Ken Kronen
We are proud to announce that a new ukulele group has been formed for beginners and beyond at SaddleBrooke Ranch. We meet weekly, on Wednesdays,
from 4-5 p.m., in La Mesa Room, Hacienda Club, SaddleBrooke Ranch.
Welcome to the new folks who signed up for the ukulele group of SBR. As of this printing, we have 53 folks who have signed up for the Uke group.
For those of you with no experience, please have faith you will catch up with the group that has already had five lessons. We will use those people as teachers. It will take some commitment, practice, fortitude, and patience, especially with me. Thank you!
We have a couple of loaner ukes that are available to try out. If you are going to buy a uke, most of the new folks have purchased a ukulele, a tuner, and a bag or case. Generally, I recommend buying a concert or a tenor size uke. Depending on your budget, about $100 is a reasonable target. Amazon seems to be a good place, with some faith in the “Amazon Choice” as a reasonable selection.
Again, our group and lessons start at 4 p.m. every Wednesday in the La Mesa Room. As a newbie, please come 10 to 15 minutes early, so we can get you started. With the size of our group, it is a challenge to meet individual needs, but we will try our best.
Each week will begin with a lesson and then we will have a O’Hana (play and sing along).
It will take ten weeks for most people to feel comfortable. We realize this is a new experience, that will take a whole new set of skills and neural pathways, but please welcome this as a challenge and a personal adventure. Millions of people around the world are having a great time learning to play in a welcoming environment.
Music will be provided through a Drop Box account. If you don’t have that app, I would recommend you get the free version installed. In class, music will be projected on the wall along with necessary chord diagrams. YouTube has some great teachers.
I recommend you practice three to five times a day for about five minutes each. The first week you will learn the C, G7, and F chords, and a simple two beat strum. We’ll talk about what to do if lost.
If you have questions please call me, Roger Fisher, at 541-390-4646. There are no fees, except a willing attitude, a good outlook on this adventure, and a smile. And, if you like it, a commitment to pass on the joy and Aloha Spirit of the ukulele. This little box of wood will become one of your best friends, it will hold you gently in its embrace, comfort you when you are down, and introduce you to some wonderful people.
I look forward to working with all of you in your next great adventure.
Mahalo!