Uketropolis: Ukulele Q&A with James Hill

Questions from Level 2 of the JHUI Teacher Certification Program: 1) How to simplify a part for a student who is struggling. 2) How to teach the B-flat chord using an Irish jig. 3) How to avoid unwanted sounds between notes.

In Ukulele Funbook, author Zsolt Schäfer takes us into a world of imagination, creativity and, yes, silliness! Whether it's musical soup, ukulele sudoku, connect-the-dots or alternate tunings, every page of Ukulele Funbook is a chance to learn while you play and to play while you learn. A companion over the holidays, a reward at the end of class or a stress-free way to introduce musical concepts,...

James answers questions from Booster Uke students: 1) Is D7 really D7 when there's no root note? 2) How does low-G tuning change the sound of chord twins? 3) How using a "guide finger" makes chord changes easier.

Step by step, James demystifies the most mystifying of chords: the Diminished 7.

James answers questions about the free course "Peace like an 'ukulele." 1) How to get better at ukulele without even playing it. 2) Why melody picking is for everyone. 3) How to navigate Uketropolis. 4) Low G vs. high G tuning. 5) How to avoid muting strings by accident. Take the course for free at https://www.uketropolis.com/peace

James answers questions from YouTube. 1) The Ukulele Way vs. Ukulele Jazz. 2) Why does Bbmaj7 sound mournful? 3) Thumb position. 4) Strumming technique.

Our first crop of student questions and comments from the brand-new course Ukulele Jazz! 1) OMG, the circle of fifths makes sense. 2) How to find the backing tracks. 3) Is there an alternate fingering for that awkward G minor 7?

To celebrate the launch of the brand-new Ukulele Jazz course (www.uketropolis.com/jazz) James counts down the top 10 reasons why jazz is amazing on ukulele!

A polychord is two chords played at the same time, a head-on harmonic collision that can be surprisingly beautiful. In the wake of the attacks on the US Capitol, James turns to the ukulele to help make sense of a tumultuous time.

Scales. Inversions. Strum patterns. How to tackle three of the most common New Year's resolutions for ukulele players. Brad Bordessa's book "Ukulele Chord Shapes" can be found here: https://liveukulele.com/store/ukulele-chord-shapes/

For James' free "Deck the Halls" ukulele jazz tutorial and sheet music, go to https://www.uketropolis.com/deckthehalls . 

The next JHUI online session begins on January 1st. To learn more and watch a sample lecture go to https://www.uketropolis.com/jhui. Special thanks to my sister, Julia Booth, for the great singing tips and for being the inspiration for my piano method (such as it is). To meet Julia, go to https://www.boothvoicestudio.com.

James expands on student questions and comments from Booster Uke (https://www.uketropolis.com/boosteruke): 1) What is the strumming pattern in Li'l Liza Jane? 2) Will Booster Uke provide the direction and structure I need to make real progress? 3) Partner songs for Careless Love.

1) The art of NOT playing the A string. 2) Can animals sense what a song is about? 3) How to create depth in a performance using dynamics and articulation.

How to turn your FM radio (or Spotify playlist) into a fun ear-training exercise. Plus, how to make hard chords easier by using a melodic approach in your practice.

To learn more about the JHUI Teacher Certification Program please visit www.uketropolis.com/jhui .

Five variations on the C chord. Five ways to create resolution. Free handout: http://www.uketropolis.com/resolution

It's early in the morning on November 4th, the day after the U.S. election. And there's a feeling of suspense in the air all over the world. Here in Nova Scotia, Canada, we feel it too. What is that feeling of suspense? When do we feel that in music and why?

The first Uketropolis interview! Meet Eve Goldberg, musician, activist, teacher and songwriter. Find out more at www.evegoldberg.com.

James unveils "C Salutation," a simple piece to help you relax and practise at the same time. Download the score and audio tracks for free at https://www.uketropolis.com/salutation

1) A forgotten pair of chord twins. 2) The difference between good pain and bad pain. 3) How a chord can be Am7 and C6 at the same time.

1) Left-hand vs. right-hand muting. 2) Why the I chord is called the "tonic." 3) Ideas for differentiation in multi-level ukulele groups... because every ukulele group is a multi-level ukulele group.

James P. on "Lesson 5: Streets of Laredo" My pinky finger is a little slow to get to that B-flat chord! James Hill replies "Lesson 5: Streets of Laredo Not to worry, James... it will come with practise! You can try rolling the chord (i.e. dragging the thumb across the strings so that the onset of each note in the chord is slightly staggered). This will give your pinky finger a *fraction* of a seco...

I recommend you listen to Episode #4 before diving into this bonus episode. So you've learned to count "by two" through the musical alphabet: A, C, E, G, B, D, F. Now you can quickly name the notes in any one of those chords by leapfrogging; what are the notes in a C chord? c, e, g. The notes in an F chord? f, a, c. Awesome! But if you listen closely, some of the chords you create will be major an...

Barbara on "Lesson 5: Carnival of Venice (Interlaced)" When playing a song like this, I often find myself playing one string off on my right or left hand (sometimes both) because I am looking at the music. Do you have any suggestions on how not to get "lost"? James answers: Hi Barbara, good question! I second what Zsolt said and I'll add this. It sounds a bit odd, but try playing with your eyes cl...