A Beginner's Ukulele Resource Kit

Handy links to learning the ukulele online.

  • 13th
  • May
  • 2013
The Singing Professor [Walter] Smith doesn’t just create sound waves from the strings of his [baritone] ukulele, he’s an expert on the physics behind them. The textbook he authored in 2010 - Waves and Oscillations: A Prelude to Quantum Mechanics - begins with this quote: “All around us, sinusoidal waves astound us!” Why not? Schoolhouse Rocks was awesome (remember “Conjunction Junction” and “I’m Just a Bill”?) I’ve a friend who has her adult ESL (English as a Second Language) students sing along as she accompanies them on her ukulele. Then again, I’ve a Chinese friend whose “conversational English” class in Vancouver, BC apparently consisted of watching Jackass II.  (via Philly.com)

The Singing Professor

[Walter] Smith doesn’t just create sound waves from the strings of his [baritone] ukulele, he’s an expert on the physics behind them. The textbook he authored in 2010 - Waves and Oscillations: A Prelude to Quantum Mechanics - begins with this quote: “All around us, sinusoidal waves astound us!”

Why not? Schoolhouse Rocks was awesome (remember “Conjunction Junction” and “I’m Just a Bill”?)

I’ve a friend who has her adult ESL (English as a Second Language) students sing along as she accompanies them on her ukulele. Then again, I’ve a Chinese friend whose “conversational English” class in Vancouver, BC apparently consisted of watching Jackass II. 

(via Philly.com)

Tagged: uke ukulele physics education teacher

  • 11th
  • May
  • 2013

“Ukes on Loan”: Portland (Maine) Public Library now offering ukuleles

CuriousCity, a small consultancy that finds creative ways of promoting books & authors, teamed up with the local public library to make these clever kits available: patrons may checkout a uke bag in which they’ll find  the uke, “how to play” DVD, and a YA book with a music theme. Fantastic, win-win!

(via The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram)

Tagged: uke ukulele library portland maine books music education

  • 30th
  • November
  • 2012

Retro pin-up doodler Sibylline’s homage to “Some Like It Hot” and McFly’s “Love Is Easy” video.

(via SibyllineSketchBlog)

Tagged: sibylline Illustration ukulele uke McFly Some Like It Hot retro

  • 20th
  • October
  • 2012

Catch the Sweet Hollywaiians with Janet Klein and Her Parlor Boys this Sunday, October 21st at 7:30PM at the Old Town Music Hall (home of the Mighty Wurlitzer) in El Segundo, California.

This is a rare opportunity to hear The Sweet Hollywaiians who are based in Osaka, Japan…

… originally street musicians with a shared common passion of Hawaiian, Swing, Ragtime, Blues, Calypso and Italian of the 1920s~1930s string band tradition, collecting the music of long forgotten legends like Sol Hoopii, King Bennie Nawahi, Roy Smeck and Eddie Lang.

Psst: the stately Old Town Music Hall is also screening The Bride of Frankenstein this and tomorrow afternoons, 2:30.

(earlier post)

(via TikiCentral)

Tagged: Sweet Hollywaiians Janet Klein uke ukulele live

  • 17th
  • October
  • 2012
Portable “Ukulele School Kits”… Stupendous! This ‘lil box packs in 10 ukuleles, a magnetic chord fingering chart board, a circle of fifths chart, and tuners. Eveline Ketterings and Marcel van der Zwet offer this as an inexpensive means of getting music education — and ukes — into the classroom (kits are available for rent or purchase). (excuse awkward Dutch translation): Fewer and fewer schools are teaching music and this is unfortunate because research shows that music is not only good for the development of motor skills and intelligence, but making music together also strengthens children’s social skills. (via Ukulele Lovers/The Original Ukulele Club of Rotterdam)

Portable “Ukulele School Kits”… Stupendous!

