Summer Institute

Rocky Mountain Ukulele Orchestra & Ukulele Orchestra of the Milky Way

colorado-ukulele

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.


Earlier this Summer

Class topics we will do via email over the next few weeks. Make sure you've signed up for our email list.

  • MuseScore Workshop
  • Play by Ear and Your Heart (this is not really a thing)
    • Improvisation
    • Turnarounds
    • The Blues
  • Fix Your Brain
    • How to Practice
    • How to Memorize
    • How to Play Fast
    • How to Play Smooooooth
  • Composing Workshop
  • String Changing Workshop

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

  • 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

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

  • 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
      • Baritone A Major
  • INSTANT ORCHESTRA Song of the Night:
    • You Are My Sunshine

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

Look for an email about:

  • Lead Sheets & Arranging (it's still on its way)

    • How to take "regular" sheet music and turn it into ukulele music.

Week 4: Monday July 11: https://youtu.be/UojmsfKWKQA

  • This week's music will be posted in the member's section.
  • Not a member yet? Go HERE to sign up. (It's pretty cheap.)
  • 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.
    • Barre Chord Workshop
    • Make a Better Bar Worksheet
  • INSTANT ORCHESTRA Song of the Night:
    • On Top of Spaghetti 4

Week 5: Monday July 18: NO MEETING THIS WEEK. I will be emailing you stuff this week.

  • A nice relaxing week of playing anything you want from the website. Have you gotten your membership so you have access to everything?

Week 6: Monday July 25: https://youtu.be/kXBama2bNh4

  • INSTANT ORCHESTRA Song of the Night:
    • All My Loving
    • Hey Jude
    • Can't Help Falling in Love

Week 7: Monday August 1: 

  • NO MEETING TONIGHT. DETAILS TO FOLLOW VIA EMAIL

Week 8: August 8: https://youtu.be/mDjF7UImlpY

All of the sheet music for tonight is located in the member's section. Not a member yet? Click HERE.

  • Arranging for the Ukulele Overview
    • Godfather Theme
    • Are You Having Any Fun?

Monday August 15: Link to Join https://youtu.be/WOqeLKxk2PA

  • INSTANT ORCHESTRA Song of the Night:
    • These two songs area available in the member's section.
    • By the Light is in Tin Pan Alley, and Over the Rainbow is under Movies.
      • By the Light of the Silvery Moon
      • Over the Rainbow

Monday August 22: Summer Celebration Night! Link to Join https://youtu.be/6jLgSzzHtyI

  • 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 + Friends: 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
    • Trish: California Dreamin'
    • Amy & Red: Summer Wind

Monday August 29: No Meeting (except for volunteers)

  • Test group to play submitted arrangements.

 

Arranging

I will have more time this summer to re-visit our MuseScore project. Some of you have forged ahead and can be of help with this.

  • Arranging OPM (Other People's Music) for Ukulele: On your own

    • Last Updated August 28
    • New page in progress HERE

Composing

We'll get back to writing some original music this summer. Get your pencils sharpened.

  • Composing Corner: On your own

    • Last Updated August 28
    • New page in progress HERE