Update from November 18, 2020
All Lessons are Still on Hold
Greetings!
I hope you and your loved ones are staying healthy and safe these days. Are you turning to music to help you cope during these strange times? Music’s ability to impact our emotions is one of its most magical properties, and I wish I was able to share that magic by teaching lessons right now.
If you want to learn to play the ukulele, check out the many resources I offer right here on my website:
Ukulele Basics, a free mini-lesson to get you started
Let’s Play! The Ukulele Handbook for Beginners — accompanied by 75 play-along videos
Tutorials geared for beginning uke players
Free song sheets and exclusive downloads when you sign up for my newsletter
Until we are able to meet again, happy strumming!
Melissa @ Musical Mama
Four Lessons. That’s It!
My beginner’s ukulele course is designed to get anyone playing the ukulele, regardless of previous musical experience. In just four lessons, we will lay the building blocks for a musical foundation that will last you a lifetime. Each student is given a copy of Let’s Play! The Ukulele Handbook for Beginners and access to dozens of instructional videos to reference as you practice at home. Here’s a peek at what you can expect from each lesson:
Lesson One — The Basics
Learn how to hold and strum your uke, play your first few chords, and play and sing your first few songs!
Lesson Two — Strumming and Fingerpicking
Develop your sense of rhythm with new strum patterns and new songs, learn to read tablature, and play your first melodies.
Lesson Three — Rhythm, Chords, and Scales
Learn how to strum in a new time signature, play a new chord and three new songs, and learn two scales that will help you develop your ear (and get started writing solos and riffs!).
Lesson Four — What’s Next?
Prepare for life beyond the beginner’s course! Get introduced to some more advanced chords and strum patterns and receive tips to help you stay in the habit of playing. Before the hour’s over, we will play a song or two of your choice (time permitting).
Private Lessons
targeted instruction + rapid progress
$280 for Four Lessons
Two-on-One Lessons
Learn to play with a friend
$400 for four lessons
Additional Services
Group Lessons
Making music is a powerful experience when it's shared with others, and group lessons are an effective and fun way to learn. If you have some friends you'd like to take lessons with, get in touch and we can plan a group course just for you!
Continuing Lessons
$45 for 30-minutes, $90 for one hour
Can’t get a handle on the Island Strum? Eager to learn some beginner-friendly fingerpicking patterns? If there's a particular skill or technique you'd like to refine, contact me and we can customize a lesson plan just for you!
Your First Ukulele Lesson
$80 for one hour
Have you always wished you knew how to play an instrument? Or wanted to try something new? In Your First Ukulele Lesson, you’ll learn the basics of playing ukulele in only an hour. I'll loan you an uke and teach you how to play a few easy songs. You'll go home with a souvenir booklet and a new skill that will last a lifetime.
Student Testimonials
Melissa provided a great foundation for my daughter and I to expand our playlist at our own pace in the future. We thoroughly enjoyed our Sunday jam sessions aka lessons. Highly recommend speaking with Melissa if you are passionate about learning the ukulele in a fun, serene setting with a fabulous teacher!
— Lucia
I wanted to learn because I have two young children who LOVE singing and making music and I wanted to be able to play music with them instead of just for them. Melissa has made that a reality! Her materials provide a basis for the understanding of chords, keys, the Nashville number system, rhythm, strumming and finger-picking: an incredibly comprehensive foundation that I am now using to try new songs. Best of all, she is a wonderful teacher: passionate about music, smart, funny, encouraging. I highly recommend her course to anyone interested in learning the ukulele and incorporating music into their home. My girls and I now jam every week - they play various percussion instruments (homemade and bought) and I play the uke. We sang and played a little Bob Marley together this weekend!
— Kimberly
I took some group ukulele lessons with Melissa and she is absolutely fabulous, I can't recommend her enough. In only 4 lessons she was able to give us a strong foundation for music theory as well as ukelele technique. I feel I can confidently pick a new song and figure out the chords, rhythm and strumming to play it independently. My chlidren love that we can now play and sing along to some of their favorite songs. I have a musical background, but there were other students with zero musical background, and Melissa was able to cater to everyone's level of knowledge and learning style, and have all of us jamming together each session! She is enthusiastic, patient, exudes joy in music and brings everyone on the journey with her.
— Bonnie
Melissa and her ukulele lessons are simply wonderful!!! The material Melissa provides is simple and provides a good reference for practicing at home. She provides plenty of practice in lessons and spices them up with just pinches of music theory to give a basis for further exploration without it being overwhelming or difficult to comprehend. I highly recommend these classes to all, whether complete novices in playing instruments like me or someone who wants to add a new medium to their musical expressions.
— Elnara
FAQs
Do you teach kids?
My beginner's course is tailored for adults, but I will teach mature tweens and teens who are highly motivated to learn to play.
What is your availability for lessons?
I mostly limit my teaching to the hours when my kids are in school, Monday through Friday 9 am - 3 pm. Those who work full-time tend to schedule their lessons in the morning (before heading into work) or mid-day (taking an extended lunch break). If you have a question about my availability, please contact me by filling out the form below.
Where do lessons take place?
Lessons take place in west San Jose, CA, near Westgate Shopping Center.
The Ohana SK-10 ukulele starter kits, available in wood tone and turquoise
What ukulele do you recommend?
I’m thrilled to have partnered with Ohana Ukuleles and now offer ukulele starter kits to new players! These kits contain everything you need to start making music, including: a soprano ukulele, a backpack-style gig bag, a digital tuner, a strap, and a copy of Let’s Play! The Ukulele Handbook for Beginners. These ukes are a fabulous combination of quality and value, and they’re great for kids and adults alike. Contact me for details.
How does scheduling work?
As a general guideline, I suggest we schedule lessons to be one or two weeks apart. My students lead full lives, and I want to make sure you have enough time to absorb everything from the previous lesson before we tackle new material. Prior to the first lesson, the student(s) and I agree on dates and times for all four classes. Private lessons offer the opportunity for rescheduling, provided enough notice is given; group lessons, by their nature, generally do not.
I have a baby/toddler/preschooler. Can I bring my child to my lessons?
If you're a parent, your child is welcome to attend private lessons with you. Prior to each lesson, I set out a few age-appropriate activities for him or her to enjoy for the duration of the lesson. Read more about bringing your child to lessons on the blog.
What about payment?
PRIVATE LESSONS: Payment is due in full at the first lesson in the form of cash or personal check made out to Musical Mama, LLC. Students have 365 days from the date of payment to complete the four lessons of the course.
GROUP LESSONS: Once we have agreed upon a group lesson series, an invoice will be sent to your email address. Payment via cash, check, or credit card is required to complete your registration.
What if I’d rather learn at home?
Learn at your own pace, in the privacy of your own home, with my book, Let’s Play! The Ukulele Handbook for Beginners.
How do I get started?
Simple! Just fill out the contact form below or email me at hello@musicalmama.com. I respond to all inquiries within two days.
Contact Melissa
Interested in lessons? Please complete the form below. I respond to all inquiries within two days.