Ru
EnA. Komarova
On some expressive possibilities of ukulele timber in cinema
This article examines the expressive potential of the ukulele timbre used in Western cinema. Timbre is understood as an individual overtone coloration of sound, possessing both psycho-physiological and synesthetic qualities that permeate the auditory structure of the film text. It is shown that the ukulele's timbre acquires consistent semantic associations in film texts. It is commonly linked with images of joy, exoticism, and romance, appearing primarily in comedy, romantic, and musical films, as well as scenes of celebration, declarations of love, and processes of a “tropical paradise” representation.
The instrument may appear on screen as a part of the diegetic action, complementing the characterization of protagonists (Clara Bow, Buster Keaton, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Adam Sandler). The article also discusses several technical aspects of sound design in filmmaking, including the use of lip-sync, notably in Some Like It Hot (1959), as well as the instrumental skills of certain American artists, such as Buster Keaton and Elvis Presley. The author also presents examples of virtuoso multi-instrumentalists participating not only in the process of soundtrack recording but also on screen as actors (Clifton Edwards). Performers such as Roy Smeck, Johnny Marvin, and Wendell Hall introduced the ukulele to mass audience through musical interludes on American television comedy and variety shows.
The article also considers exceptions to these established semantic associations. In the films The Giant Gila Monster and Green Pastures, t timbre of the ukulele functions either as a semantic counterpoint to horror or acquires negative religious connotations. The study concludes that the instrument’s timbral coloration constitutes a significant factor in the construction and interpretation of cinematic imagery, while the semantic conventions associated with its sound may be deliberately subverted by filmmakers.
Key words
ukulele, film music, audiovisual representation, timbre semantics, American cinema, diegetic music.
For citation
Komarova A. On some expressive possibilities of ukulele timber in cinema. In: South-Russian Musical Anthology. 2026. No. 2. Pp. 98–103.
