On the 2nd day of the second month, I will give two free workshops to celebrate World Ukulele Day. This annual tradition first started as National Ukulele Day in the USA and went around the world, gathering steam. If you own a ukulele, it’s time to whip it out and play. Join other ukulele players in my free workshops on Sunday 2/2/2025 at 2 PM EST and/or 2 PM HST.
Celebrate with a workshop or two
To celebrate this special day, I am offering two free workshops in Zoom for anyone anywhere in the world on Sunday 2/2/2025. Because it’s World Ukulele Day, I’m offering it at different times for different time zones.
As usual, I aim to cater for all skill levels in one workshop. For instance, beginners may strum while more advanced players may fingerpick.
All you have to do is register to get the Zoom meeting details and link. Both sessions of the World Ukulele Day Workshops will be recorded for review purposes. You can switch off your video camera if you don’t want to be seen.
The one-hour workshops will introduce warm-up exercises and accompaniment patterns to selected songs. The content will differ in each workshop. You are welcome to attend one or both workshops on 2nd February 2025.
I will be using material from my new ukulele exercise books. Those that have ordered and received the inaugural editions can request free copies of the updated (respective) electronic copies (PDFs) when the hard copies are available on Amazon by completing a feedback form for these “grandfathered in” requests.
Learning outcomes
There are many benefits of taking a workshop in Zoom. Unlike in-person events, you will be able to hear yourself. You can also “zoom in” to see the instructor on the screen. You will learn something you didn’t know existed. You may learn something you thought you knew but didn’t. Specifically, these one-hour workshops aim to do the following:
- Build your chord vocabulary
- Increase your speed of switching to the next chord
- Increase the accuracy of fingering the chord to produce the correct sound
- Improve sightreading
- Trust your fingers to play the right notes and chords
- Build your strum and fingerpicking knowledge and skills
- Point you to next steps in your ukulele and musical journey
Prepare for the free workshops in Zoom
Whether you’re using a low G or high G, soprano, concert, or tenor ukulele, make sure it is tuned BEFORE the World Ukulele Day Workshops begin.
Have a piece of paper and pencil nearby to take notes.
You can choose to switch off your Zoom camera or leave it on (so that I and others can see you). If you choose the latter, please make sure the light shines on your face rather than on your computing device.
Pre-requisites for the Zoom sessions
You are able to tune your ukulele to GCEA or have a tuned ukulele (someone else can do it for you). (If you plan to use a baritone ukulele, you will know the equivalent chords as the baritone chord diagrams will not be displayed.)
You can do a down stroke, also known as a down strum, with your right thumb (flesh) and right index finger (if you are right handed). Which fingers and parts of the finger(s) do you use for an upstroke?
You can look at a chord diagram and mirror it on the ukulele. See the exercise below.
Different Strokes for Different Folks – which skill level?
Because I am catering for all skill levels, please determine which level you are at, as it will be one of the questions you’ll answer when registering.
Beginners
Can you finger the following chords on the ukulele and make four steady downstrokes on each chord? Can you do this without looking at your hands and fingers? Start with the top left corner, proceed to the right, then next row to end at the bottom right hand corner.
Advanced beginners
Go backwards, starting on G and ending on C7.
More advanced players
Proceed in columns rather than in rows, fingerpick the chords without looking at your fretting hand (fretboard).
The numbers in the black dots correspond to the fingers of your fretting hand, usually the left hand for most ukulele players. In other words, the number 1 refers to your index finger. 2 is the middle finger. 3 is ring finger.
Register for the free workshops in Zoom
To avoid any hiccups, be sure to use the same e-mail address in your registration to log into Zoom for the meeting.
Next free workshop (in person)
Playing in Zoom is very different from playing together in person, in real life, off camera, in a physical space. If you’re so lucky to be physically available to attend an in-person workshop or jam session, I highly encourage that you do so. Playing music is more than hearing yourself play. It’s important to hear others too.
In that vein, I will be giving a two-hour in-person workshop in the lovely coastal town of Cohasset, Massachusetts the following Sunday. Also free. Details here.
Before World Ukulele Day
To get more practice beforehand, consider joining us for the inaugural session of 3 Chord Thursday in 2025 on Thursday 30th January 2025. Register to get on the mailing list for the Zoom link. It’s free to participate but you do need the right Zoom link!
About the instructor
Born in Brunei, Anne Ku grew up in Taiwan and Okinawa. She earned her music degrees in the Netherlands and UK. She taught music at University of Hawaii Maui College, where she picked up the ukulele. Having completed her “Daily Music Writing Project” in January 2025, she is now embarking on getting her work published (February) and recorded (March – May).
