Getting Started - A Recipe for Success

BEGINNER

Where Do I Start?

Where Do I Start? This is a common question. This workshop covers ukulele tunings, learning the ukulele fingerboard, basic chords and strums. This workshop gets you rolling on having some fun playing the ukulele.

Workshop presented at: 2010 Milwaukee Uke Fest. This workshop is presented several time a year at various Music & Arts Centers

Can't make one of the workshop in your area? Download the handout and see what your missing. Or, as I say in the workshops, grab the latest most up-to-date copy.

This FREE workshop is presented every third Sunday of the month at Funky Frets in Boyertown, PA.

Jazz Ukulele - Getting Started

BEGINNER-INTERMEDIATE

An Introduction to Playing Jazz Ukulele

Workshop presented at: 2009 New York Uke Fest, M.A.U.I

Exploring Fingerstyle on Ukulele

ALL LEVELS

Exploring Basic Fingerstyle on Ukulele

Classical and Travis fingerstyle technique applied to ukulele.

Workshop presented at: 2011 New York Uke Fest

This is now an entire series of lessons dedicated to exploring fingerpicking on ukulele. The first series is for Alternating Thumb Fingerpicking style.

Visit the lessons series. The foundation and first few lessons are covered in the workshop.

Ukulele Doodling, Introduction to Scales and Soloing on Ukulele

BEGINNER-INTERMEDIATE

Don't know what to play?

Tired of playing the same old songs and licks?

Here is a workshop for any level ukulele player on creating fun stuff to play. Making you own music, taking what you already know and creating music.

From a few SIMPLE chords and a few single notes you can create music and entertain yourself for hours.

You actually know more than you think!!!

Workshop presented at: 2006 New York Uke Fest, 2007 Southern California Ukulele Festival, 2010 Tahoe Uke Fest II

Can't make one of the workshop in your area? Download the handout and see what your missing. Or, as I say in the workshops, grab the latest most up-to-date copy.

Beyond the Basics

BEGINNER - INTERMEDIATE

If you got a few chords under your belt and want to go a little further. Covers moving chords around the fingerboard. Strumming variations and how to create more.

Workshop presented at: 2011 New York Uke Fest

Intros, Endings and Turnarounds

INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED

This workshop covers playing classic intros, endings and turnarounds. Also, covers how to create your own.

Intros are a composed or improvised piece of music that introduces—sets the stage for— a song or composition. Introductions, or intro for short, are used in all types of music.

Turnarounds are similar to intros but half the number of measures, typically two measures in length. Sometimes called “turnbacks,” these musical passages “turn” you back to a previous section of music just played.

Famous and Classic Endings to Spice up Your Ukulele Arrangements

Workshop presented at: 2008 Windy City Uke Fest

Creating Chord-Melody Arrangements

INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED

This workshop was first presented at the 2008 M.A.U.I Ukulele Festival in Annapolis, Maryland

If you attended one of my Creating Chord-Melody Arrangements workshops or lost your handout. Here is a PDF download of the lastest handout from my workshop.

Workshop first presented at: 2008 M.A.U.I Ukulele Festival

A Guide to Ukulele Chords

BEGINNER

A Guide to Ukulele Chords (Ukulele Jazz) based on my best selling book of the same name. This workshop goes over the types of chords possible on the ukulele. Covering basic ukulele chords, movable chord forms, rock uke chords, how to transpose chords, learning the ukulele fingerboard and an introduction to 4-part "jazz" chords.

The workshop covers:

• What is Jazz?
• The Four Chord Categorizes
• Ukulele Chord Diagram
• Building Chords
• Chord Building Rules
• Building Advanced Chords
• Seventh Chords
• Major Seventh Chords
• Minor Seventh Chords
• Additional 4-Part Chords (m7b5, dim7, aug7)
• Upper Partials or Extensions (9th, 11th, 13th)

If you where unable to attend one of my workshops or lost the handout. Here is a PDF download of the handout from my workshop.

Workshop presented at: M.A.U.I Ukulele Festival

Understanding Blues Chord Progressions for Ukulele

BEGINNER-INTERMEDIATE

A Guide to Blues Chord Progressions for Ukulele from A to Z explores the “Blues” chord progressions. The Blues are at the heart of all American music. It has influenced Country, Rock, Folk, Jazz, Bluegrass and just about every form of American music we listen to today.

Understanding Blues Chord Progressions for Ukulele takes you through what makes a blues progression a blues progression.

If you where unable to attend one of my workshops or lost the handout. Here is a PDF download of the handout from my workshop.

Workshop presented at: 2007 Southern California Ukulele Festival

A Guide to Advanced Chords for Ukulele

INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED

Advanced Guide to Chords for Ukulele based on my book of the same name. This workshop provides and introduction to 4-part "jazz" chords and how they are constructed.

Every wonder how to play an Cmaj7(#11) or G13b5 chord. This workshop demystifies the subject of advanced "jazz" chords. Also covers a bit of chord substitution.

If you where unable to attend one of my workshops or lost the handout. Here is a PDF download of the handout from my workshop.

Workshop presented at: M.A.U.I Ukulele Festival

Chord Substutition for Ukulele

INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED

Chord Principles - Learn about direct and replacement substitutions. Superimposable and non-superimposable chords, note substitution.

If you where unable to attend one of my workshops or lost the handout. Here is a PDF download of the handout from my workshop.

Intro to Soloing and Scales for Ukulele - Advanced Workshop

ADVANCED

Intro to Soloing and Scales for Ukulele introduces you to six essential scales that are used for improvisation and playing melodies on the ukulele. Learn the Reference Scale concept for remembering any scale based on two scales.

Building Left Hand Technique

INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED

Building Left Hand Technique - Learn what it takes to build killer left hand chops on the ukulele.

Ukulele for Guitar Players

BEGINNER-INTERMEDIATE

A Ukulele for Guitar Players clinic and/or workshop covers how you can relate you exsisting guitar knowledge of chords and scales on the guitar to the different sized ukuleles and tunings. You already know more about the ukulele than you think.

Reading Music on the Ukulele

BEGINNER

Reading Music on the Ukulele - Learning to read standard music notation. It's a lot easier on the ukulele than most stringed instruments.