UKULELE is one of the more popular instruments as it presents a great way for people to get into string instruments and can be a great tool for beginner guitarists. It is also growing in popularity for professional musicians as well. The small portable size of the ukulele paired with the continued improvements to the instrument, make it more desirable now than ever to own one of these great instruments. Our buyers guide should help answer your questions and narrow down your search so you can find the best ukulele for you.
Top Rated Ukuleles
UKULELE TYPES
For our Ukulele Buyers Guides, we have separated Bass Ukuleles from all of the other Ukuleles. Since Bass Ukuleles are a different category, weโll focus on 4 main types of Ukuleles; Concert Ukes, Soprano Ukes, Tenor Ukes and Baritone Ukes.
The names of the types are associated with their size and tonal range, similar to vocal ranges and various types of saxophones.
BARITONE UKULELES
Baritone Ukuleles are the largest ukuleles which are accompanied by having the deepest tone with the exception of bass ukuleles. Both the string tuning and the overall feel of the Baritone Ukulele are similar to a regular guitar.
In some respects, the baritone Ukulele has more in common with a classical guitar or spanish guitar than even other ukuleles. Baritone Ukuleles are typically tuned D,G,B,E while all other (non bass) Ukuleles are tuned G,C,E,A.
Due to the tuning and the size, baritone ukuleles are ideal for young guitarists and beginning guitar players that want to get started on a string instrument, but their hands may not be big enough for a standard guitar just yet.
TENOR UKULELES
Tenor Ukuleles are fun to play and have alot of appeal. There is more low end then most of the other style ukuleles, but there is still the standard ukulele tuning and high end frequencies that are known to ring out in the traditional sound of the ukulele.
While the tenor ukulele is not the most popular of the ukulele styles, it is starting to catch on and become the ukulele of choice for many players that love the warm tones and wider range of dynamics.
CONCERT UKULELES
The Concert Ukulele is where you start getting into the classic sound of the ukulele. The higher pitch and fairly small bodied ukulele is easy to play and has more room for your fingers than the similar but smaller Soprano Ukulele.
For many beginners, concert ukuleles are the ukuleles of choice. It is also nice for adults with larger fingers that want the classic high pitch sounds of the traditional ukulele but may struggle with the small size of the Soprano Ukulele.
SOPRANO UKULELES
The Soprano Ukulele is what many people associate with the traditional ukulele. This is the Ukulele that you would see in movies and commercials depicting Hawaiin culture and relaxing on a beach with a drink in your hand.
These small ukuleles can be a challenge for full grown humans with big fingers. Despite that these are the most popular ukuleles as the bright sound is what many people look for in a good ukulele.
HOW TO TUNE A UKULELE
The easiest way to tune a ukulele is with a guitar tuner. If you do not have a guitar tuner there are several apps available for smartphones that can help. Guitar Tune, Tunefor Ukulele tuner & chords, GuitarTuna are a few that you can choose.
WHAT ARE THE NOTES OF THE STRINGS ON A UKULELE
Ukuleles are tuned to G,C,E, and A, which is standard tuning for a ukulele. There are alternative tunings for professional ukulele players like using a low G string instead of a high G string to get a deeper tone.
HOW TO PLAY THE UKULELE
The best way to learn how to play the Ukulele starts with getting a decent ukulele. Hopefully this buyers guide will assist you with that. Once you have that start by learning the notes on the strings and learn how to play ukulele chords. After that, there are a ton of easy songs to play on the Ukulele that have ukulele tabs online.
HOW TO STRUM THE UKULELE
While you can play the ukulele with a few different guitar related techniques, there is a traditional way to strum the ukulele. For starters, if you are a beginner, you should know that you strum with your dominant hand. Since most ukuleles are made right handed, it will be easier to navigate for right handed musicians. Left handed ukuleles do exist.
Leading with your forefinger on your dominant hand you can lightly strum with up and down strokes. These are known as open strums.
For more guides on ukuleles, check out our guides for finding the best beginner ukulele and top bass ukulele.