James Hill Playing The 'Ukulele With Chopsticks And A Comb

During a sold out concert At Don Quixote's International Music Hall in Felton, California the enthusiastic crowd demanded an encore performance. This video was shot on 06-05-11. to learn more about James Hill, visit his website at jameshillmusic....

[@laurenmclachlan]

"Yeah I'm a musician" Whacks keyboard with fork

[@MilkHound]

Was it at least a tuning fork?

[@Hollidaydoc111112]

Yeah, people have been hitting pianos with forks for many many years now.

[@DavidSamuelPeckinpah]

He meant magician

[@EddieB-ready]

Well, hand are just big fleshy mechanical forks

[@eansba88-]

@@EddieB-ready "flesh forks"... sounds erotic....

[@chillicancarnage]

if you're thinking about taping this on youtube. Don't. Yet here we are..lol

[@markwitz]

If you listened to the rest of what he says, he is commenting about the sound quality on most small video cameras. I have a supplemental shot gun mike mounted on mine. Plus I asked his permission to film and also to post this video. He had the chance to review this video before it was posted.

[@chillicancarnage]

+markwitz I know he was talking about the sound quality. I just found it funny

[@stephencoxbass]

Still an element of irony :) Thanks for posting it!

[@jerseyj2]

I think Abdoulaye was just making a joke. I was going to make a similar comment. It’s all good markwitz

[@riderjay253]

I was just gonna quote that too. Ha! All the worlds greatest artists are on here!

[@markwitz]

He was referring to the sound quality on most small video cameras. I have a supplemental mike on mine and was sitting in the front row with my camera on a tripod 2 feet away from the edge of the stage. I got his permission to film before the concert started and his permission to post this video after showing it to him first.

[@7laurenzo7]

Thank you for that. So much. Especially now.

[@oscarinacan]

This is the way

[@RomanianJazzHole]

"The comb is only 74 cents, but it can break any PA system in the world..." "So anyway, I started combing..."

[@hawkytalkyy]

5:43 the guy in the audience yelling "YEAH", just like in the intro of Usher's song Yeah!, haha. Fantastic.

[@SnoozeTheRecluse]

"OKAY"

[@stzeelthame6373]

I wonder If he did that on purpose

[@alexschemm348]

WHAT‽

[@7laurenzo7]

I don't understand the reference if there's one

[@zoranmedojevic6004]

@@7laurenzo7 in that moment, James is playing "Usher - Yeah" song on ukulele and in that song there is "Yeah" in that moment :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/famlhKyubZp-ppo

[@durvisgay6411]

The Bob Ross of Ukulele

[@blickshadow]

Funny. The commenter above you has a picture of Bob Ross...

[@persondos1308]

There are no mistakes only happy accidents

[@grantm.8691]

420 like!

[@olivererlandsson30]

I was thinking the same

[@chubbychubbs5552]

Let’s play a happy little tune with some happy little chopsticks and a happy little comb....

[@markwitz]

I had a supplemental mike on my poor little camera.

[@tweeshrew]

Mic * sorry

[@cynthiusvr]

@@okene Calm down dude, he was just correcting his spelling..

[@getsomebud]

Monsieur Bean Please an hero

[@craigmarvinjohnson]

Glad you had a supplemental mic. You were a real innovator that long ago! Thanks!

[@PandorasFolly]

It's amazing. Thankyou

[@shimonbenloulou1778]

well i'm 8 years late. youtube just recommended it.

[@stzeelthame6373]

Lol same

[@DarkIzo]

better 8 than 9 (thats what he said)

[@lightningcruzgaming8162]

Shimon Ben LouLou I’m 9 years late

[@fryderyktube3d]

It's 10 years late for me, my dude

[@nicholaslabrecque]

@@fryderyktube3d wait what?! you a time traveler?

[@876r876rf]

The comb technique is a stroke of genius

[@sirdovahkiin7548]

Fuck you you get a like

[@ghplayer9228]

Less of a stroke, and more like a fucking brain bleed.

[@thefriendlierfriendliestfr786]

Very punny

[@nevoyu]

The only thing that scares me is the idea of how he discovered this.

