Here is the digitial version of our 3rd issue
Ukelandia FAQ
The 30-Day Uke Challenge by Bernadette Teaches Music is a great place to start.
Once you are comfortable with that, try the 30-Day Uke Song Challenge.
Additionally, make a list of some songs which you really love and are easy to play.
Have fun, be patient and be kind to yourself along the journey.
It’s normal to get blisters, aches and cramps in the beginning of your ukulele journey. Try playing slowly and gently. In time, the pain will diminish as your fingertips develop calluses and you develop muscle memory.
It takes a while for new strings to stretch and settle in. You need to re-tune your new uke every 5 minutes but keep playing and let it warm up to you. Also, try pulling the strings gently the first few times to help them stretch faster.
You can hold your ukulele in the right position without a strap. However, it does increase mobility of both your hands. The choice is completely yours – try both and decide what works best for you.
Solid wooden ukuleles can warp or crack under extreme dryness. Even laminate ukes can warp under radical temperature.
The ideal humidity level for your uke is 40-50%.
You need to get a humidifier if your ukulele is not
kept in an environment where the humidity level is around that range.
It’s the ability of your instrument to stay in tune, whether you are plucking open strings or fretting. You know the uke has bad intonation when it doesn’t sound right, regardless of tuning it.
Intonation related problems can be caused by the string quality, fret positioning, action at the nut or saddle or neck alignment. If your uke is not sounding right, the best approach is to have it checked by a luthier.ple Description
If your strings are wearing out (check the area where the strings come in contact with the frets) or you experience loss of tone, it’s time to get new strings.
Ukuleles traditionally are strung with high-G strings. In this case, the G string is tuned as G4 which is higher than C4 (the string right next to your Gstring).
The low-G will be one octave lower than the high-G string (G3 instead of G4). In this case, you will get a much deeper and fuller sound.
All chord shapes remain the same for both low and high-G strings.
The metronome is a great tool to help you maintain your timing throughout a performance.
Practicing with a metronome will also guide you to make smoother chord transitions and improve your speed.
Standard tuning for the baritone ukulele is DGBE.
The chords for a song will remain the same but the chord shapes are different.
The metronome is a great tool to help you maintain your timing throughout a performance.
Practicing with a metronome will also guide you to make smoother chord transitions and improve your speed.
If you are asking whether you should get the uke that you have been eyeing, then the answer is always a yes!
On a more serious note, the type of wood, the action, smoothness of the fretboard, the uke’s weight and size can impact the sound quality and playability.
So yes, an upgrade can help you get the sound you desire.
Nevertheless, the first thing to sound betteris to practice enough to get better at playing your instrument.
NOPE!
The ukulele is a 4-string instrument with the standard tuning of GCEA, whereas the guitar has 6 strings tuned as EADGBE. They also sound very different from each other.
There is no one set way to determine a strumming pattern, but here’s what I do:
Listen to the song multiple times to really get it in my head, determine its rhythm and groove, look out for percussions and how the groove is shaped by heavier or lighter strums and finally try to replicate that groove.
Both can be helpful. A wider nut means greater space between the strings, so less chance of muting a string unintentionally.
The scale length invariably impacts on the nature of the sound produced - pitch, volume and tone. The choice of scale length should be dependent on the type of sound you want to make. Check out our past editions of ‘Buyers Guide’ if you wish to know more.
This is an overall check at the build, intonation and playability of an ukulele.
It’s when luthiers fix any wood defects, neck alignment, action, fret defects or
anything that might need some tweaking to ensure a buzz-free, comfortable and in-tune playing experience.
It’s the Ukulele Acquisition Syndrome.
Fear not, here’s a formula you can use:
No. of Ukes Required = N+1
(where N is the no. of ukes currently owned)
On a serious note, ask yourself the question, “Is it more worthwhile buying a lot
of cheaper ukes or holding back a bit and spending all that money on a very good one?”
