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Ukulele strumming basics

Some of the most common questions I hear as a ukulele teacher are: 1. How do I know which strum to play for a particular song? And, in the beginner class: 2. Why do we have to learn strumming straight away? Can’t I just learn chords?
I’ve written this post to address these excellent questions.

Easy fingerpicking for ukulele

Have you ever sat and watched someone play a beautiful picking pattern, and thought, “That sounds amazing, and I wish I could do it, but I’m sure it’s really difficult”?
Here’s the secret: Simple fingerpicking (also called finger style) on the ukulele isn’t as hard as it looks. And your family and friends will be hugely impressed by your efforts.

Ukulele in times of chaos

Now, more than ever, is a great time to play ukulele.
Making music shifts emotions. Playing ukulele is the easiest happy high I’ve ever found.
Playing music with friends amplifies all of this, plus it produces feelings of connection.
This is a post about how people are running ukulele groups – both on Zoom and with social distancing.

Tips for pain-free ukulele

The other day one of my ukulele students turned up to class wearing a brace on her left arm. “I’ve been getting a sore wrist,” she said. Uh-oh! She’s having a week off. Music-related injury is much less of a problem with the ukulele than most instruments. But it’s...

Learning ukulele in groups

Learning to play ukulele in a group is great. In fact, I think it’s actually better than learning on your own.
Teaching groups of ukulele players is both effective and highly enjoyable for me as the teacher and for the students. Win-win!