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Resources
Welcome, newcomers! Here are some resources to help you enjoy our group. Click on the blue text or the graphic to follow a link to the mentioned resource.
​Check out our FAQs on this website for basic knowledge.
 
Are you or do you know a true beginner?
Playing the Uke with Ando, written by Belfast music teacher, Ando Anderson, is the consummate beginner's guide to learning to play the ukulele. Color "CHORDinated" lyrics help beginners know what chords to play at a glance, giving them the freedom to focus on actually playing and singing. The associated web site, Andoanderson.com, provides video tutorials for each song and lesson in the book, including strumming and chording techniques, singing suggestions, and tuning how tos, Playing the Uke with Ando is an ideal choice for music teachers, parents, and motivated self-learners of all ages. It may be purchased directly from Ando or online at Amazon.
Are your interested in more advanced picking styles.
Midcoast Ukes music director Jeff Weinberger has several books of fingerstyle ukulele etudes and duets available for purchase directly from him or online at Amazon.  The pieces were composed to be interesting and engaging musically, but to include parts that less experienced players can learn from. Fingerstyle ukulele is a great way to go beyond simple strumming and playing easy songs. Click on a cover to go to Amazon
Are you looking for chord information or strumming patterns?
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Chords can be described in just 4 numbers.  Each number indicates the fret pressed down on one of  the four strings - moving from G to C to E to A. 0 is an open string (no fret). The numbers 1,2,3 and 4 are fret numbers corresponding to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th frets respectively.

 The C chord notation is 0003 - the G, C, and E strings are open. The A string is pressed down at the third fret. An Am chord would be 2000. F is 2010. Dmin7 is 2213 as shown. Chord diagrams show both the fret numbers and finger used to press down at that fret. Each song may have it own strum pattern that makes it special. Information about chord fingering and strum patterns may be found on this website at Chord and Strum Charts.
Did you know tabs show how to play notes without reading music?
Even if you can read music, tabs, which show the string and fret for individual notes, can make playing melodies easier on your ukulele. The web page, How to Read Ukulele TABs: Visual Guide, on the Live Ukulele website, provides a detailed introduction to reading tabs. The YouTube video, How To Read Ukulele CHORDS and TABS 🎵 EASY Beginner Tutorial, goes into to details about chords, tabs, and blending chords into single note melodies. If you want to learn to read standard music notation, the YouTube video How to read music - Tim Hansen starts at the very beginning.
Do you want to delve deeper in music theory?
Our music director recommends Harmony and Theory: A Comprehensive Source for All Musicians by Keith Wyatt if you want to learn more music theory. This book is a step-by-step guide to Musicians Institute's well-known Harmony and Theory class. It includes complete lessons and analysis intervals, rhythms, scales, chords, key signatures; transposition, chord inversions, key centers; harmonizing the major and minor scales; and more! It is available from many onlie book sellers, including Amazon. Other resources include the YouTube video How I wish HARMONY was explained to me as a student and the book: Nahre Sol’s Elements of Music: A fresh alternative to boring music theory textbooks
How do I take good care of my ukulele?
Our director recommend Tom Cantlin: Guitar and Ukulele Repair: ‭(207) 542-5689‬ if you have major problems with you instrument. Tom does not seem to have a web presence and might be retired.
If you need strings for you ukulele, Strings by Mail has a huge variety for every shape and size uke.   

The YouTube video HOW TO RESTRING A UKULELE (it's easy!) shows how to install your new strings.
Are you worried about your uke drying out in hot weather?
Very dry air can cause problems with the wood bodies of ukuleles. Players with high quality instruments often install humidifiers to help protect the wood. An online article, Ukulele Humidifiers: A Guide to Caring for your Ukulele Throughout All Seasons, explains why and how you should use a humidifier.

Oasis Ukulele Humidifier - How To Use  explains how to use the humidifer.
Are you looking for a ukulele strap?
Quilts and Ukuleles Etsy Shop has hundreds of straps in different styles from conservative to outlandish. If your uke does not have a post on the end for attaching a strap, we found that closing up a small Command Strip hook will  let it securely attach onto the strap without making any permanent change to your instrument.
How can I get more experience playing along to songs?
The Dr. Uke web site (Free) contains more the 4,000 songs formatted specifically for ukulele. You can look at the lyrics and the chord diagrams on the screen (or print them out) as you listen and play along to Dr. Uke as he sings the songs. Playing with a recording is a great way to sharpen you listening and playing skills.

As you get more experience, Chordify (Not free) uses a computer program to determine the chords to almost every song on YouTube. As you play the video, you can slow down a song without changing the pitch. You can see the appropriate ukulele chord diagram highlighted in time with the song. There are many other options.
Are there highly recommended printed books of song arrangements made specifically for ukuleles?
The Daily Ukulele Songbook: 365 Songs for Better Living  (Jumpin' Jim's Ukulele Songbooks),  commonly called The Yellow Book, is part of a three book series of giant song books written specifically for ukuleles. Other versions are The Daily Ukulele Leap Year Edition - Sheet Music Songbook for Ukulele (Blue Book) and The Daily Ukulele - Another Year (Purple Book). The series include more than 1,100 songs. The books are available for Kindles.
Where can I find songs arranged for ukulele online?
The San Jose Ukulele Song Book is an online resource of many hundred songs where each beat of the melody is marked on the song sheet. 
Other groups offer thousands of songs online. Visit People of Lewisham's Ukulele Club for a list of sites. Some sites on that list have many ads and sneaky offers. Most song sheets only indicate when the chord changes, not the duration of each chord like San Jose and the Midcoast Ukes sheets do.