The basic rhythm of the song should be the thing that dictates the strumming pattern. If you listen to a song, sing along and tap your foot to it. Think about when you are tapping.
That’s a pointer to how you strum it. If you can tap your foot to it, you can feel
the beat of the song. If you can feel it, you can play it!
The must-have while starting out is a tuner. Also, a strap will help alleviate
some of the stress of holding a uke in place. Other accessories to consider,
based on your preference, are capos, gig bags, uke stands, picks, cleaning
cloth and humidifiers.
It is best to keep the cleaning ritual simple.
Just wipe it with a microfiber cleaning cloth. You can very slightly dampen the cloth with water, but make sure to rinse off any dampness with a dry cloth afterwards. This bit is highly debated, but for a gloss-finish uke you can use a small amount of guitar polish on the body. However, experts say it’s best to not use such products on the fretboard.
It’s wise to choose a trustworthy brand and dealer. You MUST check user-reviews of the ukulele, the dealer and the deal itself.
In addition, get a clear idea on the return policy before making the purchase. ‘Got A Ukulele’ has detailed, unbiased reviews of many popular ukes, so it’s worth checking those out.
Metronome is a device that generates a steady beat per minute (BPM). It’s a great tool to develop your sense of rhythm and maintaining the desired rhythm throughout a song. You can set the BMP on your metronome as per requirement and play in time with the tick-tock sound it generates. It’s also a life saver when you want to work on increasing your strumming or fingerpicking speed.
Ah! We’ve all been there! First, hold your chord position and check which string is buzzing. Wiggle your fretting fingers around to see if you are unconsciously muting a string. Also, try fretting closer to the fret wire to get clearer sound e.g. for playing a C chord, your finger should be placed just above the 3rd fret. If the problem persists, check if your uke’s neck is warped, the frets are uneven or the string action is too low. In these cases, it is best to have the uke fixed by a luthier.
Uke sizes are correlated to the sound it produces rather than playability. Personally, for a newbie (child or adult), I’d recommend a concert. It’s medium in size and has all 18 frets with good fret width to get started on strumming or fingerpicking. To know more, please read Dave Thorpe’s article, “Size Matters” on our magazine’s 1st issue. You can also check out the YouTube video by Uke Like The Pros named “Ukulele Sizes and What is Best For You” to get further insights.
It has no cure, my friend! But you can consider saving up and getting a REALLY good uke that you wouldn’t want to ever put down 😛
It is when the saddle has notches to minutely adjust the string length and get accurate intonation. Intonation of a stringed instrument depends on precise measurements and there are multiple factors in play besides the compensated saddle. Manufacturers may decide to focus on other features more to ensure desired intonation. A straight saddle will not go wrong if it is positioned correctly, however, a compensated saddle is more likely to be closer to perfection.
A 6-string uke can be played using the same chord shapes as a traditional uke. It will have an additional C and A string, so it will be GCCEAA. They will sound same as a 4-string uke, but fuller. A guitar is strung as EADGBE and so the chord shapes are different.
A baritone uke is tuned just like the first 4 strings of a guitar – DGBE. A guitarlele is basically a standard guitar with a capo on the 5th fret. So, it’s tuned as ADGCEA.
Here are the issues of our magazine
Issue #1
Issue #2
Issue #3
Issue #4
Issue #5
Issue #6
Contributors and ads.
If you like to contribute or see your ads in our magazine, get in contact with us…
Here are our contributors so far:
Ukelandia Etsy-Store
You searched for: Ukelandia! Discover the unique items that Ukelandia creates. At Etsy, we pride ourselves on our global community of sellers. Each Etsy seller helps contribute to a global marketplace of creative goods. By supporting Ukelandia, you’re supporting a small business, and, in turn, Etsy!
