# I got a Ukulele! Now what? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 16, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048 "2016-07-16T15:39:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/1 "2016-07-16T15:39:21Z")
So, I have wanted a Ukulele since I played one in a shop in Hawaii 16 years ago when I was still a teenager. I am a guitar player and play a few string instruments, but I don’t know much about ukulele music so I never actually got one for myself. Well this week I came across a nice one at a price that was too good to pass up so, I am now a proud ukulele owner! So… I taught myself to play the only three ukulele songs I know. There seem to be a ton of websites out there but mostly they seem to be transcribing pop music to the ukulele. Neat, but not so much my bag. Where can I go to find and learn how to play Hawaiian and early 20th century Jazz ukulele? Also, any other suggestions you have are welcome. I got a Kala KA-S if it makes a difference. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/2 "2016-07-16T18:11:10Z")
On **Queen** ’s “A Night at the Opera,” a Brian May song called, “Good Company,” is played on ukulele (a “Genuine Aloha” banjo uke). And two dozen electric guitars. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/3 "2016-07-16T18:28:00Z")
I think by the board rules you are now obligated in some fashion to [**Ukelele Ike**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php). I’m not sure of the manner of the obligation, tho; for your sake I hope it doesn’t involve black goo or mollusks of any kind. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/4 "2016-07-16T18:31:41Z")
Your eldest daughter, on her eighteenth birthday…oh, what the hell, ALL your daughters. My advice is to trade the ukulele for a guitar. They burn longer. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/5 "2016-07-16T18:50:02Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Your eldest daughter, on her eighteenth birthday…oh, what the hell, ALL your daughters. > > My advice is to trade the ukulele for a guitar. They burn longer. Good point on the burning times. And I only have the one daughter, but I’ll let you know if others come along. In humble servitude, NAF ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/6 "2016-07-16T19:46:10Z")
Speaking of Kala- I wish someone could explain to me why U-Basses cost $400. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/7 "2016-07-16T20:59:56Z")
[Here’s the greatest guitarist in the world.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl_KMjHB4n4) [Here he is on ukulele.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQD7yDqXaK0) Seek him out. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/8 "2016-07-16T21:22:37Z")
Now you can be That Guy at the party. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/9 "2016-07-16T22:40:06Z")
Join the ranks of ukulele players like Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Amanda Palmer! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/OZaR_4us6Ec/maxresdefault.jpg "Ukulele Anthem - Amanda Palmer (Studio Version)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZaR_4us6Ec) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/10 "2016-07-16T22:49:26Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > I got a Ukulele! Now what? Now you find out who your real friends are.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/11 "2016-07-16T23:39:16Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Now you can be That Guy at the party. 😃 Could be worse; I know a guy who is “That Guy” at parties…with his goddamn concertina. Oy vey. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/12 "2016-07-16T23:43:22Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Now you can be That Guy at the party. 😃 > [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Now you find out who your real friends are.😃 > [@Trinopus](#): > > Could be worse; I know a guy who is “That Guy” at parties…with his goddamn concertina. Oy vey. I hadn’t even CONSIDERED the party possibilities! Now I’m really excited.🆒 Also, I wish I was cool enough to rock a concertina. I am not. It sounds like a your friend isn’t either Trinopus. For that I’m sorry. I do now sort of want to find a concertina though. No, my wife would kill me. Still… ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/13 "2016-07-16T23:52:11Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > I got a Ukulele! Now what?. hmmmmmm…I _think_ I seem to recall a scene in “Animal House” where Bluto is slowly walking down some basement stairs towards a proto-hippie who’s sitting midway on the stairs, playing a dreamy, idyllic guitar tune for some fawning young ladies sitting around him. trivia hijack - buddy on stairs was same fucker who put out “On and On”. (“…She just keeps on trying, and she smiles when she feels like crying” \< yeah, that milksop.) To his credit, though - also provides the psychotic falsetto singing for “Animal House”'s theme song. How’s your hammer-ons on that thing? Tried any of the more upbeat John MacLaughin numbers? “Birds of Fire”? ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/14 "2016-07-16T23:54:43Z")
Now what? That’s easy. Clip a transducer to the bridge and get a 100w Marshall stack. And a Vox wah pedal. [Classic Ukelele Tune](https://youtu.be/PfK-UzQ48JE) ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/15 "2016-07-17T00:18:30Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Now what? That’s easy. Clip a transducer to the bridge and get a 100w Marshall stack. And a Vox wah pedal. > > [Classic Ukelele Tune](https://youtu.be/PfK-UzQ48JE) That was awesome. The Amanda Palmer video linked earlier was awesome too, but yours led me to [this](http://youtu.be/dKpzCCuHDVY) which is also amazing. I will be learning to play this next. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/16 "2016-07-17T04:01:14Z")
Amazon has [Black Sabbath for Ukulele](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UI0KYVW/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1#navbar) on Kindle. They have Metallica, too. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/17 "2016-07-17T05:03:54Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Also, I wish I was cool enough to rock a concertina. Jamie Fearnley can rock an accordion. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/18 "2016-07-17T05:44:10Z")
LOTSA guys can rock accordion. Listen to some good alt-Cajun Zydeco and pass the jambalaya. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6PNFkWfZDR8/maxresdefault.jpg "Steve Riley And The Mamou Playboys" NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PNFkWfZDR8) Me, I’d love to be able to play concertina…I would sing “Arthur McBride” and “Jim Jones” at every party and not care what anyone said. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/19 "2016-07-17T09:34:04Z")
Are you ever in England? These folk would love to hear from you! ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2016, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048/20 "2016-07-17T10:56:53Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > So, I have wanted a Ukulele since I played one in a shop in Hawaii 16 years ago when I was still a teenager. I am a guitar player and play a few string instruments, but I don’t know much about ukulele music so I never actually got one for myself. Well this week I came across a nice one at a price that was too good to pass up so, I am now a proud ukulele owner! > > So… I taught myself to play the only three ukulele songs I know. There seem to be a ton of websites out there but mostly they seem to be transcribing pop music to the ukulele. Neat, but not so much my bag. Where can I go to find and learn how to play Hawaiian and early 20th century Jazz ukulele? Also, any other suggestions you have are welcome. > > I got a Kala KA-S if it makes a difference. I’ll ask my mom and get back to you. She plays with a bunch of Hawaiian friends in her uke group and they feature a variety of Hawaiian and standard songs from that era in their set list. Yessir That’s my Baby; Ain’t She Sweet; Satin Doll, etc. But man, that version of Psycho Killer was great! ETA: oh, and link to the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum’s Uke page: [The Four-String Farmhouse - The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum](http://theunofficialmartinguitarforum.yuku.com/forums/8) Ukulele Underground has tabs: [http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com](http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-ukulele-now-what/760048.md?page=2)