Your Top 5 Ukulele Book List

dirtiestkidever

dirtiestkidever

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I thought the other thread was about this until I read it. But what are your top 5 uke tab books? I am always looking for good intermediate-level finger-picking style tab books.

Here are my top 5.

1. Ukulelezaza - Happy Days Are Here Again
2. Ukulelezaza - The Glory of Love

These two are the best of the best. I have learned so much from these. From new chords to new strums to how to put together melodies.

3. Pekelo - Vol 2

Pretty much only works for low G ukes (which I no longer have) so doesn't get nearly as much attention as it deserves. But a great book.

4. Aaron Keim - Clawhammer Ukulele

Makes clawhammer much less intimidating. Easy to follow. Fun songs to play.

5. Aaron Keim - Fingerstyle Ukulele Instruction Book

Songs for a wide range of abilities in this one. Some easy ones and some fairly advanced. Great resource though.
 
I only own three and I've found them each useful over the years in different ways.

1. Lyle Lite (Lyle Ritz's "easy" jazz/chord melodies - easy for him at least :p)
2. Bluegrass Ukulele (Fred Sokolow)
3. Happy Days Are Here Again (ukulelezaza)
 
I'm terrible at top-five lists! But here are a few books I've found useful over the years.

The two I turn to the most are The Classical Ukulele, and Famous Solos and Duets for the Ukulele, both by John King. I wish Aaron's fingerstyle book had been around when I was a beginner - it's really well done and when I want something straightforward and easy to learn, I look there. I haven't done much with the Ukulelezaza books but if I had more time I think I would, they seem to be a good balance of challenging and manageable.

For more classical, Tony Mizen's From Lute to Uke and The Baroque Ukulele are great. Tony's new one, The Renaissance Ukulele, is en route to me in the mail as I write, so it's an unknown but I'm sure it will be just as good.

And last - for those of us lucky enough to have access to publications from Japan, Kiyoshi Kobayashi's tab books are excellent. He's arranged everything from classical to swing to J-pop to Hawaiian, so there's something for everyone - if you can find it.
 
The the OP,

I wish I had something to add, but your top 5 are literally the exact same as my top 5 :)

I've played the Aaron keim stuff so much I've got them memorized front to back. Have slowly been adding in the ukulezaza stuff. And I've been going well with pekelo both 1 and 2.
 
Not sure I've got a "top 5", but the Jamie Holding e-books, "Blame Not My Uke", "Blame Still Not My Uke" and "Classical Ukulele Arrangements" are probably my most often-used ukulele tab books.

Aaron Keim's clawhammer e-book has been given a lot of time in the past, as has Barry Sholder's "Clawhammer Ukulele" book.

... so I guess that makes five!!

That's not a complete picture, though, 'cos they're all for re-entrant instruments. I probably play as much or more music on my 5th's strung pineapple soprano or baritone (an octave lower). For these I've a hat-full of fiddle tunes, mandolin music and 4-string banjo arrangements that I use ;)

Flexible little instrument, the ukulele :cool:
 
I use three pretty regularly right now:

1. Fred Sokolow's Beatles for Fingerstyle Ukulele
2. Polani by Daniel Ho
3. Easy Classical Ukulele Solos

Have loads of others when I'm done with these, which should be early 2028, assuming I double my current learning rate. ;-)
 
Mine would be the same as the OP's, except I would replace the Aaron Keim books with Craig Brandau's low G book and John King's Famous Solos and Duets. Nothing against Aaron Keim, I just haven't gotten to his books yet.
 
Don't mean to hijack the thread, but could someone explain what's on Ukulelezaza'a DVDs? Are they song-by-song lessons or lessons on specific techniques used in the tab books? Or how the DVDs are meant to be used with the tab books. Thanks!
 
Ukettante said:
Don't mean to hijack the thread, but could someone explain what's on Ukulelezaza'a DVDs? Are they song-by-song lessons or lessons on specific techniques used in the tab books? Very curious.
Click to expand...
No lessons or technical advice. Just performances of the songs to accompany those that are tabbed out in the book.
 
Tony Mizens two books, John Kings Clasical and for a little of the eclectic Rijk Sauer Blues Uke DVD and Robert Johnson's Blues for Ukulele by Pete Billmann
 
All of Glen Rose's jazz books and Mark Kailana Nelson's finger picking books.
 
Ukettante said:
Don't mean to hijack the thread, but
Click to expand...

Hijacked threads are usually more interesting!

My "5" would all be for fingerpicking, since that's what I personally like playing the most.

1. Rob MacKillop (Sanz, Briggs, Celtic)
2. Tony Mizen (Renaissance, Baroque)
3. Daniel Ho (Polani)
4. Mark K. Nelson
5. John King

With also a nod to Fred Sokolow.
 
This thread is not good for my BAS - just amazoned the tony mizen lute Renaissance book :facepalm
 
You won't be sorry

Recstar24 said:
This thread is not good for my BAS - just amazoned the tony mizen lute Renaissance book :facepalm
Click to expand...

Just start playing some of those Renaissance pieces and you won't be sorry.

You'll hear how they are the background for folk and rock progressions.
 
Great suggestions everybody. Thanks!

Hippie Dribble said:
I only own three and I've found them each useful over the years in different ways.

1. Lyle Lite (Lyle Ritz's "easy" jazz/chord melodies - easy for him at least :p)
2. Bluegrass Ukulele (Fred Sokolow)
3. Happy Days Are Here Again (ukulelezaza)
Click to expand...

I picked up Lyle Lite and Bluegrass ukulele. I have barely spent any time with either but both seem very promising, the Sokolow book especially. Thanks for the recommendations. The skill level and musical genres were exactly what i was looking for.
 
Tony MIZEN - Renaissance *****
Tony MIZEN - Baroque *****
Rob McKillop - Sanz ****
J King - Famous solos & duets ***
Pete Billmann- Robert Johnson ***


By the way a very bad one: Joe CARR - Folks songs for solo ukulele. The worst I ever seen.
 
Just remembered ... effectively very much at the bottom of my list:

Javier Marco's "Easy Classical Ukulele Solos" - 2nd Edition

I bought the e-book version for reading on the Kindle app on my tablet/notepad. I thought, with a 12" display, this would be perfectly usable - MISTAKE!!

Has anyone had success with this e-book on a different device? or indeed, tried the printed version?
 
Tony mizen lute uke book came in today. Played through first couple of songs, then got to "pavana".

I'm sold :) great recommendation you guys.
 
Darn you guys feeding my BAS...I purchased the Daniel Ho Polani on iTunes and fell in love with the music on first listen, so I amazoned the book.

Currently on my practice stand/desk:

Pekelo books 1 and 2
Tony Mizen lute to uke
Mark Kailana Nelson Learn to play finger style
Ukulelezaza book 1 (book 2 is still on the shelf)
John King Classical ukulele (will probably return to shelf as I am getting away from re-entrant)

Should also add I have the Aarom Keim stuff and all his free online stuff on my iPad
 
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