Ukulele lessons in Haringey North London with Nat Yelverton
The ukulele has undergone a surge of popularity in recent years, and it’s easy to see why! When it comes to sheer fun and ease of learning, the humble ukulele is second-to-none! It makes an ideal first instrument for children and adult beginners alike!
However, it’s humble exterior belies it’s subtlety and flexibility. Freed from the constraints of needing to spend months learning technique, the ukulele allows you to dive straight into the music and concentrate on learning all the important principles such as timing, song structures, chord progressions and rhythmic patterns.
It can also function as an ideal introduction to the guitar. As a parent you can “test the waters” with an inexpensive ukulele. Many famous guitarists of yore started out this way (Queen’s Brian May to name one).
Ukulele lessons for complete
beginners
My beginner ukulele lessons will start you off with some basic chords, strumming rhythms and simple songs. We will learn how to read music notation in it’s various forms (standard notation, TAB, diagrams etc) as it becomes relevant to the music that we are playing.
The ukulele is easier on the left hand than the Guitar. This is due to the smaller stretches involved and the softer string material. It also has fewer strings (four instead of six). Some chords can be played with just one finger, meaning that you can start making music very quickly!
Ukulele lessons for
experienced ukuleleists
If you’ve been playing ukulele for a while and you’re stuck in a rut or if you already play guitar, then my lessons will be the ideal way to broaden your horizons.
There are several areas of interest which can be explored. Fingerpicking for instance offers a method of creating exciting new textures. We can also explore different rhythmic strumming techniques to add percussive and melodic interest. Jazz tunes and other “old-time” repetoire can offer a greater degree of sophistication than modern pop.
Topics I cover in my Ukelele Lessons
- Building a repertoire of the music you love!
- Learning to sightread chord charts
- Developing right hand technique
- Correct posture for pain free practice
- Mastering chords shapes
- Constructing a progressive practice routine
- Learning the basic structure of music
- Training your “ear” to learn music
Ukelele lessons shopping list:
- Ukelele
- Case
- Guitar Tuner (can use mobile phone app)
Choosing a Ukelele
Ukuleles come in five sizes; sopranino, soprano, concert (also called ‘alto’), tenor and baritone.
If you are new to the ukulele, I recommend starting with the concert ukulele. It is comfortable to get to grips with initially, but still retains its ‘cuteness’ by being reasonably small.
See my Instruments for Beginners Page for further advice.