The Origins of the Ukulele
The ukulele is one of the newest and smallest members of the guitar family. The first prototype of the new instrument was brought to the Hawaiian Islands by Portuguese immigrants in the late 19th century. These new arrivals were cabinet makers and their design was based on another small guitar-like instrument called the machete.
The first official documentation of a ukulele was in 1879 when the Hawaiian Gazette published an article concerning three Portuguese immigrants turned street performs who were entertaining passersby with an interesting new instrument. It wasn’t long after that the ukulele became the official musical instrument of Hawaii.
In fact, it was King David Kalakaua himself who fell in love with the ukulele and made certain that it was a staple at all royal parties and gatherings. The King was a patron of the arts and while he was well aware of the fact that the instrument had not originated on the Islands, he knew that it served as a perfect complement to traditional Hawaiian music.
With only four strings and few frets, the ukulele is generally considered much easier to play than the standard guitar. The strings of the average ukulele are also made of nylon, which is much easier on the fingers than the metal strings of the standard acoustic guitar.
In later years, the ukulele would become popular with Jazz Age musicians and amateurs due in large part to its relatively low price and portability. Again, it was also seen as much easier to play than the guitar, which made it a hit with both amateur and professional songwriters.
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