Today’s question comes courtesy of Tom Maxwell via the Ukulele Players group on Facebook:

“The question came up recently so now I’m curious: what makes a ukulele a ukulele? Not string count. I’ve seen 4, 5, 6, 8, and more than 12 strings. Hi G and low G. Tuned “my dog has fleas” or tuned in like a violin. Electric or acoustic. Steel strings or gut strings. Made of wood, carbon fiber, plastic, cigar box. Solid or hollow. Gorgeous or ugly. Thoughts??”

I’ve heard it argued that the only ‘true’ ukulele is a soprano-sized instrument, with peg tuners, strung re-entrant gCEA, and is made of Koa … if it doesn’t meet these requirements, it is a hybrid. The ukulele itself being a hybrid of traditional Madeiran folk instruments and tunings with Hawaiian wood.

The original guitars of the Renaissance were about the size of a modern baritone ukulele, had four courses and were tuned gGCCEEA (7-strings), everything that came after was a hybrid on that theme. Baroque luthiers added a fifth course and Classical luthiers added the sixth, enlarging the instrument and lowering the tuning. They’re all, including the ukulele, part of the same family.

But for practicality’s sake, I’d agree with the person in the thread that said if you can use the same ukulele tabs to play a song, then call it a ukulele.

I personally feel that the re-entrant gCEA tuning of the ukulele is a big part of what makes a ukulele sound like a ukulele, but tell that to major players like James Hill who are big proponents of linear tuning … they do very well with that and are awesome. So, I think that really divides the ukulele world into two camps, and ever shall they debate. 🙂

And speaking of debate, Mitsuru Ogami wrote me to say:

That’ funny, I didn’t know James Hill like linear tuning. All videos I see on youtube, he plays re-entrant tuned ukulele, all the songs in his book “Duets for one” are for re-entrant. Jake shimanukuro, John king… most of my favorite pro players prefers re-entrant.

“There are advantages and disadvantages to both low 4th string tuning (a.k.a. “linear” tuning) and high 4th string tuning (a.k.a. “re-entrant” tuning); otherwise I’d just travel with one ukulele and forget about it. Re-entrant tuning is great for vocal accompaniment, jazz chording, and campanella-style playing (à la John King). Linear tuning is better for ensemble melody picking, classroom instruction, lead picking and solo arrangements that involve moving bass lines. Different tools, same tool kit.” ~ James Hill

James Hill is a big, and vocal, proponent of linear tuning for educational use. His Ukulele in the Classroom books aimed at providing a comprehensive ukulele curriculum for grade school students only makes concession for reentrant tuning because of its ubiquity, but the series is aimed at a linear model.You are right that John King (particularly as a pioneer of campanella-style playing on the ukulele) and Jake Shimabukuro favor reentrant, but there are plenty of great solo players that favor linear. The most famous example might be Israel Kamakawiwoʻole’s cover of ‘Over the Rainbow’ which uses linear to great effect. Then you have Taimane Gardner, which with her 5-string set up, essentially using both systems at the same time.

Post filed under All UkulelePlay! Blog Posts.