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339 posts
A visit to the Kamaka workshop
Tamás GállAfter a long time, here comes another guest post—and not just any guest post. A few months ago, in the Hungaria Ukulele Club Facebook group I saw a post by Gyuri, a fellow guitarist and ukulele player who was lucky enough to visit the workshop of Kamaka, one of the world's finest ukulele makers. I w…
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Autumn ukulele courses 2023
Tamás GállDear (Future) Ukulele Players! Summer has only been under way for a few weeks, but the dates of the autumn courses are already set: Ukulele Course III – 1 October 2023 (Sunday), 9:00–16:00 APPLY If you are interested in the courses and would like to apply, click the "Courses" menu item to read all t…
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Something Stupid
Tamás GállWhen most of us see the title, perhaps the Robbie Williams–Nicole Kidman version comes to mind. Yet we need to go back to 1967 to talk about the Sinatra version—and even that was not the original. Something Stupid originated with the duo Carson and Gaile, but the pairs mentioned above made it truly…
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Summer Course II in 2023
Tamás GállYesterday's Course II, like the spring one, began with ten participants. We exercised the part of our brains responsible for rhythm and also learned muting techniques. We became acquainted with many, many chords, including barre shapes. For me, one of the highlights was the handful of songs we put t…
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Summer Course I in 2023
Tamás GállI was delighted to meet 12 very kind and likeable ukulele players last Sunday. I felt that the day had a really good atmosphere, and by the end it seemed as though the few hours we spent together had passed in an instant. First we learned the basics: how to hold and tune the ukulele and how rhythm w…
Read moreVirtual participation in the 2023 Shanghai Ukulele Festival
Tamás GállAs last year David Chen contacted me again this year and invited the Hungaria ukulele community to take part virtually in the 2023 Shanghai Ukulele Festival. Of course anyone can attend in person as well, but most of us are more likely to send a greeting video. If you do not know David: he is one of…
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The tuner
Tamás GállIn the next video I show you four tuners. In the age of smartphones, many people may consider buying a tuner unnecessary, and that is partly true: a ukulele can be tuned perfectly well with a phone app. Even so, a dedicated tuner has its advantages, so perhaps it is not a bad idea to keep one of the…
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James Bond chords
Tamás GállIt would be an exaggeration to call myself a fan, but I do watch the James Bond films: the latest adventures of agent 007 provide excellent entertainment. There is also always a great deal of attention around the theme song, which is usually performed by a current international star—although, in my…
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Summer ukulele courses 2023
Tamás GállDear (Future) Ukulele Players! Your interest in the ukulele courses remains strong, which genuinely makes me happy—thank you . After coordinating with the venue, the summer course dates are now set: Ukulele Course I – 4 June 2023 (Sunday), 9:00–16:00 APPLY If you are interested in the courses and wo…
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Cascha HH2305L – the left-handed ukulele
Tamás GállAfter a short break I am back with another blog post, and I am also paying off an old debt: in more than 13 years of the blog, I have never discussed left-handed ukuleles. A left-handed colleague attended the spring courses and needed a left-handed ukulele. I did not have one in stock, so I obtained…
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Spring Course III in 2023
Tamás GállI woke to a beautiful, sunny, although slightly chilly Sunday morning and set off excitedly to meet my ukulele students for another Course III. In a friendly, close-knit atmosphere, nine of us started playing a few minutes after 9:00. The morning focused mainly on music theory: we explored scales an…
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Spring Course II in 2023
Tamás GállThis morning ten of us set off to explore the mysteries of rhythm and chord learning in Course II. During the morning we focused mainly on rhythms and rhythm techniques, gave the strings no mercy while learning the “chuck”, and from time to time tied our fingers—or perhaps our brains—in knots by lea…
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