Singer with a ukulele. Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo'ole with bright Hawaiian music about love, sea, sky and joy. Who is Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and why is he considered a national hero of Hawaii?

He was also distinguished by his unique manner of performing musical works and his expressive appearance - the musician weighed more than 300 kg and at the same time sang in a very melodic and gentle voice. He was popularly nicknamed "The Gentle Giant."

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole began playing music on a small four-string ukulele since childhood. His band was called The Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau. He toured with her and released five albums.

This is actually my favorite size to play, it's gold boards for the small soprano and the larger tenor. The only major drawback is that they don't have as many modes as a tenor or the added mobility of a soprano. The tenor has won many fans due to its larger size, which benefits low tuning and high fret solos. Many players who switch from guitars like this size are because they are more familiar than the smaller Soprano and Concerto.

Of course, you can get Concertos and even Sopranos with this feature, but this is more common with Tenor gaukouts. The longer neck provides even higher string tension, resulting in a brighter, bolder sound, making it much better for low string tuning and even baritone tuning.

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole released his first record in 1990. She received fairly high marks from critics and first prizes. With the release of his second album, “Facing Future,” he received well-deserved fame far beyond his homeland. The album went platinum and was the first platinum album in Hawaii's history. Almost 2.5 million copies of it were sold in America alone. A medley of "Over The Rainbow" and "What A Wonderful World" has been featured in several films and TV series. These and other songs have received awards and prizes.

Or it makes it easier for guitarists to adapt and improve. If you love the ukulele but think it's just a little high in the field, then you'll love the baritone. Miscellaneous setting helps reduce string tension, but it will still require more than a soprano ukulele, but produces a deeper sound. Super large frets are great if you have chubby fingers or want to do a complex fingerprint and solo style.

What size ukulele do you have? Typically it is framed as a kind of statement: “I tried to play the guitar, but my fingers are too thick to hold the strings.” More often than not, these problems come from a few older gentlemen who have briefly tinkered with a guitar but don't feel like they've had any success. They don't hold the guitar correctly, so their hand position on the neck of the guitar causes the strings to not ring clearly, since they haven't learned enough to curl their fingers so that only the tips of their fingers make contact with the guitar string in the muscles in their annoying hand guard developed to such an extent , allowing them to effectively stretch their fingers. While we cover, finger position fixes, and elsewhere on the site, let's consider how each applies to guitarists with particularly sharp fingers.

But is this the only thing the musician is famous for? The number of his fans is growing even after his death, not only due to the fact that his direction has become a generally recognized musical movement in Hawaii, but also due to his social activity. Israel Kamakawiwo'ole promoted and defended the rights of Hawaiians as a free nation. His sincere love for his people made him a true national hero. He expressed his attitude in songs - and this was enough for many around him to feel the taste of freedom and feel pride in themselves and their nation. How did he do it?

The correct way to hold a guitar while sitting

Attach yourself an armless chair. Sit with your back gently resting on the back of the chair. If you play the guitar "right-handed", the body of the guitar should rest on your right foot. If you have a stomach that "protrudes" and makes it difficult to hold the guitar, try tilting the body of the guitar slightly so that the body of the instrument sits directly against your stomach slightly to the right of your umbilical cord, with the tip of the headstock pointing slightly towards you.

Curling Fingers Reduce Overall Contact with the Guitar Neck

Note that classical guitarists use a completely different position - the higher position is what is used by the vast majority of guitarists playing folk, rock, blues, etc. Then focus on your “gentle hand.” New guitarists often try to keep the palm of their hand on the back of their guitar, which creates awkward angles for them. This inevitably results in unintentionally muted lines. To prevent this from happening, the thumb of your gentle hand should be positioned in the middle of the back of your head, with the top of your palm in front of the guitar.

Apparently, he became the bearer of a national idea, which made all the people around feel that they were involved in the freedom that Israel himself personified. And he generously shared this feeling with everyone, without entering into political battles or creating any parties or movements. He simply spread something that made the people around him a little different: happier and more united.

Your fingers should be positioned in a slightly curled position over the strings. It is extremely important to keep these fingers curled at the knuckles unless specifically instructed not to do so. This hand position allows your fingers to get closer to the strings much better, greatly reducing the chance of accidentally damping the strings.

Finger stretching for improved coverage

This is a problem that all new guitarists face, not just those with fat fingers. Developing dexterity in your gentle hand takes practice and patience. Luckily, the Internet is full of resources to help you overcome these problems. Watch the video and try this technique yourself, making sure you maintain your hand position throughout the exercise - don't shift your hand to accommodate areas as the goal is to increase the reach of your fingers.

