Pick Pluck Play! is a new series of books for ukulele players by Anne Ku. As a new ukulele curriculum, it aims to reach all readers from absolutely beginners and up. One book in the series will be published each month on Amazon worldwide. The PDF versions are available directly from the author using the link below (ORDER UKULELE BOOKS).
Published Titles in the Pick Pluck Play! Series
as at 5-5-2026
All paperbacks can be ordered on Amazon by clicking on the linked prices below or directly from the author. All soft copies (PDFs) can be ordered directly from the author.
UPDATES:
- Which book to get? Watch this short video guide to find the right level for you.
- Newest Release: the 7th title “Common Chord Progressions & Picking Patterns for Fingerstyle Ukulele” a Technique Reference book, the first in the Pick Pluck Play! Series launches in late May 2026. The winner of the online auction for this book & a private consultation at the 2nd New England Ukulele Festival will receive the first copy.
- Printing & Multimedia:
- New Titles: From March 2026, all new releases feature black-and-white interiors.
- Early Titles: Previous releases remain available in both black-and-white interiors on standard paper AND premium color on heavy-weight paper.
- Kindle: All digital editions are now standaridized at US$9.99.
- YouTube Playlists: We are currently building dedicated playlists for every piece in every book. While this is a work-in-progress, you can already access the playlists for many below.
Book prices in US$ with links to respective Amazon.com pages.
| Pick Pluck Play! on Amazon.com in US$ Pages* (in sample) Bonus Addition | Black & White | Premium Color (heavy paper) | Kindle [pages] | |
| Book 1 Absolute Beginner 12 Progressive Pieces Pages 54 (15) | 15.00 | 19.99 | 9.99 [53] | |
| Book 2 Advancing Beginners 12 Progressive Pieces + 4 chord exercises Pages 52 (13) Silent Night | 15.00 | 19.99 | 9.99 [51] | |
| World Ukulele Day Special Edition Step by Step to Chord Melody 12 Progressive Miniatures +3 chord exercises Pages 46 (13) Pachelbel’s Canon | 15.99 | 19.99 | 9.99 [45] | |
| Technique Exercises C Major Scale with Harmony 24 Progressive Studies + 2 waltzes + 4 chord exercises Pages 108 (18) Auld Lang Syne | 19.99 | 31.88 | 9.99 [101] | |
| Valentine’s Day Special Edition 12 Timeless Love Songs chord melody arrangements +3 chord exercises Pages 104 (22) Pimimi Pick Pattern | 19.88 | 9.99 [103] | ||
| Collector’s Edition Premium Color 12 Timeless Love Songs chord melody arrangements +3 chord exercises Pages 94 (18) Pimimi Pick Pattern | 31.88 | 9.99 [93] | ||
| Take on BACH – 12 solo & duet for high G & low G +2 chord exercises Pages 114 (20) Happy Birthday | 22.00 | 9.99 [113] | ||
| Common Chord Progressions & Picking Patterns (May 2026) | 1st copy auctioned for Ukulele Festival | |||
- (number of sample pages including outside color covers shown in Amazon listing)
- [number of pages in Kindle]
- * number of interior pages including inside black & white covers, not including exterior color covers
3 Chord Thursday begins on Thursday 15th January 2026 and runs once a month, on the third Thursday of each month at 3 PM EST (EDT) – East Coast Time USA. Free to participate anywhere in the world in Zoom. The Zoom information will be posted 24 hours before the next session. Each session is livestreamed on YouTube. Subscribe to the YouTube Channel to get an e-mail notification of the URL (link) of livestream video.
The Ukulele Enthusiast is a free newsletter about ukulele events, workshops, tips, and other useful topics that ukulele players want to know. Sign up to get on the mailing list by clicking on the image below to get to the Google Form.
Ukulele Play Along Videos – Youtube Playlists
Play Along videos are a great way to “play along” to the video, to practice and learn.
- Pick Pluck Play! Book 1
- Pick Pluck Play! Book 2
- Step by Step to Chord Melody
- C Major Scale with Harmony
- 12 Timeless Love Songs plus PIMIMI Pick Pattern
- Take on Bach
- Pick Pluck Play! – pieces in the series of books not yet published
- Composed by Anne Ku
- Ukulele Play Along Videos
Order Books
Pick Pluck Play! is a new series of ukulele books designed for absolute beginners and up. All books are available in paperback (economy black & white; premium color) and on Kindle, worldwide on Amazon.
