Singing The Battle Hymn of the Republic reminds me that there have always been people willing to sacrifice for what is right.
Read MoreUkulele Fingerpicking Patterns for Beginners
In my latest video tutorial, I show you how to play four different beginner-friendly fingerpicking patterns. Training your hand to play one of these patterns smoothly and evenly takes a lot of repetition so to make things a bit easier, I’ve paired these patterns with my favorite one-chord song, “Li’l Liza Jane.”
Want the handy-dandy PDF that goes along with the video?
Read MoreHow to Sound Good Singing While You Strum Your Ukulele
I’ve heard too many people state matter-of-factly that they can’t sing, but that’s simply not true. The trick is to know which keys are a good fit for your vocal range! With this video, you will learn how to identify the key of a song and how to use my Ukulele Chord Chart to easily change the key. Watch as I play two familiar songs in different keys so you can get the hang of this and start to figure out which keys are a more natural fit for your voice. Sing along as I play “You Are My Sunshine” and “When the Saints Go Marching In,” won’t you?
Read MoreThe Best Ukulele Chord Chart for Beginners
How is Shelter in Place going for you? With everyone at home, it’s been a challenge to find time to make tutorials and post on the blog, but I've finally been able to work on a project that I've been excited to share with you since last fall— my Ukulele Chord Charts!
Read MoreEasy Ukulele Play-Along Video Tutorial for "When the Saints Go Marching In"
I love songs that are well-known and easy to learn, and “When the Saints Go Marching In” is both. I’ve set the song in the key of C using the C, F, and G7 chords—the first three chords most beginners start out with—which makes it incredibly approachable for new players. The video is accompanied by chord diagrams and lyrics, and after the play-along section I provide some history on the song, discuss why it’s such a great option for players of all skill levels, and offer up a few different challenges for more seasoned players. Play along with me, won’t you?
Read MoreMy Favorite One-Chord Song for the Ukulele
In this video, I share one of my very favorite folk songs, Li’l Liza Jane. It can be played as a one-chord song, and its beautiful melody and playful lyrics make it a really fun one to play and sing. One-chord songs are great for beginning ukulele players who are still getting comfortable making chord shapes, strumming, and singing at the same time, but they're also great if you're working on a new skill such as a more complex strumming pattern, fingerpicking pattern, or riff.
Read MoreGuilty Pleasures Part 2: A Mashup Video of "YMCA" and Justin Bieber's "Baby"
As I was compiling a list of some of my favorite guilty pleasure songs, I realized that “Baby” by Justin Bieber and “YMCA” by the Village People have the exact same chord progressions. So I made a mashup video because why not? Here’s how you can play along with me. . .
Read MoreUkulele Basics: A Beginner's Guide to the Ukulele
My new ukulele starter guide includes a free digital download and eleven videos designed for brand new players (or anyone who needs a refresher)! Learn how to play two strums, three chords, and three songs. Ukulele Basics covers all the essentials of getting started, including:
• How to play chords
• How to strum
• How to play Frère Jacques with the C chord
• How to play Shoo, Fly! Don't Bother Me with the F and C chords
• How to play You are My Sunshine with the C, F, and G7 chord
I love sharing folk songs with my students, and I’ve specifically chosen these three well-known songs because they have easy-to-memorize lyrics, common chord arrangements, and singable melodies. All of these qualities make them great songs for new musicians and help make your learning curve a little bit gentler.
Are you ready to start strumming? Download the PDF and let's play!
Please note: you will have to go through some of the checkout process in order to receive the download link, but you will not need to enter any credit card data. The PDF is free!
How to Tune Your Ukulele for the First Time
Ukuleles purchased online usually arrive with the strings really loose and very out of tune. And if you're a brand-new player, just getting your strings in tune can feel like a challenge!
In my latest video I tune up a very affordable and adorable Diamond Head ukulele, which I purchased from Amazon for about $24. The tuner I use in the video the Snark SN5X. There are so many flashy and fancy tuners out there, but I like this one for its simple design and bright display.
How do you tune up your instrument? I love seeing the tuners my students bring to lessons. Two recent standouts were the Hello Kitty tuner and a flashy contraption that lights up like a pinball machine each time you play a string!
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Learn to Play the Ukulele
Let's Play! The Ukulele Handbook for Beginners is now available in paperback and as a digital download!
My new how-to guide is perfect for anyone who wants to learn to play the ukulele. Created for absolute beginners, this book was designed to make learning to play the ukulele simple and fun. It’s beautifully organized with easy-to-follow diagrams and is accompanied by dozens of instructional videos to guide you along the way.
Watch More Video Tutorials:
An Easy Way to Figure Out the Key of a Song
Beginning musicians don't always think about what key a song is in, but it's a valuable piece of information. In this video, I share a really simple way to figure out the key of a song, plus I explain why it's an important thing to know:
One of my goals as a teacher is to de-mystify music for my students and break down concepts so that they're really easy to understand. I plan to make more videos along this vein, so if you have any topics you'd like me to cover, please let me know in the comments!
How to Play the Island Strum
Have you heard of the Island Strum? It's a popular and versatile ukulele strum, but it can be a bit of a challenge for beginners. I've created a short video tutorial to help break it down and make it a bit easier to master:
Do you have a favorite strum pattern, or a strum you find yourself defaulting to over and over again? I'd love to hear about it!
