Sunday, February 6, 2011

The Tale Of How The Ukulele Acquired Its Name

By Keola Kawanako


The ukulele can be described as Hawaiian musical instrument that has a resemblance to a little guitar. Even though it may seem like an acoustic guitar it is very different from an acoustic guitar. It's got four strings, as opposed to 6 strings like a guitar and it is tuned in a different way. It generally is tuned to GCEA, while a guitar is tuned to EADGBE. It is also played in another way. Although some ukulele enthusiasts will use a pick like most guitar players make use of, traditionally, an ukulele is strummed with the fingertips alone.

This specific instrument was initially introduced to The State Of Hawaii way back in 1879. It's based on two Portuguese instruments referred to as the cavaquinho and the rajao, that had been brought to The Hawaiian Islands through the early Portuguese immigrants, that came here to work on the sugar plantations.

Edward Purvis, the vice-chamberlain of King Kalakaua, heard a person playing the cavaquinho and decided to find out how to play it. Purvis was a smaller and very energetic person. He strummed the cavaquinho with a lot of vigor and because of this; the Hawaiians supplied him the moniker of "Ukulele", which means jumping flea. He received this nickname simply because his dynamic performing style and little stature reminded them of a jumping flea.

Later on, a few cabinet manufacturers from the Portuguese district of Madeira, constructed the first ukulele, basing it on the cavaquinho and rajao, which Purvis played so nicely. Somebody decided to apply Purvis's nickname to this brand new musical instrument and this is the way the ukulele acquired its name. The naming of this musical instrument is twice as apt, due to the fact many point out that the fingers of an ukulele musician mimic jumping fleas, particularly when they're playing a up tempo song.

From its modest origins in 1879, in Hawaii, the ukulele has turned into a well-liked musical instrument. In 1920, it first grew to become popular inside the U.S. throughout the Jazz age. And in the 1990s its reputation has begun to go up again by means of musicians like: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Jake Shimabukuro and even original Beatle, George Harrison.




About the Author:



No comments: