The ukulele ( / ˌ j uː k ə ˈ l eɪ l i / YOO -kə- LAY -lee ; Hawaiian: [ʔukulele] ), also sometimes called a "uke" in informal settings, is part of the lute family, which includes ancient guitars. The ukulele originated in Portugal and became popular in Hawaii. The sound and loudness of the ukulele depend on its size and how it is built. Ukuleles are commonly available in four sizes: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone.

Most ukuleles have four nylon strings tuned to GCEA, except for the baritone, which is usually tuned to DGBE. The number of frets on a ukulele ranges from 16 to 22, depending on its size.

History

The ukulele was created in the 1880s and is based on small, guitar-like instruments from Portugal, including the machete, cavaquinho, and rajão. These instruments were brought to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants from Madeira, the Azores, and Cape Verde. Three Madeiran cabinet makers—Manuel Nunes, José do Espírito Santo, and Augusto Dias—are often credited as the first ukulele makers. Two weeks after arriving in Hawaii on the SS Ravenscrag in late August 1879, the Hawaiian Gazette reported that the new immigrants were performing street concerts.

King Kalākaua of Hawaii strongly supported the ukulele and included it in performances at royal events. In Hawaiian, the word "ukulele" means "jumping flea," possibly because of the quick finger movements when playing. Some say the name came from Edward William Purvis, a small Englishman who played the instrument well. The first printed use of the word "ukulele" to describe a stringed instrument appeared in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's 1907 catalog, which described two Hawaiian ukuleles—one similar to a modern soprano ukulele and one like a tenor.

In the 1960s, Canadian educator J. Chalmers Doane used the ukulele in schools to teach music, helping 50,000 students and adults learn to play. A later version of his program, "Ukulele in the Classroom," remains part of Canadian music education. The ukulele arrived in Japan in 1929 when Yukihiko Haida returned after his father’s death. He and his brother formed the Moana Glee Club, which became popular during the rise of Western music. Though banned during World War II, the ukulele survived in secret and gained popularity again after the war. In 1959, Haida founded the Nihon Ukulele Association, and Japan became a major center for ukulele music.

British entertainer George Formby played the ukulele, though he often used a banjolele, a hybrid of a ukulele and a banjo. The ukulele became widely popular in the early 20th century because it was simple and portable. Another British player, Tessie O'Shea, performed on stage and television. The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain now tours globally, and the George Formby Society holds regular events.

George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon all played the ukulele. Harrison, a fan of George Formby, gave ukuleles to friends like Tom Petty. The ukulele became famous in the U.S. during the Panama–Pacific International Exposition in 1915, where a Hawaiian ensemble performed. This event sparked a trend for Hawaiian-themed songs and introduced the ukulele to American music. Performers like Roy Smeck and Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards helped spread its popularity. Smeck played the ukulele in early sound films, including "Stringed Harmony" (1923) and "His Pastimes" (1926).

The ukulele became a symbol of the Jazz Age because it was easy to learn and affordable. Many manufacturers, such as Martin, produced ukuleles to meet demand. It also appeared in early country music, played by artists like Jimmie Rodgers and Ernest V. Stoneman.

From the late 1940s to the 1960s, Mario Maccaferri made millions of inexpensive ukuleles. The instrument remained popular in jazz, rock, and pop music. Arthur Godfrey helped boost its popularity on television, and Marilyn Monroe played it in the 1959 film Some Like It Hot. Tiny Tim also became known for playing the ukulele on his 1968 hit "Tiptoe Through the Tulips."

The ukulele had a period of low popularity in the 1960s because rock and roll dominated music. However, the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, formed in 1985, helped revive interest in the instrument. By the 1990s, new manufacturers and musicians began using the ukulele again. Jim Beloff promoted the instrument with music books.

Israel Kamakawiwoʻole helped bring the ukulele back into the spotlight with his 1993 song "Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World." The song became popular in media and reached Billboard charts. The rise of YouTube further increased the ukulele’s popularity, especially after Jake Shimabukuro’s viral video of George Harrison’s "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

In recent years, the ukulele has become a common tool in music education, often replacing the recorder as a first instrument. It is used for both solo performances and group music.

Construction

The ukulele is usually made of wood, though some versions are made partly or fully of plastic or other materials. Less expensive ukuleles are often made from plywood or layered wood, sometimes with a soundboard made from a special type of wood, like spruce. More expensive ukuleles are made from solid hardwoods, such as mahogany. The wood most traditionally used for ukuleles is a type of acacia that grows only in Hawaii, called koa.

Ukuleles typically have a body shape that looks like a figure-eight, similar to a small acoustic guitar. They can also come in other shapes, such as cutaway (which has a curved edge for easier playing), oval (called a "pineapple" ukulele, invented by the Kamaka Ukulele company), boat-paddle, or square (sometimes made from old wooden cigar boxes).

Most ukuleles have four strings. Some strings are paired together, called courses, which can result in six or eight strings total (used to create more volume when strumming). Early ukulele strings were made from catgut, but modern versions use strings made from nylon, synthetic gut, fluorocarbon, or wound strings (a core of nylon wrapped with metal or other materials, such as aluminum or silver-plated copper).