This ‘lil box packs in 10 ukuleles, a magnetic chord fingering chart board, a circle of fifths chart, and tuners. Eveline Ketterings and Marcel van der Zwet offer this as an inexpensive means of getting music education — and ukes — into the classroom (kits are available for rent or purchase). (excuse awkward Dutch translation):

Fewer and fewer schools are teaching music and this is unfortunate because research shows that music is not only good for the development of motor skills and intelligence, but making music together also strengthens children’s social skills.

(via Ukulele Lovers/The Original Ukulele Club of Rotterdam)

Tagged: Netherlands education uke ukulele kits

  • 16th
  • October
  • 2012
Burning Uke Festival poster by Michele Vanparys Spot-on lovely work promoting the recently passed Burning Uke in Gent, Belgium (August 25) (artist’s blog and portfolio) …a ukulele festival for the Gent-ry, with plenty of live music, rarities, open mic, raffle, market en much much more. (via ShellyRickey)

Burning Uke Festival poster by Michele Vanparys

Spot-on lovely work promoting the recently passed Burning Uke in Gent, Belgium (August 25) (artist’s blog and portfolio)

…a ukulele festival for the Gent-ry, with plenty of live music, rarities, open mic, raffle, market en much much more.

(via ShellyRickey)

Tagged: uke ukulele Gent Belgium festival Burning Uke Michele Vanparys Illustration

  • 13th
  • October
  • 2012

Cliff Edwards sings “If I Had You” (download chords here). While Ukulele Ike’s version is my favorite, there’s some dandy covers out there: ukulele & clarinet, Nellie McKay’s cover, and even this mix of uke and iPad band.

Tagged: uke ukulele Cliff Edwards Ukulele Ike If I Had You

  • 9th
  • October
  • 2012
Ghostly Jack-o’-Lantern Ukuleleist Sketch ‘Tis the season! Idled away a pleasant afternoon sipping Jones coffee(s!!!!) and iPad-doodling Halloween songbook covers. First up is just this simple Jack-o’-lantern ghostie fan strumming her ukulele (sidebar: shortly after moving to the States a friend’s son excitedly carved his first pumpkin, only to tearfully learn that we don’t actually wear them like this). (via Pizza By The Slice)

Ghostly Jack-o’-Lantern Ukuleleist Sketch

‘Tis the season! Idled away a pleasant afternoon sipping Jones coffee(s!!!!) and iPad-doodling Halloween songbook covers. First up is just this simple Jack-o’-lantern ghostie fan strumming her ukulele (sidebar: shortly after moving to the States a friend’s son excitedly carved his first pumpkin, only to tearfully learn that we don’t actually wear them like this).

(via Pizza By The Slice)

Tagged: Illustration Jack-o-lantern pumpkin uke ukulele iPad

Vampire ‘n Uke Bat Sketch …a quite friendly vampire summons his bat-ukulele pal (yeah, revisiting last year’s vampire bat uke illustration). Big thanks, of course, to Ludlow for suggesting the moon and wing tips (even the name’s fitting — but of course a vampire would wear ‘em). (via Pizza By The Slice)

Vampire ‘n Uke Bat Sketch

…a quite friendly vampire summons his bat-ukulele pal (yeah, revisiting last year’s vampire bat uke illustration). Big thanks, of course, to Ludlow for suggesting the moon and wing tips (even the name’s fitting — but of course a vampire would wear ‘em).

(via Pizza By The Slice)

Tagged: Illustration bat uke ukulele vampire iPad

  • 3rd
  • October
  • 2012
14th Annual Eagle Rock Music Festival It’s that time of year! Saturday, October 6th, 2PM - 11PM! Come out, walk the boulevard, snack (+ food trucks), listen to over 70 bands & DJ’s — and especially don’t miss Ukulele Orchestra of the Western Hemisphere, on the Family Stage at 6:30PM.

14th Annual Eagle Rock Music Festival

It’s that time of year! Saturday, October 6th, 2PM - 11PM! Come out, walk the boulevard, snack (+ food trucks), listen to over 70 bands & DJ’s — and especially don’t miss Ukulele Orchestra of the Western Hemisphere, on the Family Stage at 6:30PM.

Tagged: uke ukulele Eagle Rock free festival