Course Description

The ukulele has come a long way from when it was first introduced to Hawaii in 1879. Today it’s one of the most popular instruments in the world – and with good reason. It is accessible, rewarding and beautifully versatile.

Designed for absolute beginners, Waltons New School of Music’s Introducing Ukulele for Adults course is the ideal way to kick start your uke playing. Participants will learn fundamental techniques, chords, strumming patterns and fingerstyle in a fun and supportive group setting. Everything is taught through popular music (pop, rock and folk), and by the end of the course you will not only have the necessary skills to play the songs you love, you will have already started doing so!

In-School & Online Tuition

We offer two versions of this course, in-school, which takes place in the New School, and online, which takes place wherever you are – anywhere in Ireland or around the world.

For both versions of the course, participants will need to have good quality concert or soprano ukuleles for classes and practice, as well as having their ukuleles in tune before classes begin. (See the Recommended Instruments tab for a list of recommended ukuleles, which are available at discounts from Waltons Music for course participants, and the Tuning Your Ukulele tab for information on tuning ukuleles.)

In-School Version

The health and safety of both students and staff at the New School is of the utmost importance to us, and we have made a number of changes to the school, its equipment and our policies to make in-school tuition safe during the time of COVID-19. These include:

• Perspex screens in every classroom.
• Installation of HEPA air filtration/purification units where necessary.
• Antiseptic dispensers available throughout the school.
• Cleaning and disinfection of both classroom instruments and furniture between lessons and classes.
• Regular cleaning of public spaces.

See our COVID-19 Safety Policy page for more information on what we have done, as well as the protocols we expect all in-school students and visitors to follow.

Online Version

In addition to ukuleles, online course participants will need:

• An internet-connected laptop, computer, tablet or smartphone. (A laptop or computer with webcam and microphone is recommended, as it will have the largest picture.)
• Ideally, internet speed at least 1.5Mb per second. (You can test your speed using Measurement Lab’s Speed Test.)
• Headphones or earbuds, if possible.¹
• Free Zoom software or app.²

1. Waltons Music has Zoom headphones and microphones that are ideal for online music tuition and are available at 5% discounts for students enrolled in the course. If you would like to obtain a discount, please contact Waltons with your instrument choice and include a scan or photo of your course payment receipt.
2. If you haven’t learned music with Zoom before, please see our printable Zoom for Students information sheet for information on how to download and set up Zoom for music tuition.

Before the course begins, the teacher will email you a Zoom meeting invitation that includes a meeting ID and password to join the first class.

This course covers Stage 1 of the New School’s ten-stage system of student progress and assessment, which culminates in a teaching or performing qualification (Stage 10) should the student progress that far. Participants who successfully complete the course can be issued with a certificate of completion of Stage 1. If you are taking the course, please let the school office know if you would like this certificate. See About Our Stage System for more information.

Have you enrolled in this course?
Download our Introductory Handout
for tips on how to get the most from it.

See Summer Introducing Ukulele for Adults
for the summer version of this course.

Introducing Ukulele for Adults is one of the New School’s group courses for adult beginners. We also offer private ukulele lessons in a range of genres for students of all ages and skill levels (see Guitar • Bass • Ukulele Tuition for more information), as well as an Introducing Ukulele for Children https://www.newschool.ie/tuition/group-courses-for-beginners/introducing-ukulele-for-children/Introducing Ukulele for Childrencourse for children aged 6-8.

