When I got my first ukulele, I was completely clueless. This was in the dark days before the internet had been discovered. I didn’t even realise that the strings weren’t supposed to go thickest to thinnest and restrung it.

So, to save you from the social disgrace I experienced, I’ve put together a mini-ebook covering the basics that every first time uke owner needs to know. Here’s what it contains:

Five Things to Know.
Five Chords to Learn.
Five Songs to Play.
Five Websites to Visit.
Five Things to Get Free.
Five Things to Buy.
Five Videos to Watch.
Five YouTube Channels to Subscribe to.

You can download it free by here (Right click and select ‘Save As…’):

It’s released under a Creative Commons License. So you can email it people, let people download it on your site, print it out and hand it round to people – so long as you keep the content as it is.

That about wraps up another year. A Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Mele Kalikimaka, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanzaa and standards-compliant Winterval to one and all.

I’ll be taking a break and I’ll be back on the 22nd January (except for a post aimed at people who find a uke under their Christmas tree). Hopefully, with a spanking new look to the site.

I don’t like to talk about it, but I do next to nothing for charity. One charity I do regularly support is Kiva and that’s only because they force the poverty stricken recipients of the cash to give the money back – it’s only fair. If you’re a Kiva regular, join the Ukulele Players group on there.

Have a good one! See you in the magic future-land of 2010.

The second part of the ukulele Christmas round up (part one is here) includes The Mad Tea Party (NSFW), Uni (again), Tricity Vogue (again), WS64 and more.

If your ukulele xmas needs are not sated then check out Armelle’s Christmas ukulele world tour.

Read the rest of this entry »

Too many Christmas ukulele videos to fit into one post, so there’s a second post coming up a little later.

This first part includes songs from Tripping Lily, MJ Hibbett, Tricity Vogue, U900, Gensblue and plenty more. Originally, it included Michael McDonald’s rather wonderful performance on Conan O’Brien but the video was removed. If you’re in the US, you might still be able to find it on Hulu. It’s worth tracking down. Luckily for us, Eva Walsh recorded a beautiful ukulele version of it too.

Read the rest of this entry »

There are two posts packed with Christmas ukulele coming up but there were a few non-Xmas tunes I couldn’t let pass without a mention including Michelle Blades (who is the bee’s business and getting better with every new song) and Sophie Madeleine wearing an excellent t-shirt. Read the rest of this entry »

This week’s iwanit, iwanit, iwanit is this 8 string tenor uke> from Oceana. The Oceana concert looks pretty fine as well.

Unis are a new name to me but this ukulelelooks a whole lot like a Kumalae.

Tiki sculpture ukuleles.

Photos: Gaucho ukulele.

This week it’s been very hard to find anything in the ukulele world – the entire internet is a constant stream of that damn kid. Anyhoo, here are a few things that managed to make their way through.

MP3’s: Sophie Madeleine has a collection of covers for download (and she’s heading over to New York), The Stingray Sam soundtrack is now available for download, Indie MP3 has tracks from Eliza Newman.

Daddy Stovepipe has released a blues ukulele ebook and you can watch the associated lessons here.

Acilius has written an extensive review of the DVD of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain’s Prom appearance.

Jake Shimabukuro and Bette Midler entertain the Queen.

I think Taimane Gardner is an incredible player which makes watching and listening to this even more painful.

Rock Hudson on the ukulele.

My Christmas present to myself is to finally put some Half Man Half Biscuit on the blog.

I was going to evangelize about HMHB, but they’re really a band you either love or don’t understand at all. Listen to Joy Division Oven Gloves and Bob Wilson, Anchorman. If you don’t get it, move along.

Twiddly Bit

No ukulele on this one but I had to post it anyway. Partly because I like it and partly because it shares its chords with one of my favourite Christmas songs of all time: Hello Saferide’s iPod Xmas.

Suggested Strumming

The bits of bass picking she uses in this song don’t work too well on the uke, so here’s a strumming pattern you can use:

d u d –

For each chord in the verse.

In the middle:

d u d u

For each chord.

More Zee Avi

Just You and Me
Kantoi

Back when I had an office job I used to spend at least a week before Christmas looking for things to waste my time on. So here’s my contribution to the wellbeing of my wage-enslaved brethren. And, of course, anyone else looking to play along.

– Grab a piece of paper
– Display your uke knowledge
– Check the answers here (no peeking)
– Leave your score in the comments along with your dangs/woohoos.

Ukuleles at the Movies

In which film…

1. … does Steve Martin sing Tonight You Belong to Me?
2. … does Adam Sandler serenade Drew Barrymore with a ukulele?
3. … does Zac Efron play the ukulele?
4. … did William H Macy and Kate Micucci star this year?
5. … does the ukulele song Peg-Legged Father feature?

Name the Group

Which ukulele group is made up of…

6. Dave, Peter, Hester, George, Richie, Kitty, Will and Jonty?
7. Age, Bret, Gemma, Sam, Steve, Francis, Megan, Andy, Dan, Carmel, Nigel and Bek?
8. Gus and Finn?
9. Jimmy, Eleanor, Graeme and Becca?
10. Phil and Ian?

Know Your Maker

Who makes a ukulele called the…

11. Eleuke?
12. Sceptre?
13. Pa’ina?
14. Uke’Ellie?
15. High Tide?

Whose Ukulele?

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

Click for larger version. It might help *wink*

Lyrics Round

Which ukulele act sang…

21. Knee deep in flowers we’ll stray/We’ll keep the showers away?
22. In five years time we could be walking round a zoo/With the sun shining down over me and you?
23. Michael’s far too drunk/He’s watching YouTube videos/And I’ll be in the corner reading poetry and prose?
24. And like can lead to like-like/And like-like can lead to love?
25. I can see from your information/You like Japanese animation/And stir fry?

UkeTubers

What is the name of the uker behind the nom de tube…

26. jaaaaaaa?
27. sweetafton23?
28. seeso?
29. NaluMusic?
30. monsterbazz?

Long Players

This year, which ukulele act released the album…

31. Annon?
32. True Love Don’t Weep?
33. I Made You a CD but I Eated It?
34. Life. Love. Ukulele.?
35. Under the Mystic?

Upon Finding the Studio Ukulele

Which band performed a ukulele version of their song…

36. Talking Bird?
37. I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You?
38. Worried About Ray?
39. Ripchord?
40. Tangerine Visions?

CHECK THE ANSWERS HERE