Take a look at the Updated Site Pages to get a detailed rundown of which pages that have been recently UPDATED or are NEW . LearningUkulele.com covers more than just the Lessons , Books , Songs , Books , Lesson Series .
15-17 August 2025
Off to 62nd Philadelphia Folk Festival
August, 15-17 2025
It's off to the vending at the 62nd Philadelphia Folk Festival on Old Pool Farm,1323 Salford Station Road, Harleysville, PA 19438 (near Schwenksville). Come out and hang and we can jam.
2 May 2025
Off to Cape Charles, VA (easter Shore) & the ESVA UkeFest
June 13-14th
It's off to the ESVA UkeFest on the Chesapeake Bay in Cape Charles, VA —, featuring local & regional ukulele acts, beach jam, workshops & more! Come play with us, visit local shops & restaurants, and discover—or rediscover!—our beautiful home, the Eastern Shore of Virginia!
ESVA UkeFest was a blast and had a great hooking up with fellow ukers on the Eastern Shore
. Hopefully they do it in 2026. Great area to visit with a lot of history on the Eastern Shore of Virginia! Ches
2 May 2025
Off to the Lacaster, PA & the Ukulele Harmonic Convergence
May 18th
It's off to the Ukulele Harmonic Convergence in Lancaster, PA — Join music-loving ukulele players on Sunday, May 18, 2025 at Tellus360 from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm for an afternoon of music and camaraderie.
Bring an ukulele and music stand or just bring your voice, but be sure to attend! Best of all, admission is free!
Individuals and ukulele clubs of all skill levels are welcome to participate. Past convergences have included ukulele clubs that traveled far and wide from surrounding states to join in the fun.
2 May 2025
Off to the Newton, MA & the New England Ukulele Fest
May 2nd
It's off to the New England Ukulele Fest in Newton, MA — 8+ Ukulele Groups and Victoria Vox will be presenting a workshop and performing. Funky Frets will be their with some ukulele goodies and spend visit and explore the Boston area.
This special event isn’t just about music-it’s about making a difference. All proceeds will support the Ukulele Kids Club (UKC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing music therapy to hospitalized children.
Stop by the New England Ukulele Fest at the American Legion Post 440, 295 California St., Newton, MA and say hello.
15-17 August 2025
Off to 62nd Philadelphia Folk Festival
August, 15-17 2025
It's off to the vending at the 62nd Philadelphia Folk Festival on Old Pool Farm,1323 Salford Station Road, Harleysville, PA 19438 (near Schwenksville). Come out and hang and we can jam.
23 March 2025
What Next?
When learning any musical instrument, one might just wonder “What Next” in their musical development. If you are going it alone, it can be quite challenging to figure out what the next steps are. If you're lucky enough to have a great teacher or mentor who has most likely traveled a lot of the musical paths you are exploring or students who are experiencing the same “What Next” moments you are experiencing—you're lucky. You just have to bring this up with them.
Going it along or using a teacher / mentor.
With the number of resources available today teaching yourself might seem like a good option. There’s the Internet with countless web sites for learning just about anything and then there’s YouTube with probably thousands or more views for learning anything. So, with that in mind here are my thoughts on that subject of using a teacher or going it along. Now I’m a bit biased as have had a few good teacher and one absolutely amazing teacher / mentor as well as some serious study and research on my own.
Self Learning vs. a “Qualified” Teacher
First Self-learning - Learning a musical instrument on you own is a trial and error process and takes a particular type of person to differentiate between their success and errors. As far as technique to all successes will be deemed efficient.
I believe and have seen that the area of "Technique" is really that area that is hard to go it alone.
Qualified Teacher
The adjective qualified is the keyword here. And by qualified I mean experience and successful experience. They don’t even have to be a great player. How many successful major league baseball players attempt to be major league coaches and fail. It’s more like minor league coaches have more success that the pro, former player.
The actual hard part is finding a qualified teacher and you might have to go through a few. I would even suggest taking a few lessons with a variety of teachers and select the one that you think will give you the most success.
