Ukulele Uke resources

I started learning the Ukulele in the summer 2010 after having started to learn guitar in July 2008. The Uke certainly is a lot of fun.

If you want to purchase one, or if you have one already, here are some great links below.
(note: I also have another post about Ukulele Worship resources)

Purchasing a Uke and strings:

• First, buy a Uke!
• June 2011 Update: We bought our son a Concert size Makala Uke kit that included the gig bag and the great Kala tuner for just under $80 from Ukesonline.com. This is a new website launched by George's Music (see below), but this one has FREE SHIPPING! Note: Uke sizes are, from smallest to largest: Soprano, Concert, Tenor, Baritone. The Baritone standard tuning is different than the others
• I have the Tenor Ukulele Starter Pack from George's Music (comes with Uke, Tuner, and a bag). It's a good starter recommendation from my friend who suggested the Uke to me. Later, if you want a more expensive Uke, my friend also said he purchased a Kala Ukulele from MusicGuyMic.
• Note: www.southernukulelestore.co.uk  (twitter @SUS_UKE) has provided a discount code for all my followers of this blog. If you find something you're interested in there, use discount code SUS2014 which will entitle you to 10% off all items on their site!
• Strings: And Aquila strings are said to be the best strings. My friend said he orders from JustStrings.com, so I got some from there.
• Stringing the Ukulele: You can find video's on youtube about how to string the Uke. Here's a good one and here's one where he mentions it's good to restring every so often (and you can use nail clippers to cut the ends off the strings). This video has an enlarged version of how the knot is done at the bridge. This video has information on the various forms of ukulele string tie downs (some are just knots, others are knots around the bridge and others go through the body of the uke).
• Even if you don't buy from George's music, you might like to sign up for George's Music Uke Club newsletter

Lessons:

• Some of the best Uke lessons online are by Ukulele Mike. His lessons are videos on youtube and some have links to the music sheets. They change often so check back every now and then. I particularly enjoyed the lessons on blues because they were easy to learn and he has a little jam session at the end. Mike recently (2011) offered two DVDs of lessons.
• Here's a good page with a link to a few pages of great beginner's lessons
• When you want to understand and learn more about Music Theory, take a look at this site by my friend (the same one who suggested the Uke to me) http://chordmaps.com/
• Ukulele Underground - has forums, lessons, and lots of good info
• Ukuleletricks
• http://hawaiimusicsupply.com/lessons.php
• http://www.ukeschool.com/instruction.html
• Uke Barre chords:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CO7zryA668
• Ukulele Chord tips:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJme1gtN1SM

Techniques:

• Struming
• Power Chord (5 chord)
• Palm Muting (noted as P.M. in music)
• Left hand Muting
• Trill (noted as tr over 16th notes)
• Raking (noted as X's)
• Clawhamer (like a Banjo): lesson 2, 3,

Music for the Uke:

• Dr. Uke has more than 500 songs to print and play
• Jazz Uke: http://www.jazzyukulele.com/
• Brook Adams has more on strum patterns and songs too http://www.brookadams.com/charts_uke.html
• Richard G's Songbook has many songs
• 2011-06-27 Found this blog post with tons of free Uke song books: http://ukuleleguy.com/ukulele-books/london-uke-festival-songbook-free/499
• Seattle Ukulele Song book
• Christmas Carols
• Uke Land: blog with Uke into and ukecast (podcast of players, tips, beginners info, etc.)
  http://www.ukeland.com/
• Mele Kalikimaka (Tab) is a Christmas song I remember from my childhood. The music is available on Ukulele Hunt:
  http://ukulelehunt.com/2007/12/23/christmas-ukulele-mele-kalikimaka/
• Uke BLog
  http://www.dominator.ukeland.com/
• Ukelele Beatles fun: - shows a graphic with playing the song:
  http://beatlesite.info/
• Song Tabs (has some bluegrass and contemporary) http://kenmiddleton.co.uk/freedownloads.aspx
• Ukulele Songs (tells about Ukes and has lots of popular songs in links on left) http://www.ukulelesongs.com/
• Tabs:
  http://chordie.com/chord.pere/flarere.free.fr/Autres/Beatles/12/OCTOPU~11.txt?=&1944-06-06=always&transpose=&tuning=GCEA
• PDF Tab sheets:
  http://www.muffin.net.nz/muffin/Pdf_Tablature.html
• Alligator Boogaloo Ukulele Boogaloo song book

Uke Chords:

• Chord finder (online) http://www.ukulele.nl/chordfinder.php
• Chord Chart - enter a chord to get possible fingerings
• Chord Chart pdf file you can print
• Chordette allows you to print chords for printing out music
• Reverse Chord Finder (you set the strings held down and it tells you what the chord is): http://www.praiseuke.com/blog/?page_id=43

Other Uke info:

• Did you know that if you capo a guitar on the 5th fret, it will have the same tuning as a Uke (except one string is an octave different, but that's ok) as shown in this video (note: here's an extra bonus humorous look at this phenomenon)
• Here's a April 2011 New York Times article about Uke's
• It's so easy, even a Chimp can do it! Here's a story in NY Times of a Chimp who played the Uke
• Ukulele Kit (build your own): http://www.findgift.com/gift-ideas/pid-159889/ (Thanks to Jillian for this link)
• Top 50 Uke sites: http://www.boatpaddleukuleles.com/top50/
• Free George's Music Uke Club newsletter
• Ukulele History: http://www.nalu-music.com/how-i-learned-to-play-the-ukulele/

Enjoy! And, please leave a comment here on my blog about your Uke playing or your questions!