack-key guitar (from Hawaiian ''kī hōalu'', which means "loosen the uningkey") is a fingerstyle genre of guitar music that originated in Hawaii. This style of guitar playing, which has been used for centuries, involves altering the standard ...

style.

Related instruments

Ukulele varieties include hybrid instruments such as the

guitalele A guitalele (sometimes spelled guitarlele or guilele), also called a ukitar, or kīkū,banjo ukulele The banjo ukulele, also known as the banjolele or banjo uke, is a four-stringed musical instrument with a small banjo-type body and a fretted ukulele neck. The earliest known banjoleles were built by John A. Bolander and by Alvin D. Keech, both ...

(also called banjolele),

harp ukulele The term harp ukulele is used to describe two different variants of the ukulele: *an ukulele with unfretted strings extending from the body, essentially forming a miniature harp guitar *an ukulele with an "arm" extending from the upper bout, oft ...

, lap steel ukulele, and the

ukelin The ukelin is a stringed musical instrument made popular in the United States in the 1920s. It is a bowed psaltery with zither strings, and its name derives from the ukulele (which was first made in Portugal but was popularized in Hawaii) and th ...

. It is very common to find ukuleles mixed with other stringed instruments because of the number of strings and the easy playing ability. There is also an electrically amplified variant of the ukulele. The

resonator ukulele A resonator ukulele or "resophonic ukulele" is a ukulele whose sound is produced by one or more spun aluminum cones ('' resonators'') instead of the wooden soundboard (ukulele top/face). These instruments are sometimes referred to as " Dobro u ...

produces sound by one or more spun aluminum cones (

resonators A resonator is a device or system that exhibits resonance or resonant behavior. That is, it naturally oscillates with greater amplitude at some frequencies, called resonant frequencies, than at other frequencies. The oscillations in a resonat ...

) instead of the wooden soundboard, giving it a distinct and louder tone. The

Tahitian ukulele The Tahitian ukulele (ukarere or Tahitian banjo) is a short-necked fretted lute with eight nylon strings in four doubled courses, native to Tahiti and played in other regions of Polynesia. This variant of the older Hawaiian ukulele is noted by ...

, another variant, is usually carved from a single piece of wood, and does not have a hollow

soundbox A sound box or sounding box (sometimes written soundbox) is an open chamber in the body of a musical instrument which modifies the sound of the instrument, and helps transfer that sound to the surrounding air. Objects respond more strongly to vibr ...

, although the back is open. The

generally has eight strings made from

fishing line A fishing line is any flexible, high-tensile cord used in angling to tether and pull in fish, in conjunction with at least one hook. Fishing lines are usually pulled by and stored in a reel, but can also be retrieved by hand, with a fixed att ...

, tuned the same as a Hawaiian ukulele in four courses, although the middle two courses are an octave higher than its Hawaiian cousin. Inspired by the Tahitian ukulele, there is the Motu Nui variant, from

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, which has just four strings made from fishing line and the hole in the back is designed to produce a wah-wah effect.

invented an automatic chording device for the ukulele, called

Chord Master Chord Master (also rendered Visual Chord Master, chordmaster) is the brand-name for a type of automated chording device produced for the ukulele. Competing products were sold under labels such as Noteless Player by Ferry & Co. These devices allowe ...

. Close cousins of the ukulele include the Portuguese forerunners, the ''

cavaquinho The cavaquinho (pronounced in Portuguese) is a small Portuguese string instrument in the European guitar family, with four wires or gut strings. A cavaquinho player is called a ''cavaquista''. Tuning A common tuning in Portugal is C G& ...

'' (also commonly known as ''machete'' or ''braguinha'') and the slightly larger ''

rajão The rajão () is a 5-stringed instrument from Madeira, Portugal. The instrument traces back to the country's Music of Portugal, regional folk music, where it is used in folklore dances of Portugal in addition to other stringed instruments from ...

''. Other relatives include the

Venezuelan cuatro The cuatro of Venezuela has four single nylon strings, Musical tuning, tuned (ad'f#'b). It is similar in shape and tuning to the ukulele, but their character and playing technique are vastly different. It is tuned in a similar fashion to the tra ...

, the

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

n ''

'', the ''

timple The timple is a traditional five-string plucked string instrument of the Canary Islands. It started being manufactured in the 19th century. In La Palma island and in the north of the island of Tenerife, many timple players omit the first (D ...

'' of the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; ) or Canaries are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean and the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, Autonomous Community of Spain. They are located in the northwest of Africa, with the closest point to the cont ...

, the

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

vihuela The vihuela () is a 15th-century fretted plucked Spanish string instrument, shaped like a guitar (figure-of-eight form offering strength and portability) but tuned like a lute. It was used in 15th- and 16th-century Spain as the equivalent of t ...

'', the Mexican

requinto jarocho The requinto jarocho or guitarra de son is plucked string instrument, played usually with a special pick. It is a four- or five-stringed instrument that has originated from Veracruz, Mexico. The ''requinto'' is used in conjunto jarocho ensembles. ...

, and the

Andean The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long and wide (widest between 18°S ...

charango The charango is a small Andes, Andean stringed instrument of the lute family, from the Quechua people, Quechua and Aymara people, Aymara populations in the territory of the Altiplano in post-Colonial times, after European stringed instruments we ...

'' traditionally made of an

armadillo Armadillos () are New World placental mammals in the order (biology), order Cingulata. They form part of the superorder Xenarthra, along with the anteaters and sloths. 21 extant species of armadillo have been described, some of which are dis ...

shell. In Indonesia, a similar Portuguese-inspired instrument is the

kroncong Kroncong (pronounced "kronchong"; , ) is the name of a ukulele-like instrument and an Indonesian musical style that typically makes use of the kroncong (the sound ' comes from this instrument, so the music is called ''kroncong''). A ''kroncong'' ...

. Uke Bass is close cousin to

leona Leona is a female given name derived from the Latin word ''leo'' for "lion". People and fictional characters named Leona include: People * Leona (wrestler) (born 1980), Japanese professional wrestler * Leona Aglukkaq, Canadian politician * Leon ...

, a traditional bass instrument in son jarocho genre.

Audio samples

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

* An exhibition that details the ukulele's history and waves of mainstream popularity. * Information about over 600 ukulele makers past and present. * The differences between the word "ukulele" in Hawaiian and English. * Unveiling th
Electric Ukulele
{{Authority control Ukuleles Hawaiian musical instruments Surf culture American musical instruments Guitar family instruments Necked box lutes Portuguese musical instruments Lute family instruments

History

Canada

Japan

United Kingdom

United States mainland

Pre–World War II

Post–World War II

Post-1990 revival

Construction

Types and sizes

Tuning

Related instruments

Audio samples

See also

References

Bibliography

External links