Hawaii made the ukulele popular with its light-hearted plinking sound. The small, 4-stringed instrument is perfect for island songs, but it’s also made its way into our hearts through music such as folk, Americana, and even a little pop and rock-n-roll. Let’s explore why the ukulele is still popular today and how it came to us in the first place.
A Brief History
The Hawaiians first enjoyed the ukulele in 1879, when a man from Portugal named Joao Fernandez jumped off the boat and began plucking away at the small string instrument—it was designed in Europe and first called a braguinha. The Hawaiian people were mesmerized and called it a ukulele instead, which means jumping flea because of the way Joao’s fingers jumped around so quickly.
Small but Mighty
Compared to other instruments, the ukulele is quite small. Thanks to its tiny stature, many people prefer to play the ukulele because other string instruments—like the guitar—are difficult if you have smaller hands. With only four strings and a short fretboard, the ukulele makes it easier to stretch the fingers to different chords.
Another benefit to its small size is the ease at which the ukulele travels. Truly, a musician can bring it anywhere since it’s so small and light. Still, don’t let the small size fool you. The ukulele has a distinct sound that no other instrument can replicate.
It’s in the Budget
Let’s face it, investing in an instrument is often expensive. The ukulele is one of the less expensive instruments for beginners, making it something more people can afford. Just like with any instrument, though, the range in price varies quite a bit.
Start with finding a ukulele made of real wood (or laminate) and go from there. You don’t want a ukulele in any other material since it won’t sound as good. There are plenty of options out there, and you’ll want to leave room in the budget for extras, such as accessories.
We Can’t Stop Smiling
Okay, this is a silly reason why the ukulele is still popular today, but there’s no getting around it—the ukulele makes people smile. Some say you can’t play any song on the ukulele and make it sound sad. Go ahead and try. The perfect combo of simplicity and plinking sound cheers us up as soon as we hear it.
Genres like Americana and folk have helped the ukulele boom since their genres have also surged in the past decade. If you’re considering giving the ukulele a try, we say go for it. You can’t go wrong with this tiny instrument that you can bring anywhere and spread smiles while doing so.
