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Classes are subject to change without notice.

A note about Classes and Workshops: The information on this page will change as the 2009 schedule is updated. Classes are cumulative over three days, e.g. claw-hammer uke class in first period is taught for 3 days at 10 a.m., each day building on what was taught the day before. There are many classes offered in each class period, and three periods in each day. On Tuesday afternoon the teachers will describe their classes, and with the Uke Fest staffers, help you decide which classes are right for you.

Most classes will be offered as workshops on Saturday during MicroFest except as noted.

In addition to the classes each day, there are 1-shot workshops offered on-the-fly according to the interests of the students and teachers. These 1-shot workshops will occur in the late afternoons outside of the class periods shown on the Schedule page.

About Class Levels

Level numbers are assigned to class descriptions to help you make decisions about the classes and get the most out of your time here. The teachers will describe their classes on the first evening and you'll have an opportunity to talk to them before making your class selection. One strategy so you don't overload, might be to select two classes where you'll be challenged, because that's where the learning occurs, and one class where you already have an established level of comfort.

LEVEL 1 beginners: This level of beginner just got a ukulele and has perhaps learned one to three chords but stops in-between chord changes to move the fingers to the next location.

LEVEL 2 beginners: This player knows a handful of chords and can move from one chord to another without pausing. May have trouble with, say, the Bb chord shape. Needs chords written out over the words for each song and has developed a strum or two or a finger pattern for picking.

LEVEL 3 intermediate: This player can hold a steady rhythm, and is competent with a variety of basic chords (for example: A, Am, B7, C, C7, D, Dm, E, Em, G, and G7). Understands simple chord progressions (such as I, IV, V chords), can sing and strum at the same time, and learns chords to simple tunes fairly quickly.

LEVEL 4 advanced: This player can hear I, IV, and V chords, has mastered some chord inversions, knows there is life above the fifth fret, and has been there with barre or 4-fingered closed chords. Plays lead and backup easily with others and keeps steady rhythm.

PACING: Classes usually pace themselves to match the participants' abilities. Classes designated level 1 proceed at the pace of the slowest student in the class, i.e., no one gets left behind. Classes designated level 4 move at the pace of the most capable student in the class, i.e., no gets bored. Level 2 and 3 classes try to follow the pace of the majority of students in the class.

Brook Adams

Swingin' 60's: Play the Beatles, the Stones, the Who and a who's who of 60's and 70's pop stars. This is a repertoire class where we will relive our glorious youth with our fabulous ukes. Mixed in will be tips and tricks to make these great songs sound "just like the record" or at least at close you can get with a ukulele. (level 2-4)

Super Simple Songs: Great sounding songs even a beginner can play. Brook Adams will teach picking techniques, chord variations and other tricks to fire up your  ukulele playing. Learn to simplify songs into good beginner arrangements and boldly go where no ukulele has gone before! (level 1-2)

Jere and Greg Canote

Strum Fun for Everyone: Expand your rhythmic horizons in this exploration of right hand technique including the freight train rhythm, the roll and the syncopated strum, the triplet, the swing chop, the Bo Diddley beat and more. (level 1-3) (not offered at MicroFest)

Party Uke: Fun 20’s and 30’s repertoire class. (level 2-3) (not offered at MicroFest)

James Clem

Go, Cat Go!: This class will show you how to play way cool guitar-like riffs with a smokin’, rock solid rhythm that will kick your playing up a big notch from the basic strums you hear so often. Learn the familiar Chuck Berry groove (it’s easy) that will enable you to play dozens of songs from Blues to the Beatles. We will get into some recently declassified top secret tips on how to play intros, solos and endings that are a lot easier to master than you ever imagined. Emphasis will be on up- tempo ‘50s songs by Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash, Elvis and more. This will be taught without the confusing musicians jargon. Fifties Rock is three chords, a catchy guitar riff and a crazed vocal…if those teenage Hillbillies could play it, so can you! (Level 2-4)

