A Little Inspiration — the Unmissable Video
To break up the density of all the information here, I would like to share one of my favourite ukulele videos with you (I have many favourites, so from time to time there will be one of these more relaxed posts). We could even call this video “What Can a Ukulele Do?” — or, more precisely, what can an entire ukulele orchestra do? The video has previously appeared in a post on the Lángoló Gitárokblog, but perhaps many people have not seen it, and in any case this video simply has to appear on a ukulele blog. In the recording, the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain performs the theme from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly on six ukuleles and an electro-acoustic bass guitar. The group is very popular in England and performs frequently; they arrange a wide range of songs and pieces with excellent taste and humour, including this film theme. (I would love to start an ensemble like this myself.)
In an earlier post I mentioned the rather “squeaky” voice of a soprano ukulele. I mention it again only because nobody should expect an acoustic ukulele — even with a microphone in front of it — to deliver bass frequencies like a subwoofer. That is precisely why the orchestra has this instrumentation: the sounds of several different kinds of ukulele complement one another, while the electro-acoustic bass guitar supplies the foundation. It is also no accident — indeed it is fairly obvious — that the man on the right plays an electro-acoustic bass rather than an ordinary electric one: visually it matches the ukuleles, looking rather like a uke that has been put through an enlarging machine. One of the female members of the group (third from the left) plays a white resonator ukulele. We will write more about this special type later; for now, it is enough to note that resonator guitars also exist, and one appears on the cover of Dire Straits' Brothers in Arms album. Resonator instruments are certainly not cheap, and they have a very distinctive sound.
the resonator ukulele in the centre
Returning to the theme from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, the arrangement is very cleverly constructed. At first the main melody alternates between a “solo” ukulele and a “chorus” of ukuleles, after which one uke carries the melody through. In the repeat, there is a call-and-response between ukulele and whistle, then the roles are reversed: whistle followed by ukulele. Excellent! Next comes the “ooh-ahh” section and the sung choral passage (that melody is difficult to sing!). Towards the end, whistle and humming carry the tune together. Then comes the “ai-yai-yaiii” cawing... and so on . As I wrote above, it is a sophisticated, beautifully structured arrangement. Inventive! I love it!
We will soon return to the more instructional posts; “Getting to Know the Ukulele II” is already on the way.
