Please click on the blue 'Leader' link above to make contact with this group.

• 1st Session:
  • Getting to know the ukulele
  • How a ukulele works (once understood, consider buying this book)
  • Tuning a ukulele (when with others, this type is better). Don't keep tightening the strings if they sound higher-pitched than on this short video, if they are, loosen them until they don't, before tuning again! If one does break, there are lots of restringing videos on YouTube or DuckPlayer.
  • Homework: an hour with Bernadette
  • Songs you might like to have a go at with others:
    • Pay Me My Money Down - Bruce Springsteen sings it here.

C chord (C-E-G)

Strum: 3/4, 4/4 time signatures, Marty Robbins sings: Cool Water El Paso Songsheet: Cool Water El Paso

F chord

• 2nd Session:
  • Is everyone's ukulele in tune?  Three tuning methods. Notes: C major scale
  • C, Am, F, G7 chords
  • Homework: Songs with Lisa
  • Island strum: D-du-udu
  • Xmas song: Felix Navidad key:C

• 3rd Session:
  • I, IV, V chords (Nashville)
  • Key=G; what chords will we need?

• Other Xmas songs:
  • Edelweiss key:(change to) C
  • Rockin' around the Christmas Tree key G:
  • Mele Kalikimaka key:C
  • Deck the Halls key:C

• 4th Session: Playing with u3a Ukuleles.

• 5th Session: what do we need to brush up on?

• 6th Session: what next?

Here's a small exercise (it's the c-scale) to get the picking digits going:

Why not give it a try before the next meeting?

Songs of the sea:

La Mer (Charles Trenet) - Chords by John Caudrey - chord tutorial

• Mugambisuke plays similar chords and sings here

Eriskay Love Lilt (from Jim's Songbook in KeyC)

Island in the Sun (from Jim's Songbook in KeyC)