Le Jazz and Blues Hot: The focus is on 1920s and ‘30s Pop / Jazz vocal tunes that, with their snappy chord changes, seem to have been created for the uke. Even novice ukesters can play these songs and (lookout) even some single string solos. You will learn the Django style Hot Club rhythm that will make you one hep cat (don’t forget your beret!) and some intros and endings that most players omit. Tips on learning from recordings and we will get into some Ragtime Blues and old Western songs. The focus is on fun songs taught in a way that non-pro musicians can understand, but will enable you to move way beyond the basics and show your friends back home who’s boss at the next jam session! (Level 2-4)

Francis Doo

Hula 101: Hula is an honored and ancient cultural art form of story in motion. In this class you will learn basic steps of the Hawaiian art of the hula and will put those steps to use in learning a simple hula for performance. (all levels)

Saturday MicroFest Only -- Hawaiian Language/Strum Workshop: An easy strum to a simple Hawaiian song...open to all levels of players...come one come all"...

Saturday MicroFest Only -- Introduction to Hula: A demonstration of Hula-an honored and ancient cultural art form of story in motion. Learn basic steps. (all levels)

Jim D'Ville

Play Ukulele By Ear Workshop: Get off of that piece of paper and learn to play the ukulele by ear! Jim D'Ville has spent years figuring out short cuts to get you playing music on the ukulele right from the get-go!. Topics covered will be tuning by ear, the Do-Re-Mi, learning basic chord progressions by ear and playing with others. You’ll also learn how to count time and create your own strumming patterns. This is a fun workshop with lots of playing opportunities. (all levels)

Joel Eckhaus

Chord Melody a la Smeck: Joel Channels Roy Smeck (the Wizard of the Strings) who played solo guitar, banjo, Hawaiian guitar, and ukulele from the 1920's to the 90's. He always ended his act with the uke because his audiences were astounded by his dexterous, ingenious, and flamboyant chord melody solos, playing popular music of the day on this "simple, little" instrument.

Intro to chord melody: Moving from basic accompaniment using first position chords into playing simple chord melody solos. Various right hand strums and techniques as well as some flashy intros, endings, and gimmicks. Amaze yourself, dazzle your friends, be the life of a party! (level 2-4)

Further explorations into chord melody: Using the full range of the ukulele, and then some...chords in all positions, single note lines, more right hand techniques, even flashier gimmicks, and learning to create your own chord melody solos. Go on to a great ukulele career! (level 3-4)

Piper Heisig

Unobtrusive Percussion: Using a very compact set of percussion tools we will explore a variety of rhythmic grooves that will enable us to accompany most of the acoustic music found at the festival. Country, R&B, Rock, Swing, Jigs, Reels, Waltzes and some Latin Claves will be covered. This class will help you get the most bang from your musical buck, so to speak. (All levels)

Na Mele ‘O Hawai’i (Hawai’ian Songs) Aloha! We’re going to learn Hawai’ian language songs and some hapa haole (half English / half Hawai’ian) songs in this class. Topics will include places, sweet hearts, legends, plants and animals. Aloha wear optional. (All levels) (not offered at MicroFest)

James Hill

Ukulele Big Band! That's right, ukulele big band!  It's time to take a full-blown hip-shakin' big-band swing arrangement and give it a ukulele makeover!  All sizes of ukulele are welcome, all levels of expertise are welcome.  If you've always wanted to experience the thrill of playing in a swing orchestra, now's your chance.  A-one, a-two, a-one, two, three, four...  (all levels) (not offered at MicroFest)

On the Fly: Improv Essentials for Everyone: You don't have to study Newton before you learn to walk. You don't have to read Shakespeare before you learn to talk. And you don't have to know every chord and scale in the book before you learn to improvise! If you've always wanted to improvise in blues, jazz and swing tunes, this is your chance. It'll be hands-on, practical, intuitive and fun. Handouts provided. (level 2-3)

