Play the Ukulele: Chord Changing Skills: Part 2

(Parents: Please note that this is an intermediate level class and not suitable for beginners.)

Congratulations! You've been playing the ukulele for a little while (maybe longer), and you are ready for more. Or you have been wanting to play a particular song, but you're stuck on a chord. You're in the right place! In this class, we'll learn strategies and ideas that will give you tools to learn songs that have chords you haven't conquered yet. 

In this class, we will work on these skills and concepts:
 - Left (neck) hand positions (not finger positions - HAND)
 - Finger placement in chord shapes, and why we don't always use the same fingers for the same chord in different songs.
 - chords that are played in the first, second, and third frets and further up the neck. For example, one chord position will be placed in the FIFTH fret, another will be placed in the fifth, sixth, and seventh frets.
 - Barre chords (playing a chord where one finger presses more than one string)
 - Leverage: how to get the right amount of pressure on each finger
 - chords that are played with one, two, three, or all four fingers. 

These skills will be explored within the context of SONGS. The instructor believes that skills are best acquired in their true context (music, not exercises). While we may try a technical exercise to experience a specific physical feeling, the bulk of time in class will be spent on chords, hand positions, and finger placements in the context of songs. 

Songs will change every month. This allows students the option to take the class again if they would like to BUT have fresh material as they work toward mastery of the concept. 

Songs are chosen from the repertoire of world and folk music. 

Level 2 Songs for the month of February include:
 - Down By the Riverside (African American)
 - Coffee Grows on White Oak Trees (American Folk Song)
 - St. James Infirmary Blues (Traditional Blues)
 - Wabash Cannonball (Folk song)

Please note:
 - Students should arrive with ukuleles IN TUNE. If your learner cannot tune his/her own ukulele, enrolled students will be eligible for a free tuning class. Message the instructor for more information. This offer is ONLY available to students who are enrolled and have attended a class meeting. 
 - Students in this class should already know the names of the parts of the ukulele, including head, neck, body, frets, nut, and (of course 🙂) strings.
 - Students should have a soprano, concert, or tenor ukulele. A baritone ukulele is not suitable for this class. 
 - Students should expect to have their cameras ON during class. For the instructor to provide helpful feedback, she will need to both SEE and HEAR the students.
 - Students are encouraged to self-mute when they want to try playing an idea but the instructor or another student is having a turn to speak or play. Students are reminded that the instructor cannot turn their microphones back on, and should be prepared to do so if the instructor asks them a question. (There is never ANY pressure in my classes; I just can’t turn their microphones ON, and I think students forget that sometimes. 
 - This class is not suited to adapt to student requests for specific songs. Students who wish to learn a specific song should have their parents inquire about One-on-One classes with the instructor.