Absolute Beginners - Ukulele

First of all, I would give this book 5 stars if it was being marketed to intermediate players, but since it is supposedly for 'absolute beginners' that significantly alters my grade. If you're already comfortable with a wide range of chords and want to delve into fingerpicking and more advanced strokes, this is a great book for you._______I am not a fan of 'methods' that throw a new student to the wolves. A method should be 'methodical' and follow a logical progression of exercises to bring one to the mastery of a subject. In that sense, this book does not qualify as a 'method.'An 'absolute beginner' will have difficulty learning five new chords (not the easiest ones either) and implementing them on the first song, but that is what this book asks the learner to do: C, E7, A7, F & G7. This is a recipe for frustration.We step back with the second song, "Waters of Babylon," to C and G7, which is more realistic (though I am personally a fan of starting students off with F and C7). "Nobody Know the Trouble I've Seen" adds back in the F chord for the common C, F, G7 progression. This is all right.After that, we're already on to new chords: D, G, D7, C#dim and Am7.The STRENGTH of this book enters at this point as you are introduced to a simple version of fingerpicking, "three-string technique," with the songs "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" and "Molly Malone." This is great (if you can keep up with the chord changes). This is followed by a lovely fingerpicking technique that only uses the thumb and index fingers plucking the strings in a 142323 pattern which is very effective and won't take long to get down.The end of Part 1 gives you a description of some techniques you can use to vary your sound and then three additional songs with no specific instruction on how to accomplish the sounds demoed on the CD.There is then a track of a song by the author (I liked it), and a collection of useful links.The best of Part 1 is the fingerpicking tutorials._______Part 2 . . . is like a masterclass teaching you some great techniques to vary your playing.The Hawaiian stroke or "double up strum" is taught and reinforced with "If you're happy and you know it." Fun.Next we're introduced to the Thumb roll, very cool, which is reinforced with "London Bridge."Time for more new chords: Am, Em, Dm, Dm7, Gm, Gm7, Bb, Bbmaj7, Cmaj7 & G6. Whoa! Hold on cowboy. Too fast for a beginner, even a 'Part 2' beginner.Then we're on to a new fingerpicking pattern that uses thumb and index (I'd add in the middle as well) - 14214232. This is reinforced with a set of those last chords that we were just introduced to. The pattern is nice, but again, our pacing is extremely fast - new chords and new right-hand technique on the same two pages.On to chord inversions . . . Yikes! Definitely intermediate material.Then, we have the best 2-page breakdown of the "Split stroke" (made famous by George Formby) I've ever seen - very methodically taught. This is actually a series of seven up and down strokes. This is reinforced with "Drunken Sailor." SUPER COOL.We then introduced to the "Fan Stroke" and the "Flamenco Stroke" - another two excellent combination strums. These are reinforced with "Oh Susanna" and "Scarborough Fair." EXCELLENT stuff.Lastly, we cover two left-hand techniques: slides and damping (reinforced with"Bobby Shaftoe").Some of these song choices are not my favorites (I know a lot of folk songs), but they get the job done.In conclusion, I would not suggest this for new players, BUT I but highly recommend it for INTERMEDIATE players that are comfortable with most of your basic chords. The strength of this book is not learning chords (or melodic picking - it doesn't even notate the melodies), but techniques - some of the best instruction on that I've seen.M Ryan TaylorUkulelePlay.com

Got this book last week and am so pleased with it. I was given a book when I purchased my uke but it's way too advanced for a beginner like me. This Absolute Beginners Book is just what it says and it has plenty of info and songs to keep me busy for a long time. This is my first ukulele and I really needed help having never had a music lesson in my over 74 years. Wanted to play a uke since I was 13 and now I'm doing it. Learned 5 chords and am playing my first song in just 3 days. Yeah, I try playing 3 or 4 times a day and it's paying off. My fingers are getting tougher too just as the book says. Follow this book, be patient and don't go too fast and you will make music. Also, I recommend writing your own notes in the book for help. After all, it's yours and who cares as long as it helps. Price was very reasonable and, as usual, Amazon came through for me. Use this book with a Cherub Electronic Digital Uke Tuner and you will amaze yourself. I am so pleased.

I just got a ukulele for Christmas. This is very helpful and informative. It teaches you how to read Uke music (the up strum / down strum.) There is a Cd that accompanies this book to listen to along with the book. It helps you to know if you are on the right track in your playing. This particular book it's the absolute very beginning. It teaches you how to play the chords correctly (which, I was way off on.) I didn't get frustrated, as I have with other music books. It wants you to play the best you can and correctly.

I really like how this book starts out with very simple steps to help beginners learn to play the ukulele. Even though I have no experience with the instrument, I was able to get started easily using this book. I also liked having the backing track to show me how things were supposed to sound. I do wish that the book had better songs though. I ended up leaving the book early on because I wasn't so interested in learning to play the songs it contains. I still refer to it for chords and techniques.

Absolute Beginners Ukulele training book with CD.Absolutely!!! I got one of these for my daughter and myself. It is GREAT.We are teaching ourselves, (along with some You Tube tips), to play theUkulele. Anything you can DO WITH your kids is ABSOLUTELY MARVELOUS!!By summer, we will be sitting out on the back porch, in the mountains, just having awonderful time with the family.Something that is few and far between in our world anymore.Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!! Will play one for you all.

It's a good book for beginners, except there should be the chords for the each of the exercises printed to the specific song. For a beginner it's a bit hard to memorize the already learned ones with the new ones. As for the CD, for the untrained ears the background music is much to loud so you barely hear the Ukulele, especially the strumming technics. Much room for improvement for the book and CD.

Good beginner book BUT I got nothing from the CD, no picture just sound and the songs were so over played by other instruments that I could not even hear the ukulele. I really wanted a good CD to watch and listen to and just some very simple songs to play, did not get either.

This is a great beginners Ukulele book. I am constantly on the cords pages, memorizing one each week (it's a slow process, but that's how I learn). I love the way this book is structured as well. It is the perfect guide for someone who has never played a stringed instrument before.

im left handed and struggleing with this book

Molto ben fatto, con tanti bei diagrammi degli accordi utili per chi non sa leggere la musica ma vuole comunque strimpellare l'uke utilizzando il cd con le tracce. Peccato sia breve, spero che l'autore scriva qualcosa di più sullo stesso genere

id say this book is pretty good! i am more of a visual learner so i loved how many pictures he uses. the only thing i might improve upon would be that its a bit of a short study. 40 pages goes by rather quickly. and some further instruction on strum techniques would be better too. but he dose introduce finger picking in a very nice easy three finger way before doing the complex version. i liked this because the three finger way kept me going and therefore i didn't get nearly as discouraged as i would have been if i had tried the regular way first. i have ordered the next book. i would recommend that you order both books at once if you are a quick study. and the cds make it a lot easier to know the tunes your supposed to be playing.

If you've never picked up a ukulele before (like I hadn't) and want a place to start then this is a pretty good one. Gets you up and running in a few hours - gives you enoyugh material for several tens of hours of practice. Good book.

As the title suggests, it is a book for beginners. It takes you from the starting point if you have not played a Ukulele before and gives a simple and brief overview of everything you need to know. It's strength is the CD that comes with and having the background music to practice with, speeds up the learning process.Although I have played guitar before (not for some time though), I bought a couple of Ukes to teach my two young daughters and to have a bit of a play with them. The Ukulele for beginners book is very easily for me to work through, but a great guide to practice with them. Having said that, I think it would have taken more much longer to get the hang of it without the book and CD! So, if you are starting out playing this wonderful little instrument, this is worth buying!!