How to start the year on the right note with Ukulele Quest

<strong>How</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>start</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>year</strong> on <strong>the</strong> right
note… a ukulele quest!
by Paul Jones
So you’ve got a ukulele for Christmas, or perhaps it’s your New Year’s Resolution <strong>to</strong> dust
off <strong>the</strong> strings, pick it up and finally learn this little four-stringed instrument. But where
<strong>to</strong> begin?
Ukulele Quest co-author Paul Jones has a few helpful tips and suggestions that will set
you on a quest <strong>to</strong> master <strong>the</strong> ukulele this <strong>year</strong>…
Picking up any new instrument for <strong>the</strong> first time can be daunting – even <strong>the</strong> ukulele.
When navigating <strong>the</strong>se first few weeks of learning your ukulele, try <strong>to</strong> take small steps
and focus on little ideas. This could be memorising <strong>the</strong> names of <strong>the</strong> strings, mastering
your first chord shape, or learning <strong>to</strong> hold <strong>the</strong> ukulele with good posture. Try <strong>to</strong> make sure
you have a solid grasp of <strong>the</strong>se simple but important elements before moving on<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>
next step. Learning an instrument is like building a house, strong foundations are needed
before you can add <strong>to</strong> it.
A great target <strong>to</strong> set for your first few weeks
of playing is <strong>to</strong> master <strong>the</strong> chords C, Am,
F and G (or G6 for an easier option). Our
beginner’s book Ukulele Quest <strong>start</strong>s by
taking you through <strong>the</strong>se chords in great
detail and has purpose-written songs <strong>to</strong>
help you practise transitioning from one <strong>to</strong>
ano<strong>the</strong>r. The songs are upbeat and funky as
it is always more inspiring <strong>to</strong> play <strong>to</strong> a good
beat!
“Learning an instrument is like building a house, strong
foundations are needed before you can add <strong>to</strong> it.”
These four chords are relatively easy for beginners <strong>to</strong> pick up and with <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>the</strong>re are
hundreds of songs that you can strum along <strong>to</strong>. After you’ve tackled <strong>the</strong> first four chapters
of Ukulele Quest, tracks like “Let it Be” by <strong>the</strong> Beatles, “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz and “Can’t
S<strong>to</strong>p <strong>the</strong> Feeling” by Justin Timberlake (made famous by <strong>the</strong> Trolls movie) are a great next
step – and can all be played using <strong>the</strong>se chords!
If you’re not quite confident enough <strong>to</strong> play C, Am, F and G all in one go during a song,
<strong>start</strong> by focussing on one chord and play it each time it comes around in <strong>the</strong> sequence.

You can <strong>the</strong>n try out two chords, <strong>the</strong>n three chords and
finally all four chords; you’ll be playing along in no time!
Taking this approach and gradually building <strong>the</strong> chords up
will help make <strong>the</strong> song less daunting and is a helpful way
<strong>to</strong> track your progress.
If you’re a younger learner or have a child who is picking
up <strong>the</strong> ukulele for <strong>the</strong> first time, try using coloured stickers
<strong>to</strong> mark out <strong>the</strong> chord shapes (using a different colour for
each chord). Through teaching in primary schools, coauthor
James Oram and I have used this idea during our
lessons and noticed that it really helps children find and
memorise <strong>the</strong> chord shapes. Coloured dot stickers can be
purchased cheaply and are a quick and easy indica<strong>to</strong>r on
<strong>the</strong> fretboard. This can really speed up learning, especially
for more visual learners.
Learning any instrument is an exciting and rewarding journey. James and I are both
passionate about making music learning enjoyable and accessible for children. When
writing Ukulele Quest, we wanted <strong>to</strong> provide a resource that would be ideal for learners
taking <strong>the</strong>ir first steps on <strong>the</strong> instrument. The book takes small steps and reinforces
learning throughout in a fun and interesting way.
We’d love <strong>to</strong> hear about your 2019 Ukulele Quest. Let us know how you get on!
About Ukulele quest
Ukulele Quest by Paul Jones and James Oram is an ideal first
ukulele book that teaches many musical styles, including
rock, reggae and <strong>the</strong> blues. This colourful tu<strong>to</strong>r provides
a great introduction <strong>to</strong> chord charts, how <strong>to</strong> read music
and musical concepts such as dynamics, pitch and tempo.
Accompanying audio at every stage brings <strong>the</strong> music <strong>to</strong> life.
0571541011 Jones & Oram £9.99 €13.97
Available <strong>to</strong> buy from fabermusics<strong>to</strong>re.com
and all good retailers