my ukulele book — one-off printing on request

The first edition of my ukulele book is sold out, but, while I’m thinking about reprinting or otherwise, I’d be happy to make one off copies (printed and stabled, but no cover) for $12 (AUD) plus postage and handling for anyone who is interested. Half the purchase of these copies will still go to Youngcare.

The book aims to help ukulele strummers play the tune as they strum. You can learn a little about it in the video below:

Information on how to buy it can also be found on the ‘how-to-buy-my-book’ page.

From 4th November 2009, I will donate to youngcare half the net purchase price of any book sold.

If you don’t want to buy my book (that’s ok), please consider donating to youngcare yourself.

Homemade Cigarbox Ukulele No. 3

Bach’s Passion Chorale

Old tune on new, old ukulele…

 

Favilla Ukulele (sound test)

A Favilla Ukulele (U-2) in Australia — I wonder how many more there might be in Ozland. Please let me know if you know of any others.

I been told (via email) that it was built sometime between 1945 and 1953. It is a U-2 ukulele, which were built from the 1930′s to 1968.

See more on Favilla ukuleles here.

Aba Daba Honeymoon (1914) on ukulele

A smash hit for Arthur Fields and Walter Donaldson from 1914.

Campdown Races (1849) ukulele demo/how to

Accidents and the ukulele

Here are a few accidents that involved the ukulele, all of them grim in their own way…

The Mercury (Hobart, Tas.) reported 8 January 1936 that a single car accident at St Kilda, Melbourne, which left two men dead and six others injured. The party was on route to a dance at Carlton via Leo Griffin’s place to pick up his ukulele.  On the way, the vehicle struck the curb and struck a tree with grim results.

The Sunday Times (Perth) repeats gossip from the US, 1 January 1924, that Herbert Rawlinson “he of the dimples and ukulele playing” had married into the nobility (seemingly by accident) when he wed Loraine Abigail Long. The marriage seems to have been a mistake, as it lasted only three years.

The Sunday Times (Perth) on Sunday 6 March 1927 reported the death of band leader Bert Ralton. Bert was accidentially shoot while taking part in a shooting party. While lining up to shoot at a buck (deer, I suppose), Bert apparently backed into the muzzle a fellow hunter’s weapon. On that impact, the gun discharged into Ralton’s leg (its owner had his finger on the trigger). A doctor was sent for immediately, but Ralton was losing blood despite first aid efforts. While he was waiting for further treatment, he asked for his ukulele and sang I’ll be loving you…always‘, a song by Irving Berlin. In hospital, Ralton asked that his ukulele be placed by his side. He was operated on but died in hospital the next day.

Some tunes from ukulele club, yesterday.

Learned these two Yesterday — in G.

Skye Boat Song

Pokare Kare Ana

(Might be Pokarekare Ana..)

Walking from Melbourne to London, with ukelele in hand

In 1930, two young women (Gladys Turvey and Madge Salter) walked from Melbourne to Sydney hoping to find a free passage back to London. They had only 3 shillings and 11 pence, and a ukulele. Some adventure, said the Register Post of Adelaide on 18 December. They got to Sydney OK, but I haven’t yet learned if they got their free trip back home to London.

Gladys and Madge

 The Barrier Miner (16 December) said that the women hitch-hiked most of the way, doing day work on farms for a meal and a bed. The Register said they arrived in Sydney with 3/11 and uke, the Barrier said that they left Melbourne with 3/11 and a uke. So, if both papers are telling the truth, the women must have done sufficient work for their needs.

Kala ukulele for sale

Postage outside of Australia might be expensive. Selling to finance Favilla purchase.

This is an all solid Mahogany ukulele ASMT by Kala.

Learning to fly easier than learning the ‘ukelele’

The Adelaide Mail reported on 4 January 1930 that ukelele playing is more complicated than flying an aircraft. Flying Officer J. A. Mollison said so.

So, from the article we might apply the following as much to learning the ukulele as the flying officer did to learning to fly:

1. It provides a means of entertaining one’s friends (just like learning to fly)
2. It provides an opportunity to wear something out of the ordinary (ditto)
3. It requires some level of physical fitness
4. Those learning to play ukelele can be divided into 3 classes:
1. the intelligent, requiring  5 to 7 hours of dual instruction
2. the average, requiring 7 to 10 hours dual instruction
3. the stupid (could they say that back in 1930?), requiring 10 hours to infinity of dual instruction
5. It is not expensive to buy or maintain a light ukulele (about the same as purchasing and running a good car.)
6. One gets to move around swiftly (neighbours and family will see to that)
7. The first lesson (which takes place on the ground) includes an explanation of the controls,  and some risk of being heartbroken at not being able to get the ukelele to do what is required of it.
8. You will soon find that you are making definite progress
9. After what seems an interminably long period of time, you will have sufficient skill to play solo. 
10. There is a social side too — ukelele clubs are invariably a hotbed of scandal (really, folks, here I’m only replacing the words ‘aircraft’ and ‘aerodrome’ with ‘ukelele’ and ‘ukelele club’).
11. But, when all is said and done, ukelele playing is now disappointingly safe — but there is no need to let everyone know this.  Any ukelele player worth their salt will still tell hair-raising stories of how the bridge fell off during a tricky manoeuver.
12. Finally, to play ukelele is the long sought-after panacea — and appeals equally to the ‘neurotic spinster’ (I’m quoting here) or the bored father of a large family (can such a creature exist?).

So there you are. Learning to play ukelele is similar to, but a bit more tricky than, learning to fly. It has similar advantages and challenges. I don’t believe a word of it.