Ukulele Magazine

06/04/2026

The latest edition of Uke Tales features your responses to our queries about favorite ukes and jazz music, plus some heartwarming personal stories. Thanks for writing in!

This edition of Uke Tales features your responses to our queries about favorite ukes and jazz music, plus some heartwarming personal stories. Thanks for writing in!

05/27/2026

A defining feature of bossa nova is its rhythmic feel. Built on layered samba patterns and a characteristic emphasis on beat 2, the groove creates forward motion without ever feeling rushed. Those subtle syncopations—often spread across multiple instruments in a rhythm section—adapt beautifully to the ukulele, where chordal textures and thumb–finger independence can suggest the full ensemble.

This musical style, with its defining rhythmic feel, is especially well suited to the ukulele.

05/21/2026

Riding a wave of success propelled by its inventive guitars, mandolins, and banjos, Gibson started producing ukuleles around 1926–27, a decade or so after Martin had established itself as America’s premier ukulele maker. Gibson’s entry into the uke market reflected both public demand and the company’s desire to compete with not only Martin, but Lyon & Healy, Harmony, and other prominent ukulele manufacturers.

Gibson ukes are not just instruments but artifacts of artistry, innovation, and the enduring charm of the Jazz Age.

05/15/2026

Considering its size, it’s no surprise that the ukulele travels well. And while it is remarkable how quickly it is often embraced when introduced to a new culture, that’s not exactly surprising, either. Something I am continually amazed by, however, is its adaptability to playing a wide variety of music from around the world ... Read the rest of the editor's note for the Summer 2026 issue of Ukulele magazine.

Considering its size, it’s no surprise that the ukulele travels well. And while it is remarkable how quickly it is often embraced when introduced to a new culture, that’s not exactly surprising, ei…

05/13/2026

From our friends at Strathmore:

Ready to level up your ukulele skills?

Join Strathmore this August for the 18th annual UkeFest in North Bethesda, Maryland. Open to all ages, the festival includes skill-based classes, jam sessions, public showcase, and more!

Learn more and register: strathmore.org/UkeFest

Ukulele Magazine is a proud sponsor of UkeFest 2026!

05/07/2026

Django Reinhardt recorded “Coquette” in the key of D, but for this arrangement we’ll transpose the tune to G, which allows for voicings that more closely resemble what he might have played on the guitar. The song follows a straightforward 32-bar AABA form and can be navigated with just a handful of chord shapes, making it well suited for both singing and chord-melody playing. As presented here, the arrangement can be approached either as voice-and-ukulele accompaniment or as an instrumental solo.

“Coquette” is a pop tune turned jazz standard written in 1928, and most commonly associated with the recordings of gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt.

04/30/2026

This lesson explores how to play a melodic Hawaiian-style chord solo on the ukulele. We’ll start by learning the chords to a traditional song using open positions and basic strumming. From there, we’ll move to new chord shapes higher up the fretboard. Finally, we’ll look at how to use melodies, embellishments, and more advanced rhythms to build a complete chord solo.

Brian Liu’s lesson explores how to play a melodic Hawaiian-style chord solo on the ukulele.

04/23/2026

The Jazuke never became a mainstream hit and surviving examples are extremely rare. But it’s remembered as part of the wave of experimental instrument patents granted during the ukulele’s heyday in the 1910s and 1920s. Read Sandor Nagyszalanczy's history of this hybrid banjo ukulele with an odd design.

Created sometime in the early 1920s, the Jazuke is basically a hybrid banjo ukulele with an odd design.