Ukulele Lessons - Online, Group, and Private Options Available

I teach beginners and intermediate students how to get around on the ukulele and have fun playing songs they want to learn.

The ukulele is a creative adaptation and redesign of the machete de braga, a small stringed instrument that was introduced to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants in August of 1879. The Hawaiian people fell in love with the sound of the instrument and named it “ukulele" because the fingers of the performer dancing around on the neck and strings as a song was played resembled jumping fleas. Ukulele means jumping fleas in the Hawaiian language. Since the ukulele is related to a European instrument and the guitar from Spain, the relative tuning is the same. It should be tuned a perfect fourth up from a guitar, so the first string is tuned to an A, second string should be tuned to an E, third string will be a C, & the fourth string should be tuned to a G an octave up. Most ukuleles have a fourth string that is an octave above what the normal progression would be of most stringed instruments. If your G string is not tuned an octave up it’s a larger size than the average ukulele G string and would be considered a “drop G” tuning. I use a drop G tuning on my instrument because I prefer that configuration. The scale and chord patterns on the ukulele are similar to guitar, so if you know how to play some guitar you will have a big head start on the ukulele. You can think of it as a guitar that has a capo placed on the fifth fret. You can play a C chord on this guitar with the fifth fret capped, but it’s not really a C chord, right? It’s now an F chord because it must be transposed up a perfect fourth. Now play a D chord on the ukulele. It’s really a G chord because it must be transposed up just like if you were playing a guitar with a capo on the fifth fret. Simple, right? I have been a professional working musician for over thirty years and while my main instrument is guitar, I do use the ukulele in my work from time to time. I also have been teaching this instrument since 2009 because so many people are interested in it now. It has really seen a huge resurgence in the last couple of years. Previously it was very popular back in the 1920’s. I sincerely hope that we have a chance to get together and work on developing your talent. I am certain that you will consider this to be one of your most interesting and rewarding experiences.

Students will learn to tune their instruments, play chords and how to play/read melodies. Learn great songs and feel the spirit of a tropical island while you learn. Choose your own songs or I can suggest songs. Let the fun begin!

Learning the basics is the best way to develop a solid foundation for your musical journey. We'll learn to tune, build chords and finger pick simple melodies. We'll learn to listen to songs and pick out the melody by ear, allowing you to learn any song you want!

Beginner-intermediate lessons for children or adults. Music lessons with me are FUN! I am here to help you learn and support you along your journey. My teaching method is special because it is tailored very specifically to your needs. You are welcome if you're brand new to ukulele or if you've played for a few years. I have been teaching privately and in music schools for 23 years and beginners are my specialty! I teach ages 4+. We learn songs that you are interested in. You will receive a balanced music education that covers all aspects of playing music.

