What To Do When Practice Isn’t Fun and You Feel Stuck

by

Practice can get a bad rap.

For me, it’s conjures up scary images from university of slaving away in a dark, sound-isolated practice booth that smelled like leftover body odor from the last person who was in there sweating it out.

A standard music practice room – what I like to call the “stink box”

Practice actually stunk!

However, I’ve discovered it doesn’t have to be this way. Practice can be fun, while also being intentional and focused, allowing you to achieve your goals of making the music you want to make on the ukulele.

However, most of us don’t know how to practice.

Effective practice that helps you improve starts with:

  1. Your Reason
  2. Your Place
  3. Your Focus

Let’s look at how to discover these and come up with a rock-solid method for practicing the ukulele.

[Continue Reading...]

Discover Ukulele Chord Theory Making G Major Triads Across the Fretboard

by

Have you ever wondered how to make any chord across the ukulele fretboard?

All it takes is some simple ukulele chord theory.

A lot of ukulele players don’t realize there isn’t just one way to play a single chord on the ukulele. You can play chords in multiple positions and places on the fretboard.

Sometimes when playing the ukulele you want to find a way to add variety to the sound. Playing chords in different positions is a great way to do this.

In today’s intermediate-level lesson, you take the first step to being able to play any major, minor and diminished chord across the ukulele fretboard by tapping into the power of a three-note chord called the triad.

You start off today by learning the G major triad in three positions: root position, first inversion, and second inversion.

[Continue Reading...]

Learn “Away In a Manger” Played in Solo Fingerstyle (Chord Melody)

by

Become a ukulele soloist this Christmas and learn a beautiful, intricate-sounding Christmas song played in the style of solo fingerpicking.

In this lesson, you learn a chord melody or solo fingerstyle rendition of Away In a Manger.

To play this song, you combine the chords and melody at the same time.

There’s so much to learn!

In the following video, take a listen to Away In a Manger now.

[Continue Reading...]

Learn to Strum “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”

by

There are those songs that just have a way of getting you in the Christmas spirit.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas is one of those songs for me.

In this lesson, you learn to strum the chords and sing We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

This song has a fun rhythm and challenging chord changes (in a good way) to help improve your skills and get you in that holiday spirit!

Let’s begin!

[Continue Reading...]

Learn to Fingerpick “Jingle Bells”

by

The song Jingle Bells will forever be a must-know Christmas song.

It’s a song you can strum, or as you’ll learn today, you can fingerpick.

In this lesson, you learn to fingerpick the chords and sing Jingle Bells with the chords and ukulele tabs included.

Let’s get to it!

[Continue Reading...]

Learn “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas” Played in Solo Fingerstyle (Chord Melody)

by

It’s that time of year to dust off the Christmas songs and get into the holiday spirit!

In this lesson, you learn a chord melody or solo fingerstyle rendition of Jolly Old Saint Nicholas.

This means you play the chords and the melody of the song at the same time!

Lots of fun awaits.

In the following video, take a listen to Jolly Old Saint Nicholas now.

[Continue Reading...]

Learn the Country Bluegrass “Boom-Chicka” Strum

by

There’s so much fun to be had playing country and bluegrass songs on the ukulele.

In this lesson, you learn an upbeat rhythmic country and bluegrass strum that you use to learn a famous song called Billy Boy.

Are you ready?

[Continue Reading...]

7 Tips to Learn to Play Ukulele Faster

by

Note: This is a guest post from Eduardo Uke of EasyUkuleleSongs.com.

Hello my ukulele friends! I have a question for you. Have you ever felt stuck while learning to play the ukulele?

Then this is the perfect time we go over the ultimate guide to learning how to play the ukulele faster.

From my experience playing different instruments, the most difficult part is getting stuck with the feeling of no progress.

If you’ve ever felt like there is a stumbling block in your way or a barrier holding you back from getting to the next level of your ukulele learning journey – then this guide is for you my friend.

The goal of this guide is to completely remove stumbling blocks in the form of bad habits and incorrect routines. Once these are out the way, just imagine how fast you will see progress and breakthrough in your ukulele adventure.

[Continue Reading...]

Ukulele bringing hope to survivors of human trafficking in India

by

Today, I bring to you a remarkable story from Laurie Kallevig of the Survivor Girl Ukulele Band project.

Survivor Girl Ukulele Band is using the healing power of music and love through the ukulele to bring restoration and hope to survivors of human trafficking in Kolkata, India.

Survivor girls–girls who have been rescued from forced prostitution–are able to come and be apart of Survivor Girl Ukulele Band and learn how to play the ukulele, finding confidence, joy, and freedom.

I had a chance to speak with Laurie and learn more about this inspiring little ukulele band.

[Continue Reading...]

Introducing the ‘Fingerpicking Tricks’ online video lesson course

by

After more than a year and thousands of hours of work, Fingerpicking Tricks is here.

We’re so excited!

Fingerpicking Tricks is a brand new online video lesson course giving you an easy-to-follow, step-by-step method to becoming a master of fingerpicking on the ukulele.

The course is designed for ukulele players who wish to go beyond the basics of playing the ukulele and explore four distinct styles of fingerpicking the ukulele: pattern-based fingerpicking, arpeggio-based fingerstyle, melodic-based fingerstyle, and solo fingerpicking.

You have everything you need to become a proficient fingerpicker on the ukulele.

Learn more about Fingerpicking Tricks here.

[Continue Reading...]