Translated from Hawaiian, ukulele means “leaping flea.” Most folks associate the ukulele with Hawaii, but it actually originated in Portugal. Portuguese immigrants introduced the instrument to Hawaii in the 1800s, and it caught on with wild popularity. During the World Wars, American soldiers brought the instruments back home to the states, and a “uke storm” hit the US.
The last few years has seen a huge resurgence of popularity for the ukulele; the cheerful sound, ease of play, and portability make this instrument appealing to all age groups and skill levels. Most guitarists already have the motor skills (and in some cases, chord patterns) to pick up on ukulele quickly, and it makes a cool voice in ensemble play if you have an overabundance of guitarists in the room.
Of course, ukuleles come in a wide range of sizes and sounds. So how can you tell which size ukulele is right for you? Let’s look at the four basic sizes of ukulele and where they fit in musically.
Soprano Ukulele
Measuring around 22”, the soprano ukulele is also referred to as the “standard” ukulele. It’s the smallest and most popular of the bunch.
Tuned G-E-C-A, with the G usually tuned high, the soprano has a cheerful, bright tone. The 13-14” scale length makes it super friendly to tiny hands, but a bit of a tight fit for larger hands, and is generally best suited to playing chords.
Most people immediately associate the snappy percussive tone with the Islands and traditional ukelele songs. It’s a great size for kids getting started. Soprano ukeleles are typically strummed using a felt pick, but you can use a regular guitar pick, too (just be gentle). Due to their tiny size, soprano ukes are usually quiet, which makes them tough to get into a mix. They’re also a little hard to keep in tune, so make sure you always have a tuner handy!
Concert Ukulele
Stepping up in size to around 24”, the concert ukelele has a slightly longer string scale of 14-15”, which opens a little room on the fretboard for more complicated fingerstyle and solo playing. It shares the high G-E-C-A tuning and chimey tone with the soprano uke but with slightly more mids and a tiny bit of bass, making it a nice accompaniment for vocals. Concert ukeleles can be strummed or played fingerstyle.
Tenor Ukulele
With an overall length of 26” and a string scale around 17”, the tenor ukelele offers more room between the frets for even more complicated fingerboard gymnastics. Sharing the same G-E-C-A tuning, a tenor uke can have the G tuned low or high, giving it an extra bit of range. It has a bigger, wider body, giving more bass and lower mids, making it ideal for vocal accompaniment.
The tenor uke is a great size for guitarists wanting to cross over to ukulele. Like the concert, the tenor can be strummed or played fingerstyle.
Baritone Ukulele
Measuring 30” with a 19”-21” string scale, the baritone ukelele feels a lot like a mini acoustic guitar. The lower tuning of D-G-B-E matches exactly the highest four strings of a guitar, making the baritone an excellent choice for guitarists wanting a ukelele. All the chord shapes work! The generous string scale is great for soloing and chording. An even larger body gives the baritone a warm smooth voice, like a classical guitar, excellent for pairing with smaller ukes and all types of vocals.
Why You Should Have a Ukulele
The ukulele is an awesome instrument, and there are tons of reasons every musician should have a ukulele lying around. Here are just a few of the amazing reasons:
- Super portable
- Hopelessly cheerful
- Simple to play for beginners
- Cool voicing with guitars and other instruments
- Not expensive
As for the cons: There is no known downside to ukulele. It’s a delightful instrument that instantly puts a smile on everyone’s face. I dare you to listen to listen to Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and not feel better about whatever you have going on.
Mahalo
If you’ve been thinking about getting a ukulele or gifting one this holiday season, order online with our VERY fast and free shipping, or give us a call at 800-458-4075. Our Gear Nerds are standing by to help you out. Don’t forget to add some strings to your order in case your uke enthusiasm cannot be controlled!
Mahalo