[@glucoseguardian1674]

This man can play mayonnaise and yes horse raddish too

[@glucoseguardian1674]

I commented on my own comment actually no I didn’t

[@drperkyreal4686]

The Neymor yesnt you didn’t

[@KlingonCaptain]

I've seen the mayonnaise, but I didn't know about the horse radish.

[@danus-en5vx]

I know it's a year later, but your comment made my day. :)

[@GarishWinner]

P A T R I C K N O !

[@laketownmusic]

Finally, something other than Somewhere Over the Rainbow

[@hunty8594]

@@Cybrtronlazr i love the song its just way too overplayed. but you gotta start from somewhere i guess 🤷

[@rippl3r0]

How dare you talk smack about such a good song.

[@laketownmusic]

rippl3r0 it’s not a bad song; I actually really like it, especially the IZ version. It’s just that it’s way overplayed, especially by basically every ukulele player out there... myself included />.

[@rippl3r0]

@@laketownmusic just pulling your chain, I imagine it would get exhausting to hear it all the time.

[@spannaspinna]

Or tiptoe through the tulips lol 😂

[@Claspinglizard]

Our elementary school had this guy show up and give a performance, it was pretty cool.

[@madhattermd1]

I had a councilor touch me, it wasn't too cool.

[@brettvv7475]

@@madhattermd1 ...but could he play a ukulele with chopsticks?

[@craiglester7682]

... or play a chopstick with a ukulele?

[@brettvv7475]

@@craiglester7682 I like your style.

[@auggyisspace]

I style your like.

[@ODDEPOXY]

This is hands down the coolest thing I've seen in a long time.

[@erichperigaultmonte4105]

nice

[@unorthodox4499]

Xcorgi ain’t you a fucking flat earther? What kind Fucktard believes that shit?

[@PlayingForChange]

WOW this guy is so creative!!!!!!!!! This is so amazing. I love his humor. This guy is definitely making the world a better place. Music is the key to happiness for everyone and peace on earth

[@Drew791]

Username checks out

[@jakabokbotch99]

You should see Tom Waits play the cinderblock!!!

[@OfAngelsAndAnarchist]

Creative is when you come up with it

[@jakabokbotch99]

Spooky Boyy You should check out Tom Waits. He created all kind of sounds...with creativity...which he created. Lol

[@OfAngelsAndAnarchist]

Jakabok Botch I wasn’t talking to you actually fool Not everyone is Probably hardly anyone is

[@jayhokum5413]

People: what can you play on uke? James hill: yes

[@stzeelthame6373]

James Hill: you know just dubstep

[@janecynthia989]

Lol! Great comment. And, truth.

[@ThomasKrul]

I would love to be walking into this, hearing what I picture to be a dj and instead seeing a guy in a plaid shirt and a ukelele... damn

[@duckalotl]

“These are my favorite pair of chopsticks “ *throws chopsticks on floor*

[@Destroyer-cp7wf]

James Hill : well I've been working on some cello bits Audience : oh you play cello as well James Hill : no its for the uke

[@twinsguzman601]

This is hard to believe. This sounds a lot like the effects people try to acheive with their electronic hip hop music and here this man is doing it with an insturment. This is fucking awesome and still unbelievable.

[@spyfrog101]

this is how I imagine an alien recreating our music with a ukelele XD

[@allenlark]

Coconut Ranger that would be such a good scene in a movie...the alien hears the radio and asks what humans use to make the sounds. Instruments. Show me. And somebody pulls a ukulele out of the attic saying you can't really do much with this kind it's kind of like a toy.

[@BenBopALula]

For those who just discovered the guy, check out his version of "Voodoo Child" or "Billie Jean". He can even play real jazz on his uke ! No boundaries, just fun and skills.

[@MisterHappyPotato1]

Hmm I have the required tools - time to annoy some roommates :D

[@grappydingus]

Honestly, all you need to do that is to own a ukulele. ;)

[@loserboy4156]

yeah, and don't forget to use your TITANIUM HUWHITE 😆😆😆

[@albusdumbledore9731]

Don’t forget the subwoofer.