Éamonn Galldubh

An All-Ireland champion with a teaching diploma from Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, as well as Masters degree in Music Performance with First Class Honours, Éamonn began playing traditional music on the tin whistle at the age of eight, moving on to the uilleann pipes (he learned traditional piping technique from Dublin piper Ivan Goff and Mick O’Brien), flute, whistle, guitar, ukulele and saxophone. While Irish music is his first love, he has pursued an interest in other music forms and received a jazz performance diploma in saxophone from Newpark Music Centre. Éamonn has performed and recorded with a wide range of artists, including Clannad, Riverdance, Moya Brennan, Cara Dillon, Damien Dempsey, Ragus, Niamh Ní Charra, Celtic Woman, Hazel O’Connor, Rua, Druid Theatre and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, as well as writing and recording his own material. His most recent project is the musical collective Jiggy, featuring Éamonn (uilleann pipes), as well as Daire Bracken (fiddle), Aoife Kelly (fiddle), Éamonn de Barra (flute & whistle), Robbie Harris (percussion), Niwel Tsumbu (guitar & vocals), Yoshi Izumi (bass) and DJ Jack (decks). Éamonn is passionate about music education and takes a practical approach that encourages pupils to learn by engaging with the music of their favourite artists. Playing along with recordings is used as a means to illustrate theoretical concepts and to learn about structure and rhythm. He has taught a range of instruments – including Irish flute, bodhrán, guitar, tin whistle, uilleann pipes and ukulele – both with the New School and for our Outreach Programme and Music at Work Programme, as well as for our Irish Music Tasters, since 1999, and he also teaches our Introducing Bodhrán course.

George Mercer

George’s love for music in all its forms stemmed from listening to his family’s large CD collection, which inspired him to begin writing his own music and playing in different bands as a teenager. He went on to study music at Dundalk IT, where he specialised in composition and developed his performance skills in a range of genres, including popular, Irish traditional and classical. After graduation, he focused on writing and performing music with his own Indie-Electronic group, My Tribe Your Tribe, touring and playing in festivals around the country, including Electric Picnic, Body and Soul and Other Voices. George has also performed extensively as a session musician for other artists (Maud in Cahoots, Cillian King Band, Emma Langford, Sirmione), touring New York, Russia and in theatre settings and venues throughout Ireland. In 2014, he joined the Dublin Alt-Pop group, Maud in Cahoots, in the presentation of the music theatre piece, Well Rested Terrorist, at the Tiger Fringe Festival, in which the live band rearranged new versions of their music to interweave with the show’s experimental choreography. He is also a keen DJ and music producer, releasing music and performing under his electronic moniker, Sylvian. George has extensive teaching experience, both in music schools and privately, and he is passionate about instilling in his students the confidence and openness to explore their own musical voices in an encouraging, patient and relaxed learning environment. In addition to this course, he teaches our Introducing Ukulele for Children, Introducing Guitar for Adults and Introducing Guitar for Children courses.

Gary Norman

Gary started to learn the guitar as a young child and soon began to explore bass guitar and ukulele as well. He began playing live with bands and vocalists in his early teenage years, enjoying everything from pub residencies to Aviva Stadium events, and playing a wide range of genres and guitar styles, including rock, pop, folk, metal, reggae, blues and jazz. Alongside cover gigs, Gary began writing his own music, and he was a finalist in RTÉ 2FM’s New Irish Music competition while still in secondary school; since then he has worked on a number of national and international projects. Writing and recording music developed Gary’s early interest in production, and he pursued this by studying at Ballyfermot College of Further Education, where he earned a diploma in music technology while working as a live sound engineer and recording EPs for local acts. He went on to study Music and English at University College Dublin, where he received a BA degree with First Class Honours. As well taking numerous advanced modules in tonality and musicianship during his time in college, he also studied Non-Western music and joined the National Concert Hall Gamelan Ensemble, with which he has performed at Electric Picnic, the National Concert Hall and Leeds University, as well as touring Indonesia, the birthplace of gamelan music. Gary is an experienced teacher of guitar, bass and ukulele, both privately and in groups; he also performs regularly with a number of bands and vocalists, and is currently recording an album with the progressive rock act Myth. In addition to this course, he teaches our Introducing Guitar for Adults course.

