2024 Workshop Descriptions
Art Hopkins
Performance course TBA
Description coming soon….
Aaron Keim
Intro to Fingerstyle Ukulele- Level 1
Arrangements using fingerstyle techniques can make the ukulele sound like a whole "orchestra," with melody and accompaniment played at the same time! Students can expect to work on learning a picking pattern, incorporating the melody into the picking pattern and adjusting the picking pattern to suit other songs.
Baritone Ukulele Tunes- Level 2
Let’s play some old time tunes on our baritone ukulele! We will get nitty gritty about the baritone and learn a fiddle tune, a waltz and an etude. Some knowledge of tab is required. Perry asks: Can the difficulty level be lowered?
Western Swing and Cowboy Jazz- All levels
Join Aaron as we strum, sing and pick some of his favorite songs. Western Swing has it all: great melodies, interesting chords, a danceable beat, cool string band instruments and cowboy hats. This was the topic of Aaron’s master’s degree thesis, so you can expect some historical nerd talk too.
Fingerstyle Etudes- Level 2.3
Etudes are short instrumental pieces that are designed to teach you a technique or musical concept. These fun musical vignettes are intended to expand your finger style technique and melodic vocabulary. Knowledge of tablature is required.
Chords Up the Neck- All levels
You have all those frets, but you seem to be trapped on the first 3! We don't have to be crazy virtuosos, but it's pretty easy to learn some new chord shapes higher up the neck. These new positions will make your songs more interesting and challenge you for a lifetime. We will also take some of this knowledge and harmonize some simple melodies. We will also learn about how music theory supports this idea.
Amber Rozel
Ukulele Orchestra- Level 1
This class for beginners will cover basic ensemble playing using traditional and pop tunes. We’ll cover the chords, picking a melody, and singing in parts. While reading music is not required, it is an absolute advantage in this class. A low-G ukulele is also highly recommended! If you join this class, please plan on showcasing your skills either in the lobby or at the group open mic. Confident Beginner to Intermediate, can be broken into two 60 or 75 min classes. Baritone Friendly to anyone at Confident Beginner or higher.
All Together, Now!- Level 1.2
Does your ukulele group perform for others? Learn how to organize, maintain, and rehearse your group rather than just closing your eyes and "using the Force". We'll identify and hone the 5 skills that every player in your group can use to build a robust performance, talk about how to find keys that fit a larger number of voices, and practice finding our way back if we get lost in the music. 60 minutes, Confident Beginner to Intermediate, Baritone Friendly
Singing Jazz Harmonies- Level 1.2
Take your harmony singing skills to the next level as we create an arrangement of some classic tunes using more complex harmony. In this class we’ll take a look at songs like Careless Love and The Glory of Love. Using the Singing the Strings/Harmony at Your Fingertips technique, you’ll leave with at least 2 arrangements to play with your friends. 45 minutes Confident Beginner to Intermediate (should be able easily sing and strum simultaneously, and play in a number of keys).
Baritone Basics- Level 1.2
Curious about trying out this instrument? Let’s get you situated and practicing in the new tuning! We’ll start with a couple of 2 chord songs and then get you transposing from C6 tuning. Attendees must bring a baritone ukulele to this workshop, or tenor strung with shorty baritone strings. 60min, Beginner-Beginner+ on Baritone
Bobby J
Open Mic basic training- All levels
Description coming soon….
Graduate course- Level 3
Description coming soon….
Dani Joy
Royal Chord Family - Basic Music Theory thru Storytelling- All levels
Meet the King, Queen, King’s Guard and the visiting minor chord family in this perception altering class. We will tap into the emotional personality of each chord using a common storytelling trope which will unite your ear with the chord like never before. Get off the page and into the music in this fun and exhilarating class with Dani Joy. Baritone friendly.
Percussion; Improve your Rhythm- All levels
Two hands, no strings! Bring your shaker(leles) and brushes! Dani Joy will guide you through a few essential rhythm patterns on the brushes and the shakers so you can add that sparkle to the jam. Watch your rhythm on the ukulele improve in the process. Percussion etiquette (how to avoid the “oh no, here comes the loud crazy person” looks), brushes; 3 essential patterns, shaker; tasteful playing and backbeat (i.e. when to shake). Don't have brushes? Bring a couple of chopsticks or writing utensils!
