All About Owning and Playing the Soprano Ukulele

The soprano ukulele is one of four sizes for this musical instrument. It is the one most people think of when they see or hear of a ukulele performance. It is the most common of the ukulele types and the smallest of the four. The Ukulele is strongly linked to the Hawaiian Islands, but was originally brought there by Portuguese immigrants.

The guitar-like instrument is available in four sizes. A soprano version is the smallest, followed by the concert, tenor and baritone sizes. A soprano-size ukulele usually measures up to thirteen inches on the strings with a maximum length of 21 inches.

The tuning for the soprano ukulele, or standard ukulele as it is traditionally known is G C E A. The G is tuned one octave higher than the other three notes. The G may also be tuned as a low G. Another popular tuning for the soprano and the concert sizes is the sequence A D F# B. It is one step higher and is said produce a sweeter sound.

The D tuning was the most popular method used during the Hawaiian music craze that hit the country during the early 1900s. This tuning sequence is the one used in the Canadian school system. The A D F# B sequence is sometimes known as Canadian tuning.

The other sizes of ukulele instruments are tuned differently, each producing a unique sound and style of playing. There are also some more exotic styles and sizes of ukuleles. These include the banjo, harp and lap steel ukulele.

Almost all ukuleles today are made of wood, the less expensive ones will be of laminated wood or ply construction. The soundboards for the lesser quality instruments will be made of spruce. As the ukuleles move up the quality list, they will be made of acoustically superior woods such as mahogany or koa, a Hawaiian specialty wood. These instruments are tremendously valuable and can cost thousands of dollars.

The traditional ukulele shape is a figure eight, similar to a small-size acoustic guitar. More unusual shapes include a pineapple shape, boat paddle shape or a square shape. There are kits sold so that musicians can construct their own instrument for very little monetary outlay.

Learning to play the soprano ukulele is fairly simple, particularly if you are already knowledgeable about chords. Tuning advice and introductory lessons can be found online or in music stores. As with any other musical instrument, practice makes the player more proficient. The short length of the scale makes the ukulele a good starting point for those wanting to begin playing a plucked string musical instrument.