Don’t Stop Me Now! Level 2 Ukulele Lessons
Tuesday Nights 7-9pm
23 Apr - 25 Jun 2024
10 week course
Tutors: Charlie & Francesca
Location: The Castle, 44 Commercial Rd, Aldgate, London E1 1LN (upstairs)
Suitable for: Adults Only 18+
Get inspired. Meet new people. Step up to the Next Level in just 10 weeks.
Just Can't Get Enough? Our 'Don't Stop Me Now' Ukulele Course will take you beyond beginner ukulele to the Next Level. Meet new people, make new friendships and continue your musical journey.
With 15 - 20 places in each class, they are a perfect size for everyone to get to know each other and enjoy playing together as a group. There are two experienced School of Uke tutors per class who will put you through your paces, while making sure everyone is comfortable and having a great time.
Using a wide range of musical genres, we look further into chord and melody playing, and playing arrangements together in a band like setup. By the end of the course you’ll have the opportunity to show off your new playing skills to family and friends at our very own ‘Grand Finale’ ukulele show at a London music venue.
Our Venues
All our venues are hand-picked for their special qualities, and just 5-10mins walk to central London TFL Stations. We work with a number of partner venues in London Central and City Central, including Soho, Covent Garden, Shoreditch, Clerkenwell, Tower Bridge, Aldgate, Bethnal Green and Bermondsey.
During the Summer months, weather permitting, we host our evenings at outdoor venues to make the most of the sunshine and summer nights.
Next Level Ukulele
Perhaps you've picked up a couple of chords already and fancy diving right in? If you've already started playing the ukulele, or have completed one of our 'Absolute Beginners' or '5 Week Challenge' ukulele courses, our Next Level Ukulele Lessons are for you. With a strong focus on playing within a group, we aim to get you playing like a pro!
Through a selection of popular songs curated and arranged by School of Uke we look further into chord and melody playing, and playing arrangements together in a band like setup.
Rock, Pop, R&B, and Disco Classics at Your Fingertips
All techniques will be taught by looking at popular lesser-known rock, pop, folk and blues tunes. Think ABBA, The Smiths, Blondie, The Cure, Bowie, 60s Classics from The Shirelles to the Shangr-Las, French Pop and Bluegrass! Song requests are encouraged and will be explored whenever possible.
Confident Playing Technique
The course places a strong emphasis on developing a confident playing technique. As well developing your technical ability, with a focus on timing, texture, rhythm and song, we aim to build your musical awareness as part of a group ensemble. We take into consideration the specific aspirations and needs of everyone in the group, and encourage singing and individual style.
In our Next Level classes we aim to expand on the basics and get you playing more confidently. We’ll take you beyond the simple stuff and start introducing techniques you never thought possible. With a hands-on practical approach we’ll look at new chords, chord construction, new scales, playing in new keys and performance tips and tricks.
Group Ensemble & Performance Technique
- Play one or two part arrangements with Ukulele
- Learn about developing arrangement and performance in songs with multiple parts
- Emphasis on musical awareness, group timing, texture, rhythm and song
- Develop playing technique and encourage individual style within a group
- Introduction to playing effectively and confidently in a live gigging environment
Strumming and Picking
- Strong focus on strumming techniques and syncopation, the place of emphasis and accent.
- Explore use of barre chords to achieve dampening effects useful for achieving a more percussive and syncopated sound.
- Introduction to box rolls, forward and backward.
Melody and Theory
- Develop awareness of the fretboard up to the 12th fret
- Introduction to scales including Minor and Major Pentatonic
- Playing both melody and harmony to a song over the chord structure
Chords and Chord Theory
- Focus on I/IV/V progression through 12 Bar Blues and cross-fertilization with other genres
- Establish relational patterns between barre chords outside the key of C
- Expanding chord repertoire and using extended chords
- Explore ways to decorate simple chord progressions using inversions
- Introduction to the circle of 5ths
- Introduction to understanding of chord construction in relative Major and Minor keys
Performance Technique
- Our Don’t Stop Me Now! course culminates in a “Grand Finale” show where you’ll have the opportunity to show off your new playing skills to family and friends at a London music venue.
