Ukulele Teacher 101: Find One That Works for You

Finding the right ukulele teacher is the most critical thing that makes or break whether or not people gain traction on the instrument.

In fact, studies show that over 60% of music students will quit before the fifth lesson and a staggering 85% will never make it to a 10th, often because they are discouraged with slow progress or never get hooked.

The thing is, a good ukulele teacher hahas much higher success rates, and it's because they find ways to not only reach students during the lesson, but also keep them interested during practice time as well.

Now, let's get one thing straight — you can teach yourself to play ukulele, and if you're committed to putting in the work, you can become quite good at playing.

But one thing you'll always need, whether you go at it yourself or get take ukulele lessons, is proper guidance, usually, it isn't found in the first few YouTube video options.

Of course, the path of least resistance is working with a ukulele teacher, but that's also not as simple as it sounds. Here's how to find a ukulele teacher that will teach you efficiently and cost-effectively.

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The Anatomy of Most Ukulele Lessons

Unfortunately, music has a terrible reputation for being difficult to learn, and this misconception largely stems from generations of teachers and studios that have taught music through a slow process that typically starts students off with reading sheet music and playing single note melody lines.

The main issue with this method is that while reading music and playing melody lines is useful, they aren't the essential skills for the type of playing that most people want to play, and by the time they would get to the necessary tools for practical playing, they've long lost interest.

Think about what students want to achieve when they express interest in learning "Shake it Off," by Taylor Swift. Do they want to play each lyric as a note on the ukulele, or do they want to strum the instrument in the background while they or someone else sings the lyrics?

In most cases, they want to achieve the latter, and a large majority of students have no ambitions to becoming a professional or even becoming a "musician."

Yet, even though people can enjoy a lifetime of playing ukulele without knowing anything about music theory, teachers and studios often fail to offer more simplified lessons that make success more likely.

What Should I Look for in a Teacher?

Ukulele lessons that keep students engaged begin and end with goals. As long as students feel like their goals are being met, they'll keep showing up and keep practicing at home.

The best ukulele teacher is someone who is teaching you the skills you need to play the type of music you want to be playing as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Sometimes, this means them having to throw out their classical-style method book and teaching you to strum and sing the newest Beyonce song.

How Do I Know I Went to the Right Place?

Whether you are searching for someone to teach you to play ukulele or have been frustrated with what you are learning in your current ukulele lessons, you should know exactly what to look for and what to expect with your new teacher. Your ukulele teacher should:

• Teach you the chords in the key of C and how to do a basic strum to a count of four on the first day. These are the critical tools needed to play thousands of songs on the ukulele and they are relatively easy to learn. If you learn nothing else, learn this.
• Have reasonable flexibility in scheduling.
• Have your end goal in mind and try to get you there as efficiently as possible.

Are You Looking for a Ukulele Teacher?

Ukulele lessons through Approachable Music are designed to get people playing what they want as quickly as possible. Life changes quickly, and students can easily have to stop taking lessons for a variety of reasons.

That's why, during the first lesson, we teach you the basic tools to play thousands of songs on ukulele — something most places take months to work toward, which often results in students quitting.

From there, it's about coaching you to become a solid, polished and proficient player, so you can enjoy a lifetime of having fun while playing music. Contact us today for more information.