2013 Song Book Ready for Download

For 2013 I have compiled all three years of books into one.  Introducing our new book... "All Together Now" Ukulele Collection.  If you are a beginner uke player as most of us are.... I've earmarked the beginning songs... and listed which ones are easiest to play by key.  For you intermediate players... we still have all those great songs from our past years.  Nothing changed much except for tossing them all together into one book... in alphabetical order and numbered.  So if you still have the older books... they should still work.

There is a not so secret "Method" to our instruction, and it is the one we will follow as we learn new songs.... so, I would also recommend to download  "First Steps to easy chords"...

If you don't have time to print out your own book... not to worry.  I'll have several books and ukuleles to lend for the day.

You'll find the downloads right here on our Ballard Beginners page.

It's December and Christmas Is All Around....

This month we're pushing the limits of good taste by promoting our selected song as a real Christmas song... but I love it (it even has a ukulele in the video).  And it's fun and easy to play.

Actually you will be learning two songs in one.  Our selection, "Christmas All Around" is a re-do of the Troggs song "Love All Around".   Be warned this is a very bad take off of Robert Palmer.... which makes it more fun for me -- I loved the Robert Palmer girls... ahhhh....excuse me 'women'.

I also finally posted last months handout... "Progressions and Ornamentals".  You can find it on the download page (November) and in the side panel of this Blog  (under 'Handouts')

See you all December 16th... if not.... have a Happy Holiday and fun filled New Year.....

You can find this song and many others on our download page right here.

November.... We Got a Deak Skunk... whewwwww

Yup! We got one stinkin' to high heaven.

For November we have a fun folk song from Loudon Wainwright III called... "Dead Skunk".  It's in the key of G, and is an easy I, V, IV progression... all the way through.  Sounds a bit boring... but the words pick it up to make a surprising fun song.  To some it could be considered to have a PG rating... which is even more fun to sing.

When this first came out in 1972... it took until 1973 to become number 13 on the Billboard charts.  I think it had something to do with the rumor that it was about Richard Nixon.... a dead skunk in the middle of the road... if there ever was one.

You'll find a copy of it on our download page... check it out!

Be sure and listen to the video.

October has been way too much fun... so Show Me The Way To Go Home

The Andrew Sisters give a good rendition of this great song... that almost every one knows how to sing.  I add a new chorus (at least for me)... but leave off the intro - see if you can work out where to lay those chords.

Show Me The Way To Go Home.... can be sung slow and easy - like after a few drinks.  Or in an up tempo swing beat, like the Andrew Sisters do on the Youtube connection.

Again we'll be following a solid beat... so tap those feet... all reet?

Here's where you'll find it....  http://ukulele-wikiwiki.com/uw/uww_dwnlds.html

Sept... Ohhh Donna where can you be......

Richie Valens.... the boy that changed Latino or Chicano rock back in  the late 50's.  "Donna" was one of the lost tapes recorded  in 1958.  Richie died in Febuary 3rd, 1959 in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson.   That day is better known as "The Day the Music Died".

Donna is a slow tempo 3 chord easy song to play if you pay attention to the tempo.

This will be a lesson in following the beat... we gotta get those feet tapping and hands strummin' together and in time.

See you all on September 16th..... keep Strummn'

New pdf.... Ukulele Magazine

Acoustic Guitar.... has come out with a very cool ukulele on-line magazine.  The up-side, it has loads of information for the beginner.

Like 'Shopping for a Ukulele',  lots of good info and some choices here.

The also include a few songs,  they may be a bit advanced but they include the ever popular IZ song 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'... the chords are mainly one's we know,  and best of all, they show you his strum (this is a bit advanced for me, but it can be done)....  Remember the chorus strum is DDu  uDu  (1 2 n  n4n).

Somewhere.... is worth working out for one of the songs you play and sing for friends or family.... it's always a winner and everyone knows it.  Skip the intro until you have it down.  I'll try to figure it out.

The down-side of this magazine is.... way too many full page ads.

Check it out at Ukulele Magazine

Live Aloha... September 9th

If you love the ukulele, if you love all things Hawaiian... food, hula, sounds, happy people with shaved ice.  Then get yourself down to the Seattle Center on September 9th.  All things Hawaiian,  all day.  If see a smilin' face it could be me.... say 'Mahalo".