In the last years of his life, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole suffered greatly from obesity (his maximum weight was 344 kg with a height of 190 cm). He endured difficult hospitalizations and died from respiratory diseases associated with excess weight on June 26, 1997, having lived only 38 years. The day of Iz's funeral (as he was affectionately called by friends and fans) became a national day of mourning. On this day, the Hawaiian state flag was lowered to half-staff. He was the third person in Hawaiian history to receive this honor.

If you've tried the above methods and still feel like your fingers are too short to play the guitar, you might want to consider changing instruments, something with a wider neck. Hopefully this has provided you with some insightful guitarists. Chances are good that the obstacles you're encountering are just typical new guitarist frustrations. If so, these problems will persist even on an instrument with a wider neck. As you can see, the soprano is the smallest and the baritone is the largest.

More than 10,000 people attended Iz's funeral. They gathered on July 12, 1997 on Makua beach to see off the great musician on his last journey and scatter his ashes over the Pacific Ocean.

Death did not stop his music. Iz's music began to grow in popularity after his departure. “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” took on a life of its own. After the musician's death, it was licensed for numerous television shows and films.

Click and drag the table to scroll on small screens. Overall length is the length of the uke measured from the headstock to the headstock. The scale length is the distance from the nut to the seat. It can be helpful to think of the scale length as the portion of the strings that vibrate when you play the Uke.

Soprano, Concert and Tenor

It's called standard setting. The overall tuning of these three sizes means that if you learn to play the soprano uracula, you can also play concerto or tenor. Although this setting has some similarities to other sizes, it is still in its own category. Large ukulele music is designed for soprano, concert or tenor size ukes.

The popularization of Hawaiian music throughout the world can be considered his merit. It was he who gave the Hawaiian people the right to vote and even gave them more - faith in freedom.

Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo"ole

Today we will continue the theme of light and warm music without disturbing the atmosphere of the New Year. You can, of course, listen to the radio online and not stress yourself out after the holidays. But I would like to give a little of your attention to the hero of our post, who is usually called Bruddah Iz, This most famous Hawaiian singer and composer and a simple guy at heart with a hard-to-pronounce first and last name that you can’t immediately pronounce - Israel Kamakawivo'ole ().

Let's take a closer look at each size. The soprano is the smallest of the four main sizes of the ukulele. The very first ukuleles were soprano. This is why it is sometimes called standard size. This is also the size that most people think of when they hear the word "ukulele".

Larger sizes have been introduced over the years, but soprano ukes are still very popular. They travel well and have a traditional appearance and tone that will never go out of style. The tiny size of the soprano means there are a few things you need to think about before purchasing.

His most famous song " Somewhere over The Rainbow"was included in film soundtracks" Meet Joe Black», « Find Forrester», « 50 first kisses", series " Ambulance"and many other places. In Hawaii it was also called The Gentle Giant, "gentle giant". He was a giant with his height of 190 cm and weight of 343 kilograms, but his voice was, as they say in the press, “angelic”, like that of a fragile girl - high, insinuating and gentle.

This means that the frets are quite close to each other. A short scale isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean you have less wiggle room on the fretboard. Players with large hands or thick fingers may find soprano uracules more difficult than concerto or tenor uracules.

Because of their small body, sopranos are quieter and usually have a less powerful tone than larger sizes. This doesn't mean that soprano ukays sound bad, but they tend to offer less bass, projection and warmth. Having said that, many people love the compact size of sopranos and find their subtle tone attractive. It's really a matter of personal preference!


Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo"ole

At the same time, Israel was also a kind-hearted person, a fighter for Hawaiian culture and the rights of the nation. He influenced people all over the world, since the work of Israel Kamakawivo'ole is listened to from Germany to Australia, and views on YouTube indicate that people are tired of pop music of all kinds, and simple, sincere, authentic music can win the hearts of millions .

Soprano uracules tend to be the most affordable instruments in the ukulele family to make them good choice for players on a budget. The price difference will depend on the brand and model. In general, a soprano urakula will be 10-25% cheaper than the next size up.

There are many excellent Hawaiian ukuleles on the market, but most low quality ukuleles also tend to be soprano.

  • More difficult to play for some people.
  • The tone is less reliable than larger unions.
Concert and tenor patterns differ markedly from sopranos when it comes to playing and tone.

In addition to the fact that over 15 years he made a huge contribution to Hawaiian music, making it world famous, and for a long time was its symbol, he did a lot for people. Helped development national culture in Hawaii. He personally struggled with various troubles - he explained to schoolchildren about the dangers of drug addiction (he himself quit smoking at one time), helped doctors fighting the national disease of Hawaii - obesity, explaining to them the cultural characteristics and approach to the Hawaiians (he himself weighed under 350 kg). Two months before he died - when he could no longer walk, but used a wheelchair and a special ventilator for his lungs - he continued to help, going to the Hawaiian Theater to help Angel Network, a center for the homeless, with money.