K-Stand/Home
These K-Stands fit most Ukuleles and Ukulele Gig Bags from Soprano Ukuleles, Concert Ukuleles, Tenor Ukuleles, to Baritone Ukuleles. The Patented thin flat design allows the K-Stand to fit neatly inside a Gig Bag for easy storage and travel and instantly transforms into a sturdy support. Included with every K-Stand is a soft pouch to protect your instrument’s finish while the K-Stand is in the case.
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About
Welcome to Ukelandia Magazine!
Do you ever spend time alone? I don’t mean the type of “alone” where you’re on your phone browsing through social media or listening to music, a podcast, or WhatsApp voice messages.
The type of alone time I’m referring to is the kind that allows you to hear the sound of your own thoughts.
This alone time is what brought you and I here today. I was taking my morning walk when all of a sudden I heard the word “magazine” in my head and my whole body tingled with excitement.
Alone time is what brought you and I here today
A few days later I was leading a live ukulele lesson on YouTube when Chiara, a member of our community, asked if I had any secrets. She asked this because it is common knowledge in our community that I can’t keep a secret.
I shared with the people watching the livestream that I wanted to start a magazine but had no idea how to do it. While discussing the idea there, we all decided that we would work together on the magazine.
The name “Ukelandia” came from my friend, Maria. Sometime in 2018 Maria created a group chat that was made up of ukulele players that had somehow connected through my channel community.
I liked the name “Ukelandia” and asked Maria if I could use it to create a Facebook group. Maria agreed and the rest is history.
This magazine was not made by me. The Ukelandia community came together to bring you this magazine.
The Ukelandia community came together to bring you this magazine
People from different ages and places came together to design our magazine, create our logo, write and edit articles, setup the website, organize meetings, gather stories, and more.
We have created this magazine for you. We hope that you enjoy our stories, learn from our educational segments, try our DIYs, and even join in and help us create future issues of the magazine.
These are the people, who work on the magazine for you (starring in alphabetical order):
Abhay is a writer of poems/songs at Ukelandia under the pen-name “Papillon.”
He has been writing scientific articles for 15 years and he took to creative
writing only recently. When not writing, Abhay likes to spend time gardening,
birdwatching, traveling, and taking photographs. His favorite activity is Fall leafpeeping,and when in Colorado taking in the great outdoors. His favorite
ukulele is his Leolani RS. Leolani in Hawaiian language means “Heavenly Voice”
and he says his uke sounds just like that!
Amanda and Bethany are long-distance pals from opposing corners of the
United States. They bonded on Instagram over a shared love of all of the
joys that the ukulele has to offer. They teamed up to create Ukulele After
Dark, a quirky series focused on sharing their joy for the ukulele with others
and teaching the tips, tricks, and tools to keep the spark alive in your ukulele
playing.
Andżela is the masterpiece of the expression “Jack of all trades and Master of
none.” Actually, mastering her life would already be a great achievement! She
has been an ONG volunteer, a videogames tester, an e-commerce tester, a
photographer and a writer, to name a few. She has lived in mutiple countries
doing various jobs. She has backpacked trying to find herself and the meaning
of life. She says she’s still on the path, and it’s already a joy to know that she’s
not alone. She hopes that the whole Ukelandia community will meet together
one day and the day it happens, you can safely bet that she’s going to cook
pasta for everyone!
Bernadette is a mommy, wife and YouTuber living in Imperial Valley, California.
Bernadette started her music education YouTube channel while living and working abroad in Okinawa, Japan.
Chiara is a 24-year-old ukulele player from Belgium who has been
playing the instrument for about 2.5 years now. She also supports Bernadette
and the Uke Family through social media by supporting everyone who needs
help. She’s a dedicated and fierce Moderator for Bernadette on YouTube,
Instagram, and Telegram.
Dave Thorpe has had a long musical career as a teacher, performer, writer,
recording artist, and qualified senior music therapist for the Nordoff Robbins
Music Therapy Charity. Based in London, the very best Wembley Stadium,
Dave was a huge fan of tenor ukes – particularly aNueNues and Kamakas.
