Thinking of a Ukey Future

Heya lovely UU friends,

I have been wondering... what might the ukey future be.
So I've been involved in uke fests for about 10 years (been putting on my own for 5)... but I can't help but think there's something more... something new... something different.

What would you like to see in the uke world?
This is an open-ended question.
I don't have any hope or desire for a certain response.
I just wonder what people think.



Thanks for any replies.
Mary Agnes Krell

Responses will be interesting to read.

Could be more integration of ukulele into music that's popular today, (we're seeing some of that now), and maybe more visibility for people like Jake?

I don't think any changes will have an impact on my own playing, since I just play at home for my own entertainment, but you never know.

Maybe some live shows that are streamed over the internet, using a format similar to what Aaron Keim (Mya Moe, The Quiet American) has done, but I dont recall the platform.

It was not livestream or Ustream, but one that allows for you to purchase a virtual ticket for admission, which IIRC also allowed for you to download the video later as part of your purchase...

Sort of like a virtual concert...that the performer could set up using their own equipment, and could be as formal or informal as desired by the performer, and similar to the recent UU Live jam sessions on YouTube, might also have a chat room window, whereby viewers could interact with the performer, and/or make requests, etc...

I feel that this would be wonderfully convenient for both the performer and the audience, since everyone could be 'at home' and comfortable, yet have the immediacy of a live setting, yet also the intimacy of a small venue...

An extension of this could be for someone to 'host' the streaming session, and have several performers, and have a more informal 'live jam' session, also charging admission (or free)...

Going further, we could also have a virtual jam session with a group of UU folks, similar to a Google Hangout video chat, but with audio and video simultaneous from each person so the music would be heard by everyone, from everyone, instead of the more common 'round-robin' of only-one-person-at-a-time of the Google Hangout format...

I know the technology exists for this, since I've seen it advertised for several shows, but sadly do not know what the service or platforms are called...maybe someone else has this info???

I would definitely sign up for being a viewer and maybe even a performer (with other performers in the same session, since I am a bit shy right now to do a solo performance)...

More use of ukukeles in top-level musical bands/groups, or more groups/bands using ukes, whichever way one wants to see this.

As of now, guitars still dominate with most bands, with violins in second place. It's a "volume output" sort of thing, as well as audience recognition. The last time I saw ukulele on regular-member equal status instrument-wise with a top-level band was when Jake S. played as a touring member of Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band. That uke was amped and mixed to keep up with everything else on the stage, and did so well.

So, having ukefests and such which featured bands that used ukes in conjunction with keyboards, other strings, percussion, horns, etc. would be neat. It would showcase ukes (especially the larger sizes, banjo-ukes and U-basses) as versatile performers which can jam with the best of them. That sort of visibility to audiences can only be positive.

Likely, electric uke will be the future for performers, integrated with percussion, & the return of the electric organ.

There will still be (electro) acoustic folksy type of get togethers, as more & more people discover the joy of uking.

Online jam sessions, quite probable.

The uke will continue to grow in popularity.

Its good to see more kids playing ukulele - it seems to me a perfect instrument. Sadly here in the UK at least there is less and less funding for music in schools. I don't know if other organisations can fill up the gap?