An Awesome Experience
Overall it's about a group of like-minded people discovering music and having a great time together. Here's what some of our students had to say...
"Great teaching and so much fun! Everyone should learn to play an instrument!" - Edina
"Amazing fun, brilliant teaching, awesome people!" - Avital
"I couldn't play anything when I first started, now I'm playing Slash solos!" - Cat
What if I've never played a musical instrument before?
We absolutely welcome complete beginners, and people who have never touched a musical instrument in their lives. Come along with an open mind and we'll do the rest!
When do your group lessons take place?
All our group lessons take place on weekday evenings from 7pm. And occasionally we will host workshops and jam sessions on weekend afternoons.
Where do the group lessons take place?
We love to run our lessons in pubs, which we feel adds to the social and relaxed vibe.
All our pubs are hand-picked for their special qualities, and just 5-10mins walk to central London TFL Stations. We work with a number of partner venues in London Central and City Central, including Soho, Covent Garden, Shoreditch, Clerkenwell, Tower Bridge, Aldgate, Bethnal Green and Bermondsey.
And during the Summer months, weather permitting, we host our evenings at pubs with outdoor facilities to make the most of the sunshine and summer nights.
Is the ukulele a children's instrument?
The ukulele is a very versatile instrument that comes in many different sizes. While it is taught as an elementary instrument in some schools, it most definitely is not a kids instrument. It's the native instrument of Hawaii and is hugely popular with adults due its portable size and playability.
Are these sessions for adults or for kids?
All our evening classes are for adults 18+.
What if I don't have a ukulele?
All instruments are provided at our Discover sessions so all you need to bring is your best self!
For our beginner sessions, you can borrow a ukulele for the first lesson, but we recommend that you purchase an instrument as soon as possible to make the most out of your learning experience.
How many people are in each class?
There are 20 places available in each of our group classes and Discover sessions. Sometimes they sell out completely, but we usually run with about 15-20 people.
Are the sessions wheelchair accessible?
Unless otherwise stated in the venue description, sadly our sessions are not wheelchair accessible. They usually take place in pub function rooms, which are often only accessible by staircases.
Is it ok to drink alcohol in the session?
Absolutely. We encourage people to grab a drink at the bar before the session and during the mid-lesson break.
It's a fun and lighthearted vibe, and a bit of dutch courage never goes amiss. Our partner pubs & venues all offer a good range of beers, wine, spirits and simple cocktails like Negroni, Aperol Spritz etc.
What time should I arrive?
It's great if you can arrive 10-15mins early to grab a drink, meet your tutor/s and get settled in.
Is it ok to hang out after the session?
Absolutely, we want to create a community of friends so we encourage people to hang out for drinks after our weekday evening classes. Our lessons are about social connection, music appreciation and learning to play as part of a group so they are as much social events as anything else.
What kind of music can you play on the ukulele?
Absolutely anything! Anything you can play on a piano or guitar, you can also play on a ukulele. It's just half the size and easier to play.
The ukulele is a great instrument to get started on and also a stepping stone to all other stringed instruments. And it's nice and compact so you can take it anywhere. Rock, Pop and R&B bangers at your fingertips!
What are the health benefits of learning to play the ukulele?
Learning to play music, especially socially, has many health and well-being benefits. As well as brain development, when you make music, your brain releases endorphins that induce feelings of joy and pleasure and block the nerve cells that cause us to feel stress and pain. There is evidence to suggest that it even boosts your immunity!
What other events and services does School of Uke offer?
We offer a range of ukulele lessons & events for complete beginners to advanced players, both online and in-person. As well as group based lessons, we offer one-to-one ukulele lessons, our 5wk Ukulele Challenge For Beginners,10wk Evening Courses, plus package events for private & corporate clients.
How long has the School of Uke been established?
School of Uke is a sister brand of Duke of Uke, London's World Famous Ukulele Store. The School of Uke name and company was formed in 2012, but we've been teaching ukulele for 18 years, since we first opened our doors back in 2006, as the UK's first ever dedicated Ukulele store.
For all enquiries about ukulele lessons or courses at School of Uke please email or use our Online Live Chat service.
Email: info@schoolofuke.co.uk