[@raveno6625]

It can be a lot cheaper all you need to do is by wholesale rubber ducks from China and fill your bathroom with them

[@Rhoxe]

You even got the required look

[@ronin911]

My ukulele strings are traumatized after watching this video

[@ukiyo1640]

*grabs my Ukulele* *gets some chopsticks and a plastic comb* *does exactly how he does it* *breaks all 4 strings* Um, oops.

[@EddieB-ready]

You need nylon strings, I do believe

[@arsongamer1510]

Ukuleles were harmed and will be harmed in the making of this video

[@celestialk7148]

tyqically you forgot the thing he put on his thumb (I already forgot what it’s called) correction not his thumb but on his finger

[@jackmclaughlin648]

Celeste Krider rubber thimble

[@yoblazes]

That's instruments engineered to make music weren't meant to sound this fucking awful.

[@TomRNZ]

The word "genius" gets thrown around a lot these days, but this man is a TRUE genius!

[@TonyHawkTuah]

I agree !

[@astroboirap]

fuck off, hes not

[@efraimperez2726]

astroboirap someone's jealous lol

[@dreamcoma2213]

If you can't admit that he is a genius, than maybe you don't know what the word genius means.

[@batte4727]

A genius is a person with an IQ higher than 140. This man is probably not a genius, but he is definitely a master.

[@arbroathsnp8857]

fabulous I'd love to go see this guy in concert

[@thunderhorse9974]

me too

[@britishbloke5007]

Humans are amazing sometimes.

[@kamuq7597]

Key word "Sometimes"

[@XAVargasX0206]

+Kamuela Quinlan lmao!

[@isaacinvang]

British Bloke And the supporting point is "humans are amazing"

[@Alpine_Joe]

They are ... this isn't one of these times. It's a bit boring tbh.

[@reggaepotato7643]

occasionally

[@coachomri5468]

TABS?

[@markwitz]

LOL

[@GiorgioCastaldo1]

How do you tab that?!?

[@carpetsomething]

@@GiorgioCastaldo1 Black magic

[@mephostopheles3752]

The tabs would be written in enchanting table language

[@firstnameevan7091]

@@mephostopheles3752 I've been wheezing at this for 5 minutes why is it so funny

[@0SilentLeopard0]

This crowd is amazing. It's so wonderful how music can bring people together.

[@alildaisy2180]

That’s insane! Not only did he discover all those sounds, but learned how to use them, arrange them like a price of music, but used them for all sorts of musical genres?! Man this guy has an ear!

[@Phendoxia]

some people are real good but this guy is fuck you good

[@bubbagurt2402]

Don't care about the "Terrible sound" This got my legs and feet tapping and moving to the beat. x) Happy as can be when listening to this. Thank you for sharing.

[@eyylmao1032]

This guy is an absolute genius with a lot of humor!

[@007liammurphy]

Maybe he's born with it! Maybe he's Canadian!

[@Thisbro707]

SCREW THE RULES IM RECORDING THIS FOR KZbin ANYWAY

[@markwitz]

If you listened to the rest of what he says, he is commenting about the sound quality on most small video cameras. I have a supplemental shot gun mike mounted on mine. Plus I asked his permission to film and also to post this video. He also reviewed this video before it was posted.

[@dunlapmusic8850]

Bam

[@Aaron-zs5on]

markwitz it was a joke

[@hh7184]

It was a joke, where you are shouted at in all caps... James the sound man is a baddie!

[@livingbirthcontrol8145]

@@markwitz ok boomer

[@taylorsj13]

What an awesome one-man show! I would love to see this guy live.

[@markog1999]

_"damn, I really should have brought some pills to this ukelele rave"_

[@hh7184]

Nah, he brought enough for this to blow any mind..

[@SomeStonedDude]

Definitely would pay money to watch this dude improvise on an ukulele

[@dullhk]

this guy is re-inventing ukelele. So brilliant!

[@nuberiffic]

..more like just doing percussion on a traditionally non-percussion instrument

[@OXXOI77777]

This is great! This guy is both extremely creative and talented. P.S. He starts playing at 3:50 , for all you impatient folks

[@juanangulo909]

i watch this video every couple of months. i love it

[@benmcfarlane8731]

I'm watching but I'm struggling to believe it. This man's talent is jaw-dropping.

