Jolly Roger Ukulele
On this website, you will learn to play ukulele at a high level even if you're a total beginner to music or the instrument. You will play with a far more sophisticated musical toolbox than most people ever learn. You will also learn how to teach others (the right way) to play ukulele. You might want to peek at the Teacher's Resources page. You should take lessons with somebody who has completed this program if you can, but it is not required if you follow each step.
You're probably going to scan down this sheet looking for something "cool" to play. That is the wrong thing to do. You should start at the top and play everything in sequential order so you will build the proper toolbox of skills.
Sound Files: They're to your right if you're on a computer or down below if you're on your phone. You can and should download them or listen to them one million times. You should always listen to the recording of a song prior to attempting it. You should also use a tempo slowing app and attempt to play along with the songs at a slow pace and then at increasing speeds until you can knock it out like a guru.
I have baritone ukulele versions of almost every topic on this page. For more information, see the Baritone page.
Print out the Assignment Sheet to track your progress. (I'm updating it as I add content ... there's lots to come.) Don't skip around. Do them all. As you print out the pages, put them into a three ring binder. Print everything double-sided to save paper. If you elect not to print, save PDFs into a file folder. They are numbered in a way to keep them in order by assignment.
I'm working on videos ... they'll be here eventually.
Book 1:
Before Your First Note
- Buying a ukulele and accessories PDF
- Tuning your ukulele three different ways PDF
- Proper posture when playing ukulele PDF
- Practice Log PDF
First Day in Ukulele
Key of C
- Ukulele C Major Scale PDF
- My Spaghetti Monster PDF
- Three Blind Mice PDF ~ Lesson
- Strumming in the Key of C Major PDF ~ Lesson
- Brahm's Lullaby PDF ~ Lesson
- Yankee Doodle PDF
- Key of C Arpeggio PDF
Key of G
- Amazing Grace PDF
- Happy Birthday PDF
- All Through the Night PDF
- Home on the Range (revised June 27) PDF
- La Cucaracha PDF
- Key of G Arpeggio PDF
Key of F
Stretch Pieces
Book 2: Coming Soon
I'm open to other public-domain suggestions. What would you like?
- After the Ball PDF
- Ah Vous Dirai-Je Maman PDF
- America the Beautiful PDF
- Ash Grove PDF
- Beautiful Dreamer PDF
- Buffalo Gals PDF
- Colorado Trail PDF
- Come Josephine in My Flying Machine PDF
- Danny Boy PDF
- Down by the Riverside PDF
- Drunken Sailor PDF
- Estudio by Tàrrega PDF
- Five Foot Two PDF
- Für Elise PDF
- For He's a Jolly Good Fellow PDF
- Happy Birthday Blinky Style PDF
- I've Been Working on the Railroad PDF
- Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair PDF
- Las Mañanitas PDF
- Minuet in G PDF
- Santa Lucia PDF
- Skater's Waltz PDF
- This Little Light of Mine PDF
- Traumerei PDF
- Twelfth Street Rag PDF
Composer's Manual
Have you written a new song today? Use the songwriting widget to pick a random key and then use these resources to create a new composition. Stop playing other people's music and build your legacy.
Intermediate Program Snippets
If you're working at this level or above, it's probably time for you to get with me about online private lessons and you should probably already be a member of this website so you can play everything.
Bach, Ah, Bach
- Menuett Suite in G major and minor (Petzold) PDF
Beethoven!
Traditional Tunes of Mexico
Music for Cows
- Clementine PDF
- Down in the Valley PDF
- Red River Valley PDF
- Streets of Laredo PDF
- Tom Dooley PDF
- You are My Sunshine PDF
Patriotic
Tin Pan Alley
- I'll See You in My Dreams PDF
What Else in the Member's Area?
All I Ask of You, All of Me, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, Are You Lonesome Tonight, A Whole New World, Be Our Guest, Blue Hawaii, Both Sides Now, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Can't Help Falling in Love, Can't Take My Eyes Off of You, Danny Boy, Don't Fence Me In, Don't Worry Be Happy, Do Re Mi, Downtown, Edelweiss, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik Medley, Feeling Groovy, Fly Me to the Moon, Ghost Riders in the Sky, Give My Regards to Broadway, Girl from Ipanema, Happy Trails to You, It's a Small World, Lara's Theme, Last Rose of Summer, Lavender's Blue, Love Me Tender, Minstrel Boy, Molly Malone, Moon River, My Favorite Things, Norwegian Wood, Peter Cottontail, Smile, Summertime, That's Amoré, Three Little Birds, What a Wonderful World, When You Wish Upon a Star, Whiskey in the Jar, Yankee Doodle Boy ... and probably more I forgot to keep track of here.
