Ukulele Category

The Ukulele seems to be becoming a full-on phenomenon. Who knew. I first started thinking about the uke when Topher turned me on to Israel Kawamiko’ole Kawakamiwo`ole (thanks Doug for the spelling lesson!). Then I heard about game designer Clinton R. Nixon picking up a uke. Then my bud Joe, already a fine guitarist, picked one up on a whim. I started getting interested in making music, initially because I wanted to try making some remixes… but then I started thinking about trying instruments. Joe offered to trade me his uke for some art or something, cause it was just sitting in his closet. It’s sweet.

Soon I was recording “Ring of Fire” and the Zippers’ “Hell.” Awesome.

Suddenly ukes seemed to pop up everywhere. Adam Black pointed out that one of his fave webcomics, Yirmumah, was running a “how to play uke” series in lieu of comics, and that they had in fact already presented Ring of Fire.

And tonight while reading metafilter I came across a Robot Ukelele Player Project. Lego based. (Mefi had already shown the uke some love in the past.)

Clearly the Day of the Uke is upon us.

So I need a category for it.

7 thoughts on “Ukulele Category”

  1. Lego Robots play the uke! Kinda reminds me of my second job, where every single day, the boss would tell me: “You can be replaced by a machine.” That was a fun job. :)

  2. I was in a museum of automated musical instruments (primarily pianos and organs) a few years ago. Interestingly (if you happen to me), it happens that some guy actually created a device that plays the violin.

    It gets better than that though, the guy who did it apparently also invented the first AC to DC converter and even better than that… he couldn’t read. He figured out how to do this by means of observation, experimentation and talking with people. No reference materials. No training.

  4. It’s ” Kamakawiwo`ole ” and note that the quote-like thing they use for the glottal stop is more like an accent grave than like a single-quote. For what that’s worth…

  5. Dont forget the newly completed Finkbuilt Uke! You can make your own ukulele from a kit that will run you about 25 bucks.

    steve

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