Happy Birthday Fingerstyle

Inspirational Quote: Shinichi Suzuki

“Any child who is properly trained can develop musical ability,

just as all children develop the ability to speak their mother tongue.

The potential of every child is unlimited.”

Shinichi Suzuki

Beginner guitar scales - The major scale

Learn how to play the major scale, one of the important guitar scales that a guitarist should learn. For more help on guitar scales visit http://guitarpronto.com/Guitar-scales.htm or visit http://guitarpronto.com/ to learn how to play guitar.

Guitar scales are really useful. They are good for hand coordination and strength and they also form the building blocks for solo and basic guitar play.

The C Scale - Ukulele Finger Exercise

Learn to play the C major scale and use it as a finger warmup. Get a tab for this lesson here: http://liveukulele.com/lessons/warmups/

Beginner Guitar Lesson: Barre Chords

How To Fingerpick Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Another fine lesson from Ukulele Tricks - This video is a part of a greater lesson on fingerpicking. Click the link above to get the tabs, sheet music, and more insight and tips on how to play this song.

Hey Soul Sister

Aiden Powell (8 years old), performing Hey Soul Sister at the Ukulele Festival 2010.

He is playing the song in the key of C, using the following 4 chords:

Play That Guitar!

I am teaching using this book and it’s a superb resource. Paul van Wering has packed his years of experience into 'Play That Guitar' and it’s a winner!

Kiwi songs include; Pōkarekare ana, Walkie Talkie Man, Haere mai and Why does love do this to me? More importantly, the lessons enable beginning guitarists to learn the basics quickly.

http://www.playthatguitar.co.nz

Free Ukulele Lesson Book

I am one of the 15,000+ people who have the free ukulele lesson book Your First Ukulele Lesson and Then Some. You'll learn some new tricks like:

• How to properly tune, hold, and strum your ukulele
• The most essential "must-know" ukulele chords
• How to play 3 extremely versatile strumming patterns

• How to play "I've Been Working On the Railroad"

To get a free copy of the digital lesson book delivered to your inbox, just visit the website and enter your email: http://www.ukuleletricks.com/

Buying A Ukulele

Makala and Mahalo are both great choices for a beginning ukulele player. They are both around the same price and come in a variety of colours. I buy mine from Weirs: http://www.weirsmusic.co.nz/

Strumming in 4/4 time by Ukulele Mike

Titirangi Primary "I'm Yours"

From the official YouTube page of Titirangi Primary School.

Kiwi Ukulele: The New Zealand Ukulele Companion

Kiwi Ukulele has some great reviews and after reading it myself I can see the praise is well deserved. I bought this book after a quick flick through at the local music store and have found myself picking it up again and again. I recommend it to anyone learning the ukulele - it really does have everything you need to know as a kiwi ukulele player.

The author Mike Dickison also has a superb website: http://www.kiwiukulele.co.nz/

Check it out now. Better yet, buy a copy.

Ukulele Tuning

Tuning is important. Even a well played song will sound bad on a poorly tuned instrument. Because ukulele strings can stretch, it’s good to know how to tune it yourself. Playing on a tuned ukulele is better for your ears and mine!

The strings on the ukulele are numbered and named as follows: 1^st A, 2^nd E, 3^rd C, and 4^th G.

The 1^st string is the one closest to the ground. When you see a chord diagram like the one above, imagine you have the ukulele sitting face up in your lap. The metal bars are called frets. To make a fretted note you place your finger close behind (not on top of) each fret.

With a piano or electronic tuner, tune the 3^rd string to C. Next play the 4^th fret on the C string. This will give you an E. Tune the 2^nd string to E. This may take some practice but try playing both strings together until the E string sounds the same as the E note played at the 4^th fret of the C string.

Then tune the 4^th string by playing the G note on the 3^rd fret of the E string. Make sure you are happy that the G string now matches the note played at the 3^rd fret of the E string by plucking them both together.

Finally play the 2^nd fret of the G string. This will give you A. Tune the 1^st string to A.

Hint: Tightening the string up will raise the pitch, while tuning down means loosening the string and lowers the pitch. When tuning your ukulele, tune up to the note. This may involve tuning a string down a little too far and then back up to where it is perfect.  

Ukulele Lession 1

Lession 1

Welcome

Welcome to the site for my music students.  I will post information here that you can use to sharpen your skills or practice what we have been learning.  Keep coming back to see if new items have been added.

Thanks and blessings,

Darcy Perry