Ukuleles with six or eight strings arranged in four courses are often called taropatches. These were once common in the concert size, but today the tenor size is more common for six-string taropatches. The six-string, four-course version has two single strings and two pairs of strings, and is sometimes called a lili‘u. This name can also apply to the eight-string version. Eight-string baritone taropatches and five-string tenor ukuleles have also been made.

Size and range

Common types of ukuleles are soprano (also called standard), concert, tenor, and baritone. Less common types include sopranino (also called piccolo, bambino, or "pocket uke"), bass, and contrabass ukuleles. Other types are banjo ukuleles and electric ukuleles. Among the standard ukuleles, the soprano is the second smallest and was the original size. It is often called "standard" in Hawaii. The concert size was created in the 1920s as an improved soprano. It is slightly larger, louder, and has a deeper tone. Soon after, the tenor ukulele was developed. It has more volume and a deeper bass tone. The baritone, which looks like a smaller tenor guitar, was created in the 1940s. The bass and contrabass ukuleles are newer, invented in 2010 and 2014, respectively.

The following chart shows the range of notes for standard ukulele types. The range of notes depends on the tuning and size of the instrument. The examples in the chart show the range of each instrument from the lowest note in standard tuning to the highest note reached on the highest fret in standard tuning.

Tuning

One of the most common tunings for the standard or soprano ukulele is called C tuning. The strings are tuned to G4, C4, E4, and A4. This tuning is often remembered by the notes in the "My dog has fleas" jingle (see sidebar). The G string is tuned an octave higher than usual, so this is sometimes called "high G" tuning. This is known as a "reentrant tuning," which allows for unique, closely spaced harmony when playing chords.

A less common tuning for the soprano ukulele, but more often used on larger ukuleles, is C linear tuning, also called "low G" tuning. In this tuning, the G string is an octave lower: G3, C4, E4, and A4. This is similar to playing the top four strings (DGBE) of a guitar with a capo placed on the fifth fret.

Another common tuning for the soprano ukulele is D tuning, which uses higher string tension. The strings are tuned to A4, D4, F♯4, and B4. This tuning is one step higher than the C tuning. It was once the standard tuning during the early 20th century Hawaiian music boom and is often found in sheet music and method books from that time. Some people believe this tuning produces a sweeter sound on smaller ukuleles. A version of D tuning with a lower fourth string (A3, D4, F♯4, B4) is sometimes called "Canadian tuning" and is used on concert or tenor ukuleles, especially by musicians like James Hill and J. Chalmers Doane.

Whether C or D tuning should be considered the "standard" is a topic of ongoing debate. Historical and popular ukulele methods have used both tunings.

For concert and tenor ukuleles, both reentrant and linear C tunings are standard. Linear tuning is especially common for tenor ukuleles.

The baritone ukulele is usually tuned in linear G tuning: D3, G3, B3, and E4. This is the same as the highest four strings of a standard six-string guitar.

Bass ukuleles are tuned similarly to bass guitars and double basses. For U-Bass style instruments, the tuning is E1, A1, D2, G2. For Ohana type metal-string basses, the tuning is an octave higher: E2, A2, D3, G3.

Sopranino ukuleles have less standardized tunings. They are often tuned in reentrant style, but frequently at a higher pitch than C. For example, reentrant G tuning might use D5, G4, B4, and E5.

Like many string instruments, ukuleles can be tuned in different ways depending on the player's preference. For example, special string sets allow the baritone ukulele to be tuned in linear C. Some players tune ukuleles like other four-string instruments, such as the mandolin, Venezuelan cuatro, or dotara. Ukuleles may also be tuned to open tunings, similar to the Hawaiian slack-key style.

Related instruments

Ukulele varieties include instruments that mix features of other stringed instruments, such as the guitalele (also called guitarlele), banjo ukulele (also called banjolele), harp ukulele, lap steel ukulele, and the ukelin. Ukuleles are often combined with other stringed instruments because of their number of strings and ease of playing. There is also an electrically amplified version of the ukulele. The resonator ukulele uses one or more spun aluminum cones (called resonators) instead of a wooden soundboard to create sound, giving it a louder and more distinct tone. The Tahitian ukulele is another type, usually carved from a single piece of wood and without a hollow soundbox, though the back is open. It typically has eight strings made from fishing line, tuned the same as a Hawaiian ukulele in four groups of strings. However, the middle two groups are an octave higher than those on the Hawaiian ukulele. Inspired by the Tahitian ukulele, the Motu Nui variant from France has four strings made from fishing line, with a hole in the back designed to create a wah-wah sound effect. Mario Maccaferri invented a tool called Chord Master, which helps play chords automatically on the ukulele.

Close relatives of the ukulele include the Portuguese cavaquinho (also known as machete or braguinha) and the slightly larger rajão. Other related instruments are the Venezuelan cuatro, the Colombian and North American tiples, the timple from the Canary Islands, the Spanish vihuela, the Mexican requinto jarocho, and the Andean charango, which is traditionally made from an armadillo shell. In Indonesia, a similar Portuguese-inspired instrument is the kroncong.

The Uke Bass is a close relative of the leona, a traditional bass instrument used in the son jarocho music genre.

Audio samples

• Song Title: "Hene" by Henry Kailimai
• G-sharp minor chord
• C major scale
• Major scale played on a large ukulele using a felt pick (first) and fingers
• Tuning frequencies for a soprano ukulele