Lesson Library
How can you collect all the swing tunes you’re hungry for? I’m hoping to make it easy for you, which is why I put together Ukulele Swing School’s Lesson Library.
Every Tuesday, I share a brief lesson video with some techniques that you can apply to a tune at hand, that can quickly improve your approach to playing it on the ukulele. In the video, I’ll share the key techniques that each of my arrangements call for. Plus I’ll always include .pdfs of chord charts and lyrics, so you have all the resources you need to strum along and sing.
Some of the tunes and techniques already in the Lesson Library:
- Avalon (1920)
- swing strumming basics plus fancy variations
- It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie (1936)
- left-hand damping techniques (How to strum like Django!)
- Freight Train (ca. 1912)
- how to play chord melody
- There Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens (1947)
- harmonic analysis / music theory that’s not scary and can actually help you
- If I Had You (1928)
- special chord shapes and how to use them
Sage did a fine job of breaking the song into bits so that we can do it, and repeating the pieces with you over and over made it stick. I like the arrangement because the chord progressions make it sound kind of fancy without it being too hard. Last, but not least, Sage has such a beautiful singing voice. Thank you!
—Kathy
When you join Ukulele Swing School’s Lesson Library, you get:
- weekly to-the-point lessons that can get you strumming jazz tunes in about 10 minutes
- all the resources you need to learn the techniques behind my uke arrangements
- exclusive weekly playthrough videos (great for practicing, and as reference material)
- .pdfs of relevant chord charts and songsheets
- occasional ephemera such as vintage sheet music images
- listening recommendations: links to my favorite versions of these tunes
- a new song or technique to work on every week, with short, fun lessons that will deepen your understanding of how to play jazz, swing, and Americana styles
- a living, growing, ever-expanding super fun vintage music songsheet / chart / songbook / fake book collection / library
- easy peasy practice aids: playalong videos in a key that matches the recording
- an ongoing drip feed of jazz, baby
Was a great lesson, Sage is a very good teacher and her voice is something special.
—Peter
Try out a lesson fresh from the Library
Sample a hot, swinging video lesson and get valuable tips on how to jazz up your playing!
↑ ↑ ↑ click that link, because you know and I know you need to be strumming and singing a Fats Waller tune, stat
What are students saying?
Sage is such a good teacher! Friendly and professional, she always has enjoyable teaching material and often inquires as to what I would like to practice, including me in the teaching process.
—Pierrick
Sign up for the Lesson Library
Get access to your ukulele video lessons, packed with swinging techniques. Make some old jazz tunes sound fresh on your ukulele, and get a fresh dose of jazz inspiration every week.
I’m so looking forward to sharing these songs with you.
xo
-s