Danielle Anderson (DATS)
Soulful Singing and Playing on the Ukulele- All levels
Loosen up your body! Free your spirit! Let your voice be heard! This workshop focuses on relaxing the muscles and approaching your playing with a loose and soulful attitude. When we find the rhythm in music, the movement in our bodies and the soul in our voices, we can concentrate on giving better performances and achieve a higher level of playing. All levels of experience are welcome, but we will use basic chords and play standing up and moving around.
The Practice of Practicing- All levels
Are you stuck in a rut? Looking for a new way to practice? This class invites participants to try something new to shake up the status quo of your singing, playing and practice. We will work on vocal and ukulele warmups that involve standing, moving, yelling, whispering, clapping, snapping, laughing, to see how our playing changes when the mind is challenged in new ways. All levels of experience are welcome, but we will use basic chords and play standing up and moving around.
Singing with the Ukulele- All levels
If you love to play the ukulele, and want to sing more often, better and louder, this workshop is for you! We will cover exercises and tips to improve your singing skills, find your vocal range, and work on easy chords and songs, to leave the focus on our breathing, phrasing and singing! All levels of players are welcome, but intermediate players might find it easier to focus on the singing aspect of the workshop!
Roll the Dice Songwriting- All levels
Let’s take the tools of songwriting and make quick choices, rolling dice to help fill in our chords, melody and lyrics. This song will form quickly but the ultimate choices will be made as we take a step back to edit the work in front of us, writing a group song together. Beginners and those of experience are welcome to come and roll the dice. Please bring a pencil and something hard to write on like a notebook or clipboard.
Songwriting Basics- All levels
In this class we will explore how to use your ukulele as a songwriting tool. We will focus on the basics of chords, melody and writing lyrics, and write a song together. Beginners are absolutely welcome, but those with a basic knowledge of chords and strumming may find it easier to concentrate on the writing and singing aspects of this class. Please bring your favorite writing utensil. Baritone friendly.
Greg Gent
Jams/Play-Alongs- All levels
If you are looking to have a rockin’ fun jam for your group or at your festival, Ukulele Gent is a renowned jam master. With a song library of 1000+ songs, Ukulele Gent utilizes scrolling chords and lyrics, projected for all to see, which makes it very easy for the attendees to play along. He’ll also use percussion tracks, and more, and give your group a play-along they will remember! Baritone friendly.
I Want to Perform, but I'm Scared to Death- All levels
You've learned some chords, and have developed a pretty good strum. You've been thinking about performing at an open mic. But.... eeeek!! This workshop will cover a myriad of topics including whether you should memorize the song, dealing with microphones, pickups and amplification, song selection, introductions, how to practice, and a whole lot more. You will leave with an understanding of what to do and confidence to do it. Baritone friendly.
What Strum Do I Use?- Level 1.2
I hear this often. What strum do I use for his song. This workshop will help you discover that there is no one strum for a particular song. One strum may work better than another. Another strum might compliment what others are doing. Understand how to feel the rhythm, and develop a strum that fits a particular song, whether 3/4, 4/4, etc. time.
Adding Flavor to Group Play- Level 2.3
Playing with others is a blast... that’s why we love the ukulele community. In this workshop… learn techniques that will add flavor to songs being played. Use a 7th chord instead of a Major chord. Pick instead of strum. Add a solo. Add a percussive element. We’ll cover these things and more... and THEN.... Put them to use!!
Larry Wyatt
Beatles Jam 101- Level 2
If you like the Fab 4, you’ll love this class. Learn the chords, rhythms and riffs to classic Beatles songs, from the early hits to the deep cuts. Singing is mandatory. This class is Baritone friendly and all levels are welcome. But open chord fluency and solid strumming experience will help you get the most out of this class.
Flatpicking the Ukulele- All levels
Using guitar picks on ukulele? Well why not! We’ll get your picks moving in the right direction. We’ll play some scales, some licks and some arpeggios. We’ll also learn strumming patterns and how to integrate picks into your repertoire. Please bring a pick or two or three, they’re easy to lose. Just ask my washing machine.....
