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The Rise of The Ukulele

In case you hadn't noticed, there are rather more ukuleles around now than there used to be. What could explain the surge in popularity of this pint-sized instrument, and can they offer anything to the hard rocking guitarist?

Friday, 13. January 2012 - by Russ Thorne

Something's happening to the music shops. Amidst the guitars, smaller shapes are popping up. Lots of them. Signs are appearing offering lessons to teach you how to handle the little creatures. My previously non-musical friends are arriving at parties with them tucked under their arms. Like Tribbles, suddenly my life is filled with ukuleles. Ukuleles? Surely this isn't rock and roll, people?

Now, this isn't some peculiar skiffle fetish in my 'hood. Nor have I been watching Smurfs episodes on repeat while knocking back absinthe. The fact is that there's been a dramatic rise in the popularity and visibility of the guitar's diminutive cousin, and you can see it in the figures: Kala, one of the leading uke brands worldwide, has seen sales leap a jaw-dropping 70% in the past couple of years.

I only want to be with uke

So what's going on? Why the leap? Some point to the ubiquitous viral video of Japanese guitarist Jake Shimabukuro playing a death-defying version of 'While my guitar gently weeps' in Central Park. His YouTube recording from 2006 now has hits running into the many millions, as do other equally vexing displays of virtuosity from the likes of James Hill. (If you want to be baffled, hunt down his version of 'Billie Jean', in which he somehow manages to play all the parts, including percussion, on one ukulele, at the same time.)

Others point to a gradual creeping of the ukulele sound into the collective consciousness. In the UK the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain has been delighting crowds for years, selling out increasingly large venues, touring Japan, Canada and New Zealand, and performing with Yusuf Islam and the Kaiser Chiefs. Richie Williams, who plays baritone uke in the group, has a theory that it's all down to advertising.

“Guys in advertising would come and see us play, back in the early days in Camden,” he explains, “and I think these guys would go and get ukuleles and with a bit of Garage Band or something would think 'hey, I can do the music for this ad we're doing!' and so it impinged on everyone's consciousness, in the way that adverts do. Sometimes when I watch TV it's like every other advert has a ukulele on the track somewhere. I'm sure it's that. It's crept in everywhere!”

The man's got a point: if you've watched any TV at all in the last ten years, you'll have heard Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's medley of 'Wonderful World' and 'Somewhere over the rainbow'. It's appeared in films, ads, and memorably soundtracked the passing of ER's Dr Green, helping make the moment mildly less traumatic with its soothing tones.

Smile like uke mean it

: The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (photo courtesy of Paul Campbell www.paulcampbellphotograher.com Copyright 2009)

And maybe that's another important factor at work here: ukuleles cheer you up. “It's quite inspirational and a very cheery instrument,” says Richie, “it's not intimidating.” This jauntiness – along with the fact that you can play and sing at the same time - may well have contributed to the uke's popularity in schools, where it's increasingly being used as the early years instrument of choice instead of the recorder.

All of which is very nice, but what's in it for we guitarists, and would-be guitarists? What's to be made of the surging popularity of these fun-sized instruments? First of all, we dismiss them at our peril, as while they're fun, they're far from novelty items. A top-spec instrument, made of Hawaiian koa wood, will set you back as much as a top-end Strat.

But more than this, the potential appeal of a ukulele to a guitarist might lie in its accessibility. The baritone uke shares the same tuning as the top four strings of a guitar, and with its nylon strings is simple to play. It's also a forgiving instrument, says Richie. “You can be as virtuoso as you like or as simple as you like, and it's still going to sound alright. It's less annoying than other instruments, even if you're a bloody awful musician it'll still sound OK!”

Add to that the uke's inherent portability and all round versatility – the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain play everything from 'Ode to Joy' to Richie's current favourite, The Rezillo's punk standard 'Good Sculptures' – and it starts to become clear why more people are picking them up, especially in a time when folk sounds are enjoying mainstream success in the work of Mumford & Sons, Fleet Foxes and Frank Turner

Uke really got me

The final factor might be the simplest of all, though: ukuleles don't cost much. A perfectly playable uke will cost you less than a round of drinks for your band, and that's got to be an appealing notion to curious musicians and newcomers alike. It's the ultimate democratic instrument for recession-hit times: cheap, simple to learn, fun and flexible. (It's probably no coincidence that in Depression era America, ukulele sales rose.) And it perfectly complements the guitarist's lifestyle – where a guitar can't go (on holiday, say, or off to the country), a ukulele can. The two can co-exist in harmony; there's no gentle weeping of your six-stringed companion to worry about.

So next time I pass that shop, I'll be paying more attention to the smaller shapes in the window. I'm already saving my pennies for my first uke. Something that lets you learn three chords, practice anywhere with your mates, and have a song ready in a matter of hours? Now that's rock and roll.

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