Concertos and tenor haukouts have a longer scale than sopranos: 15 for concerto and 17 for tenor. Longer scales create more space between the frets. As a result, many people find concerto and tenors more comfortable to play than sopranos. Rival and tenor ukuleles also tend to sound larger and fuller than the uke equivalent. In general, with concertos and tenors you will have more bass, resonance, sustain and volume.

Differences between concerto and tenor

Most players find that the strong concert or tenor tone makes them more versatile than the soprano. However, sopranos tend to have a more depressed tone than their larger body size. There are several notable differences between the concerto and tenor meter.

On stage he could attract attention and generally had extraordinary charisma.


A little biography:

Israel Ka'ano and Kamakawivo'ole (Israel Ka"ano"i Kamakawiwo"ole) was born in Honolulu on May 20, 1959, the son of Evangeline Leinani Kamakawiwo"ole (aka Keale) and Henry Kalei"aloha Naniwa (aka Tiny).
He lived on O'ahu for the first ten years, then moved to Makahu. In general, he is a completely natural Hawaiian.
At the age of six, at the encouragement of his family, he began to play ukulele - ukulele.

The shorter concert scale means they are easier to play for people with smaller hands. A tenor uke will usually have a fuller, richer tone than an equivalent concerto. Concert ukers are usually 10-15% cheaper than an equivalent tenor. . Keep in mind that these are only generalizations.

They are easy to play and have a nice, full tone. It's hard to go wrong with any size. Launching on sopranos is great, but just make sure you have a good idea of ​​how tiny they are. If you don't mind their shorter scale and thinner voice, then go for it!

Then together with my brother Skippy (Skippy) founded a group with quite a tribal name " Sons of Ni'ihau from Makaha" (The Makaha Sons of Ni"ihau). Other group members - Jerome Coco(Jerome Koko) Louis "Luna" Kauakahi(Louis "Moon" Kauakahi) and Sam Gray(Sam Gray) " The Makaha Sons"released five albums, the first of them" No Kristo", recorded in 1976. Skippy died of cardiac arrest in 82. This deeply hurt Israel.

The baritone is the largest of the four main sizes of the ukulele. Besides size, the big difference between baritone and the other three sizes is tuning. Large baritone size and more low setting giving it a deep, rich hue that is different from any other member of the Uke family.

However, their non-standard tuning means you can't easily use them with traditional ukulele chord sheets and song books. The baritone uke's pitch is five steps lower than the standard uke's. The connection between the lines remains the same, but the notes are lower.

In 90, Israel Kamakawivo'ole began his own career. His first recording was "Ka "Ano"i" and became the most popular album of 90. The second solo album - "Facing Future" was released in 93 and in 95 "E Ala E "with a posthumous duet with Skippy (studio editing). Well, the very successful album "N Dis Life" (1996).

He died in 97 from breathing problems caused by excessive weight. Over 10 thousand people came on July 10 to say goodbye to Israel. The wooden coffin was displayed in the Honolulu Capitol. This honor was given to only three people in Hawaiian history (the first two were Senator Spark Matsunaga and Governor John A. Burns). His ashes were traditionally scattered over the endless blue sea of ​​M'kua Bay of the Pacific Ocean July 12, 1997.

This means that standard ukulele chord shapes will work on a baritone, but they will be lower in pitch. To look at it another way, if you put your finger on the fifth fret of a baritone ukulele and pounce, you will play the same notes as a standard ukulele.

Baritone similarities to guitar

You can actually play great standard ukulele music on a baritone uke. However, you will be playing in a different key than what is written on the page. The baritone tone of a ukulele is tuned the same as the top four strings of a guitar. Most guitar chords can be played on a baritone uke, ignoring the bottom two strings of the original guitar chord. However, if the guitar chord depends heavily on these two guitar strings, then it may not seem quite right on a baritone. In these situations, it is best to consult a baritone chord chart.

Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo"ole

Like Israel, there are people who help others. Including our little brothers.


Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole - "What A Wonderful World"

Iz ~ Ka Pua U"i

Israel Iz - Over The Rainbow

Lyrics of the song "Panini Pua Kea" from the album "Facing Future"

`Auhea iho nei o Lei aloha
Ku`u hoa i ka nani a`o nâ pua

Eia mai au `o suipa lilo
Ka ipo i ke aka pua aniani

He aniani wale `o hâli`a loko
Nowelo mao `ole i ka pu`uwai

Nâ wai nô `oe e a pakele aku
I ka wai o ka pânini pua kea

Ha`ina`ia mai ana ka puana
Ku`u ipo i ka nani a`o nâ pua

Israel Kamakawiwo"ole - Panini Pua Kea

israel kamakawiwo"ole - Margarita

Take Me Home Country Road - Israel Kamakawiwo"ole

(recording is quiet - turn it up loud)

Bruddah Iz ~ White Sandy Beach