 If you're coming to the islands, it's time to brush up on your ukulele skills! Here are a few topics of interest to intermediate ukulele players looking to advance. We'll be adding more topics from time to time, so check back.
And we hope to see you at kanikapila sometime! (kanikapila: Hawaiian
jam session)
Terminology. Start here. Make sure we're using the same terms to mean the same thing! Chord Chart. All the commonly used chords for a ukulele in standard (GCEA) tuning. It's a .pdf file, so you might need an Adobe Reader (it's free) to download and read it. The chart prints out nicely on one sheet of paper, so you can keep a copy in your ukulele case. Chord Magic. How to play any chord in any key, without memorizing 576 chord shapes. Chord Theory. What makes a minor chord a minor chord? (...or a suspended chord, or a Major 9th chord?) Now you'll know! All The Notes on the Fretboard. Here's a diagram of the ukulele fretboard showing all of the notes of the scale. Scales. How to play scales
on the ukulele.
Crazy G. Here's a flashy song that really makes the ukulele shine! Fast and showy, it's a real crowd pleaser. Not too hard to learn, either. Tablature and instructional hints. Na Lei O Hawai`i. Easy tablature for a traditional Hawaiian song. Hi`ilawe. Another traditional song. The tab demonstrates a fingerpicking style typical of pa`ani (an instrumetal break between verses of a Hawaiian song). I'll See You In My Dreams. Not a Hawaiian song, but very well-suited for the ukulele. This arrangement is based on Joe Brown's wonderful performance in the Concert for George, the 2002 memorial for George Harrison. Tiptoe Through The Tulips.
Tiny Tim's signature song. Love it or hate it, this is one of the
most recognized ukulele tunes in existence. If you have a ukulele
in your hands, somebody is going to ask you to play it.
If you're bringing your uke over as carry-on luggage, this letter may help you get it through airport security. It's a .pdf file, so you'll need an Adobe reader (it's free) to display and print it. Read more about traveling with musical instruments at the American Federation of Musicians web site.
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