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What Is Ukelele?

The ukulele is a small, four-stringed instrument that originated in Hawaii in the 1880s, adapted from a Portuguese instrument called the machete de braga. It’s strummed or plucked, produces a distinctively bright and cheerful tone, and has become one of the most popular instruments in the world for beginners — partly because you can genuinely learn to play a song in your first sitting.

Hawaiian Roots, Portuguese Origins

The ukulele’s creation story is well documented. In 1879, Portuguese immigrants arrived in Hawaii aboard the ship Ravenscrag, bringing with them small stringed instruments including the machete, cavaquinho, and rajao. Hawaiian woodworkers, particularly Manuel Nunes, Jose do Espirito Santo, and Augusto Dias, adapted these instruments into what became the ukulele.

King David Kalakaua, Hawaii’s last king, championed the instrument and incorporated it into royal gatherings and Hawaiian cultural events. His endorsement gave the ukulele a prestige that helped it spread throughout the islands.

The name “ukulele” roughly translates from Hawaiian as “jumping flea” — possibly describing the rapid finger movements of skilled players, or possibly referencing Edward Purvis, a small, energetic Englishman who was an early enthusiast. The etymology is debated, and both stories have supporters.

The Four Sizes

Soprano — The original and smallest (about 21 inches long). This is the sound most people associate with the ukulele: bright, punchy, and unmistakably “ukey.” Limited fret space makes it slightly challenging for players with larger hands, but its portability and classic tone keep it popular.

Concert — Slightly larger at 23 inches, with a few more frets and a fuller sound. It’s the sweet spot for many players — big enough for comfortable finger placement, small enough to retain that characteristic ukulele voice.

Tenor — At 26 inches, the tenor offers a deeper, warmer tone with more volume and projection. Many professional performers prefer tenors. Jake Shimabukuro, arguably the world’s most famous ukulele player, typically plays a tenor.

Baritone — The largest at 30 inches, tuned D-G-B-E (the same as the top four strings of a guitar). It sounds more like a small guitar than a traditional ukulele. Guitarists transitioning to ukulele often start here because the tuning is familiar.

Standard tuning for soprano, concert, and tenor ukuleles is G-C-E-A. The weird part: the G string is actually tuned higher than the C string below it. This “re-entrant” tuning — where the strings don’t go from lowest to highest — gives the ukulele its distinctive jangly quality when strummed.

Why It Keeps Coming Back

The ukulele has experienced at least three major popularity waves, and it’s currently riding the biggest one yet.

1910s-1930s: The first craze. The Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco (1915) introduced mainland Americans to Hawaiian music and the ukulele. Tin Pan Alley embraced it. Vaudeville performers featured it. Sales boomed.

1950s-1960s: TV revival. Arthur Godfrey, a hugely popular TV host, played ukulele on his show and inspired millions to pick one up. Tiny Tim’s falsetto rendition of “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” in the late 1960s cemented the instrument in pop culture — though in a slightly comedic way.

2006-present: The modern boom. Israel Kamakawiwoole’s posthumously viral version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” introduced a new generation to the instrument. YouTube made ukulele tutorials accessible worldwide. Artists like Jake Shimabukuro demonstrated that the instrument could be taken seriously — his cover of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” has over 20 million views. Sales have grown consistently since the mid-2000s, with estimates of over 1.5 million ukuleles sold annually in the U.S. alone.

Playing the Thing

The mechanics are straightforward. You hold the ukulele against your chest with your strumming arm, fret notes with your other hand, and strum or pick the strings with your fingers (or a felt pick, though fingers are more traditional).

Chords — The ukulele’s greatest party trick is that common chords are remarkably easy to play. The C major chord requires pressing one string at one fret. That’s it — one finger. Am, F, and G7 are similarly simple. With just these four chords, you can play hundreds of songs: “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz, “Riptide” by Vance Joy, “Stand By Me,” and on and on.

Strumming patterns — The basic down-up strum gets you started, but the real flavor comes from patterns. The classic island strum (down, down-up, up-down-up) gives you that Hawaiian feel immediately. Muting, chunking (hitting the strings with the side of your hand for a percussive “chuck”), and fingerpicking add variety.

Beyond chords — Advanced players explore fingerstyle, where individual notes create melodies and harmonies simultaneously. The ukulele’s four strings keep this more manageable than guitar fingerpicking. Techniques like hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, and harmonics extend the instrument’s expressive range well beyond strummed chords.

Choosing Your First Ukulele

Here’s the honest advice: don’t buy the cheapest one you can find, but don’t spend a fortune either.

Budget ukuleles under $30 often have tuning stability problems, buzzing frets, and poor intonation that will frustrate you before you learn anything. A solid beginner ukulele from Kala, Cordoba, or Ohana in the $50-$100 range will stay in tune, play comfortably, and sound genuinely pleasant.

Start with a soprano or concert. The soprano is the most portable and “ukulele-sounding.” The concert gives your fingers a bit more room. Either works perfectly for learning.

The ukulele’s accessibility is its superpower. It’s affordable, portable, easy to start, and satisfying at every skill level — from strumming three chords at a campfire to performing virtuoso arrangements on a concert stage. Few instruments offer that kind of range.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ukulele easy to learn?

The ukulele is widely considered one of the easiest stringed instruments to learn. Its small size, soft nylon strings (which don't hurt fingertips like steel guitar strings), and simple chord shapes mean most beginners can play recognizable songs within a few hours. Many popular songs use just three or four chords, all of which are achievable on day one.

What is the difference between the four ukulele sizes?

Soprano (21 inches) is the smallest and most traditional, with a bright, classic sound. Concert (23 inches) offers a slightly fuller tone and more fret space. Tenor (26 inches) has a deeper, richer sound preferred by professional performers. Baritone (30 inches) is the largest, tuned like the top four guitar strings (D-G-B-E) rather than standard ukulele tuning (G-C-E-A).

How is a ukulele different from a guitar?

The ukulele has four nylon strings compared to a guitar's six (usually steel). It's significantly smaller, tuned differently (G-C-E-A vs. E-A-D-G-B-E), and produces a brighter, more percussive tone. Ukulele chord shapes are simpler, and the instrument's shorter scale length makes it easier for small hands. The two instruments share enough similarities that skills transfer between them.

Further Reading

• Smithsonian National Museum of American History — Musical Instruments
• Ukulele Magazine
• Encyclopaedia Britannica — Ukulele