What is an unpopular/controversial opinion you have regarding the ukulele?

[Ukecaster]

I think Tiny Tim set the ukulele reputation as a legitimate instrument back at least 30 years.

When a friend invited me to come to a uke club meeting, my first response was, "That small toy Tiny Tim and Fred MacMurray played?"

I'm glad I went and found out my perception of ukuleles was so very wrong.

Agreed.. He was very learned in his knowledge of old Tin Pan Alley songs, and had great passion for that, and ukes. Kudos. But, his falsetto presentation of the songs (when he could sing normal ranges), looking for the weird factor, and the commercial success/infamy it would bring, perpetuates to this day that ukes and their players are a joke. At least to anyone over 50, maybe 60 now, who knows of him. If he wasn't such a weird flake, he never would have gotten on TV.

 

[EDW]

Fred MacMurray had a B/W Television show called My Three Sons, back in the 60s.

Certainly that made him a household name along with some light family comedies, but he had a very length career with some great roles in dramas like The Caine Mutiny and Double Indemnity

 

[Kenn2018]

I disagree, re: Tiny Tim. I do not claim he was a great ukulele player, but I certainly don't think he hurt the popularity of the instrument and he most definitely helped preserve The Early American Popular Music Songbook.

Tiny Tim was a walking encyclopedia of American pop music from the dawn of recording in the late 19th century through the era just prior to WW2.

Vaudeville, early hot jazz, torch songs, vocal jazz standards, the crooners, etc. Tim knew most everything about that stuff.

I came on here to say this and wasn't surprised to see him talked down some, and that's fine. It's understandable; just a different viewpoint.

But I think we should be happy that he chose to use the ukulele as the vehicle for his awkward, weird warbling.

He was a larger-than-life character. Unique in a way that is pretty much lost today.

I agree. I understand that as a musician and historian he was very knowledgeable. I also agree that it was his schtick. For many, and I include myself in this, Tiny Tim and Arthur Godfrey were our total exposure to ukulele. Fred MacMurray wore a racoon coat, drove a Model T, and played a ukulele in a 30s movie where he was a college student. "23 skidoo"; getting as many people in a phone booth; and swallowing goldfish whole; and all that. I think he may have played a soprano uke in "The Absent Minded Professor" Disney movies with Flubber and his flyiing Model T car.

Godfrey made the uke sound as a pleasant support instrument while he sang. Tiny Tim came across as a joke and his playing reflected that. To people who had little to no other exposure to the instrument TT did not create a high impression of the ukulele. He played a Martin soprano but carried it in a paper bag. He was amusing. He was fun, but he made the ukulele seem like a toy.

 

[ukudancer]

While I get the sentiment, I think I disagree. The ‘ukulele is Hawaiian. Pronouncing it with the correct emphasis on vowels keeps it sounding Hawaiian from a cultural perspective. Is “grassy-ass” acceptable when saying thank you in Spanish, invoking Peggy Hill or some other uneducated (US) southerner? By that logic, everyone studying a foreign language should try to speak the foreign language correctly but with the most American (or other nationality) accent ever. (I’m pointing at [US] southern accents most here)

I think it’s the teacher in me that won’t let me accept this, if you know what I mean. I say the both the correct and incorrect pronunciation in class all the time, but I try to be cognizant and use the former when I can.

Grassy-ass is an incorrect pronounciation anywhere in the world...Both pronounciations of ukulele are accepted as correct. At best, it's like tomato and tomahto or the American basil and the British basil. Both are fine depending on where you are.

 

[Shaw]

Unpopular opinion, or something I have just convinced myself is true so I don’t go broke: there are diminishing returns to owning more than 2-3 ukuleles and therefore “collections” should be kept small. Spend more time playing than shopping.

I am not altogether innocent here.

 

[rrobinso84]

Ok, I'll say it. I loved the Island Strum. Until I learned it. Now I'll do anything to avoid it. Unless it works. Mic Drop.

 

[rrobinso84]

Unpopular opinion, or something I have just convinced myself is true so I don’t go broke: there are diminishing returns to owning more than 2-3 ukuleles and therefore “collections” should be kept small. Spend more time playing than shopping.

I am not altogether innocent here.

Fess up! How many do you have?

 

[Wildjoy]

Unpopular opinion, or something I have just convinced myself is true so I don’t go broke: there are diminishing returns to owning more than 2-3 ukuleles and therefore “collections” should be kept small. Spend more time playing than shopping.

I am not altogether innocent here.

Deep down I know that I could have (a very large) room full of very nice ukes--different sizes, low G/high g, different string possibilities, etc. I would have my favorite ONE and play that 99% of the time. So far it's done OK to help me resist UAS. I think for me, UAS is a temptation to own the pretty thing instead of just look at/listen to the pretty thing.

 

[mikelz777]

Tuners should be used to tune the uke before you start playing and then be taken off of the headstock.

 

[rrobinso84]

Not unpopular! The only reason to leave them on is if you just changed strings and you still NEED to returned after (or during) every song!

