Stella's 99th

Stella's 99th birthday --

kermit and piggy

four chords

Four chords to glory

PSA farmers indoor market

Everything is more fun with ukukleles:

shukulele.com is alive

see http://shukulele.com

should be receiving email at hello@shukulele.com

winter care for your instrument

Just a reminder that with the weather turning really dry (and heat coming on in the houses), that excess low or high temperatures, and excess high or low humidity, are all bad for your instrument.  Ideally 

http://www.get-tuned.com/ukulele_humidifiers.php

has some standard advice -- 

Humidity and your Ukulele

       Temperature and humidity can have a large impact on your ukulele’s tuning. Too much or too little moisture will warp the thin wood of your ukulele, making it difficult to tune. Eventually, inappropriate levels of humidity will lead to cracks or may even cause the instrument to break or snap.

The optimum level of humidity for a ukulele is between 45% and 55%. Generally, dry air poses a more frequent and damaging risk to the instrument. When the humidity drops below the optimum range, the wood of your ukulele beings to bleed moisture, leading to shrinkage and cracking. Luckily, there are some easy steps and tools you can use to protect your instrument from damage.

Storage: Keep your ukulele in its case when it’s not in use. Never store your ukulele by a fireplace, heater, oven, radiator, in a car, or in direct sunlight. These will dry-out and prematurely age your ukulele.

Care: Wipe down your ukulele with a soft cloth after use, and polish it every month or so. Using a very soft cloth and guitar or ukulele polish will ensure your instrument maintains its natural oils. Cleaning removes sweat and dust, both of which work to corrode your instrument’s polish and wood, increasing the likelihood that your ukulele will dry out. Use products that are designed for the specific parts and materials of your ukulele.

Note: Make sure you use non-corrosive materials for your ukulele cleaning! Never use rough cloths or household cleaners.

Indoor Humidifiers: If you live in a dry environment and are fortunate enough to have a dedicated music room or other enclosed space for your ukulele jam sessions, a simple room humidifier will work well for you. These come in a wide variety of prices and types. If they humidifier does not include a gauge, you may also wish to purchase a gauge or meter in conjunction with it.

Instrument Humidifiers: While a normal humidifier will help protect your instrument, it’s a large and sometimes imprecise method of ensuring your small ukulele’s safety.  If an indoor humidifier is an axe, then an instrument humidifier is a scalpel. Instrument humidifiers are the surest way to know your ukulele is getting the proper amount of moisture. These nifty tools are filled with water and typically sit either in your instrument or in your case to provide the optimum level of humidity. They generally cost between $10 and $25 and are a worthwhile investment to keep your instrument in tune and to prolong its life.

Written by Caroline Gibson

kanikapila -wod

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanikapila

Word of the day: Kanikapila

Kanikapila is a style of Hawaiian music produced in an impromptu jam session, most commonly taking place at a beach, or family gathering. The term comes from kani which means sound.^[1] and pila which means any string instrument in the Hawaiian language.^[2]

Over the last few decades it formed into a conceptual style reflecting more emphasis on acoustic instruments including the ukelele and free following speed to reflect the emotion of the players. The term has started making its way in the dialog of mainland US musicians as well.

One way that the kanikapila style music has made its mark in popular culture is songs like "Somewhere over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole where he takes two songs ( "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World" ) mashes them together to form an entirely new song. This is common element of the kanikapila style.

It is a popular custom to end kanikapila sessions the same way with the song "Hawaii Aloha" written by 19th century Christian minister, Lorenzo Lyons. Kanikapila groups include theExperience Paradise Project.