In this video
This 20 minute practice routine for level 2 is designed for a total beginner and should be repeated ideally 4 days a week for 2-4 weeks, or as required. If you wish to learn more songs, now is a good time to do so.
This 20 minute practice routine for level 2 is designed for a total beginner and should be repeated ideally 4 days a week for 2-4 weeks, or as required. If you wish to learn more songs, now is a good time to do so. A longer session for 30 minutes to 1 hour would consist of more song learning, repertoire practice and more time on the chord progression challenge!
See next lesson for when to move on from this level.
Warm Up (2 mins)
C minor pentatonic and/ or C major scale. Pick one per practice session and alternate each session as a perfect finger warmup BEFORE playing chords.
Chord changes (5 mins approx.)
1 min each. Repeat for any changes that need more work.
C major to F major and G major (remove if practice no longer needed)
C major to E minor
C major, G major, A minor and F (aka 'the four chords')
Work towards being able to change between any and all chords in the key of C major - C - Dm - Em - F - G - Am
Don't understand fully what musical keys are? That's OK!Hear my thoughts on this in the video above at 2:35.
Song learning and repertoire practice (10 mins or more)
The aim is to build a small repertoire of around 5 songs you can play well.
Focus on making improvements in ONE song per practice session, then play others you are more confident with for the remaining time to maintain your song repertoire.
Recommended songs include; Lean On Me, Rip Tide and Happy Birthday (melody).
Chord progression challenge! (3 mins or more)
Discussed at 3:28, you should also try coming up with your own chord progressions at this level. Put the theory we have covered into practice!
Here's the challenge: Choose from chords in the key of C and put them in a progression that is two or four bars long. Do any of these chords sound good one after the other? Do these sound like any songs you know?
Make time for for this and inspiration will happen. You will listen to music in a different way, build good instincts and improve faster. Most beginners don't listen to what they're playing, then wonder why something doesn't sound good. Sounding good takes good instincts and many small, consistent reactions.
Add the chord progression challenge above to expand your musical horizon, get creative and have more fun when playing your ukulele!
Course Outline
Techniques and Theory for Ukulele