Ukulele Magazine

Ukuleles are notoriously choppy, happy chord machines with little sustain and have no place trying to swoon and sing a long, smooth melody right? Wrong.

Though they share many of the same measurements, the different materials and slightly different interior architecture designs help give each uke a unique sound. Kala Brand Music

The new, Córdoba 24 series ukuleles offer a combination of exotic tone woods. Spalted maple back and sides offer a unique look and tone, while a solid spruce top projects a voice much larger than its size suggests. Enter for your chance to be one of two winners!

While we do our best to help, many times these issues are a direct result of the player not being aware of humidity’s effect on their ukulele. So let’s look closer at why this problem exists and what we need to know to make sure our instruments stay healthy.

I love the visual imagery in this song, and the rich universal message that we are never alone in our loneliness or our longing for love. Cynthia Lin

The new Winter 2020 issue features an article by Heidi Swedberg on the inspirational song "Life Every Voice and Sing" (sometimes referred to as the "Black National Anthem") in which she looks at the history of the song and its impact. Also provided is a link to a unique solo ukulele arrangement and video of the stirring tune by Heidi and Daniel Ward.

Smartphones can do just about anything, but this power comes with a high price though: our attention. However, using it in Airplane Mode can help you lock-in to your ukulele practice

Every person prefers a different feel and sound, which is why there are so many different string types and brands of strings available for ukulele. Not only do you have to take tone, feel, and playability into account, you also need to consider what materials make up your instrument.

When I play fingerstyle, my right-hand thumb (p) typically plays the fourth and third strings, my first finger (i) plays the second string, and my middle finger (m) plays the first string. This may sound complicated, but assigning a different job to each digit actually makes things easier because it is one less thing for you to decide.

Setup can mean different things to different people, but for me it is making the ukulele as playable and tone-rich as possible. Here is the process that a typical ukulele from my shop goes through.

MusiCares has launched its first annual Wellness in Music survey. Open to all professional musicians 18 and older with at least five years of working experience, it is designed to assess the music community’s mental health and wellness to better inform MusiCares of the needs facing their clients.

Typically, the baritone is tuned DGBE, exactly like the top four strings of a guitar. For performers and singer/songwriters, the bari may be a welcome alternative to the higher-pitched C-tuned ukulele and more suitable for thoughtful material.

Thinking about amplifying your uke? Here are the differences between active and passive pickups, and 3 pedals that can make your instrument sound even bigger.