Songs taught in the workshops
2 PM EST As Tears Go By
2 PM HST Can’t Help Falling in Love
Feedback – participants describe the workshop attended
2 PM EST Workshop Description
Lots of ukulele techniques, practice drills, chord progressions and friendly people.
Workshop on practice, strumming and picking techniques. You will definitely come away with a new idea.
The workshop offered a bunch of tips on chord changes, strum patterns, and fingerpicking. It was a wonderful mix of a little bit of everything!
Great workshop for those with various skills.
Limber up your fingers and coordinate your hands while learning new techniques plus strumming and fingerpicking patterns.
Speeding up and not looking for chords on the first 3 frets and also picking techniques using all fingers. Great song to review.
This workshop is extremely fun and informative – lots of new ideas for warming up chord switching exercises, great comparison of strum patterns, and terrific lead in to a very moving song with chord transitions that were explored in the class. Anne brings great energy, warmth, and talent to the workshop! A very gifted teacher!
Great session opening you up to new ways to look at fingerpicking and strumming and how to use alternate voicing,
A broad coverage of all things ukulele (in an hour).
At the workshop we went from warming up the fingers of the left hand through different ways of strumming and fingerpicking to instructions on how to change chords most smoothly and everything was presented very practically.
This workshop provided a potpourri of ways that one could multiple work on there Ukulele playing. It’s helpful to know that they are a number of areas that one could attend to, and really become more proficient at as a Ukulele player.
2 PM HST Workshop Description
Good recap of the concepts at the end. Picking/strumming/chord content all highlighted. How NOT to look at frettng hand while playing.
This is a friendly, somewhat casual general overview of ukulele playing. There is something for everyone as an introduction, so you may like some parts better than others. Each part can let you know what you would like to learn in more detail as you progress.
We learned a song by breaking it down into its parts – strumming, chord melody, fingerpicking, etc and building it back.
Anne clearly explains methods to achieve smooth transitions for chords and fingerpicking of pop songs.
This is a workshop that introduces exercises and activities to improve fretting hand dexterity in changing chords efficiently and to improve strumming and picking techniques.
An introduction to chord progressions and chord switching; fingerpicking; different kinds of chords.
A very informative workshop that shows you how to transition from chords without looking at your left hand – extremely helpful and important.
Covers a lot of territory in a short amount of time – with bits of chords, strum/ fingerpicking patterns, with a little music theory thrown in.
Testimonials
2 PM EST Workshop
A well organized , informative workshop who it is very obvious cares about her students.
Thank you. I came away with the knowledge that when you pick, your fingers touch the next strung. They don’t pluck.
I have taken classes from Anne for several years now and they are all thoughtfully put together both with exercises and songs. Anne is a very enthusiastic musician who can teach both beginners and advanced players.
Anne is great at teaching. I like her enthusiasm
Anne Ku creates a fun and friendly learning atmosphere.
Fun, interesting, some good tips, some good review material
I learn something every time I am on line with an expert such as Anne. Very relaxed and friendly vibe.
This was a fun way to learn by taking apart the song and re building it with emphassis on creative expression. Because of the variety of options for learning this song, I would take the workshop again if offered.
Not for the complete beginner. Anne celebrates International Ukulele Day by offering a set of warm-up exercises followed by strumming patterns and chord switching activities. All of this followed by a chance to put it all together on a great song, “As Tears Go By”. A very enjoyable workshop!
It was a very inspiring webinar. It helped me simplify my playing and make it easier to change some chords.
Anne provided a unique approach to a lesson where one could see many areas of making small and yet significant improvements in ukulele playing. Excellent!
2 PM HST Workshop
Anne really knows music and how all elements fit into composition of a melody.
Anne Ku is a very personable and knowledgeable teacher with a great formal musical background and a wonderful folksy approach to the ukulele. She is very patient and helpful with beginners, and contributes well to any higher-level discussions for more advanced players.
This one I would repeat if I could cause there were so many great tips and tricks offered.
Anne is a dedicated teacher and spreads her love and joy of music in every song and presentation. She is the reason I continue to improve on the ukulele.
An enjoyable workshop which introduces techniques for improving fretting skills and strumming and fingerpicking on ukulele. Anne is very knowledgeable and gives good ideas for chord changes and introduces chord melody techniques. It is a “no pressure” workshop but gives ideas to build your own skills and knowledge.
I was introduced to some new approaches to learning to play ukulele with more facility and to vary strum/picking patterns.
Similar to the morning uke class, this one was also great fun and full of gems of musical knowledge that can help any ukulele player, whatever your level.
Anne covers a lot of territory in a short amount of time – with bits of chords, strum/ fingerpicking patterns, with a little music theory thrown in.
Your patient and kind ways makes learning techniques on the ukulele stress free.
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