The Complete Ukulele Method: Intermediate Ukulele: Ukulele Book & Online Video/Audio

This book picks up exactly where beginners leave off, moving past basic strumming into chord theory, blues, and genuine improvisation without overwhelming the player. The integration of TAB and standard notation, combined with video instruction, gives students multiple entry points to understand the same concept. The repertoire spans folk classics to jazz standards, so students can immediately apply new techniques to music they actually want to play.

Moving through this book feels like gaining fluency in a musical language. Early chapters establish the grammar of chord theory and right-hand technique; by midway through, you're reading jazz voicings and exploring pentatonic improvisation. The familiar melodies from folk and classical traditions provide anchors, while the blues and jazz sections introduce playfulness and personal expression.

This book serves intermediate ukulele players who have mastered basic chords and strumming patterns and are ready to develop musicianship through theory, improvisation, and more expressive playing techniques. It works well for self-directed learners who want structured progression as well as ensemble or studio students preparing for jazz or folk repertoire.

• Record yourself playing the accompaniment patterns, then play the melody or solo over your own recording to build confidence in listening and responding in real time.
• When working through the hammer-on, pull-off, and slide techniques, isolate each one on a single string for several days before combining them into passages.
• Start each blues or jazz improvisation session by nailing the pentatonic scale shape on one string, then expand to two strings, before attempting fluid lines across the fretboard.
• Use the online video lessons to watch hand placement and finger movement in real time rather than trying to infer technique from still images alone.

Assign this as the core curriculum for intermediate ukulele students in private lessons or studio settings, progressing sequentially through chord theory, grooves, and improvisation units. Use it to prepare soloists for jazz or folk concerts, or assign specific chapters (blues, Hawaiian styles, fingerstyle techniques) to align with thematic concert programming.

• Chord theory and voice leading on the ukulele
• Right-hand techniques including fingerstyle, picking patterns, and strumming grooves
• Left-hand techniques such as hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides
• Blues progression and chord-melody playing
• Pentatonic scale improvisation and jamming
• Reading both tablature and standard music notation
• Stylistic interpretation across folk, Hawaiian, rock, blues, and jazz idioms