About The Method

The Ukulele is a relatively easy instrument to learn in the beginning. But like anything, if you don’t have a roadmap you won’t know when you are approaching your destination!

My method isn’t a series of lessons, or regimented linear progression.  Rather it follows some insight I gained while studying the piano & attempting to build a  repertoire of music.

1.  Keep a list of songs you want to learn.  This is updated continuously as new songs come to you.  They can all be of a single genre, or span a large number.

I use iTunes to keep track of the songs.  Make 3 playlists:

• Wishlist.  Put all the songs you might ever want to learn here, even if they are currently too difficult.
• In Progress.  The songs you are actively working on.
• Repetoire.  The songs you are proficient at.

It is important to LISTEN to these songs often!  Listen to what you want to play!

You’ll most likely have tabs of those same songs.  Arrange them in folders, or in a binder in the same manner & move them into your repetoire as you progress!

2.  Choose 3-5 songs to Actively Learn.  By trying to learn too much at once, you spread yourself too thin & end up learning at a far slower rate.  I like to learn one simple song, one fingerpicking & one harder, more theory based song at any one time.

3.  Once a song is learned (reasonably well) it is moved into the repertoire section.  Now choose a new song to replace that one & get to work!

4.  Your repertoire will build in size over time & needs to be practiced & maintained in order to keep your chops!  Take a day or two a week & run through them.

5.  When learning a new song, break it into manageable sections & concentrate on them individually.  If you are having trouble with a melody or progression, repeat it again & again until the muscle memory starts to set in.  Even if it is only 2 notes!

Thats it in a nutshell.  By learning easier songs you will build your repertoire quickly, while working on some more advanced skills at the same time.  Then when you want to sit & jam you will have a big bag of songs to dig into!

S.