[@fukutaichou1903]

same like my brain cannot wrap around everything that he's doing

[@Hedriks]

I like his Billie Jean version... It's so funky

[@sydneysanghara6784]

Ben McFarlane I've seen live as well as he has taught me ukulele for a brief time we both had the same ukulele teacher as me as he went to my school he came and taught us for a bit when I was in 3rd grade

[@trustmebroigoogledit2382]

he just has a sense of rythm...

[@crebegea]

Way beyond talent. Genius comes to mind.

[@adammartin4109]

Your have a remarkable ability and present, I like passion your music and also look forward to paying attention to you as long as I live.

[@GoldenHay1]

it's gift not present.

[@magdalenebecerra8475]

Amazing and unbelievably talented young man!! Also tremendous concentration!!!

[@justfatman146]

He's my favourite 'ukuleleist'

[@77urwah]

I didn't know there's such a thing hahahaha

[@mjain2]

Ukulelelist.... I like it. Ok, that's what I am from now on.

[@tayladavey5714]

how did he come up with this anyway like one day he was eating sushi and he was like oh if I put these chop sticks in here it will awesome and like so cool and I'm like it will probably snap the strings

[@garyzimmerman4933]

Fuc fuckingawesome

[@phatmanxxxl]

Boredom

[@OdaKa]

tfw i do this all the time but never took it seriously enough to actually perform it

[@ericwilcoxen2805]

Uke strings are made of nylon normally, so they really really stretch, also people already make tools (for this exact practice of adding tension to the strings) and this guy just realized he could use chopsticks instead. I use drumsticks with my bass sometimes

[@stephencoxbass]

I bet that's exactly how he came up with it...haha!

[@PsyloSatan]

Randomly navigating KZbin sure does turn up some real gems sometimes. This one was incredible. Can you do some metal with that thing?

[@r0bbyinchins]

There are many MANY talented & creative acts on youtube BUT NONE MORE SO THAN THIS MAN!!! ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!

[@honeybampton1445]

I love the way at the start there is just some guy just like Oh oh ohh oh oh 😂😂

[@bonsway4059]

How can you not love this guy?

[@JayAlastor]

KZbin just now recommends this to me..... AND I LOVED IT

[@jere5555]

It’s amusing to see thumbs down on something so creative and humorous presented. Delightful, thanks

[@AlikeMilk]

This has made my day and it's only 4:30 in the morning!

[@idonob90]

is about ~3:52 in for the beginning of the fun sounds, for those of us who prefer beats and harmonies over cheering and chatter

[@davidarnds3831]

Loved your creative way of playing the Ukulele, AMAZING!

[@mikkov.k.7480]

As an electric guitar player I have never really liked ukulele .... Mr. Hill over here beats up my Gibson hands down. Awesome man! Awesome!

[@nigelnash7516]

That's such an unassuming title

[@grennyfell97]

Yo, you ever seen an Ukulele beat-box? Well get your brain ready.

[@ayhamcheikhhussein1974]

Can I add more than one like he deserves a MILLION

[@ripcordian]

If in a few thousands years, a new civilization dug up this video, and only this video, from our time. I'd be cool with that.

[@MrKrimMusic]

2011: No 2012: No 2013: No 2014: Nah 2015: Nope 2016: Still no 2017: Maybe, but still no 2018: Not yet 2019: Almost 2020: Sooo here is a video of ukulele dubstep we thought you would like!

[@noel8313]

2019 And still Genius

[@DavidDorenfeld]

that was one of the coolest things I've ever seen. So talented, and pretty funny!

[@Laurabeck329]

This might be the sibgle greatest thing to randomly show up in my recomended videos, KZbin doing the god's work once again

[@no_handle_required]

freaking awesome. 7 nation army on a technulele

[@batmanandrobin250]

How can you do all this with chopsticks but yet I can't eat with them😑

[@xd1712]

because they were never meant to be used for eating

[@natebriskey9031]

The video you didnt know you needed... The video you didnt know you wanted... Yet here you are...

