Ukulele Taster Workshops: educate, engage, experience

Experience what it’s like to take an online ukulele class in Zoom by joining a taster workshop. How else will you know if the class is the right fit for your skill level and goals? You can read about it, watch videos, or drop into one class. But how do you sample different classes at once?

Anne Ku Summer 2020

Taking a ukulele course is more than getting a music education. Playing music is about engaging your entire being. When you play music with others, when you take a group class, you engage with others. It’s no longer one directional.

From giving taster workshops, I learned that ukulele players want to get better in the following areas:

  • Sing and play at the same time (without interruption, losing your place, slowing down, or singing out of tune)
  • Switch chords fast enough to keep up
  • Do the above without following the leader or playing with others
  • Know which strum pattern to use, instead of always playing the same by default
  • Create and edit a song sheet, including chord diagrams
  • Read tabs (tablature) fast enough to be able to play at the correct tempo
  • Play (and sing) from memory (without looking at the song sheet)
  • Find the right key for your voice (transpose if necessary)

And so I adjust my syllabus to accommodate as I am always looking for input and feedback.

If you’re curious how I think and teach, read my latest blog post about technique vs theme-based classes for the ukulele.

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