Drishya is a ukulele player from India and has been playing for over
1.5 years now. She learned from Bernadette Teaches Music on YouTube
and loves being a part of the ukulele community.
Jennifer loves creating and building, she spends most of her time with family.
Her hobbies include building furniture, decorating and design, painting, gardening, board games and of course the ukulele.
She has played the ukulele for 12 years on and off and was saved from boredom by Bernadette’s Ukulele Lockdown.
Madeleine is a mother of two, a grandmother, and a recently retired
professional who has dabbled in the arts most of her life. She has done
lampworking, stained glass art, painting, design, and now her latest passion is
the “Ukulele”.
Mati 🦄 (Matilde) is a lawyer from Argentina who loves music and landscapes.
She likes to travel a lot, but in the pandemic time she couldn’t do that so, she decided to learn the uke. The music, Bernadette and the Ukelele Lockdown Season 2020 changed and saved her life forever.
Now she has more music and more friends, thanks to the uke!
Michal (22) is a student of Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience from
Poland, who recently started working in recruitment. Outside of his studies,
he’s passionate about music, people, travel and hiking. Although he usually
listens to heavy (not exactly ukulele-friendly) music, he’s always been drawn to
instruments and wanted to find a hobby that would help him fight stress and
one he could enjoy whenever he feels overwhelmed. His ukulele journey
began kind of on an impulse, only about 6 months ago, but so far it seems like
the perfect fit. Next order of business – buying a second uke!
Monica is an artist who lives in Canada. She writes,
draws, paints, does pyrography and wood sculpting and loves
to carve antlers. She listens to crime podcasts while working
except when playing her ukuleles.
Nadia is a specialized clinical chemistry analyst from the Netherlands.
Started playing ukulele in November 2020 and now helps editing articles for the magazine.
Peewee is a part-time dentist, full-time daydreamer. Loves to get her hands dirty making stuff from scratch. Always cooking up new ideas and seeking new adventures. She enjoys playing the uke as should all right thinking people and she claims she always wears pants!
Peg was a wife to a wonderful man since 47 years, and a
Mom to two exceptional ladies. She was a retired educator (who really retires?)
and just a kid at heart! She started learning the ukulele on January 6, 2021
cause she says one never really stops learning throughout life!
Peter lives in Holland and recently became a doctor. So he told all his friends not to eat apples everyday, because that keeps doctors away and he likes his friends. He took his own doctor’s advice to find relaxation in playing the ukulele.
But almost a year and a lot of videos later he still needs to learn his first song.
That didn’t stop him from helping with coordinating and creating a magazine all about the ukulele.
Phyllis was born into a musical family in the northern part of South Carolina,
USA. The first instrument she owned was a tobacco Harmony guitar that her
Mom ordered from Sears and Roebuck! Phyllis is a retired high school
computer teacher and IT administrator. She is involved in 3 vocal groups –
church choir, Renaissance (mixed quartet), and ‘We Three’ (vocals, guitar, and uke). ‘We Three’ have a CD out called “Christmas Blessings”.
Saiyara is a music lover from Bangladesh. She has been playing the uke for 3+
years now and enjoys trying out different chord melodies. She is a proud bird
mom too! Professionally, she is a business analyst, so most of the time when
she is not playing the uke, her life is dominated by rows and columns.
Shelly lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, with her patient husband, Rick, and their handsome cat, Tenuto. She’s a recently retired choir teacher who is grateful to Bernadette for sharing the joy of ukuleles and her special Ukelandia brand of ukulele love with her and with the world.
Stefan lives in Nothern Germany right between the Northern and the Baltic Sea.
He grabbed the Uke in the beginning of 2020, found Bernadetes Lockdown
Livestreams in that same year and the rest is history.
Besides the Ukulele (especially the Tenor Uke’s), he likes board games and is a great Star Wars “Nerd”.
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