2019 WORKSHOP SCHEDULE 

Descriptions below

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SATURDAY 9am - 10.30  WORKSHOP 1      CHOOSE 1

1A Samantha Muir

 Intermediate

Playing Melodies and accompaniments 1

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1B Paul Johnson

Advanced beginner

Beginner Blues and Boogie Techniques

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1C Jack n Jel

ALL Levels

Play 'Burn Your Name' by Powderfinger

Be a part of the

Valla Beach Ukestra

1D Janine Shearer

Advanced Beginner+

The ‘3 beat’ workshop:

get that sparkle into your playing!

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1E Angie Smith

Absolute Beginners

Introduction to playing your ukulele 1

SATURDAY 11.30 - 12.30  WORKSHOP 2

2E Angie Smith

Absolute Beginners

Introduction to

playing your ukulele 2

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SATURDAY 1.30pm - 3pm WORKSHOP 3    CHOOSE 1

3A Samantha Muir

Intermediate

Playing Melodies and accompaniments 2

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3B Paul Johnson

Intermediate

Progressive Blues and Boogie: putting the ‘swamp’ in your uke.

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3C Jack n Jel

Advanced intermediate

& advanced

Improvisation –

Like you mean it!

'Sonnymoon for Two'

Play a fabulous jazz standard by Sonny Rollins

3D Ruth Allen

Right Hand Rhythm

Advanced Beginner

& Intermediate

Use accents, triplets, and cool percussion to spice up your strumming in many styles.

Only a few spots

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3E Steph Payne

Introduction to Reading TAB

Beginners & anyone who wants to learn to read TAB

3F Cathy welsford

Advanced Beginner

& Intermediate

Gypsy Folk Ukulele

including strums and easy riffs. 

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SUNDAY 9am-10.30am   WORKSHOP 4     CHOOSE 1

4A Samantha Muir

ALL levels

Decoding the fingerboard

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4B Paul Johnson

Advanced

Intermediate

& Advanced

Progressive Blues and Ragtime ukulele

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4C Steph Payne

Intermediate

Jazz Ensemble playing

On the Street where you Live (Reading TAB)

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4D Ruth Allen

Advanced Beginner

& Intermediate

Beyond the first 3 frets: Add variety to your playing by swapping the chords you use all the time for easy-to-grab new shapes.

4E Angie Smith

ALL levels

Sing and play songs from the Great Australian Song Book

Songs from 1880 to 1980

Only a few places left!

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2019 WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS

SAMANTHA MUIR

WORKSHOP 1A

Intermediate: Playing Melodies and Accompaniments

We will work on reading TAB and/or notation mainly in the first 5 frets to play some of these pieces: Yellow Bird, Summer Wine, Douce Dame Jolie & Sounds Irish. In this workshop we will also look at playing arpeggio accompaniments and discuss finger picking techniques.  

WORKSHOP 3A

Intermediate: Playing Melodies and Accompaniments

Repeat workshop with different repertoire

We will work on reading TAB and/or notation mainly in the first 5 frets to play some of these pieces: Yellow Bird, Summer Wine, Douce Dame Jolie & Sounds Irish. In this workshop we will also look at playing arpeggio accompaniments and discuss finger picking techniques.  

WORKSHOP 4A

All Levels: Decoding the Fingerboard 

In this workshop students learn a method for understanding the fingerboard. This workshop covers easy scales and basic theory.

JACK N JEL

WORKSHOP 1C

All levels: Play 'Burn Your Name' by Powderfinger
Be a part of the Valla Beach Ukestra where you'll learn Burn Your Name arranged into parts for ukulele orchestra. The essence of a ukestra is to include all levels of ability, to create an entertaining sound, and to have fun. All levels of players, from beginners to advanced are welcome because there are parts for everyone! Oh, and bring your vocal chords too!

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WORKSHOP 3C

Advanced intermediate to Advanced players

Ukulele Improvisation – like you mean it  

Using Sunnymoon for Two by Sonny Rollins this workshop starts with the bedrock of simple improvisations built around the pentatonic scales, and practices this knowledge in a jazz standard, Sunnymoon for Two. You will learn (and create) riffs that make the song sound so much more. We also demystify the circle of fifths and help you understand how to use it.

RUTH ALLEN

WORKSHOP 3D: Advanced Beginners/Intermediate

Right Hand Rhythm

learn how to use accents, triplets, and cool percussion to spice up your strumming. We’ll play in a variety of styles from country to Latin via rock, pop and jazz and work on rhythm, speed and syncopation using simple chords and familiar songs to free the brain to focus on the strumming hand. .

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WORKSHOP 4D: Advanced Beginners/Intermediate

Beyond the first 3 frets

Add variety to your playing by swapping the chords you use all the time for easy-to-grab new shapes. We’ll play up-the-neck voicings of familiar chords as well as exploring how chord substitutions can change the mood of a song and add richness to a group sound, and play a number of different songs to put the new shapes to good use.

