A Swashbuckling Ukulele Community

Become a musician dedicated to making and teaching music "the hard ways."
Wow! 473 pieces of sheet music and growing every week.
(You should memorize three of them.)

If you are newer here, you could probably benefit from looking at our About page.
All times are Denver time.

** Ukrainian National Anthem
for Ukulele PDF **

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AND

Jolly Roger Ukulele and Baritone Ukulele Foundations!
Jolly Roger Ukulele Kick Yer Fanny Friday Tuff Rawk Members' Dance Party!

Friday July 1 ONLINE: Link to Join https://youtu.be/qmbSjReHKj4

July 1 at 3 pm: Book 1
- #08: Frère Jacques Ukulele Solo PDF ~ Baritone Solo PDF
- #09: Strumming in the Key of A Major Ukulele Ensemble PDF ~ Baritone Ensemble PDF
July 1 at 3:30 pm: Book 2
- Drunken Sailor Ukulele and Baritone Ensemble PDF
- For He's a Jolly Good Fellow Ukulele Solo PDF ~ Baritone Solo PDF
July 1 at 4 pm: TuffRawk
- This week's music is posted in the member's section. Scroll down to Lullabies.
- You'll probably want to listen to the YouTube originals to have some context. These are complicated.
  - Acadian Lullaby
  - Cossack Lullaby
  - Tili Tili Bom
  - Anti-Lullaby
  - Hansel and Gretel Lullaby
Every weekday at 5 pm: Keep the party rolling
- Ukulele, guitar and harmonica ensemble HERE.

Rocky Mountain Ukulele Orchestra & Ukulele Orchestra of the Milky Way

MONDAYS IN-PERSON or ONLINE at 7 pm: Ukulele Summer Institute!

If you're going to be teaching ukulele to anybody ever, OR if you know a music teacher who might want to make their lives way easier by using our stuff here, OR if you want to build a more complex musical toolbox, then Summer Institute is where you should be. We all fall back into habits that "work" and each summer I try to encourage you to try some new things.

So this is where your fame and fortune will begin. Your current skill level doesn't matter. If you want to attend online, pour a glass of whiskey and let's get going. If you want to attend in person, make sure you are vaccinated and boosted and meet us in the basement of GMUMC. Masks are optional for now.

Each week we will explore a musical technique and then we will create an Instant Orchestrations of the song of the day. You can participate online or in person, but you'll need to be a member of this website. If you're not a member yet, go HERE.

One last note, I am still in the process of planning some weekend escapes and some of the dates below may change or be combined. As of this moment, this seems true enough.

Week 2: Monday June 27: Link to Join https://youtu.be/GyazMeTKbF8

Member's Get the Stuff HERE
Not a member yet? Go HERE to sign up. (It's pretty cheap.)
Arpeggio Playing
- How to get the most out of your right hand.
- Print BOTH of these even if you don't have a baritone.
  - Ukulele D Major Ukulele Solo PDF
  - Baritone A Major Baritone Solo PDF
INSTANT ORCHESTRA Song of the Night:
- You Are My Sunshine
- On Top of Spaghetti
- By the Light of the Silvery Moon

Week 3: Monday July 4: No Meeting, but...

Look for an email about:

Lead Sheets & Arranging
- How to take "regular" sheet music and turn it into ukulele music.
- Reading Notes.
The "Theme" Songs
- How to survive songs you might hate working on.
  - Patriotic Songs
  - Christmas Songs
  - Modern Songs You Don't Know
  - The same damn songs all ukulele groups do.
If you haven't been receiving my irregular emails, sign up on the widget over there ===>
If you're on your phone, the widget is way down at the bottom of this page.

Monday July 11: Link to Join will appear HE

RE shortly before class. Hit reload.

The Legendary Barre-Chord Inversions Solution
- You only need 10 shapes for all major, minor, seventh and diminished chords.
- Solve all your problems up the neck.
INSTANT ORCHESTRA Song of the Night: Coming Soon

Monday July 18: Link to Join will appear HERE shortly before class. Hit reload.

Fix Your Brain
- How to Practice
- How to Memorize
- How to Play Fast
- How to Play Smooooooth
INSTANT ORCHESTRA Song of the Night: Coming Soon

Monday July 25: Link to Join will appear HERE shortly before class. Hit reload.

Play by Ear and Your Heart (this is not really a thing)
- Improvisation
- Turnarounds
- The Blues
INSTANT ORCHESTRA Song of the Night: Coming Soon

Monday August 1: Link to Join will appear HERE shortly before class. Hit reload.

MuseScore Workshop
- You need to have access to your computer or laptop.
INSTANT ORCHESTRA Song of the Night: Coming Soon

Monday August 8: Link to Join will appear HERE shortly before class. Hit reload.

Composing Workshop
- Theory & Circle of Fifths
INSTANT ORCHESTRA Song of the Night: Coming Soon

Monday August 15: Link to Join will appear HERE shortly before class. Hit reload.

String Changing Workshop
- Bring your ukulele ... prepare for group work
INSTANT ORCHESTRA Song of the Night: Coming Soon

Monday August 22: Summer Celebration Night

Open Microphone Night: Dazzle us with your hilarity and beauty.
- Bring your solos
- Bring your duets and small ensembles
- Bring your original compositions
- Bring your cookies
IMPORTANT DEADLINE!
Ensemble "reservations" for the fall concert "Summer in Winter"
- Mike S: Beach Boys medley: Help Me Rhonda, Fun, Fun,Fun, and California Girls (large group)
- Cindy and Dave: Sunny Afternoon (duet)
- Cindy, Dave, John and June: Summer Nights from Grease (small ensemble)
- Dave: Kokomo (large group)
- Dave: Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah (duet)
- Mike M: Octopus's Garden (Plucky Pickers small ensemble)
- Banjoleles: Here Comes the Sun
- Banjoleles: In the Summertime Mungo Jerry
- Banjoleles: Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
- Christie: Under the Boardwalk by the Drifters (large group)
- Christie: Beautiful Day by U2 (large group)
- Kay: In the Good Old Summertime/Take Me Out to the Ballgame
- Erin: Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden
- Jerome: The Green Leaves of Summer (large group)
- Jerome: Summer Time Blues Eddie Cochran (solo)
- The Red Harem: Summer Winds (small ensemble)
- Fleas: Good Vibrations & Summer in the City

Monday August 29: No Meeting (except for volunteers)

Test group to play submitted arrangements.

Earlier this Summer

Week 1: Monday June 20: https://youtu.be/E_LXFVGeaQ4

Member's Get the Stuff HERE
Not a member yet? Go HERE to sign up. (It's pretty cheap.)
Counting Music
- The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, and the Avocados
- Flags and Dots
- Rhythms in 3/4, 4/4 and 6/8
INSTANT ORCHESTRA Song of the Night: Kumbaya

Gary's To-Do List (don't look at this stuff!)
- Baritone Chord Chart
- Beautiful Dreamer PDF
- Hard Times Come Again No More PDF
- Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair PDF
- Oh Susanna PDF