How do you get your practice on the ukulele? Go to a jam session? What do you play? A song? An etude? A strum pattern? A chord progression? Are you able to play everything you want to play? Watch YouTube and learn by yourself? Join the 100 Days Ukulele Challenge?
Experience my new ukulele exercises in a one-hour workshop scheduled for Wednesday 9th October and repeated on Friday 11th October 2024. Register to get the Zoom link.
FREE Ukulele Workshops to get a taste and a peek
| Wednesday 9th October 2024 20:00 CEST (Italy, Germany, …) 19:00 BST (United Kingdom) 2:00 PM EDT (East Coast USA) 1:00 PM CDT (Central Time USA) 11:00 AM PDT (West Coast USA) 8:00 AM HST (Hawaii) Register for Zoom Link | Friday 11th October 2024 8:00 PM EDT (East Coast USA) 7:00 PM CDT (Central Time USA) 5:00 PM PDT (West Coast USA) 2:00 PM HST (Hawaii) 10:00 AM AEST +1 (Sydney, Australia) 8:00 AM SGT +1 (Singapore) Register for Zoom Link |
When I learned to play the piano on Okinawa, I practiced scales, arpeggios, cadences to warm-up before the rigorous technical exercises of Hanon, Pischna, and Czerny. I studied one piece for performance in a recital. I practiced alone and took private lessons. I performed solo pieces from memory in recitals and eventually with other instrumentalists (including vocalists).
When I learned to play the ukulele, I was flooded with song sheets. I had to learn the songs I didn’t know by listening and looking for sheet music. I got my practice by jamming in ukulele clubs in Hawaii, London, Boston, and at porchfests and ukulele festivals. I was never given an “exercise” or “etude” to study for the purposes of improving technique. The goal was always to learn a song. Other than jam sessions, performance in front of an audience was never as a soloist but always in a group.
I sold a few copies of the ukulele exercises for fingerstyle chord melody (excerpted above) at the recent Nutmeg Ukulele Festival. Here’s the response from an enthusiastic owner of this 20-page book.
These are terrific exercises to help improve one’s fingerstyle playing for sure! Each exercise seems to have a specific goal in mind, and the progression is well thought out. I will use these exercises in my daily practice going forward. This exercise volume definitely deserves wider distribution to the ukulele community. They are excellent!
I began writing exercises for my students so that they could tackle fast chord transitions in songs, tablature reading, fingerpicking accompaniments, and chord melody arrangements.
When someone asked about getting hold of my exercises and arrangements, I once replied,”Take a class from me.”
“But I don’t have the time for a class,” he said.
Another said, “I want to take a class, but it’s not scheduled when I can.”
Yet another said, “I don’t want to take a class. I just want your music.”
This conversation reminds me of a time when I produced house concerts in London and Utrecht (The Netherlands). It’s visible from the street that people are hanging out of windows with their bicycles piled at the front gate. “How can I get invited to your concert?”
At Nutmeg Ukulele Festival, I offered each book (PDF copy) for US$20; two for $30. It makes sense to offer three for $40. Four for $50?
I’m also compiling my 30 best puzzles for the Ukulele Crossword Puzzle Book – full of fun activities. Can you finger a chord by the four fret numbers, as shown below? Communicating by fret numbers is a good way to transition to reading tablature.
If you’re interested in taking an ukulele course (in Zoom) from me, please complete the Ukulele Fall 2024 Schedule & Registration form. I aim for 100% attendance, so I’d like to schedule an 8-week class that’s conducive for everyone. There’s a skills and competence diagnostic to help me structure the class.
If you’re interested in taking piano, please complete the Piano Fall 2024 Form.
Finally, I’m thinking of giving in-person ukulele and guitar workshops in preparation for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the festive holiday season. Come to these free workshops to find out more. Or check on the CLASSES webpage.