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STEPH PAYNE

WORKSHOP 3E: Beginners/Advanced beginners

Learning to read TAB

Learn the secrets of reading TAB (tablature).

Learn to play Kookaburra Sits in the old Gum Tree

and Love Me Tender

It is much easier than you think! 

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WORKSHOP 4C: Intermediate

Jazz Ukulele Ensemble

Learn to play On the Street Where you Live in 3 parts.

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STEPH PAYNE

WORKSHOP 3E: Beginners/Advanced beginners

Learning to read TAB

Learn the secrets of reading TAB (tablature).

Learn to play Kookaburra Sits in the old Gum Tree

and Love Me Tender

It is much easier than you think! 

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WORKSHOP 4C: Intermediate

Jazz Ukulele Ensemble

Learn to play On the Street Where you Live in 3 parts.

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CATHY WELSFORD

Workshop 3F: Advanced Beginners and Intermediate

Gypsy Folk Ukulele

Enjoy playing some Gypsy Uke songs and matching strumming techniques.

PAUL JONSON

Blues/Boogie/Ragtime Workshop Series:

formatted by Paul Jonson, Sing’n Uke

All tuition materials, songs and techniques will be provided after the workshop is concluded.

WORKSHOP 1B

Beginner Blues & Boogie Techniques – total 12 bar blues feelings...

Break the hum-drum of your same old strum. Develop the feeling for 12 bar blues and boogie in the Keys A & C. Hear what off beats, upbeats, and specific strums tell you about the song, long before the words are spoken. You’ll get the strumming pulse and feel of a 12 bar chord rotation for your future development, and you’ll sound like the sophistication of the blues is only a breath away.  After this fun filled educational workshop, you’ll never play your uke in the same way ever again...

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WORKSHOP 3B

Intermediate: Progressive Blues & Boogie – putting the ‘swamp’ in your uke ...

Develop a foundation for playing ‘finger-picking’ styles, adding the odd ‘element’ to hear the effects and how they enhance any blues song, to give it colour and texture. We like the sound folk blues, boogie and ragtime patterns with simple structure and chords because we like the feeling it gives us, but most people don’t realise it always comes with tension and contrast. You’ll get the fundamentals of incorporating elements that cause tension and contrast such as; bending, hammer-on, slide, pull-off, mono bass & alternating bass thumb and some open picking for licks and riffs to colour your playing style. By adding the grunge of a swamp to the sound of your uke, means you’ll never play your uke in the same way ever again...

WORKSHOP 4B

Advanced: Progressive Blues & Ragtime Ukulele 

You’ve broken totally away from your 4/4 strum in the key of C, and moved to Boogie & 12 Bar Blues with blues elements in Keys of A for blues, and C for boogie, and. You will know the sound of 7th & 6th , bends, pull-offs, hammer-ons, tremolo, slide and other elements. You will love the classic boogie/blues/ragtime sounds and continue to play them. By now your ability to play simple ragtime chord progressions to colour your playing style is almost built in, so when you find that almost by osmosis you can already play ragtime, you’ll bounce with joy and the smile on your face will show you have a new found confidence with 12 bar blues in A, boogie chord progression in C, and the structure of ragtime will be a pure and simple pleasure in ramping up your blues. 

JANINE SHEARER

WORKSHOP 1D: Advanced beginners/intermediate

The ‘3 beat’ Workshop

Join in the fun during this "3 beat" workshop and:

• Develop you finger picking and strumming techniques beyond the "chunk-a-chunk" freight train

• Become more proficient in making your chord changes smooth and irresistible :)

• Add ornaments to make your music sing (e.g. slides, tremolos and ‘sus’ chords)

• Give your audience goose-bumps as you bring your music to life!

• Apply these to two ‘3 beat’ songs: That’s Amore and The Rainbow Connection.

ANGIE SMITH

WORKSHOP 1E: Absoulute beginners

Introduction to playing your ukulele

This easy workshop introduces ukulele to absolute Beginners. No previous musical knowledge is required, just enthusiasm and a sense of humour. The tutor will explain how to hold, strum and tune the strings of a ukulele, play basic chords, read chord diagrams and sing many songs with just two or three of these chords. It is a fun, laid-back workshop with no exams or hard study, just the opportunity to play and sing for pleasure in congenial company.

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WORKSHOP 2E: Absolute beginners

Introduction to playing your ukulele

This second Beginners workshop increases participants’ knowledge of chords and expands their repertoire of songs available in different keys. It offers opportunities to vary the basic strum, enabling rhythm changes, and to practise chord and strum variations. It also introduces some simple rhythmic picking. Beginners will graduate with the ability to play at least ten songs. 

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WORKSHOP 4E: All Levels including beginners

Sing and play songs from the Great Australian Song Book

Songs from 1880 to 1980. Play some very familiar and not so familiar songs from the Australian folk and popular traditions: songs that are just too good to be lost!

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Before you make your selection, please go to the Workshop Levels page to check which workshops will be right for you.