Swing Your Ukulele!

The 1920s are back, bringing with them memories of the golden swing age when the ukulele experienced its first boom! The songs from that era seem tailor-made for this instrument and so in this workshop, we'll take one of those classic tunes and explore how to create a swing arrangement. We'll develop techniques for both the left and right hand straight from the 1920s and learn simple methods to add both tension and lightness to our piece.

This course is intended for anyone familiar with the most common chords.

Level: intermediate to advanced

Adventures Up and Down the Neck

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 keeping something steady 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!

Level: intermediate to advanced

60 Minute Ukulele Orchestra with Calico

In this workshop you will get to play the Beatles classic „Lady Madonna“ as part of a whole ukulele orchestra. You will learn how to read simple tabs, find your way up on the fretboard playing some melody parts and be introduced to some easy but effective strumming patterns. The magic happens when we put all the parts together, listening to your fellow musicians, as the whole song takes shape and becomes more than the sum of its parts. Take home skills for solo playing as well as playing with others! For anyone who can play the basic chords and more advanced players as well. We will find an interesting and achievable part for you to play in our 60 minute ukulele orchestra.

Level: intermediate to advanced

How to Play an Interesting Fingerpicked Accompaniment on High G Ukulele  

When others are strumming, you can enrich the sound by fingerpicking and this workshop will give you useful ideas. We will borrow the syncopated fingerpicking patterns from bluegrass banjo players (using only the thumb, index and middle finger as they do on their 5-string instruments). But we will mainly focus on the fretting hand, which does not have to hold the same chord voicings as strumming players. During the fingerpicking the strings do not sound all at once, but one by one, we can therefore play also the note that does not belong to the chord, but it is borrowed from the scale. You will learn many such voicings during the workshop and will be able to spice up your fingerpicked accompaniment to your favorite songs.

Level: intermediate to advanced

"You Must Take The A Train" Workshop 

(Jazz Improvisation; Advanced Level)

In this advanced workshop, you will learn how to play the melody of the classic jazz standard "Take The A Train" as well as learn a simple and effective approach on how to navigate and improvise through its chord changes. You must have some knowledge on understanding diatonic chords in the key of C, be able to play seventh chords (maj7, min7, dom7), and be comfortable identifying and picking notes up to the 10th fret.

Level: intermediate to advanced

How to Become a Superstar on the Ukulele and Keep Fit. - Part 3

All levels

A continuation of these amazing workshops – you do not need to have attended the first two. You will get the idea very quickly as you pick up the moves and fall into the rhythm.

Level: all levels

An Introduction to Harmonics

I will teach you how to play natural and artificial harmonics easily and how to use them in your playing to add some sparkle! We’ll also learn some exercises to get those brain and hand muscles flowing and hot damn, you’ll be a harmonics pro!

Suitable for all abilities. 

Level: all levels

Absolute beginners (for adults and children) (CZ/AJ)

Take your first step towards playing the ukulele and sign up for Marcela's beginner workshop.

We will lend you a ukulele 🙂

Level: beginners

The Magic of Roy Smeck

Roy Smeck was a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist and ukulele player who, especially in the 1920s and 30s, developed many playful strumming techniques and tricks that never failed to amaze and delight his audiences. In his career spanning over many decades Roy Smeck proved that the ukulele is far more than just the toy instrument many people believed it to be, while at the same time teaching us to never take ourselves too seriously and to have some fun with our instrument. 

In this workshop you will learn some of his techniques and show elements with which you can enrich and spice up your playing and surprise your audience.

Level: Intermediate to advanced

Tone, Sustain & Articulation 

"Mahana" (Abe Lagrimas, Jr.)

This workshop focuses on various right hand fingerpicking techniques that will bring your ukulele to its fullest potential. Applying these skills will improve your tone and allow your instrument to sing with Mahana (warmth) and maximum sustain, which will help you become a more musical and dynamic musician. Participants will learn excerpts from one of Abe's original compositions entitled "Mahana" (fingerpicking on the thumb, index, and middle).

Level: intermediate to advanced

For Beginners 2

A follow-up workshop for beginners that even beginners can handle. ;)
You'll learn a few more chords, but the main focus will be on rhythm and accompaniment.

Level: intermediate to advanced

Understanding (Uke-)Bass

(Steffen Günter)

So many notes! Which ones fit and why? This bass workshop helps beginners and advanced players to understand the fretboard and to develop own accompaniments. An introduction to intervals, where to find them and how to use them.

Level: all

Beginners, take the next step!

(Miriam Hein)

As an advanced beginner who can already play simple chords, how do I come up with the next level? How do I master difficult chords? How do song accompaniments sound better and more varied? How and what should I practice? Miri Hein provides the answers!

Level: intermediate

Musical Saw Workshop

A Unique Musical Experience

Discover the strange and unusual world of the musical saw with our upcoming workshop! This session is designed for both beginners and experienced musicians who are curious about this bizarre instrument. During the workshop, participants will learn the fundamental techniques of playing the musical saw, including how to produce its hauntingly beautiful sound. Adrian Stout will guide you through the process, from selecting the appropriate saw to mastering the bowing and bending techniques that give the musical saw its distinctive voice. You'll learn how to coax otherworldly tunes from the saw and take the first steps in adding this unique element to your musical repertoire. Mainly a demo of what’s possible – we’re working on getting tools for participants to try, but no promises just yet.

Level: all

"Jailhouse Rock" 

Uke and Roll Tutorial. You'll learn some great sounding blues/rock chord adds and cool dance moves. Go from playing to performance in this easy to follow workshop.

Level: pre-intermediate to intermediate

How to Build Your Own Chords

In this workshop Sammy will teach you how to play many new exciting variations of chords that will add some wonder to your sound, without learning (and remembering) a million new chord shapes. Sammy will break down the theory behind this so that you can apply it to whatever chord or song you're playing - no previous theory knowledge needed. It will open up a whole new world or playing and composing!

Suitable for all abilities- as long as you can strum a few basic chords.