The other day he spotted an excellent YouTube covering the same topic from film, games & TV composer Guy Michelmore, who explains it whilst playing examples on a keyboard:
Join composer Guy Michelmore as he explains the essentials of music theory in just 16 minutes! What is an octave? How do you make scales? What are intervals? What’s the difference between major and minor? What is the circle of fifths?! All explained in less time that it takes to make and drink a fresh cup of tea.
Guy has many interesting & informative videos on his YouTube channel including a playlist of Music Theory ones; how to write music and working with sound samples.
One of the nice things that’s happened throughout the various lockdowns is that many uke groups and performers have set up regular online strumalongs and workshops, which are open to people wherever they are round the world.
The latest to get in touch with us has been Gregory Gent from Ukulele Gent:
Hi. If any of your uke friends are looking for a fun play-along, we do one every Wednesday at 7pm Eastern Standard Time (midnight GMT). We bring in guest teachers/performers, use percussion on some songs, teach new strums, and always have the chords/lyrics scrolling on the screen.
Each show is recorded and also uploaded to YouTube. We’ve had some really great guests (ie Victoria Vox, Stu Fuchs, Lil’ Rev), so people can go back and watch the tips and tricks from the guests as well.
Jack & The Vox (mouth-trumpeting ukulele-player Victoria Vox & her guitarist husband Jack Maher) have been creating their crazy The Best Medicine Shows on Twitch full of music, fancy dress & japes to cheer up folk throughout the pandemic (live-streamed & also available afterwards there & their YouTube channel).
Their latest end of year number is Closer Together, Farther Apart, showing footage of people keeping in touch and still playing music despite the lockdowns.
Here’s to a better 2021 for everybody! Stay safe and take care. Jeanette
If you’ve got a new ukulele for Christmas or are considering taking up playing one, you’ll soon find there are lots of on-line resources to help you, whatever your level:
In 2018 we published a Twelve Days Of Ukemas guide to give you different things to try out over the holiday period, recommending some of the most useful sites and reliable tutors, suitable from total novice to intermediate & advanced players, and in many styles of playing, teaching & music genres. Check out each day for much more detail:
Have a general look around this website, as we pick out a wide selection of our favourite tools & tips, on-line uke lessons, songbooks, chords, music theory, forums, equipment & other website resources. In particular, my musings on what helped me when I first got my uke as a complete beginner may prove a useful summary if you’re totally new to playing.
Joining a local group is always a boost – whether you are a beginner, improver or expert player. Due to the pandemic, this might not be an option face-to-face currently – but look out for the many online gigs, strumalongs, lessons and festivals that are happening wordwide from groups, tutors and performers.
If you need advice on buying an instrument, Barry Maz has a wealth of independent reviews on Got A Ukulele as well as other handy info to help get you started.
PLUC Tenth Anniversary – out in the beer garden with Julie
Just a reminder to current members that you’ve been sent an email asking if you wish PLUC to continue meeting up as a group or not. If we resume sessions next year post COVID restrictions we’ll be requiring a new venue, so need your response on how much you’re willing to pay for this.
PLUC Tenth Anniversary – Out In The Beer Garden With Julie (second from left)
Another sad casualty of the Coronavirus pandemic, PLUC’s home for over twelve years, is gone. We’ve recently been informed that the Lewis Club at Lewisham Hospital has been permanently closed. The Trust have yet to decide how to repurpose the space.
We’ll be sending a thank you card to the erstwhile landlady, Julie Kitson. Her generosity in letting community groups like PLUC and the Role Play Haven use her upstairs room each week meant we could rehearse easily over the years without having to pay out for a more expensive venue.
For present and past members, if you’d like your name or a little message added, please get back to me by Mon 17 Aug 2020. Cheers.
When things return more to ‘normality’ we’ll scout round for another similar venue, such as a room above a bar or cafe. Take care everyone and stay safe.
If you’ve got a new ukulele for Christmas or are considering taking up playing one, you’ll soon find there are lots of on-line resources to help you, whatever your level:
Last year we published a Twelve Days Of Ukemas guide to give you different things to try out over the holiday period, recommending some of the most useful sites and reliable tutors, suitable from total novice to intermediate & advanced players, and in many styles of playing, teaching & music genres. Check out each day for much more detail:
Have a general look around this website, as we pick out a wide selection of our favourite tools & tips, on-line uke lessons, songbooks, chords, music theory, forums, equipment & other website resources. In particular, my musings on what helped me when I first got my uke as a complete beginner may prove a useful summary if you’re totally new to playing.
Joining a local group is always a boost – whether you are a beginner, improver or expert player. We’re a very friendly club based in Lewisham which meets every Tuesday for free jamming sessions. Everyone is welcome & we pride ourselves from having members from all over London, Kent & Surrey. We’re back strumming in the New Year from Tue 7 Jan 2020.Contact us for more details.
If you aren’t near Lewisham, do check out the Mighty Ukulele for Londonwide gigs, events & UK clubs or Uke Hunt’s extensive clubs & groups listings covering UK & Ireland; Europe; USA & Canada and Australia & New Zealand for a local group.
If you need advice on buying an instrument, Barry Maz has a wealth of independent reviews on Got A Ukulele as well as a schedule of uke festivals and other handy info to help get you started.
I hope everybody is enjoying playing along to the UK Xmas number ones that are being posted here this month! As always, the chords are linked to within each entry, along with the original & a ukulele video version plus more background info on Wikipedia.
Please note the following arrangements for our club nights around Christmas:
Tue 10 Dec & Tue 17 Dec – We’re at the Lewis Club, as usual.
Have a look around this site, as we pick out a wide selection of our favourite tools & tips, on-line uke lessons, songbooks, chords, music theory, forums, equipment & other website resources. In particular, my musings on what helped me when I first got my uke as a complete beginner may prove a useful summary if you’re totally new to playing.
Joining a local group is always a boost – whether you are a beginner, improver or expert player. We’re a very friendly club based in Lewisham which meets every Tuesday for free jamming sessions. Everyone is welcome & we pride ourselves from having members from all over London, Kent & Surrey. We’re back strumming in the New Year from Tue 8 Jan 2019.Contact us for more details.
If you aren’t near Lewisham, do check out the Mighty Ukulele for Londonwide gigs, events & UK clubs or Uke Hunt’s extensive clubs & groups listings covering UK & Ireland; Europe; USA & Canada and Australia & New Zealand for a local group.
At the beginning of the year we posted about Steve Phillips, who has been playing a song a day on his uke to raise money for Solar Aid, which funds providing safe lighting for people in Africa. He’s been doing really well, covering a great variety of tunes. If you’ve not yet got around to donating, it’d be great if you could spare a couple of pounds. In return, as a thank you, at the end of the year he will send copies of all the arrangements he’s used.
Here he is playing Rock ‘n’ Roll Winter by Wizzard:
