Populele ukuleles offer something that I haven’t seen from a stringed instrument: a smart learning experience so you can start creating music faster. The ukulele is already a great instrument to begin your musical journey: they’re great for children too, but not just for children. I never played one before trying the green uke shown in the image above and I found it extremely easy to learn a few songs. In this article I’ll give an example of a song I learned and recorded today while preparing this contest article. You’ll find a variety of colours of the Populele 2 at Best Buy and we are giving away a white one and the green one I used in this contest.

What are the benefits of a smart ukulele

The Populele 2 is a great sounding instrument that offers something you won’t find elsewhere: it is smart. Yes, tech sites throw that word around a lot and it applies in some cases more than others. There is no denying that this ukulele is smart thanks to its integration with the Popumusic app that can light up the notes to play on the fretboard. Before I get into some details i suggest you read the review by Darren Blakeborough posted on the Best Buy Blog. Darren does a great job explaining the features.

One interesting point Darren brought up is that he had always thought there must be a way to apply the features of the game Guitar Hero to learn how to play a real instrument. Populele has figured it out. Their app offers a selection of activities, including Guitar Hero style gamification, to accelerate anyone’s learning. I tried Jason Mraz’ I’m yours and in a few minutes I had learned the chords and strum pattern. At first I was terrible. But in a few minutes I was able to sing along. I then took my newfound uke skills to learn a song I had never played: Billie Eilish’s 8. I recorded it after a couple of practice runs.

Ukulele music is more popular than ever

This song that I just played was new to me: I’m more of an eighties/seventies music person. In fact the first song that I played using the Populele 2 was Peaceful Easy Feeling by The Eagles. However, when I searched for new songs to play there were hundreds of options from which I selected the Billie Eilish song. I saw her on SNL once and really liked her tone, so thought I’d give this one a try.

What song would you play first if you win one of these awesome instruments? Perhaps you don’t want to win for yourself. Many parents put their children in music lessons at this time of year; you might be thinking that this is perfect for your child. Consider these questions as you enter this contest!

How to enter

Entering this contest is easy and you can enter in two different ways.

  1. In a comment below tell us who you are entering this contest for—yourself, a child, a friend (first name only please)—and what song you think should be played first on it if you win.
  2. In a comment below Darren’s review article, tell us one thing Darren talked about that you like best about this musical instrument.

What you can win

At the end of this contest, we’ll randomly select two (2) winners. One will get the white Populele 2 that Darren tested for his review article, and the other will get the green Populele 2 that I tried.

This contest runs from Sept 9th to Sept 25th. 

Remember that you can enter in two different ways.  Tell your family and show them Darren’s video and my video so they see how great this musical instrument is: they’ll definitely want to enter this contest too.

Win a Populele smart ukulele Contest Rules and Regulations

Good Luck

Martin Renaud
Martin Renaud
Editor in Chief
Martin loves working with the talented editors and writers on the Best Buy Blog as Editor-in-Chief. During his spare time he is either working on his next novel, cooking up a masterpiece in the kitchen, or adding some smart tech to his new home on Mayne Island in British Columbia.
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447 COMMENTS

  1. I would like to enter for my daughter she bought a ukulele last summer at a garage sale and has self taught herself. i am sure she would pick the first song she learned, lost boy by Ruth B. and i love the guitar hero reference, because we have played all the instruments for this game since both of my kids were toddlers including the drums, and keytar lots of incredible memories. and always has thought the same as Populele , so glad they figured it out!!

  2. I’m entering for a Friend’s Daughter. She has Autism, next month is her Birthday.
    She really wants one, She would love the green. I love that the notes light up. It’s gorgeous, her beautiful eyes would light up. This would mean the world to her. Not sure which song .

  4. I’m entering to win this for my son! He would absolutely love to learn to play the ukulele and this would make it so much easier to learn

  5. for my daughter, sharon, i am sure she would like to learn to play a song she loves singing . “leaving on a jet plane’ by john denver

  6. THIS WOULD BE AN ABSOLUTE DREAM!!! oh my gosh. I would LOVE to win this for my oldest daughter Ella who is autistic. She has been taking piano lessons for a few years but has really wanted a ukulele for her birthday which is coming up next month AND her favorite color is green. This would be BEYOND PERFECT!!!! The first song she would probably play would be Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Sending it out to the universe and really hoping I can give her one of these amazing ukuleles to my daughter

  7. I’m entering this for my partner! He is so good on this instrument! HIs is banged up so could use an upgrade. The first song I’d like to hear him play would be Stairway to Heaven

  14. For myself. I think I would try to play any song from U2’s Joshua Tree such as I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking for. It would sound great on this Ukelele.

  28. Thank you for this opportunity to win such an awesome prize!

    I would personally play this myself. The first song would be Smoke on The Water.

  36. I’m playing for myself as I have always wanted to play an instrument and it would be really great to be able to play one like this around the campfire. As far as the song it would have to be something easy – probably something like Oh my darling Clementine.

  43. I am entering for myself first, but I am sure the grand kids would play it too. I habe always likes the ukulele but don’t mnow how to play any instrument. So I like that this one allows the player to learn chords and songs, as Darren explains in the video.

    I would first play « Over the Rainbow » in Iz’s way (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole). Such a beautiful song. One of my very favourites. I discovered Iz’s work while vacationing in Hawaii im 2010 and I have listened to his records ever since.

  47. My youngest child already has a ukulele and I’d like to catch up to her, so If I won this it would be for me. The first song I’d play would be something simple like Baa Baa Black Sheep, because I don’t know how to play and would be learning from scratch.

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