Saturday MicroFest Only -- Swing, Ukulele Swing!: It's swing time in Ukulele Land! East coast, west coast, all around the town, swing is happening. Sweet-sounding swing chords are easy to play and they sound oh-so fabulous. Your ukulele will thank you and your strumming will never be the same again. Regardless of prior experience, James will have you swinging your first tune in five minutes and fly you to the moon from there. (level 2-3)

KingniK

Saturday MicroFest Only -- UKAZOO – Multi-tasking with the ukulele: Have you ever wondered how to uke up your songs with more instruments? How about adding a kazoo with a “hands-free” device? Come to this workshop to learn a few great ukulele kazoo songs and leave playing your very own kazoo in your very own “hands-free” device. (Level 1-fun)

Casey MacGill

My Three Strums (to the theme of My Three Sons):

  1. Swing strum and variations
  2. Shuffle (oomba-oomba) strum; rhythm a la Louis Jordan, Louis Prima, early Elvis.
  3. Rumba strum; used with 50's rhythm n' blues, rock n' roll and a bit of a 4th strum, the reggae strum.  

We will learn the various strums, apply them to 20's-30's standards, and 40's-50's R & B, rock n' roll.  There will be some melodic chord progressions, and some class ensemble playing with the class divided into sections with different parts. Handouts. (level 2-3)

The Uke in Tin Pan Alley: This is a repitoire class playing 20's-30's pop tunes in 2 or 3 keys for different range vocalizing.  Be willing to sing along and be harmonized. Handouts. (level 2-3)

Maggie Matoba

Please note: The following two workshops should be treated as a single 2-hour workshop. They are built on one another and should be taken together.

Saturday MicroFest Only -- Hawaiian Style Ukulele: Learn a few ukulele strums that are unique to Hawaiian music and hula. Emphasis on rhythmic strumming patterns found in traditional Hawaiian mele (songs). Learn the fundamentals and nuances of Hawaiian-style ukulele playing: Vamps, techniques, and how they are applied. (level 3-4)

Saturday MicroFest Only -- Slack Key Style Ukulele: Explore different Hawaiian songs (traditional and contemporary) and learn a traditional mele to be played in standard and slack key tuning. Background, history, pronunciation, and interpretation of songs will be covered, as well as discussing the different arrangements. Designed for those who have had previous experience with the ukulele, are familiar with basic chords, strum patterns, and vamps. (level 3-4)

Lil'Rev

Hot Licks for Ukulele: Learn how to play blues, rock, country and bluegrass flavored riffs on the Ukulele. This exciting new class by Lil Rev is open to anyone who wants to play single string leads, learn the scales they are based on, and build a grab-bag of riffs. Classes will use tablature handouts. Students are highly encouraged to bring a recording device. (level 3-4).

Novelty Songs Workshop: Learn a fabulous repertoire of humorous ditties including blues, country, polka, originals, Tin Pan Alley, folk, irish and bawdy ballads from Lil Rev’s vast reservoir of dusty old gems! From simple to sublime, we’ll explore what makes a song a novelty, how to employ rolls, tremolo, Clawhammer stroke and triplets to these tunes, learn the chord progressions, melodies and even a few solos for these tunes including: Shaving Cream, One Meatball, Sadie Green, Aunt Nellies Plaster, Bound To Look Like A Monkey and many more. (level advanced 2-ish to 4)

Saturday MicroFest Only -- Beginning Blues for Baritone: Learn 12 bar & 8 bar blues patterns, boogie-woogie, basic blues scales, How Long Blues, Yiddish blues, “Sitting on Top of the World” blues and much more! (all levels)

Del Rey

Fingerstyle Raggedy Blues: Intermediate (students should be familiar with basic chords and be able to keep time while changing them). Fingerpicking ragtime and jazz chords and melodies on the uke, tune by tune. Bring an audio recorder and your uke and your note book. (level 2-3)

