Beginners in Berkeley?

What I'm looking for are some other enthusiastic beginners to get together with and play!

I see that there are group lessons at Dasilva on Oct 20th for 10 bucks. Sounds good but it would fun to know that some other noobs like me will be there. http://www.ukemaker.com/ukeclub/

Any interest in going to this lesson with me, new ukers? I plan to give it a shot but if it doesn't flow then there's a beginning uke course at Freight and Salvage starting the following Wednesday Oct 27th. http://www.thefreight.org/beginning-ukulele-hiram-bell Costs more and there's a 6 week commitment but I know I'll get good instruction too.

In the meantime I'm working on Uncle Rod's Ukulele Boot Camp. Just what I needed...

Hi Marymac
Welcome to UU. I went to Mike DaSilva's beginners group last month when I visiting a friend, and I think you will enjoy the lesson. There was a good sized group at the meeting I attended, with about half of them first-timers. These uke groups are a great way to make new friends. Mike does a great job!

–Lori

Thanks Lori - I'm planning to go this Wednesday when they have lessons. I'm looking forward to it!

Hi Marymac,

I went to a couple of beginner's lessons at DaSilva's and a jam session once. The beginner's class is drop-in format, we play a different song each time. The jam session is fun, inspiring but a little overwhelming. I will try to go to the "advanced beginner's lesson on Monday-10/18. Apparently, the website said you can be a total beginner and still go to the Advanced beginner's class. I want to see what it's like.

Funny I was just checking out Freight/ Salvage website, wondering if a little bit of more structure will be helpful. But I have been playing for 1 1/2 months, not sure if I would belong to the Beginner's or Intermediate.

Anyway, I play a Mele Mahogany concert. If you see me at Mike's, say hello.
I am interested in getting together with other beginners in the Berkeley/Oakland area and play. PM me if interested.

-Donna

Hi Donna -

I'm planning to go to the beginners session this Wednesday. I don't think I'm ready for the advanced beginners group on Monday yet - but soon! I've just been playing for a couple weeks but I'm working on it pretty consistently. I did decide to go ahead and take the class at Freight and Salvage as well since the structure IS a good thing for me. Too bad they're on the same night as the Dasilva beginners but maybe after a couple of classes I'll feel ready to try the advanced beginner group at Dasilva's.

I think that if you're not sure which Freight class you need you could sign up for one and switch to the other, especially if you talk to them in advance. Both classes are on the same night so you could come for the 630 beginners and stay for the intermediate at 815 if the beginner is too easy. Maybe contact the instructor through his website?

Anyway, I'll keep an eye out for you at Dasilva's when I'm there. Hope you enjoy the adv. beginner class! I'll send you a PM with my email so we can get together to practice.

Thanks for your reply! - Mary

Hi Marymac and welcome to UU! if you're interested in exploring Hawaiian music, there's a monthly basic 'ukulele class on the first Saturday of each month from 8:00 AM to9:30AM at Music Works on 11225 San Pablo Avenue in El Cerrito. I've been taking the weekly San Francisco class from the same instructor for several months (I'm now an intermediate), and it's been a valuable experience. For more information: http://www.kapalakiko.org (if you're interested, you can see class members perform at the annual Kapalakiko Fundraiser Lu'au on November 13 in Newark, CA.)

I went to one of Mike DaSilva's Wednesday night classes several months ago and I thought it was valuable. Unfortunately, Wednesdays aren't good for me, and my Hawaiian class in San Francisco meets on Monday nights, so I haven't been able to look into the Freight and Salvage classes.

I think you'll find that whatever the class, there's a value in just playing with others. There's a cool group thing that happens, and most ukulele players are very friendly and will share their tips and techniques with you. Wherever you take classes, have fun!

Mark

Hi Mark - thanks so much for this link. I really love Hawaiian music - it's the main reason I got a uke - so this is a great class to know about. And I love playing with a group so I'm really looking forward to all of these meetups. Its one of the reasons I wanted to get back into music! I'll contact them to find out when the next class begins. The tip is much appreciated! Thanks - Mary

Mark, thanks for the info on the Kapalakiko. Sounds very interesting indeed. I totally agree on the group thing. i tried learning the guitar last year for 10 months or so. I never played with anyone else and eventually stopped playing 'cos my learning wasn't going anywhere. It wasn't until I went to Mike Da Silva's class did I finally get the joy of playing with other people.

Aren't we lucky to have so many uke players/ resources in the area? like within 5 miles from where I live.

So I went to the advanced beginner's class at Da Silva's last night. It's "track 1' (meets 1st and 3rd Monday of the month), right now it focuses more on John King stuff (fingerpicking). I think track 2 is more strumming, chord picking etc. I don't know if it's gonna stay that way.

I exchanged messages with Saichi today and the most recent round of classes at Kapalakiko just started yesterday in SF. He said that the next round will begin in January. Probably that timing with work out fine for me since I'm taking the beginning class at Freight and Salvage starting next Wednesday anyway.

And yes Donna - we are exceedingly lucky to have so many great places to play around here!

Berkeley favors students with a rigorous HS curriculum (high number of a-g and UC-approved honors/AP/IB/CC courses), excellent weighted and unweighted GPA, and demonstrated leadershp potentials.

Good thing Berkeley also favors non-academic couch-potato strummer types too :-D

I'm living in Berkeley. What was the group class like? I'm wondering if I should check that out.

I couldn't do it - the Giants are playing the Phillies tonight and I just couldn't bring myself to miss the game. I know that Donna went to the advanced class on Monday and enjoyed that (see her note above). And I won't be going next week because my class at Freight and Salvage starts next Wednesday (same time as the Uke Jam at DaSilva's). Sorry I don't have any feedback for you!

AwonW said:

I'm living in Berkeley. What was the group class like? I'm wondering if I should check that out.

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At the beginners class I attended, Mike stood up on a slightly elevated stage I think, and the students sat in rows of chairs facing him. The day I was there, there were probably 20 or so students. Mike handed out chord diagrams, and song sheets, which you can now get off his website, and went through the basic, need-to-know stuff about playing the ukulele. He goes over both right and left had techniques. We were all playing songs together by mid-class. It is a very relaxed class, and no one is going to be singled out to play by themselves, so no worries. I had to leave early, but you guys are lucky to have such a great resource in your area. If I lived nearby, I would be over there all the time.

–Lori