The Ukulele

This is the book that started it all

Ernest K. Kaai was an instrumental virtuoso, composer, teacher, and band leader. At the start of the 20th century he authored the world's first ukulele instruction book. This text continues to be relevant and useful for anyone interested in the ukulele or, as Kaai referred to it, the "bouncing flea". Kaai established GCEA tuning, the proper way to do a waltz strum, and many other techniques, all explained in this book. Hawaiian music scholar Dr. George Kanahele, author of Hawaiian Music and Musicians says that "some of the principles of technique he laid down then in this book] persist even today, especially among the older Hawaiian musicians".

This homage facsimile edition includes a new introduction that provides historic context and also complements our understanding of Kaai, his times, and his students. Kaai's instructional methods have stood the test of time. The Ukulele: A Hawaiian Guitar, And How To Play It is a welcome addition to any ukulele player's collection and available at a fraction of the cost of the collectible and extremely rare original edition.