Jolly Roger Ukulele Book 1

FoundationsTutuLesson00

Jolly Roger Ukulele Book 1

Book1

Foundations for Instrumental Ukulele and Baritone Ukulele

Stop! Seriously! I'm going to teach you all the possible ways of playing ukulele, so don't look down this page for something "cool" to play. These songs are mostly pretty bad, but they teach you the essential techniques you're gonna need to become a more advanced musician -- and they do it quickly and efficiently. Nobody wants you to play Three Blind Mice, but the skills it teaches are essential for playing better music down the road. So seriously ... don't waste time trying to find the cool stuff. Do EVERY LESSON on this page and start now.

Complete Book: Against my better judgment, I'm posting a student edition with everything stitched together from all 30 lessons in one PDF. You probably DON'T want the complete book since it's better to print each sheet as you go or download them into your iPad. A teacher's edition isn't quite ready, but will be available by email shortly after I take a break from drinking whiskey, picking fights, and wooing the ladies.

  • Book 1 Complete Student Edition (everything for the first 29 lessons)
  • "Introduction to Ukulele" Basics (abbreviated version for one-day classes)
    • I'm revising the order of lessons, so gimme a few days to repost.
    • Ukulele Version PDF
    • Baritone Version PDF

First Hour in Ukulele

Note to Teachers: When I'm invited to teach a one-hour face-to-face ukulele class (often at a library or corporate meeting), I always teach Lessons 2, 3, 6, and 7 without exception. In the packet, I also include Lessons 9 and 15 in the hope the class "gets it" faster than expected. If I have a two-hour class, I also take printouts of Lesson 26.

OldJollyRogerLogo

Lesson #1: Introduction to the Program

Lesson #2: Doing Ukulele Right!

Lesson #3: Tuning Your Instrument

ukulelegirl

Lesson #4: Practice Log

ILoveUkulele

Lesson #5: Progress Tracker

Note, the progress tracker does not need to be completed in order, but you probably should.

The Most Important Song Ever

Let me underline an important point. I have never NOT taught this song to every student. It is the foundation of everything people need to do in fretted instruments and will make everything else flow smoothly. Do this lesson before you try to introduce chords, especially if your students are not vocal students.

ukulelegirl

Lesson #6: Frère Jacques

Key of C (G for Baritone)

MySpaghettiMonster

Lesson #7: My Spaghetti Monster

ThreeBlindMice

Lesson #8: Three Blind Mice

Lesson #9: Brahms' Lullaby

Lesson #10: Make a Better Bar Worksheet

Lesson #11: Yankee Doodle

Lesson #12: Key of C Arpeggio (G for Baritone)

Lesson #13: Getting to Know the Whole Fretboard

Key of G (D for Baritone)

Lesson #14: Amazing Grace

Lesson #15: Happy Birthday

Lesson #16: All Through the Night

Lesson #17: La Cucaracha

Lesson #18: Home on the Range

Lesson #19: Key of G Arpeggio (D for Baritone) 

Key of F (C for Baritone)

Lesson #20: Simple Gifts

Lesson #21: Carnival of Venice

Lesson #22: Daisy Bell: Bicycle Built for Two

Lesson #23: Key of F Arpeggio (C for Baritone)

Stretch Pieces

Lesson #24: Aloha 'Oe

Lesson #25: Scarborough Fair

Introduction to Strumming

Teachers Guide: Don't be lured into teaching Key of C first just because you were taught that way. I promise doing the Key of A first will have better long-term results. Also, yeah, I wait this long to do chords unless I'm teaching singers, because -- contrary to popular belief -- strumming is mainly about the right hand, not chords, and having control over your technique is important if you want people to listen to you hacking away. Other stuff in this program does a much better job of teaching the necessary technique than giving you Over the Rainbow and hoping you won't quit when you realize how you don't sound anything like Iz.

Lesson #26: Key of A Strummers

Lesson #27: Key of C Strummers

Advancing Players

Lesson #28: Music Theory

Lesson #29: Song Writing

Final Exam

Lesson #30: Final Exam

  • Send me an email when you've completed lesson #29 and I will send you your final exam.

Did you finish everything in Book 1? Time for Book 2.