A six-part video course taking you through chord theory, finger picking, chord theory and advanced strumming techniques and helping you become a competent player. Each of the six videos represents about 3 full lessons, so this is quite a marathon that will stimulate your creative juices for some time! The great advantage of videos is that you see and hear what is required, and you can always rewind if you need a reminder. The course content includes the following:
Lesson 1
· Basic strumming patterns in 4/4 and 3/4
· Extending the C major chord
· Starting finger-picking in 4/4 and 3/4: two picking patterns in ‘steady’ rhythm and syncopated
· Illustration songs: Dream (Everley Bros), Hey Jude (Beatles), Silent Night
Lesson 2
· Adding notes to basic chords
· Using the scale of C major
· The beginnings of “chord-melody” playing
Lesson 3
· Chord theory: I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii for major keys – how to use this knowledge
· Chord progressions in C major
· Transposing a song into another key
· The chords of C major, G major and D major
Lesson 4
· Alternating thumb picking pattern: on the beat and off the beat
· Changing notes within this pattern
· Playing a tune above the alternating thumb
· Illustration song: Last Thing on my Mind (Tom Paxton), Streets of London (Ralph McTell).
Lesson 5
· How to hold down a bar chord
· Using bar chords: new chord shapes for common chords
· First position “shapes” up the fretboard
· I, IV and V chords in second position
· Playing in almost any key with the chord shapes you already know
Lesson 6
· The “chuck” rhythm
· Triplets
· Cherry Picking
· Illustration songs: In the Summertime (Mungo Jerry), Blowing in the Wind (Bob Dylan), Something “Irish”

You will learn

✓ The course is designed for those wishing to progress beyond basic chords and strumming. It covers finger style playing, chord theory and more advanced strumming techniques.

Requirements

• You will need to have a basic knowledge of the easy chords. You don’t need to read music.

This course is for

• All ages, those who’ve perhaps been playing ukulele for a while and want to take it to the next level.

More info about the instructor,

Jon Bennett

Ukulele Tutor

Jon has performed professionally at festivals, arts centres and clubs across the UK for many years. He has published songs and tunes for commissioned by the National Cooperative Movement, the BBC and Mel Bay publishers (US). He’s a previous winner BBC-radio and Folkwrite Magazine songwriting competition and a finalist of the International Songsearch competition. He’s toured with professional storytellers and with his band, Moonrakers and has has been a tutor at the Common Ground Festival in Scotland, Broadstairs Folk Week, Wallingford Bunkfest and the Ukulele Festival of Great Britain. He runs Folk Orchestra and ukulele residential weekends at Halsway Manor and Benslow Music every year and founded Moonrakers in 1998.

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