Ukes4Fun Blog

For make glorious music ukulele benefit the whole world and Byker!

LizzieLeave a comment

It’s Saturday night, I am not out whooping it up or perhaps having even more fun practicing my latest favourite ukulele songs (sigh!). No, I am starting to get very bored with making new songsheets for our sessions . . . and then I found TUSC Songbook 7!

TUSC Songbook 7 cover - wonderful "Borat" artwork!
TUSC Songbook 7 cover - featuring wonderful "Borat" artwork by Steve Power

I can’t stop laughing . . . first at

If you find any errata in this book, keep it to yourself. Criticism will be met with extreme violence.

then at

“The People’s Songbook – for make glorious music ukulele benefit the whole world and Taunton.”

and then I found the Ukephallus Man!

Ukephallus Man from TUSC Songbook
Ukephallus Man from TUSC Songbook

Resisted the temptation to despoil the Angel of The North and went for nicking the TUSC Songbook byline for our Songsheets Index:

Index of Songbooks 1 to 6 with image of Cumberland Arms tabletop by Victoria Lee and TUSC Songbook Byline
Ukes4Fun Songbooks 1 to 6 Index

I will add this as an alternative index page for download as a pdf file on the Ukes4Fun Songsheets Page along with pretty versions of the index pages for each songbook.

Songbooks updated and some advice for the uke-obsessed!

LizzieLeave a comment

Tim Harries ukulele advice cartoonOriginal here:
http://agagaday.blogspot.co.uk/2009/09/ukulele-advice.html

Reverse the sexes and that looks uncannily like an evening at my house!

Finally completed all the corrections to Song Books 1 to 6 (strewth!) and they can be downloaded from this page:

https://ukes4fun.org.uk/songsheets/

I have included some info and advice about preparing to introduce new songs to sessions (have to try to remember to follow it myself now, of course) and getting new songs into future Song Books.

Please let me know which of your favourites are missing and I will put them on the list for the next Song Book – there is info on the Song Sheets Page about the format you need to use so that I can submit them to the magic-wrangling of Songsheet Generator!

EASTER SUNDAY – NO BISCUIT FACTORY SESSION ON 8th APRIL

LizzieLeave a comment

There will not be a Sunday Session at The Biscuit Factory on Easter Sunday – you will have to flaunt your Easter Bonnets elsewhere :-)

Image of woman wearing a pink ukulele as a hat
"Ukuele Queen" Tricity Vogue ~ http://www.tricityvogue.com

More ukulele hats: http://www.zazzle.com/ukulele+hats

My first uke – what should I buy? What should I practice?

LizzieLeave a comment

Essential reading for all new ukers!

These two excellent articles include advice on what to buy as your first uke:

1. http://ukulelehunt.com/2010/02/24/beginner-ukulele-lessons/

2. http://www.gotaukulele.com/p/beginners-guides.html

Some more ideas:

I get regular emails via the website asking for advice about the “best first uke to buy”, advice for beginner lessons, etc. There are lots of websites with this sort of advice so I have started listing them here as and when I find them:

My UkeStuff Xmarks: http://share.xmarks.com/folder/bookmarks/k64Oupk0xi

(Xmarks link: sometimes that link goes to a blank page – if so, please leave a comment and I will fix it.)

I have copied extracts from a couple of emails and the replies I sent – see below – and hope this information helps others too.

Continue reading “My first uke – what should I buy? What should I practice?” →

Why the ukulele could be the secret to a happy retirement | Mature Times

LizzieLeave a comment
Media_httpmaturetimes_omyxo

Extract:
“A new study from the Institute of Education, University of London, suggests that making music with others can do most to improve an older person’s quality of life. It can also help the over-50s to feel as fit as a fiddle.

Researchers have reached these conclusions after questioning 500 older people involved in a range of activities organised by The Sage Gateshead, Westminster Adult Education Service and the Connect programme at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.”

http://maturetimes.co.uk/Why-the-ukulele-could-be-the-secret-to-a-happy-retirement/

Rita Morrison

LizzieLeave a comment

Rita Morrison

Rita will be sadly missed by all who knew her,
for her kindness and sense of fun as much as her
magnificent musicianship!

Rita’s funeral will be
Thursday 3rd November
1:45
St Vincent’s, Monkchester Road, Walker, NE6 2TX

followed by her burial at
2:30
All Saints Cemetery, Jesmond Road
Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 1NL

After the burial, Rita’s daughter Lysa and son Lee have arranged
“Rita’s Uke Fest”
for Rita’s friends to celebrate Rita’s life,
rather than sadness about her death.

3:30 – 5:30

Upstairs at The Cumberland Arms,
James Place Street (off Byker Bank), Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 1LD
The Cumberland Arms on Google Maps

Rita’s family request:

* No Sad Songs!
* Nothing from The Wizard of Oz!
* Everybody join in with the music and have fun!

Rita’s daughter Lysa is trying to gauge attendance in order to arrange catering for “Rita’s Uke Fest”

If you are on Facebook, please use this link to let Lysa know if you will be attending:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=239604056092813

If you are not on Facebook, please email:

Image of email to fool the dratted email spambots!

Chord Hat for Harmonically-Challenged Musicians

LizzieLeave a comment

Many thanks to Andy Seagroatt for sending this link.  I thought it was going to be a hat to be worn by the harmonically-challenged musician him/herself, to assist in some magical way.  Well, that idea was just plain silly, obviously. This makes much more sense!

Whickham Tune Army Ukulele Club – new venue!

LizzieLeave a comment

Update: Tune Army disbanded on 10 Sept 2018

Tune Army Ukulele Club is now meeting in the upstairs function room in Ye Olde Lang Jack pub in Whickham:

Ye Olde Lang Jack
48-50 Front St
Newcastle upon Tyne,
Tyne And Wear
NE16 4DT
0191 488 1567
Google map url: http://g.co/maps/7h62b

Many thanks to “Tune Army Jeff” for this update:

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the pub, it is at the traffic lights on the left if you are coming from Swalwell direction.

There are no parking facilities but you should be able to park in the council office car park (next to the Bay Horse, boo hiss!) or behind the shops. It is only a matter of yards away.

After much begging and pleading,the Manageress has kindly let us have the room for free, which is very good of her.
As usual, it will be the first monday of the month (except bank holidays) at the usual time.
For up to date information always check the Tune Army Ukulele Club website:  http://tunearmy.blogspot.com/ (Archived blog: Tune Army disbanded 10 Sept 2018)

So long, and thanks for all the chocolates!

LizzieLeave a comment

It was fond farewells last Thursday, it being Anil’s last session before he heads back to India and then off to Germany after graduating from Newcastle University.

Anil, Jo and Lizzie and Ukes4Fun
Anil, Jo and Lizzie - not a chocolate in sight!

Anil has promised to let us know how he gets on trying to find uke-sessions on his travels – or if he ends up starting new groups himself.

Anil said to thank everyone for the wonderful time he has had at Ukes4Fun – and we thank him for the chocolates (I should have taken a photo of them but they miraculously disappeared before I had a chance!)

Ukulele Groups, Clubs, Sessions and Classes in the North East and Cumbria

Lizzie20 Comments

Please see the page linked below for:

  • more information,
  • link to view a full size spreadsheet
  • link to view groups/clubs/sessions on a map
  • the form to enter details for your club/group/session etc:

⬇︎  ⬇︎  ⬇︎  ⬇︎  ⬇︎ 

Ukulele Groups, Clubs, Sessions and Classes in the North East and East Cumbria

⬆︎  ⬆︎  ⬆︎  ⬆︎  ⬆︎

Click to download uke club details spreadsheet as csv file