 

[LorenFL]

I use a phone app for a tuner when I got tired of dead batteries in my dedicated tuners. And I only use the tuner when something sounds off.

Amazingly (to me), when I think something sounds off, I'm right. I don't change strings once I've got a set broken in and I like how they sound, I've never worn out a set of strings (those goofy red strings don't count). And once the strings are fully settled in, I find that I don't even think about tuning more than about once per month.

Just play!

 

[Dave Holiday]

Here's an unpopular one:
People who say Ookalaylee, when they are speaking English sound ridiculous. I can even hear it when they write. They call it "an" Ukulele. Ridiculous!!! Should only be pronounced that way by people fluent in Hawaiian...and I mean fluent. Otherwise, you sound silly.

I am with you. I definitely see Ukeclass's point as well as far as correct traditional pronunciation. My old man was a professor of literature and the English language and was a grammar nazi.

I was a library administrator for 20 years.

But I do not say ookoolaylee. Only yookoolaylee for me.

It's not a big deal, really. I have a deep love and admiration for Hawaiian and Polynesian culture. I love Hawaiian music. I don't mean it to be disrespectful or culturally offensive, but I'm not an islander. I grew up in Minnesota.

If you listen to old jazz and hokum songs--going back over a hundred years--that use the word, it's generally "yookoolaylee" and that's what sounds right to me.

It's what I use even if it may not technically be "first and best."

 

[Dave Holiday]

Agreed.. He was very learned in his knowledge of old Tin Pan Alley songs, and had great passion for that, and ukes. Kudos. But, his falsetto presentation of the songs (when he could sing normal ranges), looking for the weird factor, and the commercial success/infamy it would bring, perpetuates to this day that ukes and their players are a joke. At least to anyone over 50, maybe 60 now, who knows of him. If he wasn't such a weird flake, he never would have gotten on TV.

You're not wrong. I get that perspective, especially with regard to his weirdness factor casting a shadow on the uke in people's minds.

 

[Dave Holiday]

Deep down I know that I could have (a very large) room full of very nice ukes--different sizes, low G/high g, different string possibilities, etc. I would have my favorite ONE and play that 99% of the time. So far it's done OK to help me resist UAS. I think for me, UAS is a temptation to own the pretty thing instead of just look at/listen to the pretty thing.

I'm in that boat pretty much. I'm more interested in playing than shopping. However, sometimes they just enter your orbit.

I have two baritones, three sopranos and a tenor. I have no desire for more.

Also, two were gifts, one is more of a wallhanger and sentimental piece and one is a cool old vintage one I stumbled upon super cheap. I really only have three that I specifically shopped for and bought, and one of those I've had for 25 years.

 

[AZChris]

I too feel awkward with my pronunciation of ukulele and vary it depending on who I am around. I think I impress people more if I say it ookalayleh kinda like I would if I roll my r's when I order a burrito.

My 2 unpopulars:
Ukulele's lack of respect is not helped by pairing it with kazoo.

Iz should have looked up the lyrics before recording.

 

[TBB]

While I get the sentiment, I think I disagree. The ‘ukulele is Hawaiian. Pronouncing it with the correct emphasis on vowels keeps it sounding Hawaiian from a cultural perspective. Is “grassy-ass” acceptable when saying thank you in Spanish, invoking Peggy Hill or some other uneducated (US) southerner? By that logic, everyone studying a foreign language should try to speak the foreign language correctly but with the most American (or other nationality) accent ever. (I’m pointing at [US] southern accents most here)

I think it’s the teacher in me that won’t let me accept this, if you know what I mean. I say the both the correct and incorrect pronunciation in class all the time, but I try to be cognizant and use the former when I can.

There are many examples of words from other languages that are used routinely by English-speakers and have their pronunciation anglicised, I don’t think that it is a measure of disrespect. For example “voir dire” is pronounced by at least some Americans in a way that makes me want to tear my own ears off, “croissant” is another one, but I don’t think they’re being disrespectful to French culture.

There’s a difference between how you pronounce a word when you’re actually speaking that language and how you say it in conversation in your own language, imo.

 

[richntacoma]

Ok, I'll say it. I loved the Island Strum. Until I learned it. Now I'll do anything to avoid it. Unless it works. Mic Drop.

When I lead a song at my uke group, I say "play it with any partner you like, just not the Island Strum"

 

[frets alot]

Tuners should be used to tune the uke before you start playing and then be taken off of the headstock.

This has been my pet peeve (unpopular opinion) for quite a while. Not just with a uke, but any fretted instrument. I don't understand why folks (uke, guitar, banjo, dulcimer) leave (store) the tuner on the headstock. Then, people complain about the rubber feet damaging the finish.

Rant over.

 

[DownUpDave]

What was the question again

 

[Shaw]

Fess up! How many do you have?

Believe it or not, if you would have asked me last week the answer would have been 1. This week the answer is 2, but I feel a low-G and high-G is justifiable.

I’m at the point in my ukulele journey where I’d rather have 1-2 very nice ukuleles than half a dozen midrange ones.