We are going to HAVE FUN! I will be customizing your lessons to your needs, your skill level, your age, and most importantly, what you would like to learn on the Ukulele. The Ukulele is such a fun instrument to play. It's a small instrument with a big sound. There are 4 main sizes: Soprano, Concert, Tenor, and Baritone. I teach all 4. The Soprano, Concert and Tenor are all tuned the same which is G, C, E, A. The Baritone is tuned to D, G, B, E which happens to be the same as the first four strings on a guitar. If you like the guitar, but you are feeling a bit intimidated to master 6 strings, then the Baritone Ukulele would be a great choice! it will be easier to learn than a guitar, yet still has a full, rich deep sound. I would liken it to being midway between a standard ukulele and a guitar. If you want the true Hawaiian sound you will need the Soprano or concert Ukulele. If you have larger hands or thick fingers, you may want to go with the Tenor or Baritone ukulele. When signing up for Ukulele lessons, be sure to specify which size ukulele you have. Lesson material is based on the 2 different tunings, so you will need the correct books to match your ukulele. I will help you sight read music (new songs) which is extremely useful should you join a group or accompany others and they suddenly place a piece of music in front of you and would like you to play it. Sight reading helps you to play songs you've never seen or had a chance to practice ahead of time. Of course the most important is learning the genre of music (songs) you like. I am fairly versed in most music genres and we can discuss the areas you are most interested in before signing up to see if we are a good fit in this area. Before moving on to Lesson Details, should you sign up for Ukulele lessons, I want you to know that the above mentioned is not in concrete. I will never force a student of mine to do something they absolutely do not want to do. I will encourage you to try it, but once you've come to the conclusion you have no desire for certain areas, we will focus on what it is you desire to learn and feel most comfortable at learning. NEW! Starting on 9/1/2021: I have decided to offer all new students an "indefinite discount" for not only back-to-school students, but for all ages. To be a bit of a financial help, I've lowered my current prices to give a long term discount. A 30 minute lesson is usually $28.00. With the discount, it will be $23. A 45 minute lesson is usually $39, with the discount, it will be $34. A 60 minute lesson is usually $50, with the discount, it will be $45. *** Lesson Details *** Listed here are the basics you will need to get off to a great start at your first lesson and future lessons. These are required items to learn properly, as well as for me to teach you adequately. Without these tools, we will struggle as both teacher and student, which is not what either of us would want. Please be sure to order these items as soon as possible once you've committed to lessons. If these items have not arrived before the lesson, I do have material we can and will use, so again, don't fret over this. As you will see, I am flexible and want this to be fun, not frustrating for you. 1. Soprano, Concert or Tenor Ukulele. Make sure there is little difficulty when pressing down on the strings with the left hand. If you find it extremely difficult to press down, you may have a Ukulele with a warped neck or it has been damaged. Options are to take it to a shop where it can be fixed, or at best, get an honest opinion as to whether or not it can be refurbished to work well for you. Be cautious when ordering a used instrument online. If you are not familiar with purchasing used instruments in this manner, have someone who is experienced in buying online help you make your purchase. My suggestion, is go to a music store where you can try out the instrument to see if it's a good fit for you or your child. This way you will know what you are getting. I have a recommendation for an excellent quality Ukulele that has a very reasonable price, and is great for both children and adults. Aklot Solid Mahogany Ukulele. The price range I've seen is between $49-$69 depending on the size. It comes with a case, tuner, and some other goodies. This is the Ukulele I own and I really enjoy playing it. It has a great sound, easy to play, stays in tune, built very well, and excellent craftsmanship. 2. Tuner. This is the one I recommend: Snark ST-8 Super Tight Clip On Tuner (Current Model). If you purchase the Aklot Ukulele, it comes with a tuner that works great. 3. Lesson Books. Once you are signed up and paid, I will send you an email with the books you'll need to order. I like to start with lesson books that are great for all ages. They will be relatively easy, thus making learning how to play the Ukulele fun, not grueling. As you progress through the first series of lesson books, I will send you an email with next series of books to be able to continue with lessons, if you so desire. *If you have a particular book you would like to work out of, please send me the name of the book so I can review it (and purchase if need be) so I can help you with it. *** Studio Equipment *** I have a dedicated area of my home where I keep all my instruments as well as having high quality audio equipment, a computer with high speed internet, and excellent lighting. As a side note, this is my home in which I also have a business raising Bernese Mountain Dogs. They may come and go in the background, but I can assure you that if they appear to be a distraction in any manner, especially for younger children, I will make sure they are placed appropriately so as to remove this form of distraction before the lesson begins. *** Students Equipment *** Before starting the first lesson, I do expect the student to have a Ukulele, a tuner and lesson book(s) as mentioned above in "Lesson Details". You must have access to a computer with a good internet that will not drop or freeze in a Zoom lesson. *Note: I do not recommend viewing lessons from a smart phone or iPad. There are multiple reasons they are not conducive for zoom lessons. If this is the only method available when first starting lessons, this is understandable, but try your best to transition to a laptop. An iPad is better than a smartphone, but unless you have a high speed internet, there can be issues at times with iPads as well as with a smart phone. ***Steps to Prepare your Computer*** There are some important steps you as the student (or parent of a child/children) can take to prepare your computer to work efficiently for online lessons. I will list them here for you, as well as send them in an email along with the lesson books you will need to purchase. If you run into problems with any of the steps, try to find someone (friend, family member, neighbor) who may have a good working knowledge of computers to help you. If you have no one, I am willing to talk you through it over the phone, which could be a bit of a challenge, but worth trying! 1. Clear history, cookies, cache prior to each lesson. 2. Download zoom occasionally to ensure you are using the most recent/updated version. 3. Make sure others in the household are not online (on other devices) during your lesson. 4. Close all programs running in the background. 5. Stop or delete any unnecessary apps that may be running in the background. 6. Try to avoid using an iPad or a smartphone for lessons, if at all possible. Thank You for viewing my profile. Please feel free to ask me questions through Take Lessons. I will do my very best to answer each and every one to the best of my abilities. To Your Success! Rhonda

A great instrument to play! And LOTS of fun. You can be up and playing basic ukulele in a very short time, and as you progress, we will add all the rhythmic strums that make the ukulele come alive. The ukulele can cover almost every style of music there is...from traditional Hawaiian music to rock!... and everything in between. Let me show you how to express your inner musician with the ukulele. You will have a blast!

Learn chords, strumming and finger-style patterns and how to play your favorite songs on the ukulele! Ukulele is a wonderful instrument for young children to start their music education on, as well as a great course of study for adults and especially guitarists wanting to improve their chord theory. I've been playing ukulele for 13 years and teaching for 8 years