Kyle23
Well-known member
So my nephew is 8 years old and I've literally been waiting 4 years for him to finally ask me to teach him how to play. I felt like if I pushed him to play, he wouldn't take to it, so I patiently waited. Two nights ago he comes into my room, picks up one of my ukes and says 'Uncle Kyle, I want to learn to play like you". Honestly, it seems small, but it was one of my happiest moments.
Anyways, he wanted to jump right in and learn an easy chord progression, so I taught him the very beginning intro of Somewhere Over The Rainbow, just for the fact that it has 3 chords in which you only need 1 finger for. I wanted to teach him an easy progression before any of the basics so I wouldn't bore him to death and make him uninterested. He picked it up so fast, even the strumming. Today he has especially nailed the DD UU DU strum. Last night (the video below) he wasn't quite getting the rhythm of it, but he was using his own rhythm which is actually pretty cool.
What do I teach next? I won't see him for another week, so he's going to be practicing what he learned here, but for when he gets back. I know eventually he will need to learn the basics and all that. Just not sure where to start. It's really exciting though. Except he took a liking to my Koa Pili Koko, which I might have to give him eventually since I can't really afford to buy a uke right now. He doesn't really like the high action of the soprano I have him on. But he does like the concert size.
Any suggestions are appreciated! Here's his first night on the uke.
Anyways, he wanted to jump right in and learn an easy chord progression, so I taught him the very beginning intro of Somewhere Over The Rainbow, just for the fact that it has 3 chords in which you only need 1 finger for. I wanted to teach him an easy progression before any of the basics so I wouldn't bore him to death and make him uninterested. He picked it up so fast, even the strumming. Today he has especially nailed the DD UU DU strum. Last night (the video below) he wasn't quite getting the rhythm of it, but he was using his own rhythm which is actually pretty cool.
What do I teach next? I won't see him for another week, so he's going to be practicing what he learned here, but for when he gets back. I know eventually he will need to learn the basics and all that. Just not sure where to start. It's really exciting though. Except he took a liking to my Koa Pili Koko, which I might have to give him eventually since I can't really afford to buy a uke right now. He doesn't really like the high action of the soprano I have him on. But he does like the concert size.
Any suggestions are appreciated! Here's his first night on the uke.
