The Complete Ukulele Course taught by Ralph Shaw

DVDRip | AVI 4:3 (512x384) | MPEG-4, XVID, 29.970 fps, 760 Kbps | English: MP3, 128 Kbps, 48.0 KHz, 2 channels | 58 min | 377 MB

Genre: Ukulele lessons

This DVD is perfect for anyone who wants to improve their ukulele playing technique. Even if you have never played a ukulele before you will discover that Ralph Shaw (the King of the Ukulele!) will lead you through the basics and beyond so that you will learn tips, tricks and techniques that will have you sounding like a ukulele maestro!

Just some of the things you will learn in this 1 hour lesson include:

- Beginners uke - including tuning, strumming & basic chords

- How to use 'ornament' notes

- Play chords up the neck

- How to play 4/4, 3/4 and jig time and develop right-hand techniques such as the syncopated 'split stroke' as used by George Formby

- How to play Rolls and Triplets

- The basics of melody chording

Ralph Shaw is an excellent ukulele player and an outstanding teacher. He is incredibly pleasant and is adept at breaking down the process of playing the ukulele into easily learned chunks. He has clearly taught others and thought through the order he uses to teach techniques. Best of all, he has a way of making learning to play fun.

If you are a highly experienced player hoping to reach Bob Brozman's level, this DVD is not for you. But if you are just getting started or have been playing a little while and want to take your ukulele skills above the average player you couldn't do better than this DVD.

Mr. Shaw is enthusiastic and clear in this DVD and overall does a very good job at showing ukulele possibilities. It was well balanced between fingering (the left hand stuff) and strumming patterns (the right hand stuff). He does a good job explaining how to add more ZING to your playing with "ornament" notes (notes that are not part of the traditional chord but add depth and interest to it). Also, the way he breaks down more complicated strum patters like the roll and the George-Formby-Syncopation strum is really helpful. This is not a DVD where you will go away with a load of different songs (you have to find those other places), but you will go away with more tools and techniques in playing your uke better and having more fun with it.