Main Books (repertoire):
- Book 1 of Pick Pluck Play! Ukulele Series for Absolute Beginners
(15th October 2025) - Book 2 of Pick Pluck Play! Ukulele Series for Advancing Beginners
(22nd November 2025)
Special Editions:
- World Ukulele Day: Step by Step to Chord Melody 12 Progressive Miniatures
(15 January 2026) - 12 Timeless Love Songs Chord Melody Arrangements (13th February 2026)
Valentine’s Day (Black & White)
Collector’s Edition (Premium Color) - Take on Bach – Birthday Edition (21st March 2026)
- Earth Day 2027
Technique Exercises / Reference:
- 24 Progressive Studies on C Major Scale with Harmony (late January 2026)
- Common Chord Progressions and Picking Patterns 1st copy auctioned for Ukulele Festival (May 2026)
- Chord Choreography: Finger Fitness for Flexibility
- Warm-Up Exercises – developed from the 8-week course and 3 Chord Thursday
Book 3 of Pick Pluck Play! Ukulele Series (expected Summer 2026)
Fun with Uke Festive Edition 2024
20 page PDF and hard copy now available! Postage to be added to for hard copies by post.
Please use the new form to order books. Click on the image below for the Google Form.
2026
Free to join 3 Chord Thursday, the monthly thematic music session in Zoom every 3rd Thursday at 3 PM Eastern Time. Recorded on YouTube (livestream).
Make Your Ukulele Sing – a free in-person course
1st April to 20th May 2026 (6:00 – 7:30 PM) – 8 Wednesdays
Boston Public Library Honan-Allston Branch – register here.
Registered participants who attend all 8 classes will receive their own copy of 12 Timeless Love Songs book by Anne Ku at the end of the course.
2nd New England Ukulele Festival 2026, Newton, MA
online silent auction of 7th title of the Pick Pluck Play! Series
Sunday 3rd May 2026
2nd Coastal Ukulele Festival 2026, Cohasset, MA (see the first one)
Sunday 4th October 2026
5th Nutmeg Ukulele Festival 2026, Simsbury, CT (see the 4th one)
Saturday 7th November 2026
2025
Visit My Store on Teachers Pay Teachers website to get single copies of my music.
Friday 10/24 and Saturday 10/25/2025 Third International Ukulele Conference, Alessandria, Italy
Sunday 10/4 the inaugural Coastal Ukefest – Cohasset, Massachusetts – FREE
Wednesday 9/24 at 3 PM EDT World Wasp Day – workshop in Zoom – FREE
Weekend 9/12-9/14 4th Nutmeg Ukulele Festival – Simsbury, Connecticut
6-week course (in-person), Boston Public Library Honan-Allston Branch
Free to participants who commit to the six consecutive weeks. Sign up. Show up. Set up. Practice. The library provides the music stands and “Fun with Uke” book; and your own ukulele that you can borrow with your library card.
Ukulele workshop in the coastal town of Cohasset, Massachusetts
Sunday 9th February 2025 from 2 to 4 PM. Free to participants.
In-person only. Free parking. Details here.
World Ukulele Day Workshops in Zoom
Sunday 2/2/2025 at 2 PM EST and HST. FREE.
Daily Music Writing Project – from 1st January 2025, a tune or exercise a day, starting with this blog post. For access, see Request & Feedback
2024 – 2025 Workshops
- World Wasp Day in Zoom (Wednesday 24th September 2025) – release of Book 4
- Play Oz Like Iz (Saturday 13th September 2025 at 4th Nutmeg Ukulele Festival, Simsbury, Connecticut)
- Fingerpickin’ Good (4th Nutmeg Ukulele Festival, Simsbury, CT)
- Pachelbel Ukulele Ensemble for high G, low G, and baritone ukuleles (September 2025, Simsbury, CT)
- Fun with Uke: learn the 20% you need to play 80% you want (February 2025, Cohasset, MA)
- Three Chord Holiday Songs (Thursday 19th December 2024 at 1:30 PM EST)
- The Two Most Important Chords in Every Key and other workshops (Saturday 14 September 2025, Simsbury, CT)
- Ode to Joy (Thursday 6 June 2024 and 5 September 2024)
- Happy Birthday (Thursday 4 April 2024)
- Hawaiian Vamp in Hawaiian Songs (February & March 2024)
- Auld Lang Syne (four one-hour workshops in January 2024)
- Chord Melody (Thursday 5th September 2024)
- Make Your Own Parody (Thursday 18th July 2024)
Music Classes are offered for 4 to 8 weeks each season. Join the the mailing list for announcements of free workshops and new classes. Read recent testimonials. Technique vs Theme-based classes. If you missed the EARLY BIRD deadline, you can still REGISTER and get tuition reduction by giving the gift of music with a book or physical fitness exercise classes in Zoom with Jen.