Colin Power

Colin has been an active professional musician, guitarist and audio engineer for the last fifteen years. His performance experience extends to theatrical productions, music festivals, radio performances and recording sessions. He has also produced audio and engineered recording sessions for a wide range of artists and projects. After receiving a Diploma in Multimedia Engineering from the Waterford College of Further Education and an Honours BA in Commercial Modern Music from the British and Irish Modern Music Institute (BIMM Dublin), Colin further validated his range of skills and competencies by completing an MPhil in Music and Media Technologies at Trinity College, Dublin, as well as a postgraduate Diploma in Arts in Educational Practice in Teaching for Further Education, with distinction, with the National College of Ireland. In addition to his teaching with the New School, he has taught guitar, ukulele and music technology to a wide range of students privately, in different music schools and for Music Generation. In addition to this course, he teaches our Introducing Guitar for Adults, Introducing Music Technology, Ableton Live Basics and Summer Music Technology Essentials courses, as well as teaching guitar, ukulele and music technology for our Outreach Programme and Music at Work Programme.

Reviews • Testimonials

‘I took part in the online Ukulele for Adults course, followed by partner lessons, during the summer. The classes were excellent, and I learned much more than I could have hoped for in such a short space of time. I thoroughly enjoyed the classes and would have no hesitation in recommending the course.’
– E. Kennedy

‘Small class, lovely teacher, lovely students.’
– S. Lawlor

‘I loved the ukulele classes. I started with zero knowledge, but within weeks I was playing along to some great songs. The teacher is an accomplished and talented musician, and his love for music comes through in his classes. He was patient, positive and encouraging at all times. Great fun, highly recommended!’
– Y. Murphy

‘Fantastic course and great teacher. Learned far more than I expected to in 10 weeks!’
– R. O’Sullivan

‘I’ve really enjoyed learning a new instrument and new songs, as well as the group camaraderie. The teacher is very patient!’
– J. Reilly

Have you taken – or are you taking – this course? We would appreciate it if you could take a few moments to give us your feedback in a brief online questionnaire about it.

FEEDBACK

2023-2024 Third Term
Class Schedules

CLASS 1
10 weeks, 16 April – 18 June 2024
Tuesdays 7.45 – 8.45 pm
Teacher: Colin Power
Class Type: Online

CLASS 2
10 weeks, 17 April – 19 June 2024
Wednesdays 6.15 – 7.15 pm
Teacher: George Mercer
Class Type: In-School

Tuition Fees

Class 1: €190 *
Class 2: €210

* The online version of this course is offered at a 10% discount.

Enrolment

Enrolment for this course requires a completed Enrolment Form and full payment of the tuition fee. Places are limited to eight and are available on a first-come, first-served basis, based on the date of enrolment. Many of our group courses fill in advance of their start dates, and early enrolment is recommended.

ENROL NOW

Purchasing this course as a gift?

Please complete a Gift Certificate Booking Form.

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Questions about the course?

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Recommended Instruments

There are many ukuleles available (including some that are little more than toys), but the following instruments – all available from Waltons Music – are recommended for their quality and affordability:

• Lag TKU8C Concert Ukelele • €79
• Lag TKU10C Concert Ukulele • €99
• Lag TKU130C Concert Ukulele • €128

Lag Ukuleles can be purchased from Waltons Music at 5% discounts for students enrolled in the course. If you would like to obtain a discount, please contact Waltons with your instrument choice and include a scan or photo of your course payment receipt.

CONTACT WALTONS

What happens after the course?

Two weeks before the end of each Introducing course, participants will be given options for continuing their tuition with the New School if they would like to do so. Although an ‘improvers’ or continuation course cannot be scheduled on the same day/time as the Introducing course, one can be arranged if enough course participants would like to continue and the teacher has timetable availability or there is timetable availability with another teacher. Participants can also continue their tuition with private (one-to-one) lessons or ‘partner’ lessons with another class member. (See Tuition Options – Private • Partner • Small Group Lessons.) We are happy to discuss these options with you.

Tuning Your Ukulele

Tuning your ukulele – and keeping it in tune – is an essential first step to playing it. Here are some simple instructions, as well as ukulele tuning apps.

