Ukulele Lessons Available

Early Blues Styles, 60s Folk Songs

Early Country & Western Styles

How To Improve Your Playing

Playing In A Small Group

Help! I'm Just Beginning?

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Benefits

Physical and cognitive benefits

  • Improves coordination: Playing the ukulele enhances hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, as it requires both hands to work together and respond to the music.
  • Boosts cognitive function: The mental effort involved in reading music, learning chords, and keeping rhythm can sharpen cognitive functions, improve memory, and enhance concentration.
  • Reduces stress: The act of playing can be meditative, acting as a positive escape from daily stress and helping to lower anxiety and blood pressure. 
Psychological and social benefits
  • Increases confidence: Mastering new songs and techniques provides a rewarding sense of accomplishment that builds self-esteem.
  • Fosters social connections: Joining ukulele groups or playing with friends creates opportunities to connect with others and build community.
  • Enhances creativity: It provides a creative outlet for self-expression, and some people are even inspired to write their own music. 

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Here's a very interesting TED TALK about what music does to our brains.

 

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Tips & Tricks

Holding and strumming

  • Posture: Sit or stand with good posture, keeping your shoulders relaxed and the ukulele close to your body.
  • Strumming hand: Keep your strumming hand and index finger relaxed to avoid tension. The motion should be a glide, not a poke or jab.
  • Strumming location: Strum around the 12th fret where the body meets the neck for a warmer sound and less finger strain.
  • Avoid harshness: Avoid using your thumb or a plectrum, as this can make the sound too harsh. A gentle, relaxed strum is best to start. 
Practice and timing
  • Use a metronome: Practice with a metronome to develop a steady rhythm, which is more crucial than knowing many chords.
  • Tap your foot: Tap your foot on the downbeats to help maintain consistent timing.
  • Start with the basics: Learn basic chords and practice the down strum on each count of a simple beat.
  • Strumming patterns: Practice strumming patterns along with chord changes to get them down smoothly. 

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How to practice effectively...for just about anything

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Session Space

Sessions are held in my very comfortable studio in NE Portland, close to the Historic Hollywood Theater.

 

Hello,

My name is Keith Buckley and I'm a life long musician and ukulele coach. My students have ranged in age from 7-92 years! My wife and I lead The Hollywood Ukulele Group, HUG, every Tuesday Morning at 10AM in The Community for Positive Aging (formerly Hollywood Senior Center), in NE Portland. We've been doing this since 2013!

This site and the sessions offered are a chance to learn ukulele in a less hectic environment, either one-on-one or in small groups. For me it's a pleasure to witness, with a little coaching, people of all ages learning to play the ukulele!

Click Here to Email Me Your Questions