The amount of ukulele stuff on the net is swelling rapidly. I spend most of my day trying to keep up and I still miss loads. So here’s a list of uke goodies you may have missed because they are nowhere near as popular as they should be. If there’s something you think I should be made aware of, please do leave a comment.
Ten Ukulele Sites That Aren’t in the Top 25 But Should Be
Taken from the Top 50 Ukulele Sites
Armelle’s world tour of ukulele is only just outside the top 25. She has a great range of non-English and English language videos alike.
You haven’t noticed how often ‘Via Humble Uker’ turns up on the Saturday UkeTube?
Jim D’Ville travels the world interviewing ukulelists about their approach to music and provides invaluable information about the most widely used chord progressions.
4. Ukulele Dav
5. Descordes et Dubois
Two French sites with some excellent tabs.
6. The Backwards Ukulele Player
Michael has a real knack for finding great old news stories and pictures.
A relatively new blog from UkuleleTim promising to teach you, “how to play ukulele like a badass.”
8. Ken Middleton
9. Ukulele Bartt
Two ukers offering tabs and playing advice on their sites.
10. Ukulele Brasil
A few years back I’d get emails from Brazilians unable to find a ukulele amongst the cavaquinhos. Good to see that’s changing.
10 Posts Fewer Than 500 People Have Seen This Year
1. Rod Thomas – Same Old Lines
2. Ukulelezo – Optional Accessory
How quickly people forget, eh. Rod Thomas was the 2008 Ukulele Video of the Year and Ukulelezo was the 2008 Bushman Contest Winner.
3. The Fall – Theme From Sparta FC
Let me explain the story of the Fall-feit: I posted I’m Yours, against my better judgment, to stop the cavalcade of requests. Less than two hours after it went live, I was being taken, unconscious, to hospital. Realising I had angered the indie gods, I pledged to do a post on the most indie band there ever was whenever I posted something suspiciously popular.
4. The Elected – At Home (Time Unknown)
I only posted this because I had a bunch of requests and now no one reads it. Typical!
If you’re ever wondering why I don’t do many interview posts anymore it’s because, no matter how famous the interviewee, no one ever reads them.
6. Shorty Long – Viper Mad
7. Mirah – Take Me Out Riding
Two great songs probably suffering from the fact they a) aren’t very well known and b) don’t have a video on YouTube for me to embed.
Plenty of GUGUG in the more popular posts. But not this one.
9. Jack Pepper – Girl of My Dreams
His musical talents were enough to attract Ginger Rogers, but not to attract any views.
10. The Blockheads – A Little Knowledge
The Blockheads without Ian Dury really isn’t the Blockheads.
10 YouTubers with Under 300 Subscribers Who Should Have Thousands
Loveable, tuneful folkies. Top band.
Kimya Dawson-style songs with touching and insightful lyrics.
3. DianeRubio
4. SanfordAndSong
Two top-notch instrumentalists.
5. BenMealer
Old-school songs made fresh.
6. Phredd
So much fun your pants will explode.
7. UkesNotDead
Jeremy Kyle-loving star of Uke Hunt Podcast #6
Writer of adorable songs.
9. Machitz (Roberto Moritz)
10. Machetista (Roberto Moniz)
Two Madeiran masters of the uke-precussor the machete.
5 Books Amazon Keeps Hidden
Search for ukulele books on Amazon (US) and you won’t find these on the first page.
1. 101 Ukulele Licks by Lil Rev
I wrote a full review here .
2. The Classical Ukulele by John King
3. Famous Solos and Duets for Ukulele by John King
4. The Ukulele: A Visual History by Jim Beloff
5. Ukulele for Dummies by The World’s Handsomest Ukulele Blogger
It’s not even out yet, so I can’t complain. It’s more favourably placed in the UK store. I wrote all about Ukulele for Dummies here.
RIP John King- His stuffs definitely worth looking into.
I didn’t read the Kate interview simply because I find her music uninteresting. Nothing to do with how famous she is.
Otherwise lots of great stuff here. Seen quite a bit of it before (especially the English websites posted above) but the stuff I haven’t I’ll for sure check out.