A Few LearningUkulele.com Resources and More Information
01 March 2025
Site Cleanup
UPDATED Not quite spring in the Norther Hemisphere yet (2025-03-21 it IS now officially Spring) — but we're getting a jump on LearningUkulele.com Spring Cleaning with the Lessons , Books , Lessons Series , Songs , Workshops , Videos , index pages have be redesigned and updated. Hopefully a little easier to see what LearningUkulele.com has to offer.
01 January 2025
Workshops
FREE Learning the Ukulele Fingerboard Workshop • Thursday, January 2, 2025 @ 8PM EST (2000 -5UTC) .
All Workshops Are Canceled
The interest was just not there to justify the effort each one takes to present. Curt will be pre-recording some of the workshops for posting on LearningUkulele.com at a later date.
Next Workshops
February
- Triads –You Already Know More Than You Think
Thursday, February 6, 13, 20, 27 @ 8PM EST (2000 -5UTC) - Alternating Thumb Style for Ukulele
Tuesday, February 11, 18, 25 @ 8PM EST (2000 -5UTC)
March
- Rhythm, Avoid at Your Own Peril
Thursday, March 6, 13, 20 @ 8PM EST (2000 -5UTC) - Essential Strums for Ukulele - A Guide to Ukulele Strums
Tuesday, March 11, 18, 25 @ 8PM DST (2000 -4UTC)
April
- Exploring Jazz Chords on Ukulele
Wednesday, April 2, 9, 16, 23 @ 8PM DST (2000 -4UTC)
01 January 2025
Price Increase
Starting January 1, 2025, with the sale of our Funky Frets Music Store building (the music business IS continuing). Curt (so strange typing in third-person), is attempting, dedicating even more time to LearningUkulele.com and Learning Ukulele with Curt, like I don't already put full-time effort into it. I'll be firing up the ZOOM workshops again January 2, 2025. Starting with the FREE Learning the Ukulele Fingerboard workshop.Site GOLD Membership
Starting 2025 price will increase to $14 a month.
A Monthly subscription is a great way to support the effort that goes into adding great content and keeping the lights on at LearningUkulele.com and Learning Ukulele with Curt.
Site FOREVER Membership
Starting 2025 price will increase to $399.
If you're not a fan of subscriptions as Curt is and don't like monthly subscriptions, never want to pay again, and really want to support LearningUkulele.com and Learning Ukulele with Curt. Then a FOREVER Premium Membership is for you. If you were taking private one-on-one lessons, $399 could be only a couple of months worth of private lessons.
Thanks for all the support! — Curt
8 November 2024
Funky Frets Transitition
Dear Funky Frets Customers, Friends, and Community,
Curt, Bern, and Kelly want to share some important news: while we are selling our building, we are not selling the Funky Frets business. We cherish the vibrant community we’ve built at our music store and are excited to continue serving you, although in a new way.
Moving forward, we will offer private lessons and operate retail by appointment only.
We’re also thrilled to announce that our monthly ukulele jams will be hosted at a new location. Save the date for our annual Funky Frets Uke Fest, scheduled for October 2-5, 2025. Plus, you can still join us for Funky Frets TV every Wednesday at 7 PM on Facebook and YouTube to follow our latest adventures.
Please note that the Open Mic will not be continuing after selling. Our November Open Mic will still be put on November 16th.
Looking ahead, we’re planning more vending and pop-up shop events and will be traveling to music festivals across the country.
This transition will allow us to spend more time with family and explore new opportunities. Thank you for your support as we embark on this exciting journey! Curt will be able to focus a bit more on his LearningUkulele.com/Learning Ukulele with Curt web site and Curt Sheller Publications.
Warm regards,
The Funky Frets Team (Curt, Bern & Kelly)
09 September 2025
Two Moments in Time
Music, is *“Two Moments in Time.”* It’s these two moments that we need to manage.
There is a great Miles Davis quote that really drives this point home.
“It’s not the note you play that’s the wrong note - it’s the note you play afterwoards that makes it right or wrong.” - Miles Davis
Miles also said it this way: *“If you hit a wrong note, it's the next note that you play that determines if it's good or bad.”*
“. . . in time.” - That is “Rhythm”
For years and years, I’ve been using Chuck Anderson’s Modular Phonetic Rhythm system for teaching “rhythm” - *how to play in time*.
