So much good stuff this week. I had to cut out some stuff I really like. Including the new Amanda Palmer video. Those that did make it include some summery, laid-back tunes from Leftover Cuties, Lemoskine and Nicholas Abersold along with Pops Bayless, Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer and plenty more.
The ukulele often gets lumbered with the ‘novelty instrument’ tag. Obviously unfair. But there are some ukuleles that are asking for it.
There have been quite a few trends in ukuleles of dubious usefulness (cutaways, slotted headstocks, oddly-placed soundholes), but these five stick in my mind.
Feel free to leave your nominations in the comments. (By the by, anyone who thinks me calling these ridiculous means I don’t want them obviously doesn’t know me very well.)
1. Ukuleles Goldilocks Wouldn’t Play
Once upon a time there were only soprano ukuleles – not too big, not too small, just right. Then came concerts, tenors and baritones. Then in-betweeny sizes like super-soprano. Now the trend seems to be towards smaller ukuleles. With Kala’s pocket uke and now the even smaller Tangi (with Will Grove White and Ian Emmerson having a decent stab of getting a tune from it).
Tangi are also taking things in the other direction with this 6 foot 5 ukulele (that’s a Coke can in the picture for scale).
2. Ukuleles Shaped Like Weird Crap
Some of the less imaginative companies may have made ukuleles shaped like Flying Vs or Warhammer battles axes. But Celentano Woodworks really set things going with Pac-man, cupcake and rock-em, sock-em robot ukuleles.
3. Double Neck Ukuleles
Everyone wants to be like Jimmy Page, right? So of course you’d buy a double neck ukulele like this one by Mele and Manitba Hal’s Fred Casey ukulele.
I’m hoping someone is going to turn this trend up to 11.
4. Metal Platted Ukuleles
A ukulele entirely entirely coated in copper? Sure, why not? (Thanks to Phredd.)
5. Tailpieces
Tailpieces are those bits that hold the strings to the body in high-tension instruments like banjo and mandolins. So I’m not too sure why they crop up on ukuleles like this Collings UT and this thing (other than looking pretty cool).
Photos
On the more traditional ‘Window Shopping’ post front, some photos: Girls with Ukulele, railroad boy and girl, six sailors.
If anyone suggests to you that ukuleles aren’t sexy, send them Ramon Novarro’s ukulele seduction (via Ukulele Porn) from the equally steamy film The Pagan.
Pictures: Uke, I am your father (via @mytvisevil), Chameleon Ukulele (via ukuleles.tumblr.com.
Two ukulele playing ducks: this one who is adorable. And this one who is a badass mother funker.
Ukulele Blues from 1924 (via Ukulelia).
Rockstar uke-spotting: The Pixies (Thanks to Paul)
Fullmetal Alchemist on Uker Tabs.
From the comments: In the Ellie Goulding post, Christine said something I should probably paste into every tab I do:
Everyone just calm down, feel the song, and it’ll sound great, it really doesn’t matter if it’s exactly the same as the vid, nobody’s going to test you :)
What would you do if you came home and found me in your living room naked playing ukulele?
Little Black Rain Cloud (Tab)
With the new Winnie the Pooh film coming out featuring some Zooey Deschanel uke-work, I thought I’d tab up my favourite Winnie the Pooh song: Little Black Rain Cloud by Robert & Richard Sherman.
The biggest challenge in this one is all the moving up and down the neck. It takes a bit of practice to get it all accurate.
Melody
Little Black Rain Cloud (Melody)
It’s been an age since I last updated my About page – I even have hair in that photo. Step 1 in the process: updating the FAQs.
If you’ve got any other questions (or questions about my answers) leave them in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer those too.
General Uke Questions
What’s the strumming pattern for…?
Try following this post on ukulele strumming patterns.
Which ukulele should I buy?
Depends how much you’re spending. I write a bit about this in the Review section (which I also need to get round to updating).
Can you write up tab/chords for…?
Probably not. I get a lot of requests – too many for me to do. You can maximise your chances by being a regular commenter. If you want to request something anyway, it helps to follow these guidelines.
Ads and Promotion Questions
Can I advertise on your site?
No, I don’t have advertising on the site and don’t have any plans to.
Can I send you my CD?
Thanks, but no thanks – I hate CDs these days. I’m very happy to listen to MP3s though. You can get in touch via the contact page or email me at ukulelehunt@gmail.com
I wanna be on the podcast.
You can find ways to submit and the submission guidelines on the podcast page .
Can you review my music?
Sorry, no. I don’t do that any more. It’s a very easy way to lose friends. I do sometimes do general big-ups for records.
Can you review my book?
Almost certainly. Send me an email.
Can we send you a ukulele to review?
Thanks, but no thanks.
Can you write about my competition/do a competition with us?
No, I’m really bored of ukulele contests and competitions.
Will you feature my band/video/website?
I’m always happy to hear about new ukulele stuff and I’ll certainly mention anything I like. You can get in touch via the contact page or email me at ukulelehunt@gmail.com
Will you mention my gig?
I tend not to feature gigs – my readers are spread around the world so I avoid local stuff unless it’s really big.
