The ukulele is a small, four-stringed instrument that originates from the Hawaiian archipelago. While played with a similar technique to guitar, the ukulele has a more limited range and produces a softer, more focused tone. We tend to associate its tone with a tropical paradise, due in no small part to its popularization by artists like Israel Kamakawiwoʻole. The ukulele comes in four different sizes. From smallest to largest, these are called the soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone ukuleles. The first three have the same tuning: G-C-E-A. The baritone ukulele has the tuning of D-G-B-E. Interestingly, while the baritone’s tuning makes it identical to the guitar’s four highest-pitched strings, you can play guitar chords on all sizes of the ukulele — provided you play only those frets you’d play on the four highest strings of the guitar. This is because the particular note intervals between the ukulele’s strings mimic those of the guitar.

The ukulele is not challenging to learn and is an excellent beginner instrument. With a warm, happy tone and only four strings to keep track of, it is common to be able to play songs on your first day. It is easier to learn than the guitar, banjo, mandolin, or practically any other stringed instrument. Its strings are made of soft nylon, which takes little force to press against the frets and does not cause pain in your fingertips like steel-string instruments. Because the neck is small, your wrist will have to do minimal stretching to make the chord shapes. Scales and chord shapes are easy to learn on its four strings, and you can play it either with your fingers or with a felt pick. For those who have played other stringed instruments like the guitar, the ukulele will come naturally due to the common chord shapes.

The ukulele is an excellent first instrument to learn. First, it is easy to begin playing chords and scales thanks to the four-string setup. The gentle nylon strings will not cause your fingers to ache after several minutes of playing. There are many websites and books that provide ukulele chords and tablature (written music) for virtually every song, meaning you can play any song with a ukulele. Ukuleles are also extremely tiny (particularly soprano and concert ukuleles), and as such, are quite portable. This means you can bring your ukulele with you in a backpack, on business and leisure trips, or even on a plane. Their small size also makes them lightweight and less likely to break. Finally, the ukulele is one of the most affordable instruments. Even high-end ukuleles are relatively cheap, but beginner instruments are even more so.