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Ideal for complete beginners. Learn to strum a tune in your first session and build confidence and skills throughout the course. You will need your own instrument - tutor advice available, see full course description for details.
This course is suitable for complete beginners. No other experience necessary, just a desire to try out a fun & simple, yet versatile musical instrument. The course will be taught in the context of pop, rock & blues.
The course is a practical introduction to playing ukulele. We will cover good positioning, technique and how to tune the instrument, whilst learning a repertoire of songs and chords.
As we progress through the course you can expect to learn more advanced techniques, such as barre chords and melody playing. Reading chord charts and making simple notation will also be introduced to aid the learning of songs. All of this will be done in a supportive group environment.
Towards the end of the course you will have the opportunity to perform what you have learnt.
What you should be able to do by the end of the course:
- Play the songs and exercises as recommended by the tutor, solo or in an ensemble
- Demonstrate good technique and positioning
- Refer to a range of chords
- Read a chord chart and understand chord symbols for ukulele
- Demonstrate an understanding of ukulele tablature (simple notation)
- Tune the ukulele
- Demonstrate a developed confidence with singing and playing simultaneously
The teaching and learning methods we use on the course:
- Demonstrations and tutor feedback
- Multimedia resources - chord charts, video/audio etc
- Practical exercises
- Group discussions
How we assess your progress on the course:
- Students will receive a practice diary that will help to monitor progress outside the weekly meetings
- Constructive feedback, one-to-one and in groups
What extra study/practice we expect you to do outside the class
- Practice recommended songs
- Optional exercises to aid further progression
- Further listening and viewing encouraged!
It is essential that you bring your own soprano, tenor or concert ukulele. There are plenty of usable and affordable ukuleles on the market, but anything priced around £40 should be a decent instrument. Have a look at brands such as Lanikai or Kala. The Duke of Uke stocks a wide range of ukuleles and can offer great advice. If you have any queries regarding types of ukulele, brands, where to buy etc, please contact Jackie Wamaitha, who will put you in touch with the course tutor for advice. .
Also recommended but not essential: a chromatic tuner (e.g. Korg Pitchclip), typically around £10-£15; pen and paper for making notes.
Students can progress onto the Ukulele Improvers course, which covers more advanced techniques and methods.
Keep playing! Joining a ukulele group is a very good way to stay in practice. Your tutor can help you find one if necessary.
See how long it will take you to get to college. Please select the campus of the course you wish to study.