Jugless Ukulele Jugband: Tunes from the street corner arranged for a big gang of ukes. There should be a part here for just about every level from easy to flashy, and if you want to bring a different instrument (maybe someone actually plays jug?) please feel free. We'll listen to and learn classic repertoire from the Memphis Jug Band, Clifford Hayes and Papa Charlie Jackson. (all levels)

Lyle Ritz

Open Studio with Lyle Ritz: Have you been working on a jazz number and wonder how to make it sound more interesting? Bring your music or chart and your questions to an informal question and answer session with Lyle. (level 4)

 

Gerald Ross

Introduction to Swing Ukulele: The ukulele was made for Swing music! The music of 1930s and 40s is fun and easy to play on the ukulele. This class will teach the student how to get the swing feel in their playing through the use of closed position chord shapes and proper right and left hand rhythm techniques. During the classes we will:

1. Take a familiar swing tune and convert the basic open-string chords to more interesting closed-string voicings to achieve a jazzy or swing feel. 
2. Explore chord substitutions for basic chord progressions.
3. Getting the swing feeling in your rhythm.
4. Backup ukulele techniques for swing music.
(level 2-3)

Advanced Swing Ukulele: This class will introduce the student to:
1. Lead Soloing
2. Movable Chord Shapes
3. Building Swing Chord arrangements

A larger size such as concert or tenor is a little easier to work with for advanced, up-the-neck, chording). I use the standard re-entrant C tuning. Bring a tuner, paper, pencil, extra strings and some type of recording device. An audio or better yet, a video recorder will serve you well in your studies after you return home.
(level 3-4)

Introduction to Hawaiian/Western Swing Lap Steel Guitar (90 minute workshop): This workshop introduces the student to the Hawaiian steel guitar utilizing the C6 tuning (CEGACE). The C6 tuning is a versatile tuning that adapts well to Hawaiian, western swing, 1930s/40s popular music and early country music. The sound of this tuning is very evident in many of post 1945 Hawaiian recordings. Please note this workshop assumes that the student has some standard guitar experience and has their own instrument. Listeners and observers are welcome to attend. Tape recording the workshop is allowed and encouraged.

Ralph Shaw

Ukulele Performers Class: Sooner or later we all find ourselves playing and singing for an audience. This workshop will give you some tools to make sure the odds are on your side for a successful outcome. Subjects covered include; Preparation, microphone technique, connecting to the audience and what to do when things go wrong! (all levels)

Ukulele Song Shop: If we care to look closely we will usually find that the song holds the keys to how it can be played. In this newly created workshop Ralph will use popular songs (from any era) as a way into learning interesting playing and strumming styles. This workshop is for people who can already play some songs but who wish to expand on the variety of their abilities. Playing techniques may include the use of: Rhythm and syncopation, dynamics and accents, triplets, vibrato and listening.

Students who wish to bring in a song they are presently working on are welcome to do so. Ralph will suggest strums and techniques to help make the performance of the song more interesting and enjoyable. The student will hopefully come away with not only new strums but also a better feel for being able to arrange their own songs for the ukulele. (level 2-3)

Saturday MicroFest Only -- Getting to Know Your Baritone Buddy: After many years of hanging out with the soprano crowd Ralph has recently made friends with a pleasant and deep voiced baritone. This workshop will teach Baritone Ukulele basics including tuning, fingering and a selection of strumming styles. Also covered will be some discussion about what makes the baritone special and different from the more commonly found soprano. (levels 1 and 2).

Victoria Vox

Music and Lyrics: So you have an idea for a song, be it a few phrases or a couple of chords, but then what? This class will help you give you to tools to finish that song you've been working on or how start one. We will pick apart well known songs to find out what makes them tick, lyrically, melodically and harmonically and learn how to apply that knowledge to your songwriting. Bring a creative mind! (levels 2-4 some theory will be involved)

It's Mine Now!: Anyone can play a cover song, but it's making that song your own that will set you apart from all the rest. We'll play with rhythm, time, key, intros and outros, and style to make your cover more "original". (level 2 - 4)