Uke Love Issue #41

Going gaga over the guitar’s baby cousin

By Judy Berman
Published: September 1st, 2009 | 10:22am

Back in 2001, Kate Micucci was living on her aunt and uncle’s porch in Hawaii, desperately missing her piano. Luckily, there was a music store nearby, where Micucci decided to pick up the local specialty: a ukulele. But it wasn’t until about two years ago that she began performing with the instrument. The rest is primetime sitcom history: Earlier this year, the actress showed up on Scrubs, in the role of Ted Buckland’s uke-wielding girlfriend, Stephanie Gooch. Songs she performed on the show, such as the delightfully awkward “Screw You,” became instant Internet sensations.

Micucci, who also plays the uke in an uproariously funny comedy-folk duo called Garfunkel & Oates, isn’t the only young woman who has fallen in love with the instrument. Londoners at June’s Uke Fest 2009 broke a world record when 851 musicians simultaneously strummed and sang the Beach Boys’ “Sloop John B.” Ryan Esaki of Ukulele Underground (ukuleleunderground.com) says traffic on his website, which provides free video lessons for musicians of all skill levels, has gone through the roof since the end of last year. Plus, these days it’s not uncommon to see crafty ladies toting ukes to social gatherings.

The relative ease of learning to play the ukulele surely has something to do with its growing popularity. Whereas an aspiring guitarist may need years of lessons, the uke has a unique, DIY appeal. “I didn’t have anybody show me how to play it,” says Lindsey Driscoll, a Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter. She started out less than two years ago with a cheap uke before upgrading to an electric model and going on tour. “You can learn how to play your first chord in one minute,” says Esaki, who has been tutoring his girlfriend in the instrument.

Uke fans also praise the instrument’s portability. “I cycle a lot, so it’s often put in my rucksack for sing-alongs around the campfire or impromptu jams,” says Jayne Freeman of Britain’s Bohemia Ukulele Band, a group that has covered such classics as “Germ Free Adolescents” by X-Ray Spex and Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots are Made for Walkin’.” Micucci, who carries her ukulele nearly every day, confesses to playing it in traffic sometimes.

With a glorified toy version running only slightly more than a day’s lunch money, the uke is one recession-friendly instrument. However, until recently, says Esaki, it was hard to find anything good for under $300. Now, he recommends inexpensive models from brands such as Kala and Ohana. Micucci advises spending around $50 on a decent model, and Driscoll suggests scouring eBay for bargains.

The pros are full of tips and tricks to improve your technique, from practicing with guitar- and piano-playing friends to learning to read tabs. But the most important thing for newbies to remember is to have fun, with what Micucci calls the ultimate “happy instrument.”