Part I
Introducing Ukulele Basics
In this part . . .
I provide all the background information you need to kick-start your ukulele playing. You find a brief overview of the worldwide development of the ukulele and a look at what you can expect to discover in this book. If you want to get to grips with ukulele terms, tune up your uke or know how to position your hands ready to play, Part I is for you!
Chapter 1
Exploring the Ukulele
In This Chapter
Appreciating the advantages of the ukulele Looking at different sizes Getting to know the ukulele Discovering what you can play on the uke Ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro says something that makes a lot of sense to many ukulele players: āOne of the things I love about being a ukulele player is that no matter where I go in the world to play, the audience has such low expectations.ā And itās very true. Many people think of the ukulele as a toy and are unaware of the great music that can be made with it. People are often stunned that you can make real music on a ukulele at all. But the uke is very much a real instrument with a rich musical history, and itās quite capable of producing everything from light melodies to riotous strumming.
This chapter fills you in on why the ukeās such a fantastic instrument, describes some of the global musical styles you can expect to play on it and, I hope, inspires you to make some great music with your new best friend!
Understanding the Ukeās Advantages
Why would you want to play ukulele when you could play another exotic instrument such as a saz, shenai or sackbut? Well, as this section reveals, you can get certain things from a uke that other instruments simply canāt supply.
Loving the sound
The best reason for picking up the ukulele is its captivating, unique sound. Whether itās a lilting Hawaiian song or some riotous jazzy strumming, no other instrument sounds quite like the uke.
The unusual arrangement of the strings gives you close harmony chords and harp-like tones that simply arenāt available on most fretted instruments. Joining a vibrant community
A special community surrounds ukulele players, one that you rarely get with other instruments. Youād struggle to find a group of bass guitar players getting together to form a bass guitar orchestra, but all over the globe groups of uke players regularly get together to uke-out on a few tunes.
Donāt worry about being too old or too young for joining the ukulele community. Most ukulele groups have members ranging in age from teenagers up to pensioners as well as a good gender balance. Most groups welcome beginners and some larger ones have a specific group for people just starting on the uke. No matter who you are, youāll get a warm welcome.
If youāre looking to get involved in the ukulele social scene, check out Chapter 21. Appreciating the ukeās practicality
I live in a small flat. Thereās not enough room to swing a cat (I tested, but Tiddles is just about fine now). So the fact that I play the ukulele rather than the church organ is fortunate. The ukeās diminutiveness makes it a favourite instrument among travellers.
And donāt forget the price. Ukuleles are relatively cheap and you can get a decent beginner ukulele for under Ā£30, or around $45. Read Chapter 17 for a full guide to buying a uke, Chapter 18 for stocking up on accessories and Chapter 19 for maintaining your prized possession. Getting started quickly
Have you ever heard someone just starting out on the violin? Itās not very pleasant (sounds a bit like the noise Tiddles made as he helped me test the size of my flat!). You have to put in a great deal of practice before you can make a musical sound on the violin.
Not so with the ukulele. With a bit of knowledge and a smidge of practice you can start making a reasonable sound on the uke within a few minutes. Before long ā in fact after learning just two chords (C and F, as described in Chapter 4) ā you can be playing your first song. This fast-start aspect is very encouraging and a big motivator to keep you practising. 