Modular Phonetic Rhythm represents a significant advance in the teaching and application of rhythm. Eliminating many inefficient aspects of rhythm education, Modular Phonetic Rhythm streamlines the traditional educational approach, resulting in a reflexive reaction to rhythm. This approach is applicable to all ages and to all styles of music. It has applications for the individual musician as well as for groups such as orchestra, jazz band, marching band, small groups etc.
For reading music, it starts with the individual rhythmic *syllables* using the Modular Phonetic System, then the rhythmic pairs and finally longer rhythmic phrases.
Music IS - Melody, Harmony (*Chord and Chord Progressions*), and Rhythm. It is this *Rhythm* that is often neglected and taken for granted. *Melody* has its own rhythm and without the notes, *at* *the right time*, it would be challenging to recognize the melody. And we need to be switching the chords at, *the right time*, in the rhythm of a particular style.
Here is my tagline, blurb that I use all the time to description a strum:
“A Strum is the Execution of a specific Rhythmic pattern, at Tempo in a particular Style.” - Curt Sheller (me)
As you see from the above quote, “Rhythm” is an essential part of a strum.
NOTE: People will very often say, *“I have no Rhythm.”* Ask them to count from 1 to 10 backwards. An overwhelming majority will natural do “10, 9, 8, 7, 6, …” evenly and in tempo. What they actually mean to say is, “I can't *execute* a *rhythmic* pattern, i.e., strum, in *tempo* in that particular *style*.”
I’ve actually never meat anyone who doesn’t have rhythm. Meet a lot that can’t get that out to their instrument.
Links and Resources
28 August 2024
LearningUkulele.com User Cleanup
Published: August 28, 2024 • Updated: April 16, 2025
Cleanup Isle 3 🧹 — If you haven't logged in during the past 12 months, your account has likely been deleted, and you'll need to Register for LearningUkulele.com and verify your email address.
Cleanup Isle 4 🧹 — If you haven't verify your email address in 10 days your account will be deleted.
2 August 2024
The Daily Ukulele Harmonic Analysis Worksheets
Published: August 3, 2024 • Updated: August 3, 2024
NEW
UPDATED
Harmonic Analysis Worksheet for: The Daily Ukulele Blue
book. Added Act Naturally from the The Daily Ukulele Blue
book. The
A
,
B
,
C
,
D
, and
F
. Such a fun song and cool country likes for the intro, just had to put in the series.
- NEW Act Naturally .
17 June 2024
1st `Ukulele Lesson Updated
Published: June 17, 2024 • Updated: June 17, 2024
UPDATED
• Your First `Ukulele Lesson – • Let's take a journey with our hypothetical student, the ukulele player in the Uke Groove Trio
and tag along for his first few lessons. His name is Bernard or Barney
and is just starting out and has a goal of getting better and developing a more in-depth understanding of how music works and how to apply it to the ukulele.
8 June 2024
Harmonic Analysis for Scale Selection and Chord Substitution, 3rd Edition
Published: June 8, 2024 • Updated: June 8, 2024
NEW UPDATED 3nd Edition • Harmonic Analysis for Scale Selection and Chord Substitution – • UPDATED several fixes, tweaks, and general clean up. Be sure to download the latest version. New A4 size.
This book is FREE for ALL Gold site members.
The understanding of a chord's function within a chord progression or song is the first step in the process of scale selection for improvisation and creating melodies,as well as applying the principles of chords and scale substitution. It’s also the only way that can accurately be used to determine the correct name of a particular chord.
This book focuses on the following:
- Analysis of Chord Functions within Chord Progressions
- Scale Selection Based on Chord Function
- Chord and Scale Substitution Principle
2 May 2024
A Guide to Blues Chord Progressions for Ukulele A to Z – C Tuning, 2nd Edition
Published: May 2, 2024 • Updated: June 1, 2024
NEW UPDATED 2nd Edition for ANY Tuning • A Guide to Blues Chord Progressions for Ukulele A to Z – Any Tuning, 2nd Edition • NEW format for each progression.
This is the edition to get for when you don't need the chord grid suggestions.
This book is FREE for ALL Gold site members.
