I have a theory that cheap electronic tuners are the sine qua non (essential root cause) of the growth in ukulele popularity.
Why? Because for beginners and people with little to no music experience tuning a uke without one is really hard. And if a uke is out of tune no amount of simple beginners instructions is going to lead to satisfying results.
When I was in high school and college I used to go just about everywhere with my guitar. And getting together with folks and playing was my favorite activity. I recollect every session starting with folks struggling to tune up and get in tune with each other. Then periodically while we were playing there would be a lot of discussion about being out of tune.
Now I go to uke groups and everyone pulls out their uke and easily tunes up. If someone gets out of tune, fixing it is easy. If someone goes in a store for the first time thinking of buying a uke, getting one off the wall, getting it in tune (if there is a tuner around) is easy. Trying a couple of chords is easy, and the uke is appealing.
I live in Southern California and the number of uke groups around is amazing. It is far more than you can find on the internet. Virtually every senior center here has a uke group. The Japanese cultural center has a uke group. The DAR has a uke group. There are a couple of groups that meet at churches. Ukes are really popular in the high schools. There are a couple of uke groups at libraries. I can count around 20 different groups in just the San Fernando Valley and I know of many more in other parts of the city. I also have a house in Tampa Florida and I can count almost as many groups there.
Seriously, there are many factors that contribute to the popularity of the uke, but I don't think any of them would have mattered BUT FOR the cheap electronic tuner.
Why? Because for beginners and people with little to no music experience tuning a uke without one is really hard. And if a uke is out of tune no amount of simple beginners instructions is going to lead to satisfying results.
When I was in high school and college I used to go just about everywhere with my guitar. And getting together with folks and playing was my favorite activity. I recollect every session starting with folks struggling to tune up and get in tune with each other. Then periodically while we were playing there would be a lot of discussion about being out of tune.
Now I go to uke groups and everyone pulls out their uke and easily tunes up. If someone gets out of tune, fixing it is easy. If someone goes in a store for the first time thinking of buying a uke, getting one off the wall, getting it in tune (if there is a tuner around) is easy. Trying a couple of chords is easy, and the uke is appealing.
I live in Southern California and the number of uke groups around is amazing. It is far more than you can find on the internet. Virtually every senior center here has a uke group. The Japanese cultural center has a uke group. The DAR has a uke group. There are a couple of groups that meet at churches. Ukes are really popular in the high schools. There are a couple of uke groups at libraries. I can count around 20 different groups in just the San Fernando Valley and I know of many more in other parts of the city. I also have a house in Tampa Florida and I can count almost as many groups there.
Seriously, there are many factors that contribute to the popularity of the uke, but I don't think any of them would have mattered BUT FOR the cheap electronic tuner.