UKEtopia! Adventures in the Ukulele World
There are many, myself included, that put a great deal of the credit on Jim and Liz Beloff for the current wave of ukulele popularity in the United States and the rest of the world. Chances are pretty high that if you play ukulele you have a number of Jumpin’ Jim’s song books in your collection. Many uke clubs use the big yellow The Daily Ukulele for their jam sessions. Regulars at ukulele festivals and workshops all over the world; Jim and Liz add a touch of familiarity and family to the gathering. Their welcoming personalities are a big part of their success! Flea Market Music has been teasing a new Beloff book for several months. I was tempted to pre-order on Amazon, but The Magic Fluke Company sent out a message a few weeks back that they had autographed copies available, so I sent my order off to Phyllis and…
Murder Plays a Ukulele
At some point or another, most of us in the ukulele community have seen this picture: It is the illustration that accompanied the article Murder Plays A Ukulele by M.K. Arnold, published in the July 1941 issue of Master Detective Magazine. Subtitled, “A ukulele – an abandoned car – and a bicycle on the beach . . . smart detective work linked them together and nabbed the killer.” The picture itself is more than a bit off, as the two main characters were only a couple years different in age, both in their early 20’s, and both played the ukulele. This isn’t a work of fiction, it is a true story! But it took my librarian sister, Sarah Howard, almost a year to unearth a copy of the article in the Library of Congress and get it to me. Frederick David Galloway was born in New York in 1902 and lived…
Making Friends on the Internet
The internet has provided connections for people that would not otherwise exist. Whether it is due to physical limitations, vast distances or the pandemic, the world wide web has brought together people across the globe. And allowed us access to family, old friends and acquaintances. The ukulele community, already connected through YouTube and numerous web sites quickly adapted to the no travel and quarantines set up around the world. Events became virtual and instructors learned to deal with time lag and the foibles of internet video connections. It has brought us opportunities to learn from instructors on the other side of the world through live online events and videos stored for review at any time of the day or night. One of the things I’ve done during the pandemic is to expand my artistic pursuits, specifically pen and ink drawing. I found a drawing course online by an artist that…
Eleven Years Ago
Eleven years ago, a package arrived. It came from an eBay purchase and contained a beat up ukulele with three gut string on it. I put new strings on it and had my very first ukulele. It has opened the door to music, new friends, and many adventures. I can easily say it was a life changing event that has made its stamp on my life. From major events and festivals, workshops with dozens of skilled musicians and hundreds of friends, open mics, featured performer and camp, it has been an amazing ride! I’ve written a book and done presentations and lectures, not to mention other opportunities to advocate for this wonderful instrument! I always thought it was probably a Harmony from about the 1950’s. It was actually made by Harmony, but was purchased by the Richter Company in the 1940’s. Fred Richter was an artist and would decorate them…
My New Wallet
Yeah, it maybe strange, and I’m sure you are wondering about why I have a post about a wallet. But one look at the wallet and you know why I had to get it! I’ve been looking for a new way ever since my trip to Okinawa last year and realizing how crazy it was for me to actually be carrying two wallets around with me, one for ID and credit cards and one for cash. Ran across a video the other day about The Ridge Wallet. And went through about a dozen review videos comparing the various versions and styles. There are cheaper ones out there, but the reviews for this one were good. When a YouTube channel I follow showed one and provided a discount code, I had to go and look at them. And one of the choices was this one. I almost scrolled by it,…
The UKUL3L3 Dude!
After several years of being totally jealous of the individuals that had acquired Michigan’s UKULELE license plate and then the GCEA plate, (Yes, I know who has them both!) I finally went my own route. After consulting with a number of individuals and test marketing, I made a decision. You have to apply in person, so I made an online appointment at the Secretary of State office one Monday morning for the following Thursday. I walked in and out in less than ten minutes with my receipt and new registration. It arrived about two weeks later, and I was out of town. After another week, I finally put it on the car! I have also registered the domain name, so it will lead anyone that happens to look for it to The Ukulele Dude!
Guest Post on UkuleleMusicInfo
I wrote a guest post on Elderly Instruments for Ukulele Music Info, which you can read here: Michigan, the Great Uke State – Elderly Instrument, Mighty Uke Day and More!
Should I Use a Pick to Play My Ukulele? FAQ
Like so many things, this is entirely up to you and how you play! So here are some things to consider when making your decision. When recording it can provide a sound that is picked up better by the recording system. For those with tender fingers or thin nails, due to arthritis or being young, it can be uncomfortable to play with the fingers. And it doesn’t have to be a pick, you can even use pretty much any stiff item, a piece of soft plastic, cardboard or an flat silicone eraser. One time we put a bunch of zip ties to use with a group of kids! I have one of those pick punches that can be used to punch picks out of old credit cards or gift cards. When I go to a class of beginners, I’ll have a bag full of small picks punched out of soft…
What is Your Favorite Ukulele Chord and Why?
I was able to attend the 2017 Midwest Uke and Harmonica Camp in Olivet, Michigan. As I got moved into my dorm room and walked over to the orientation meeting, I came up with a sort of ice breaker to use. Rather than asking people where they were from, I was going to ask them what their favorite ukulele chord was and why it was their favorite. Some people had an answer right away, others had to think about it for a while (or a day!). So here are some of the responses I got, along with a bit of introduction to the ‘celebrities’ I got an answer from. Gerald Ross was the fastest one to answer, absolutely no hesitation. “The magical chord! C6 [5-7-5-7]. Whenever I pick up an ukulele that is the chord I play, and then slide two fingers up into the Cdim7 [5-6-5-6] or down to…
Can I Fly With My Ukulele? FAQs
Please note that the following article is specifically aimed at domestic travel within the United States. If you are crossing international borders, restrictions on certain types of wood and ivory can be cause major problems at customs. Make sure you are fully informed before taking your instrument through customs anywhere in the world! The safest way to travel with an ukulele is to carry it on as your personal item. I have never had any trouble going through security carrying an ukulele. The closest issue I had was when the screener asked what it was and if I could play it. I offered to, but he waved me on through with a grin. I have a bit of bungee chord that I use to wrap around my case, through the handle, and fasten it to my roller bag. My roller bag is one of the smaller types that will actually…