Site Questions
Do you know ‘Uke Hunt’ sounds rude when you say it out loud?
I do. I know it puts some people off – that’s the point. If you don’t like bad language and terrible puns, you’re not going to like the site. At all.
What software do you use to make your tabs/chord sheets?
I use Guitar Pro 6 to make the tabs. You can read a full review here: Guitar Pro 6. I do use Sibelius for some stuff as well but I wouldn’t recommend it.
The chord charts are done by an unnecessarily convoluted method involving Pages and Sibelius. I’d recommend using GoChords for more general uses.
There’s a guide to all the stuff I use here.
I’ve bought Ukulele for Dummies, is it worth buying your ebooks?
It’s probably not worth buying How to Play Ukulele Strums or Ukulele 101. There’s much less of a crossover with the other ebooks.
Why didn’t my comment show up? FREEDOM OF SPEECH!
The first time anyone leaves a comment it gets held back for moderation. So give it a little while for me to check. Some times it gets trapped in the spam filter – if you think that’s happened let me know.
If you comment still doesn’t show up ask yourself, “Could that comment have come across a bit dick-ish?” Comment moderation is mostly based on my whims and moods. Whatever I decide, you’re always free to voice your opinions on your own website.
What WordPress theme are you using?
It’s a custom theme by Ben Lew.
About Me
Can I meet you? Do you want to come to…?
I’m really not a people-person. I’ve decided I won’t be going to any ukulele events this year.
You should write a book for schools, you’ll make more money.
I’m not keen on ukuleles being taught in schools at all. I’m anti-school in general. If I have kids they won’t be going to one.
This (not actually a) question is most frequently asked by my mum.
That thing you did/do/said is weird/offensive/stupid.
I know. I can’t help it.
Another medley from Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer in the vein of Chap-Hop History. This time taking on the early 90s rave music.
Two things to bear in mind:
– It’s in D tuning. The chords are all referred to with their D tuning name.
– The strumming, as always, is just suggested. He varies it and I suggest you do too.
Move Any Mountain
The first section sets the main chords – A, C and D – which crop up in other sections. The chord progression will work in the parts that don’t have banjolele in them too.
I Like To Move It
Same chords in this section with an added G chord and the occasional move up to the fifth fret.
Good Life
The next two sections move from the key of A into the equivalent minor: C#.
Chime
Worth paying attention to the strumming in this section. I had trouble getting to grips with it.
On A Ragga Tip
Back to A. The first bit of this is much trickier than it looks. You have to pay close attention to where the chords change. The only way I could find of getting it right was to count:
(A) 1, 2, 3
(D) 1, 2
(A) 1, 2,
(D) 1, 2, 3, 4
(A) 1, 2
(D) 1, 2, 3
But you might well be clever than me so count it any way you can get it right.
He busts out the triplet strums for the final section, but you can have fun here and strum however fits.
Out of Space
Nice, simple section to finish on.
A track this week from Watercolor Paintings’s new album These Arms (which you can buy on Bandcamp) along with a cavalcade of stars including Dave Matthews, Zooey Deschanel, Ben Schwartz, (Carolina Chocolate Drop) Dom Flemons and Robert Crumb.
Social Links
If you’re looking for me online you can find me on Twitter and on Tumblr. And I’ve started a Google+ where you can find an exclusive tab.
I’m also experimenting with Twitter/Facebook/Google +1 buttons at the bottom of posts. I’ll give it a while and see if anyone is clicking on them and, if they are, which ones are getting used. So if you want them to stay click on your preferred method at the bottom of this post (or any other – if it’s working right).
General Links
A couple of gorgeous videos of Huakani ukuleles being made.
Ukegnome tweeted something I’ve noticed of late: the ukulele is getting very popular in Thailand. You can find out what’s happening on UkuleleThai (if you happen to read Thai).
Stereogum have a premature evaluation of the forthcoming Beirut album, The Rip Tide. I’m expecting plenty of uke since it’s named after one.
Article in The Independent about The Duke of Uke closing.
Prince Charles strums a margarine tub ukulele.
Ukulele Window Shopping
After my last Window Shopping post, Ron Hale pointed out that you can buy the sitar-kuleles on Amazon.
Lego ukulele for sale on Elderly (via Ukulelia)
Klaus Badelt – Pirates of the Caribbean Theme (Tab)
If I had any musical ability or get-up-and-go, you’d be looking at a blank screen right now. I’d be off writing theme tunes, scoring movies or just writing ad jingles. And I’d want to write them like this.
Klaus Badelt’s theme tune to Pirates of the Caribbean (He’s A Pirate) is a perfect example of blockbuster theme. It’s huge, pompous and overblown. Which makes it a bugger to play on the ukulele.
I’m not doing anything fancy with the arrangement here. It’s mostly just the melody line with the chords in the background. But all the twists and turns it takes makes it very tricky to put together.
Lead Sheet
He’s a Pirate (Melody Tab)
If you want to play something more straight-forward, grab a buddy and use the melody and chord version here. Or you could use it to build your own arrangement.
UPDATE: awfguitar did a version of this arrangement that’s better than mine.
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.