Classic Country Jam Class- Level 1.2
Let’s learn to play (and sing) classic songs from Nashville to Bakersfield. We’ll play tunes from Country Music’s golden era: 1950-1975. Singing is kind of a requirement. We’ll finish class learning the Nashville Number System and discover why it can help you analyze and learn music quickly and easily. No matter what you’ve been told, Country music is a lot more than ‘3 chords and the truth.’
Lorenzo
The Rhythm is Magic (feel it in your soul)- All levels
You don't "listen to Rhythm", you "feel" the Rhythm.
As we play a song on the ukulele, sometimes we may get a strange feeling: our playing is good, the chords are correct, the tempo is right, and yet... something seems off. Most of the time that's because of the rhythm.
In this workshop we'll learn incredible tricks that will make our ukulele feel like an unstoppable music machine.
We'll learn the Sounding Chunk technique, the anticipation beat, the lifting beat, and many new Rhythmic Soundscapes just a few people know exist!
Adventures Up and Down the Neck- Level 2
Playing up and down the neck can be frightening, but after this workshop, it'll be a piece of cake! Most of the time, music works very well when something stands still while something else moves. In this case, we're going to use our four strings like four different voices. Two strings will play a fixed chord while two other strings will sing harmonized melodies up and down the neck. This way, your ukulele will simultaneously create a chord and two different voices, sounding very rich and fancy!
Neal Chin
Jammin on C Jam Blues- Level 2
Learn how to play the Duke Ellington classic and jam circle favorite C Jam Blues! We’ll talk about the blues and how to start swinging and having fun with the rhythm. Great place to start taking solos, getting into swing, and jamming with others. (Beginner - Intermediate)
Funky ‘Ukulele- Level 2.3
Learn a few funky riffs - let’s see just how deep of a pocket we can make together! We’ll learn some techniques to help us become more agile, spice up our fretboards with some funky chords, and of course play that funky music! Must be rhythmically flexible with some basic picking to get the most out of this class.
Blues to Jazz- Level 3
Being one of the bedrocks of so many different styles of music, the blues has always been a master class of the large tenets of music. Join us as we explore the blues with some of the greats and learn how to hear the elements that make the blues the blues. We’ll explore call and response, melody making, and slowly change the harmony to watch the blues evolve to into jazz. A general knowledge of chords and some picking technique will help you get the most of this class.
The Magical 2-5-1- Level 2
Chord progressions are like musical sentences that weave together a story that is often felt rather spoken. The magical 2-5-1 is one of the fundamental building blocks in jazz harmony, painting a way to create motion in music. We’ll talk about what exactly 2-5-1s are and some examples of them in the wild. There’ll be a few voices with some extra material for you to take home and continue your journey.
Nicole Keim
Songs for Community and Connection- All levels
Join Nicole as we come together in song. We’ll warm up our voices and bodies and learn pieces you can bring home to teach others. No ukuleles or formal singing experience needed, just your positive attitude and a willingness to share your voice!
Round and Round We Go!- All levels
In this workshop, Nicole will teach you several songs that can be sung and played as rounds. We’ll experiment with arrangements and hopefully give you material to share with your own ukulele groups. We will be using tablature to play melodies, but if you’re not proficient in that you can always play the chords!
Perry Stauffer
Bass 101- Level 1
Description coming soon….
Bass 102- Level 1.2
Description coming soon….
Jazzy Blues Jam- All levels
Description coming soon….
Ukulenny
Intro to Chord Melody-Level 1.2
Learn to make your own chord melody arrangements using Lenny’s favorite chord inversions! We’ll play a few arrangements and discuss the choices you’ll make for your next masterpiece.
Chuck, Shmute, and other Strumming Mysteries Revealed- Level 2
A good ukulele performance often involves a bit of wizardry and mystery. The ancient secrets of chuck, shmute, and even strums that come in threes while be revealed in this step by step technique workshop devoted to strumming. By mastering these techniques, your spell book will be filled to the brim with strum pattern variations for every genre and style of ukulele playing.
Soloing a la Mode- Level 2.3
Looking for that extra sweetness in your solos? Look no further, let’s add in a few scales, modes, and riffs to expand your repertoire!
Blues and Improvisation- All levels
Reach new heights with the Blues. In this workshop we’ll cover the blues progression, blues/pentatonic scales, and how to play in different keys. Songs include Mustang Sally, Hound Dog, Wipeout, and a variety of blues songs in different keys.