Adult absolute beginners ukulele course

Ukulele lessons for adult absolute beginners, held in pubs, in London.

Our 4 week absolute beginners group ukulele course is structured. You’ll play 1-3 songs in lesson 1, with plenty more songs in the next 3 lessons, building your skills incrementally each week upon the last. You’ll meet new people, and it’s held in a pub, so you’re welcome to drink responsibly.  All we ask is that you practice for at least 10 mins per day between classes, to get the most out of it. Does that sound good?

Want to know more?

Think you’re not musical? Guitar too tricky?

We will have you strumming a tune within an hour! This course is for absolute beginners – people who haven’t picked up a ukulele before. We’ll teach you to hold, tune and be able to play a variety of songs confidently. You will play 1-3 songs by the end of the first lesson.

Want to hear how you’ll sound? Check out the latest videos of some recent graduates!

Want to know even more?

Please take some time to read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Q: What is a ukulele?

Ukuleles look like small, toy guitars, and have long been considered a musical underdog. They’re friendly, they have 4 strings, and are very easy to play. The ukulele is a wonderful introduction to fretted stringed instruments, if you’ve been looking to play guitar and always felt intimidated. Be warned… Ukuleles are very addictive. Once you get going you won’t want to switch!

Q: Do I need my own ukulele to come to the absolute beginners ukulele course?

Yes! You most certainly will, so that you can practice what you’ve learned in lessons at home. If you did it once in class then didn’t play until the following week, you’d forget what to do!

Q: Which ukulele should I buy?

It is worth going to play a few in a shop and see which one you feel drawn to. If you are not sure whether you will stick at it, we recommend buying a cheap ukulele, putting some new strings on it, then upgrading later when you are sure that you want to continue playing. To learn how to do this, press play:

You will also learn how to hold your ukulele and tune it in your first class, but the last video also shows you how to tune up, if you want to have a try before the class.

Q: What if I’m left handed?

Some left handed ukulele players choose to play their ukuleles with the right handed tuning, as the left hand is the one that forms the chords, and this gives left handed people an advantage. Other people prefer to tune it to a left handed tuning – to do this quickly and easily, simply swap the two middle strings. Please use the last video above if you want to know how to change strings.

Q: Where are the classes held?

In a pub near to Holborn Station (Mondays) or a different pub, near to London Bridge Station (Tuesdays). The venue and full address details are sent to you in an email confirmation a week before your course start date. Due to the venue, you are allowed to drink alcohol (responsibly) – this is an adult course. It is intended to be fun and social.

Q: When do classes run and for how long?

Classes run for 2 hours per week, and are held on the same day each week as the first class you attend, so if you start on a Monday at 6-8pm (or 8-10pm), the following classes will also be on a Monday from 6-8pm (or 8-10pm), or if you start on a Tuesday at 8-10pm (or 6-8pm), they will run each Tuesday 8-10pm (or 6-8pm).

Q: How many people in a class?

We will never take more than 12 people in a class. We believe that class sizes should be small so that you get enough attention, but also have fun learning with your fellow classmates.

Q: How much do the courses cost? For how many lessons?

£79.99 for a course of 4 lessons.

Q: Can I drop in to a class?

No. The courses are structured so that you learn incrementally, building new skills on the ones you already have. Each lesson builds on from the last. Please ensure that you can commit to all of the lessons in the course, though you can switch classes for a week, or individual catch up sessions can be arranged if you miss a class.

Q: Do I need to practice? How long for?

Yes – so that you can remember what to do the following week, you will need to spend at least 10 minutes each day practising to get the most from this course. Ukulele playing is very much about muscle memory, so it’s crucial that you practice at home between lessons, so that your finger muscles move to the right place in time when you want them to.

Q: What’s so great about your courses?

We have been teaching group lessons since 2009, and have found the perfect formula to ensure you become a proficient strummer. Group learning means that you can make friends to strum with as well as learn a new skill.
Want to read what past pupils think? Read past pupils testimonials!

Take a look at some of the many songs you could learn in our absolute beginners ukulele course:

Now you have seen all this, what are you waiting for? Book your place! We look forward to teaching you.