Ukulele Workshops

Schedule | 2024 

POP UP UKE Sessons via Zoom
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Tuesdays 5-6 pm Pacific Time

Major Scale & Solfege Zoom Lesson
Saturday, March 16 3-4 pm PT

UkeWest Festival Zoom Workshop 
April 13, 2024

UkeWest Festival Concert via Zoom
May 25, 2024

Kamloops Summer Festival
Sorrento Retreat, British Columbia
June 19-23, 2024

Placer Ukulele Festival
Roseville, California
September 28, 2024

Reno Ukulele Festival
Sparks, Nevada
October 9-12, 2024

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Book A Ukulele Workshop

Posted on: March 25th, 2012 by Jim D'Ville

BOOKING A PLAY UKULELE BY EAR WORKSHOP EVENT

Jim presents his popular Play Ukulele By Ear workshops at ukulele festivals, ukulele clubs, music stores, and other music-related venues worldwide.  To book a Play Ukulele By Ear workshop contact Jim directly using the information found on the CONTACT page of this website.  Below are the descriptions of Jim’s current workshops.

“Jim’s Play Ukulele By Ear workshops are a high-energy roller coaster of learning and laughs. He is one-of-a-kind. Buckle up!”  James Hill

Levels: 1-Beginner 2-Advanced Beginner 3-Early Intermediate 4-Intermediate

Learning Songs The Fun Way: By Ear! (1-4)

Jim has combined the most popular elements of my Play Ukulele By Ear #1 and #2 workshops into a sleek new presentation which offers the ear a delightful journey through some of the most popular chord progressions in western pop music. This is a hands-on, ears on, play along session utilizing super familiar songs. Once you start learning songs this way you’ll never go back to simply playing from the book.

The Emotional Value of Chords (2-4)

There is a chord associated with each of the seven notes of a major scale. When played in context, each chord evokes a certain emotional response from the listener. Learning these chordal relationships will open your ears to the chord progressions to millions of songs. This is the first step to playing by ear. Knowledge of finger positions for C, dm, em, F, G, am, bdim helpful.

Play Ukulele By Ear Vol. 1: Learning To Listen (1-4)

Get the most out of your ukulele experience by getting rid of that songbook and learning to Play Ukulele By Ear. This entertaining and informative workshop will give you the tools you need to tap into your innate musical abilities. Playing by ear is easy, fun, and it will propel your understanding of how music works to a new level. Learning the emotional value of just three major chords will open your ears to the structure of millions of songs, in under an hour! This workshop will make you a better listener and student! All skill levels welcome, however, knowledge of basic chord shapes (C F G7) is helpful. This is Jim’s signature workshop.

Play Ukulele By Ear Vol. 2: Chord Progressions & The Circle of 5ths (2-4)

Being able to hear and identify chord progressions will go a long way toward demystifying the basic structure of music. Before you know it you’ll be hearing and recognizing dominant seven and diatonic chord progressions. This exciting workshop will open your ears to the way all songs work around the Circle of 5ths. Knowledge of chords C F G7 A7 D7 E7 Am Dm Em is helpful.

Uke Jam By Ear Techniques (1-4)

It’s your turn to lead a song at the ukulele club! Be prepared by learning the techniques that have made Jim D’Ville one of the most sought-after ukulele jam leaders in the world. Topics include timing, rhythm, singing on pitch, song arranging on the fly, and having fun.

Strumming Ukulele By Ear (1-4)

Free yourself from memorizing Down-Up patterns! Starting with the basic index finger strum, Jim will quickly have your muscle memory absorbing fun strums like The Gallop Triplett, The Chunky Chop and many more strumming techniques that will spice up your playing.

Picking Ukulele By Ear (1-4)

Learn to pick the melodies to your favorite songs without tab! This ground-breaking workshop is the first of its kind to use the solfege syllables to organically train your ears to hear and play the scale patterns where all the melodies live. Topics will include playing scales, arpeggios, rolls and fills, and of course songs! This workshop is the first step to being able to play anything that comes into your head!

