Workshop: Happy Birthday

Can you play “Happy Birthday” without following a song sheet or score? It can be as easy and as few as three chords to accompany yourself singing. This one hour workshop will show you how to memorize and make it interesting and personal.

Illustration by Eve Myles

In the thematic song sessions of 3 Chord Thursday, I’d like to lead everyone to wish someone a birthday without having to share the song sheet on the screen. It’s a three chord song that’s easy to remember.

In this workshop, I will show you how to

  1. memorize the chord progression (the formula)
  2. identify and transpose it to a key you can sing it in
  3. introduce and lead the song
  4. end the song
  5. personalize the song to make it special, such as modulate it, change the meter (waltz, 4/4 time, etc), add riffs and embellishments
  6. explore different ways to accompany the song
  7. improvise and make it interesting and fun
Happy Birthday in C with count

This one-hour workshop in Zoom is scheduled for Thursday 4/4/2024 at 4:30 PM EDT to coincide with the 4th Anniversary of 3 Chord Thursday. Please register for the Zoom link.

  • Free to 3 Chord Thursday Seasonal and Annual Pass Holders
  • US $15 for everyone else (including 3 Chord Thursday Day Pass Holders)
Happy Birthday on low G ukulele by Klaus Schindler (from his Facebook Page)
Happy Birthday in 3 Chord Thursday

Can you sing it in another language? Italian? Chinese? Spanish?

Happy Birthday in Italian (in Italian Voice Over Uke Class) for Maureen

Can you figure out the extra chords that makes this birthday song special below?

Happy Birthday with extra chords to connect

This one-hour workshop was offered on Thursday 4/4/24 at 4:30 PM EDT after 4th Anniversary of 3 Chord Thursday in Zoom.

Get on the Ukulele Enthusiast e-blast mailing list to be the first to get notified of the next time this workshop will be offered.

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One Response to Workshop: Happy Birthday

  1. Pingback: 3 Chord Thursday 4th Anniversary –Anne Ku

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