The ukulele originated in the 19th century as a Hawaiian interpretation of the cavaquinho or braguinha and the rajão, small guitar-like instruments taken to Hawai by Portuguese immigrants.
It gained great popularity elsewhere in the United States during the early 20th century, and from there spread internationally.
Four sizes of ukuleles are common: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. There are also less common sopranino and bass ukuleles at the extreme ends of the size spectrum.
The soprano, often called "standard" in Hawaii, is the smallest, and the original size ukulele. The concert size was developed in the 1920s as an enhanced soprano, slightly larger and louder with a deeper tone. Shortly thereafter, the tenor was created, having more volume and deeper bass tone. The largest size is the baritone, created in the 1940s.
TUNINGS:
| Type | Scale length | Total length | |
|---|---|---|---|
| soprano or standard | 13" (33 cm) | 21" (53 cm) | g'c'e'a' or a'd'f#'b' |
| concert | 15" (38 cm) | 23" (58 cm) | g'c'e'a' or gc'e'a' |
| tenor | 17" (43 cm) | 26" (66 cm) | gc'e'a', g'c'e'a', or d'gbe' |
| baritone | 19" (48 cm) | 30" (76 cm) | dgbe' |
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