Anne Ku’s MA in Music, “Paradox of Simplicity: Song Sheets for Participative Music Making in Ukulele Groups” dissertation, December 2018. Blog posts: “Ukulele: ticket to ride“
Subscribe or Follow for Updates
- Sign up for the exclusive Ukulele Enthusiast e-BLAST (E-mail Blast) (newsletter) new
- JOIN the mailing list
- LIKE the THEMATIC UKULELE JAM Facebook page
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Class & Course Descriptions
- Songwriting & Composition – free taster workshop in Zoom April 19, 2023
- Fingerstyle Ukulele Showcase showcasing new work by living composers for the ukulele
- Voice Over Uke with Italian Songs
- Music Theory MELODY
- Music Theory HARMONY
- Ukulele Bootcamp
- Piano Harmonization on playing from Lead Sheets
- Crash course for complete beginners
- Chord melody arrangement for Ode to Joy
- Learn Chinese through song
- Chinese Mandarin with song
- Intro to Music Theory
- Music theory for song writing
- Music theory for ukulele
- Piano class: what you’re also learning
- Pluck & Play
- Tab & Pluck
- Taster Workshops: educate, engage, experience
Arrangements & Song Sheets by Anne Ku
- 9 Strum Patterns for 4 Beat Songs – with video tutorial
- 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall
- Annie’s Song in C – song sheet, tabs, pluck acocmpaniment
- Auld Lang Syne in C, modulating to F – notes, tabs, chords
- Autumn Leaves in Gm – song sheet with reduced number of chords
- Can’t Help Falling in Love in C – lead sheet, notes, tabs, chords, lyrics
- Dido’s Lament for ukulele – chord melody
- Do Re Mi for ukulele – lead sheet, notes, tabs, chords, lyrics
- Do Wah Diddy – first video tutorial
- Easy Peasy Ukulele Duet on Open Strings – original composition
- Happy Birthday Chord Melody Arrangement
- Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
- It’s So Easy to Fall in Love But Breaking Up is Hard to Do – medley, songsheet
- James Bond Theme – riffs
- Jeopardy Game Theme tune “Think” – high G or low G; high G only (more info)
- Life is Live (Opus) – song sheet
- Moonshadow – song sheet with riffs, strum patterns
- Mother of Mine – video, song sheet
- Ode to Joy in F: 3 parts – ensemble, video playalong
- Only You (Yazoo)
- Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head – song sheet with riffs, strum patterns
- September in the Rain (click on the sample image for the song sheet)
- Simple Gifts for high G, low G, modulation
- Songs with major scales for ukulele
- Torn Between Two Lovers – song sheet
- Twinkle Twinkle – melody and alberti accompaniment
- When the Saints Go Marching In – song sheet with percussive tap
- You Are My Sunshine – ideas for chords and strum patterns
Chinese songs arranged by Anne Ku
- Blog post: Learn Chinese Through Song
- Flower Drum Song (Feng Yang Hua Gu)
- Little Donkey (Xiao Mao Lu)
Japanese songs
- Chotto Matte Kudasai (one page song sheet)
- Sakura – one page song sheet (to add riffs, intro, melody line)
- Sanshin no Hana – tab (3-page PDF) ; tabs & song sheet (3-page PDF)
- Seto no Hanayome – leadsheet
- Shojoji – one page song sheet (add melody line)
- Subete no hito no kokoro ni hana o
How to (tutorial) articles for the beginner by Anne Ku
- Chord shape thinking from guitar to ukulele
- Different Strokes for Different Folks
- For the absolute, complete, total beginner in ukulele
- From guitar to ukulele: chord shape thinking
- Getting to and from a ukulele jam session
- How to memorize music (part 1): instrumental piece
- Most commonly used chords for ukulele
- Two chord songs
- Three chord songs for ukulele and guitar
- Ukulele beginner basics: more questions
- Ukulele Crash Course for Complete Beginners
- Vocal exercise with ukulele as warm up
- Which ukulele chords to learn first?
- Your first ukulele: borrow, rent, or buy?
- Your first ukulele jam do’s and don’ts
Related articles by Anne Ku
- Earth Day ukulele workshops and jam
- Easy Beatles Jam Session
- From ukulele jam to gig
- Have Uke, Will travel
- Safely dance the safety dance: riffs and meaning in music
- Selecting songs for a select audience: eighties extravaganza
- Starting My Own Ukulele Club
- Ukulele Clubs: Sing, Strum, Socialise
- Ukulele jam sessions: what to expect
- Ukulele repertoire: song sheets for amateur music making
- Ukulele Workshops and Jam Sessions in Historic Lower Mills
- Valentine’s Day at Heartbreak Hotel ukulele jam
- Why are ukulele sales booming?
Ukulele Book Reviews by Anne Ku
- Arpeggio Meditations for Ukulele – Daniel Ward
- Business of Being a Community Musician, The – Mark Jackson & Jane Jelbart
- Classical Uke – Paul Mansell
- Discovering Fingerstyle Ukulele Songbook – Colin Tribe
- How to Play Ukulele – Dan Scanlan
- Melodic Meditations for Ukulele – Daniel Ward
- Modern Pieces for Ukulele – Paul Mansell
- Ukestration Manual, The – Mark Jackson & Jane Jelbart
- Ukulele Ceilidh – Kevin Carroll
- Ukulele Picking Tunes Classic Gems – Paul Mansell
- Ukulele School – Paul Mansell
YouTube Video Playlists
- Classical ukulele
- Hawaiian theme
- Origami & music
- Ukulele playalong
- 10 steps in “Happy Helpful Guide to the Ukulele”
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