Jenny is on the News Featuring the Ukulele!

We’re excited to share that Jenny is on the news! Recently, our local news ran a segment on the ukulele keeping people happy during this pandemic time. One of Jenny’s lessons was a part of the clip. Check it out!

Ukulele online groups, lessons and festivals are keeping the ukulele community alive.

The ukulele is the happiest instrument in the world. And, the people who play it are kind and decent. Hanging out with ukulele players is a great way to take your mind off of the troubles in our world right now.

Ukulele works great for people from ages 3-103. Young children can sing and strum and feel the beat. Grandparents can learn simple folk songs to play with their young grandchildren. Ukulele can build community within groups and within families.

The ukulele is not very expensive, nor is it hard to play. You don’t have to make a big commitment to discover the joy of learning music. Play for a little while and you will get the hang of it!

Jenny is on the News

Matt owns the store, “Aloha City Ukes.” Matt and Daphne Cantlon are a father-daughter duo who play together all the time. He shares his passion for music with his daughter, which has been a wonderful father-daughter bonding experience.

Recently, Matt was the subject of a documentary on Channel 11 TV in Chicago. Because I teach at his store and I teach online lessons, one of my clips was in the segment.

Can you teach yourself the ukulele?

It was great that Jenny is on the news to promote the ukulele.

Can you learn an instrument online? Well, with our books and courses it is possible.

We are the Ukulele Sisters and we start simply. Our first songs use only one chord. You get the coordination of singing and strumming without having to change chords. Then, you move to two-chord songs and then three-chord songs. You develop the ability to play and sing in rhythm without pauses between chord changes.

We start with simple material

We help you master simple material before moving on to more complex music. At the two-chord song level, we keep you on the easiest chord change on the ukulele, F to C7. We offer 12 songs with those changes. Then we move to the C to G7 chord change where you get to do many of the same songs with the new chord change. You can concentrate on the technique of changing chords, rather than learning new songs. Because there are 12 two-chord songs, you can pick and choose the songs you know and only learn those songs. Whatever song you choose to practice you’ll be learning the techniques you need with it.

With our first book, you learn only 5 chords, but with 21 songs, you’ll know these 5 chords well by the time you’re done. Then you are able to move on to more complicated chords and strumming patterns. Ready to read tab and learn basic music notation, you are excited about your progress. Soon you will be ready to progress to a simple chord melody. With a solid foundation that will help you to progress into the world of ukulele playing, you are ready to enjoy the ukulele wherever you go.

Get a copy of 21 Songs in 6 Days by clicking the link below or visit our shop to check our products.

Are you struggling with strumming?

With our book and course, you’ll become a fluent 3-chord strummer.

Get your copy now!

Teach a Rest Position

Create a standard position players use whenever they are listening:

Place the ukulele flat against the body.
Rest the strumming hand gently on the strings.
Keep both hands still.
Look toward the leader.

Call it “rest position” and demonstrate it at the group’s first meeting. Use the same phrase consistently: “Ukuleles in rest position, please.”

This physically mutes the strings and gives everyone a clear visual signal that playing has stopped.

Use One Attention Signal

Choose a signal that can be seen or heard across the room. Possibilities include:

Raising one hand
Playing a short, distinctive chord
Saying, “Rest position”

Explain the signal before rehearsal begins: “When you see my hand raised, finish the chord you are playing, mute your strings, and look up.”

Avoid competing with the group by repeatedly talking over the instruments. Give the signal, pause, and wait until everyone is ready.

Set a Clear “No Noodling” Expectation

Many players noodle because they are excited, nervous, practicing a difficult chord, or unaware that it is distracting. Address the behavior without embarrassing anyone.

Try saying:

“Between songs, please mute your strings so everyone can hear the instructions. We’ll always give you a moment to check chords before we begin.”

Then build short, intentional practice windows into the session:

“Take 20 seconds to find the opening chord.”
“Quietly check the change from C to G7.”
“Let’s try that strum together once.”

Players are more likely to stop playing at random when they know when practice is welcome.

Amplify the Leader, Not the Entire Room

In larger groups, a small microphone, portable speaker, or amplified ukulele can save the leader’s voice and make directions easier to follow. Amplification should provide clarity—not to overpower the players.

Test the equipment before the session, position the speaker where everyone can hear it, and keep spoken instructions short. A microphone cannot replace an attention routine, but it makes a good routine much more effective.

Create Predictable Transitions

Noodling often fills uncertainty. Tell players exactly what is happening next:

1. “Finish the final chord.”
2. “Rest position.”
3. “Turn to page 14.”
4. “Find a C chord.”
5. “Watch for my count-in.”

Use a visible or audible count-in before every song. Once players learn that nothing begins until the leader counts them in, spontaneous starts become less common.

6. Operate iPads for music.

Many ukulele groups read off iPads, and everyone buys the same app. forScore is one of the common ones, but don’t get anything until the group leader tells you which one they use. From there, the leader or the singer/songwriter shares the music by AirDrop, so everyone is reading off the same page. Corrections land with the whole group at once, and nobody is working from an outdated copy.

A Simple Group Agreement

At the beginning of a session, say:

“To help everyone hear and learn, we use rest position whenever someone is speaking. When I raise my hand, please mute your strings and look up. You’ll have time to check chords before each song, and we’ll always start together on the count-in.”

The goal is not silence for its own sake. It is to create a group in which instructions are brief, rehearsals move smoothly, and everyone gets more time to make music together.

Here’s a list of etiquette expectations from ukulele group members to make the group learning more effective and fruitful for everyone.

Jenny is on the News Featuring the Ukulele!