Aloha, and congratulations on deciding to begin learning to play the ukulele! San Francisco is a fantastic city for aspiring ukulele players, with a fun community and great events to check out. Before you begin your ukulele lessons in San Francisco, make sure you check out a few of these spots, and mark your calendar for the next great ukulele event!

To get started, the first thing you’ll want to do is get a ukulele to call your own. Luckily for you, there are several great places in San Francisco where you can pick out an instrument. Next time you’re in Japantown, stop by Aloha Warehouse (http://www.alohawarehouse.com/). Walking into this store is like a mini-vacation to the islands! Alongside their great selection of ukuleles, you can also purchase leis, Hawaiian clothing, food, and lots of other great stuff, too.

A wonderful San Francisco music shop to check out is Exploring Music (http://exploringmusicusa.com/). The knowledgeable staff here can help out with any questions you might have as you’re picking out the perfect ukulele for you or your child. Exploring Music also offers repairs, so if your uke ever needs an adjustment, you know it will be in good hands here. You can also visit Exploring Music to purchase more ukulele strings, music books, or other supplies.

Ready to take in some great ukulele performances? San Francisco is a great city for live music, and it is also home to the Ukulele Festival of Northern California (http://www.ukulelefestivalnorcal.org/). Every April, ukulele players from all over the world perform, sell ukulele stuff, and celebrate their love of ukulele music together. The festival started in 1994, and it is still going strong! Bring your friends and family, and enjoy a day of sweet ukulele music together.

When you’re ready to start strumming your uke in a group setting, there are a couple of wonderful groups in San Francisco that are set up to help you do just that! San Francisco Ukulele Rebellion (http://www.meetup.com/San-Francisco-Ukulele-Meetup/) is a bi-weekly Meetup group full of fun and friendly people who love to play music. Beginners and advanced players are equally welcome. What’s not to love?

If you’re looking for something a little bit different, the Ukulele Club of Chinatown (http://www.meetup.com/Ukulele-Club-of-Chinatown/) might be perfect for you. This group meets to sing songs from both American and Chinese culture as a way of celebrating the ukulele and bringing these two musical traditions together. This group meets once a month in Chinatown and tends to be a smaller crowd than San Francisco Ukulele Rebellion. It’s a great place to share music and meet new people!

What are you waiting for? Start taking ukulele lessons in San Francisco today so you can be a part of the fun! Remember, it takes time, practice, and patience to master a musical instrument. Practice playing the ukulele every day and enjoy yourself. You’ll be strumming with the best of them in no time!