Studying the blues chord progressions presented in this book will open a wealth of creative possibilities for exploring chord progressions in all styles of music, not just blues.
This volume covers the keys of C Major and C Minor . Each example includes detailed accompanying text explaining the principles behind each progression and its chord substitutions.
15 April 2024
Funky Frets & LearningUkulele.com April Festivals
Published: April 15, 2024 • Updated: April 15, 2024
UPDATED Funky Frets & LearningUkulele.com • Kelly and Curt will bother be at the Memphis Uke-N-Roll Jamboree and Allegheny Ukulele Soirée as a vendor and Curt is performing at Friday night at Allegheny and presenting two workshop Saturday. Plus great jammin' both weekends.
Stop by our vendor table and we will have great deals on ukes and accessories and Curt is bring a lot of his ukulele books.
15 April 2024
The Advanced Guide to Chord Progressions for Ukulele - Volume I
Published: April 15, 2024 • Updated: April 15, 2024
UPDATED The Advanced Guide to Chord Progressions for Ukulele - Volume I, 2nd Edition • Volume I features the principles of voice leading applied to chord progressions. These principles are explained using chords from The Advanced Guide to Ukulele Chords &nmdash; Vol 1. Chapters with common major and minor Full Diatonic, Partial Diatonic, and Chromatic chord progressions are also included to further explore voice leading principles presented in the book.
All books by Curt Sheller (Learning Ukulele with Curt) are FREE for ALL Gold site members.
28 February 2024
A Guide to Ukulele Strums, 3rd Edition
Published: February 28, 2024 • Updated: March 20, 2024
UPDATED A Guide to Ukulele Strums, 3rd Edition • Learn a variety of strums and rhythmic patterns in wide range of musical styles.
All books by Curt Sheller (Learning Ukulele with Curt) are FREE for ALL Gold site members.
28 February 2024
QuickStart Scale Fingers for Ukulele, Ionian/Major Scale, 2nd Edition
Published: February 28, 2024 • Updated: March 20, 2024
NEW UPDATED QuickStart Scale Fingers for Ukulele, Ionian/Major Scale, 2nd Edition • The first in the series of essential scale. Revising the individual scale series.
All books by Curt Sheller (Learning Ukulele with Curt) are FREE for ALL Gold site members.
This book is C Tuning, High or Low G. Revamping the QuickStart Scale & Arpeggio Series of books — both hard copies and PDF files are available.
QuickStart Scale Fingers for Ukulele: Blues , Pentatonic , Dorian , Mixolydian , Aeolian , have been updated.
This is a big series and includes the Traditional, Contemporary, and Altered scales as well as all the modes. For arpeggios the traditional Major, Minor, Augments, and Diminished are covered.
1 February 2024
A Guide to Blues Chord Progressions for Ukulele A to Z – C Tuning, 2nd Edition
Published: February 1, 2024 • Updated: February 6, 2024
NEW UPDATED 2nd Edition for C Tuning – High or Low G. • A Guide to Blues Chord Progressions for Ukulele A to Z – C Tuning, 2nd Edition • Minor tweaks and new format for the Example Chords for each progression.
This book is FREE for ALL Gold site members.
This book is a Baritone, G Tuning edition as well.
Studying the blues chord progressions presented in this book will open a wealth of creative possibilities for exploring chord progressions in all styles of music, not just blues.
This volume covers the keys of C Major and C Minor . Each example includes detailed accompanying text explaining the principles behind each progression and its chord substitutions.
Ho`olohe Hou Radio
Ho`olohe Hou Radio — 24 hour-a-day Internet radio station featuring the 100-year history of Hawaiian music and the entertainment industry in Hawai`i.
At the heart of the station is innovation. Bill Wynne didn’t invent radio, and he surely didn’t invent Hawaiian music. But he saw Ho`olohe Hou Radio as an opportunity to put the two together in a manner that has never been attempted before. He calls it Hawaiian Music Edutainment
. Instead of spending so much airtime on commercials, a few minutes each hour on Ho`olohe Hou Radio will be dedicated to educational programming which will help the listener understand the historic and cultural importance of the songs and artists they hear on this unique station.