Download Sing About Martin to honor MLK Day with your music student.
The ukulele originated in Portugal and was brought to Hawaii in the 1880’s by a group of Portuguese woodworkers who emigrated to Honolulu. The ukulele looks like a very small guitar (ranging from 13-19 inches) with four strings. Ukuleles are typically made from wood, although some cheaper models can be made from ply or laminate woods.
One of the best features of the ukulele is how easy it is to carry around. The uke is ideal for busking, traveling or bringing along to the beach!
Ukulele is a particularly good instrument for young kids to learn as a introduction to guitar. Although the ukulele has a different string count and tuning than guitar, it can give a great basis for the skills needed for guitar. The ukulele sounds like a higher pitched guitar and can be used in many of the same songs as guitar.
Ukulele has become very popular in contemporary music and is used in performance by artists such as Ingrid Michaelson, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Colbie Callait. Check out the links below to learn chord positions and songs!
Sheep Entertainment Chordfinder