Strings

The open strings of a ukulele, from thickest to thinnest, are:

• G, the fourth string (furthest left on the fretboard)
• C, the third string
• E, the second string
• A, the first string

Tuning

• The A string. Begin by tuning the first string (A). If you have another instrument such as a piano or keyboard, you can use it to tune the string. If you have no device or instrument handy, just try to get it as accurate as possible; what really counts when you are playing is that the ukulele is in tune with itself.
• The E String. Place your finger just behind the fifth fret on the second string (E). That’s an A note. When you pick the first string (A), it should sound the same. You can adjust the second string with the tuning pegs on the headstock until they do.
• The C string. Place your finger just behind the fourth fret on the third string (C). That’s an E note. When you pick the second string (E), it should sound the same. You can adjust the third string with the tuning pegs on the headstock until they do.
• The G string. Most ukuleles are tuned with a high G string. Place your finger just behind the second fret on the fourth string (G). That’s an A note. When you pick the first string (A), it should sound the same. You can adjust the fourth string with the tuning pegs on the headstock until they do.

Tuning Apps

There are a number of free smartphone ukulele tuning apps available, and here are three of the most popular:

Ukulele Tuner

Android Only:

Tunefor Ukulele Tuner

iOS Only:

GuitarTuna – Tuner for Guitar Ukulele Bass

Android:

iOS:

A wide range of clip-on electronic tuners, which are inexpensive and easy to use, are also available.

About the Ukulele

The ukulele – in the form of a Portuguese branguinha, a small guitar-like instrument, sometimes called the machete – was introduced to Hawaii in 1879 by a Portuguese immigrant named João Fernandez. Hawaiians were so impressed by his flying fingers that they called the instrument ukulele, Hawaiian for ‘jumping flea’. By the turn of the century, the instrument (pronounced ‘oo-ku-lay-lay’ by Hawaiians) was ubiquitous throughout the islands, partly due to the enthusiastic support of King Kalākaua, who learned to play it himself, and whose court featured frequent ukulele performances.

The ukulele’s popularity spread to the US in 1915, when the Panama-Pacific International Exposition lured over 17 million visitors to San Francisco, and one of its biggest attractions was the hula dance and song performances at the Hawaii Pavilion. What mainland Americans lacked in understanding of their exotic territory’s music, they made up for in enthusiasm. A reporter for the Hartford Courant described how ‘the wonderfully sweet voices and weird melodies of these ukalele (sic) players strike a plaintive heart-note never to be forgotten once heard.’ The ukulele’s popularity spread quickly when American songwriters began composing music with Hawaiian themes and sounds during the 1920s. Ukulele players proved popular on vaudeville stages, and the little instrument became strongly associated with the Jazz Age.

The Great Depression provided another gateway for the ukulele. As sales of pianos, accordions, and other more expensive instruments waned, the ukulele rose to peak popularity in the 1930s. Bluegrass music took off during this period as well, and the ukulele is still strongly associated with the string-band phenomenon.

Although the presence of ukuleles in popular music continued through the 1960s, in part thanks to the production of millions of inexpensive plastic ukes, watching them played on film and television by Bing Crosby, Betty Grable, and Elvis Presley (Blue Hawaii was Presley’s biggest box-office hit) and finally Tiny Tim’s unlikely 1968 hit, ‘Tiptoe Through the Tulips’, the instrument’s popularity declined. The uke’s fortunes improved in the 1990s, spurred in part by the immense popularity of ‘Over the Rainbow’ and ‘What a Wonderful World’ performed by the Hawaiian musician Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. Since then, its comeback has been reinforced by numerous rock, pop and folk performers who have taken up the instrument. Eddie Vedder, for example, bought a ukulele on a trip to Hawaii, fell in love with the instrument and recorded the Grammy Award winning album Ukulele Songs (2011). Today the ukulele is one of the most popular instruments in the world – and with good reason. It is accessible, rewarding and beautifully versatile.

Ukulele on YouTube