Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Merry Christmas to Uke!

Get yours before they're all gone!

Please join us on December 15 for our Christmas Uke Jam! 
You can find more details at CrunchyBanana.com.

Monday, November 10, 2014

CCC Uke Jam - Class 5

It's our last class of the session! Here is the presentation used in class:



I've had a great time teaching this class and I really hope all those attending had a good time too. Keep practicing!! Everyone caught on really fast and come on over for my Christmas Uke Jam if you can!

Uke On!!



Tuesday, November 4, 2014

CCC Uke Jam - Class 4


Here's the link to this week's class information:

CCC Uke Jam - Class 4


Next week is our last class!! We will be having a total uke jam! We'll play some of the tunes we're covered in class and please feel free to pick out any tune you might find on the web (do a Google search: Ukulele Club Songbooks).

Monday, October 27, 2014

CCC Uke Jam - Class 3


spooky uke.jpg
Happy Halloween!


We covered some spooky tunes for the season! Here are the class notes and a video you can jam along with!





Santana performing Evil Ways at Woodstock - 1969... and faster than we practiced in class!


Just in case you've forgotten the opening of the show!


Tuesday, October 21, 2014

CCC Uke Jam - Class 2

Here are the notes from our second ukulele class:

CCC Uke Jam - Class 2


Here's a blast from the 50s and the 60s for inspiration!




This one is really from 1970 but I like that it's a live version.

Monday, October 6, 2014

CCC Uke Jam - Class 1

I had a great time tonight at CCC's River Glen Campus in Fulton. Here's a link to a pdf file with what we covered:

Uke Jam - Class 1


Here are few more two chord songs to try out. Listen for the chord changes!:
  • Old Time/Bluegrass Tunes:
    • Pistol Packin' Mama
    • Jambalaya
    • Buffalo Gals
  • Children's Tunes:
    • Skip To My Lou
    • Go Tell Aunt Rhody
    • London Bridge
    • Mary Had A Little Lamb
  • Old Time Gospel Tunes:
    • He's Got The Whole World In His Hands
    • Standin' In The Need of Prayer

About ukulele strings...

Often new ukuleles don't come with very good strings, so changing them up for better quality strings can often make even an inexpensive uke sounds much better.There are lots of brands out there and every player has their favorite. On my soprano uke in traditional tuning I use Aquila Strings. Here's a video that explains how to change the strings - it's not as hard as you might think!




No class next week due to the Columbus Day weekend. We'll meet on the 20th and with a couple more chords branch out to Rock 'n Roll and the Blues!




Thursday, October 2, 2014

Uke Jam at CCC - Fulton

Gorgeous uke pic I on found here:
http://www.deviantart.com/art/pink-ukulele-122864933


Next week I start teaching a five week beginner uke class at the Cayuga Community College's River Glen campus in Fulton, NY - yay! I'm looking forward to it!

I'll be posting course materials here as we go... so check back soon!

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Happy

Whether you are or not it's a fun tune for the whole family! It's the Pharrell Williams hit from Despicable Me 2 ... Happy! I put this in a key to match the video so you can jam along. I play all the chords in the positions I've given and all as bar chords. I don't know why, I just like it that way - you can play as you please. Enjoy!

Happy for ukulele!


Monday, February 24, 2014

Down By The Water

Here's the latest tune I've worked up by The Decemberists, entitled Down By The Water (just click for the pdf). Nice tune and a good chance to do some harmony. If you don't know their music give it listen! This tune is from their cd The King is Dead.