Explain ukuleles?

[nige1968]

[Stub Mandrel]

[mangotango]

On ‎07‎/‎09‎/‎2019 at 06:21, tom1946 said:

Then they should be burned with the wretched things.

To use a uke you have to have 'perfect pitch' , this is so when you chuck it into a skip it doesn't touch the sides....

Sadly we have two friends that are in a ukelele band, even worse for us we've been to a concert, only once mind.

I have been to see the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain not once but twice, and each time it was a good fun night out.

I think however that was more to do with the people in the band and less so with the instruments played.

Sometimes, if you're English, playing a uke seems like an excuse to be "Wacky", in a twee, self-conscious, cringe-inducing, middle-class kind of way....maybe that's just my perception.

[Stub Mandrel]

One of my brothers loves ukeleles, he works with people who have autism and he uses them in what could be called 'music therapy' along with a variety of other instruments from simple egg shakers to a full drumkit. Ukes are very accessible instruments to play as it's much easier to learn a couple of chords than with a guitar. Another one of the things he does with people is get them to build them from inexpensive kits.

The only objection I have is that awful re-entrant tuning.

[mangotango]

5 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

The only objection I have is that awful re-entrant tuning.

You're right - from there it's but a short step to 5 -string banj….no, don't make me say it

[Frank Blank]

So much ukulele hate here, I didn’t realise ukelelism of this sort would be tolerated on this forum, moderators! Some of my best friends play the ukulele imagine their poor bare laps once we leave the EU...

😁

[Count Bassy]

Nothing wrong with ukeleles. Kala seems to be a good make, well made and finished and look good.

Tell 'your friend' to avoid the bright blue and pink 'toy' ones though..

[Count Bassy]

14 hours ago, mangotango said:

I have been to see the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain not once but twice, and each time it was a good fun night out.

I have also seen them twice. First time was brilliant. Seond time, a few years later, would have been brilliant had I not seen them the first time!

Ie a bit of a one trick pony.

[mangotango]

9 hours ago, Count Bassy said:

I have also seen them twice. First time was brilliant. Seond time, a few years later, would have been brilliant had I not seen them the first time!

Ie a bit of a one trick pony.

Yeh, they do tend to "re-cycle" stuff......however, second time I went, there was enough different material to make it worthwhile.

[Twigman]

On 17/06/2019 at 12:37, DaveFry said:

Made from armadillo?

Which species?

Aren't they protected?

 

[Frank Blank]

43 minutes ago, Twigman said:

Made from armadillo?

Which species?

Aren't they protected?

 

The Charango is made from the shell of an armadillo.

[Lfalex v1.1]

On 03/08/2019 at 18:00, fleabag said:

What amp is that in the background? Looks meaty..

[Stub Mandrel]

3 hours ago, Lfalex v1.1 said:

What amp is that in the background? Looks meaty..

It's hot 🙂

 

[Maude]

On 19/09/2019 at 10:12, Stub Mandrel said:

It's hot 🙂

 

Smokin' 😎

[Marc S]

Ukuleles are such small, portable, lightweight instruments - they're easier on the fingers than guitars, for many beginners
If they get kids interested in playing music - then bingo, job done 

Some famous bands and musicians have written songs on a uke (Do I recall reading that the Who wrote some songs using one?)
Both Mrs S and I have one each, and often take them camping with us. They're a bit of fun, and that's what music is all about
I don't pick my uke up too often - but I'd hate to be without it

Besides, I've had to "Explain basses" to many people too. Many of those people being musicians! lol

Edited September 25, 2019 by Marc S

[EliasMooseblaster]

1 hour ago, Marc S said:

Some famous bands and musicians have written songs on a uke (Do I recall reading that the Who wrote some songs using one?)
 

Yep, they even recorded one on a uke. "Blue, Red and Grey" from The Who By Numbers is performed by Townshend singing and and accompanying himself on a ukulele, with a brass arrangement by Entwistle in the background.

[bass_dinger]

How a ukulele sounds very much depends on the people playing it.

30 people in a village hall, all strumming the same chords on an Argos instrument, and all singing, will sound less musical than (say) George Harrison and Paul McCartney performing Ain't She Sweet.

Some songs lend themselves to the ukulele; others don't. Nile Rodgers' strumming on the 5th fret of a guitar works well; the original guitar solo from Make Me Smile doesn't, as the ukulele does not have the necessary range.

Fewer strings, and less sustain, compels the player to devise new ways of playing. Sometimes, that means 30 people playing badly. But it can also result in great musicianship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Stub Mandrel]

<SOB> I confess, I've bought a Stagg Uke. It cost £13(!) for an all-wood one, less than the cost of my clip tuner. Sounds tinny and thin compared to my bro's £30 plastic bodied Makala (which sounds almost as good as his Gretsch Uke), needed lots of work on the nut  and the strings won't settle down. He says get decent strings.

 

[TrevorR]

As with any instrument it's what you do with it. My chum Victoria (Berklee graduate in performance and composition no less) moved over from guitar and keys as her main instrument to uke about 10 or 12 years ago. Here she is doing an impromptu slot at a Never The Bride gig about 9 years ago with the band comping along to one of her tunes... We'd got chatting to Nikki at the interval and she insisted that Victoria do a number...

 

 

[karlfer]

I came across a Uke Iron Maiden tribute band called Nylon Maiden. I'm still traumatised 😵

Edited November 18, 2019 by karlfer

[Woodinblack]

Yeh, we have a whole use orchestra round here. Not for me, the appeal is very thin and doesn't last a whole song!

[NancyJohnson]

Two of my band (Lutz), play in a ukelele band called The Mighty Lemons.  Not my thing at all, but I do kind of understand their obsession.  Our studio space seems to be filling with them, but luckily they're all left handed ones.

As an aside, my wife bought me a cheapie one for Christmas from Lidl a few years ago; I doubt it cost more than £20 tops.  I wouldn't bother with buying another (better?) one...can't see the fuss.

 

[karlfer]

2 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

Two of my band (Lutz), play in a ukelele band called The Mighty Lemons.  Not my thing at all, but I do kind of understand their obsession.  Our studio space seems to be filling with them, but luckily they're all left handed ones.

As an aside, my wife bought me a cheapie one for Christmas from Lidl a few years ago; I doubt it cost more than £20 tops.  I wouldn't bother with buying another (better?) one...can't see the fuss.

 

I have to say, that brought a big smile to my face.

 

Kill me now!

[threedaymonk]

Amanda Palmer was on 6music the other evening, playing ukulele in a very non-twee manner (e.g. the cover of Idioteque by Radiohead at about 32:10).

[Richard R]

On 07/09/2019 at 06:21, tom1946 said:

To use a uke you have to have 'perfect pitch' , this is so when you chuck it into a skip it doesn't touch the sides....

🤣🤣🤣