3 Chord Magic Chord Magic (2-4)

The 3 Chord song form is probably the most popular in Western music. In this workshop, we’ll dissect a number of interesting variations of the progression beyond the I-IV-V7. Learning to hear the emotional quality of chords other then I-IV-V will dramatically improve your playing. We’ll play a lot of very fun and familiar tunes in the rock, pop and blues genres. Knowledge of chords C F G7 A7 D7 E7 Gm Dm Am Em is helpful.

Fab Beatles Songs 1963-’64 (2-4)

Why were The Beatles the greatest band ever? The chord progressions! The Beatles’ songs written in the breakout years of 1963 and ’64 showcase Lennon and McCartney’s exciting use of cadence and colorful extended chords. We’ll learn immortal pop classics including I Want To Hold Your Hand, She Loves You, I Saw Her Standing There, Please Please Me and more all by ear!

Magical Mystery Chords (2-4)

Using super familiar Beatles songs, we’ll examine how they used the emotional value of simple extended chords to write some of the most popular music of all time. And, you’ll learn to play the songs without looking at the music! Songs include Hey Jude, Nowhere Man, Taxman, A Hard Days Night many more!

Neil Diamond 1966-’71 Hits By Ear (2-4)

Neil Diamond knew about the emotional value of the chords of the Major Scale. That’s why he was able to write so many pop classics in the mid-to-late 1960’s. In this workshop, we’ll not only play some of Neil’s greatest hits, but we’ll also discover the underlying structure that made them hits. Songs include Sweet Caroline, Cherry Cherry, Red Red Wine, I’m A Believer, and more!

Jersey Boys By Ear (2-4)

The Four Seasons exploded onto the music scene in 1962 when their first three singles, Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, and Walk Like a Man. All rocketed to #1 on the Billboard chart! The Four Seasons were swept back into the limelight more recently with the Broadway musical and film Jersey Boys. In this workshop, you’ll not only learn to sing and play the music of one of the most popular vocal groups of all time, but you’ll also discover the underlying structure that made their first three hits, along with Dawn, and Rag Doll, immortal classics.

Buddy Holly By Ear (2-4)

Buddy Holly changed the face of rock and roll. And he did it in just 18 months! With blues-based classics like That’ll Be The Day, Peggy Sue, and Oh Boy, Buddy Holly melded the best of rock, rockabilly and blues into his own style of music. Other classic songs you’ll learn include Everyday, Maybe Baby, and It’s So Easy.. Jim will also share his experiences in visiting the Norman Petty studio in Clovis, New Mexico where many of these timeless classics were recorded.

Carl Perkins Rockabilly By Ear (1-4)

Carl Perkins was one of the founding fathers of Rock and Roll and was the King of Rockabilly. In this rocking workshop we’ll learn such classics as Blue Suede Shoes, Matchbox, Boppin’ The Blues, Your True Love, Everybody’s Tryin’ To Be My Baby and Gone, Gone, Gone. You’ll also learn some of the licks, strums, and rhythms that all the cats dig!

Hank & Buck By Ear

(1-4) Hank Williams and Buck Owens were masters of the three-chord form. Jim will lead you through country standards from each artist including Jambalaya, Your Cheatin’ Heart, Hey, Good Lookin’, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry, I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail, Cryin’ Time, Together Again, Foolin’ Round and more. You’ll not only learn the chord progressions to these classics by ear, but you’ll also learn about the hooks that made these songs famous. This workshop will also teach you about basic song structure and the Nashville Number System.

All workshops are 60 minutes in length.

Ukulele Tutorials

Playing By Ear


Play Ukulele By Ear 1
Vol. 1 DVD or Download
more info


Play Ukulele By Ear 1.5
Playing By The Numbers
Download Only
more info


Play Ukulele By Ear 2
Vol. 2 DVD or Download
more info


Play Ukulele By Ear 3 Download Only
more info

 


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