start over again

mal-c

mal-c

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About 14 months ago I started to learn the ukulele, I always wanted to play the guitar from being very young but just could'nt master it.After meeting an old friend he advised me to try the uke and loved it but 11 months ago my wife found out she had breast cancer plus a number of other things afected my family,I found myself leaving the uke in it's case to concentrait on my deverstating family problems.Things now seem to be quitening down and I just realised what a majer part of my like the uke had become.So I intend to start from the very bottom and do it right.What chords should I learn first and better still in the progretion they would normally apear in ,in a piece of music.I do hope I have explained thid right and you experiaced musitions can understan what I meen.Thanks for looking and hoping you can put me in the right direction .I eventually want to play the delter blues.Mal(UK)
 
Learn the C, F, G (and G7), Am, and Dm chords - you can fake just about any song ever written with those five chords (though perhaps in a different key from the original) and they are all very easy chords.

Next most useful chords to add are the D and A.

After you are comfortable strumming with those chords you can begin working on variations (like shuffles) and picking, and closed (barre chords).
 
I'm currently teaching a beginner ukulele class across the water (Lake Washington :) ) in Bellevue, WA.

My plan is to go through the Ukulele Boot Camp, Practice Sheet by Practice Sheet for the first 5 weeks.
We completed lesson #2 this past Monday the 29th. We are reviewing previous lessons to reinforce
previous learning. The student (children to adults) are attentive and doing their homework (!) which
really enhances their learning. They are able to play through the Practice Sheets for the Keys of C and F,
and will be working on the Keys of G, A, and D in the next 3 weeks. Then we'll move on to learning the
Chromatic Scale (on paper for reference purposes - I don't 'know' Music Theory per se, but in order to
teach them moveable chord shapes and Transposing, I want to use a standard frame of reference - see
Uncle Rod's Lament!)

By the end of the 9th week, I will have shared our SUPA Holiday Songbook and other Hawaiian songs and
Popular Oldies. I'm hoping that by the end of the course, the students will have developed their skills
to the point where they will be able to, and have the confidence to hold their own in any song circle! :)

I'm sharing this to give you an idea as to how one might want to use the Boot Camp pdf for teaching and/or
self-learning purposes.

keep uke'in',
 
Last edited:
I'm glad things seem to be getting better for you, and also glad you're picking up your 'uke. I hope your wife is doing well. My 'uke helped me through a rough patch recently so I am a firm believer that making music is a big comfort. Also there are nice people here so you can ask your questions and learn at your own pace.

My advice: do whatever Uncle Rod says! Download his boot camp, etc. (in his signature) and have fun. I used to go through the chords as a warm-up, and I still go back to them. (Starting with the chords OldePhart suggests is a good idea, in my opinion.) Take your time. But again, have fun.

Boy, I wish I could go to Uncle Rod's classes!
 
I bought a book called the Daily Ukulele. 365 easy to intermediate songs for all occasions. It will teach you all the common chords and has alot of cool songs. My thoughts and prayers to you and your beloved wife and family.
 
Glad that things seem to be going better now. Also that you have gone back to learning the uke.

All the best to you!
 
good luck with the uke playing mal, and hope all your problems are getting better. yep this little Ol instrument sure is a mighty wonder. I had a uke as a child but it was more a weapon of choice to fend off my older sisters from covering me in make up. I lost my parents in 2010 and decided i was going to take the uke up properly.
The uke has seen me through some dark days and things are still kinda tough on the work front now,but i can forget all my problems or stress when i pick up that little bundle of joy and start to attempt to play.lol
I to have the daily ukulele book it is fantastic, another tip i will give is, do you have a local uke club near you at all, i found by playing with others it really helped and also they offer up great tips to help to.
Anyway look forward to seeing you around the forum, all the best from me and keep on strumming :)
 
Uncle Rod Higuchi said:
I'm currently teaching a beginner ukulele class across the water (Lake Washington :) ) in Bellevue, WA.

My plan is to go through the Ukulele Boot Camp, Practice Sheet by Practice Sheet for the first 5 weeks.
We completed lesson #2 this past Monday the 29th. We are reviewing previous lessons to reinforce
previous learning. The student (children to adults) are attentive and doing their homework (!) which
really enhances their learning. They are able to play through the Practice Sheets for the Keys of C and F,
and will be working on the Keys of G, A, and D in the next 3 weeks. Then we'll move on to learning the
Chromatic Scale (on paper for reference purposes - I don't 'know' Music Theory per se, but in order to
teach them moveable chord shapes and Transposing, I want to use a standard frame of reference - see
Uncle Rod's Lament!)

By the end of the 9th week, I will have shared our SUPA Holiday Songbook and other Hawaiian songs and
Popular Oldies. I'm hoping that by the end of the course, the students will have developed their skills
to the point where they will be able to, and have the confidence to hold their own in any song circle! :)

I'm sharing this to give you an idea as to how one might want to use the Boot Camp pdf for teaching and/or
self-learning purposes.

keep uke'in',
Click to expand...

:agree: Uncle Rod's method best for many if not most. Thanks Uncle Rod, I will be teaching my first Introduction to Ukulele to a group of senior's in January. I need all the help I can get.
 
Thanks guys I am very touched by all your coments,at the age 71 I have been very tempted to give up as I to have very bad emphacima but certain tunes come into my head and often wonder where they come from and then it clicks the uke.My family can't understand why I spend a lot of time on my laptop.Lets face with guys like you in our international family, no mater what interst you have, you are never along.Thank you my friends you once again ,you have fired my emthuzeazum back right up and especially Uncle Rod I shall be printing of your boot camp this morning.Lets face it guys what a few thousand mile when you are riding your laptop,better than any jet plane,think that might be the quewe for a song.lol.Love you all and thanks for the very fine words Mal (UK)
 
mal-c said:
Thanks guys I am very touched by all your coments,at the age 71 I have been very tempted to give up as I to have very bad emphacima but certain tunes come into my head and often wonder where they come from and then it clicks the uke.My family can't understand why I spend a lot of time on my laptop.Lets face with guys like you in our international family, no mater what interst you have, you are never along.Thank you my friends you once again ,you have fired my emthuzeazum back right up and especially Uncle Rod I shall be printing of your boot camp this morning.Lets face it guys what a few thousand mile when you are riding your laptop,better than any jet plane,think that might be the quewe for a song.lol.Love you all and thanks for the very fine words Mal (UK)
Click to expand...

Just be careful -- you might spend more time hanging out here with us than playing your 'uke! You wouldn't be the first. ;)
 
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