What is a ukulele?

A Hawaiian instrument. It looks like a small guitar. Uke has 4 strings, guitar has 6 strings.

What’s the benefit of starting on a ukulele?

Ukuleles are VERY easy to play. They can be used as a gateway instrument, to prepare you for larger fretted stringed instruments, but, be warned – like most gateway things, they can be addictive. Once you start playing the ukulele, you might not want to stop. Also, there is no such thing as owning just one ukulele.

What’s so different about the ukulele?

It’s fun, portable, easy to play and it’s also a social instrument. People tend to meet and play together at ukulele jam nights are very popular.

Why is it so popular at the moment?

The ukulele has been enjoying a renaissance since the 2000’s because people have cottoned on to the fact that it’s easy to learn, fun to play, can lead to many a social event and is far more portable than a lot of instruments.

Course FAQ’s

What if I can’t make one of the live classes during the 4-week course?

Life happens! We usually record the zoom classes, so, if you miss one, you’re welcome to watch that catch-up and jump on a bit early if you want to when you re-join the following week.

Do I need to have my own ukulele?

If you’re coming to the taster session, we provide them for you. If you’re coming to a 4-week course, you’ll be learning material that you’ll need to practice at home. For this reason, you’ll need your own ukulele and a ukulele tuning device.

Which ukulele should I buy?

If you have time, pop in to play a few in a shop and see which one you feel drawn to. If you are not sure whether you will stick at it, we recommend buying a cheap ukulele, then upgrading later when you are sure that you love it. Here’s some help to show you how to tune your ukulele, that’s important if you want it to sound nice. You can also get help with tuning in the first class of the course.

Can I play uke if I’m left-handed?

Some left-handed ukulele players choose to play their ukuleles with the right-handed tuning, as the left hand is the one that forms the chords, and this can give left-handed people an advantage. Other left-handed people prefer to tune their ukulele to a left-handed tuning – to do this quickly and easily, simply swap the two middle strings. Read more about this here.

Where are the classes held?

Our classes are online – so you’ll be in the comfort of your own home.

When are the classes?

See here for our upcoming dates.

How many people come to the classes?

Never more than 6 in course classes. I believe that class sizes should be small so that you get enough attention, but also have fun learning with your fellow classmates. For the taster class, I’ll take up to 30 people, as this is for you to try it out and a larger group gives a sense of camaraderie and fun.

How much do the courses cost? For how many lessons?

All the costs are listed here.

Can I drop into a class?

For the taster class, yes, absolutely!

The 4-week courses are structured so each lesson follows on from the last one. That’s why we like you to commit to all of the lessons in the course, though you can switch days/times and individual catch-up sessions can be arranged if you miss a class and want to catch up.

Do I need to practise? How long for?

Not for the taster class, but for the 4-week course, yes, you definitely need to practise! We show you how to do the basics online and more tricks in class, but you will need to spend at least 10 minutes each day practising to get the most from this course. Ukulele playing is very much about muscle memory, so it’s really important that you practise at home between lessons, so that your finger muscles learn to move to the right place at the time when you want them to.

What’s so great about your courses?

We’ve been doing this for a while now. We’ve tried and tested and found the perfect formula to make you a proficient ukulele player. Group learning means that you can make friends to strum with as well as learn a new musical skill. Don’t take our word for it, though. Check out our testimonials and our YouTube channel to see for yourself.

How do I know if I should which course to join?

Check here to see which course might suit you best.

Will you teach my child?

At the moment, I don’t teach children but, this may change in the future depending on demand. A popular option is for parents to learn themselves, then teach their children. You will pick up and play a popular song on the ukulele within an hour, and the knowledge that you gain in that first hour can last for about 4-5 hours of lessons with your child. Once you’ve learned how to play the ukulele, you can grab Lorraine’s children’s tutorial book, Ukulele Basics, and teach your child(ren) using the repertoire and resources in it. There’s a retro CD Rom to help you to pass on your skills, whether you are a parent or a teacher looking to teach ukulele to children at school. If this option appeals to you, check out our courses here.