[@pspicerwensley]

Awesome adaptation. I love it when clever people discover new ways of making new sounds with old instruments. We grow.

[@MrGalagomusic]

Incroyable, vidéo de ukulele la plus inattendue que j'ai jamais vu ! Excellentissime ! :-D

[@anthonymajeres]

On est loin de la virtuosité de Jake Shimabukuro mais effectivement, c'est pour le moins inattendu et excellent !

[@iliketrains746]

Little they know who comments here :D

[@MatthewStauffer]

What language is this that isn't English yet I can still read??

[@7laurenzo7]

Et je sais pas si comme moi, tu commençais à perdre espoir de trouver un artiste intéressant et original qui joue avec son ukulele pour vrai. Il vient de m'ouvrir des portes for sure

[@Om-iq1oh]

@@7laurenzo7 Si tu ne connais pas déjà tu peux aller voir le Carmen de Taimane, ça pourrait te plaire :)

[@daniella3972]

When he plays with the comb, it sounds like aboriginal music!

[@andycook4102]

Love this guy . . . . Thanks for posting.

[@natebriskey9031]

9 years later and KZbin finally recommends a good video :D

[@davidwood9966]

Everybody needs a 303, except for this guy.

[@jmartinbsu]

My kid just watched this and asked, "what's next, is he going to blow in the sound hole and play it like a horn!?"

[@neodamus]

Electric Ukulele Comb might be my new go to sound for daily chill-out. 😯

[@Narfanimate]

Fantastic sounds! Great to see this stuff done live.

[@nalakia]

Now I wanna hear this guy play Axl F theme from Beverly Hills Cop. lol That would just be fun to hear played on this.

[@wolverine9632]

*James' Mom:* Learn to play an instrument like your Grandpa. *James:* Okay.

[@gliderrider]

Okay, I didn’t expect that. Bravo 👏 well done!

[@landodiazmusic]

Music here, music there, music, music everywhere!

[@earlstewart5143]

I've made some of those sounds after eating Mexican food 😋

[@edgarhoey8733]

So James and his buddies was in his basement getting high and he finds an old ukulele and says watch this

[@davidjouvrot4236]

Really incredible , I'm in awe, bravo !

[@asm7069]

WAIT I DIDNT EXPECT IT TO BE SO GOOD????!! WE NEED MORE

[@JamiePineappleWyatt]

I would legit pay to go to a festival just to jam to this.

[@dubois2.024]

I never would have thought of using a ukulele like this lol

[@bopeep5662]

Wow! Glad I got to hear this.

[@yunghunt2644]

I saw this when I started playing Uke and now I just come back to this all the time, that and his billy Jean one man cover

[@thenerdbyrd7026]

When you think it electro but it actually *PLAD DAD CHAD AND HIS UKULELE THAT IS EXTRA RAD*

[@skitzoid8202]

When you try Asian food for the first time and find you're a god with chopsticks

[@stephencoxbass]

That was the most entertaining thing I've heard in a looong time! I wonder what can be done with a U-Bass...

[@georgeferguson2188]

This guy the Hendrix of uke . He is taking it beyond what its practical use is and using it to make sound in any way possible

[@jimmyswag5794]

I for the life of me can not figure out how you could possibly be sitting at home and say " hey you know what I bet I could use chopsticks and a comb and do a rap album with my uke" This guy is unreal

[@maxhawkins8845]

no one: youtube algorithm: you want this 8 year old bo burnham quality level video right

[@vincemasillones1035]

This.......Is just PERFECT

[@asm7069]

8 years later this is recommended to me thx

[@MrColin541]

this is future meta shit

[@ddhabbou]

It starts at 3:06

[@loxxovvoxxol2896]

This is the first time I've been impressed by a DJ set. Actually awesome! Also, I've never heard 'Ukulele' pronounced this way......it's probably correct...and makes sense....doesn't make it any less strange.

[@teavil]

Yeah, it's the correct pronounciation

[@Daxxon37]

the year is 2023 and sound technology has finally caught up with him. thank whoever and their tiny "camera"

[@HotaruLancelot302]

Guys, he also had an imaginary band, you just gotta believe