Workshops

Where Do I Start? - This is a common question and this workshop addresses that very question.

Learn to use the chord sheet software ChordPro!

Sick of playing the same strumming pattern for all of your songs? This workshop will guide you through building up and stripping back song sections to give your performance a more polished and professional sound.

Feel a little stuck inside the ukulele box? Want to bring some unique flair to your performance? Want to know how performers get their confidence? Mim has had the opportunity to perform with unique artists from around the world.

An introduction to the clawhammer technique! Want to play your ukulele like a banjo but don’t know where to begin? Don’t worry, it’s not as hard as you might think. We’ll break it down finger by finger and by the end of the session you’ll be plucking away (slowly...) with the best of them!

Is it a guitar? Is it a ukulele? What is this strange hybrid creature? In this workshop, we will go over what the Baritone ukulele has in common with the guitar and what it shares with the ukulele and how you can easily use chord shapes you already know to play it.

Learn how to play the Duke Ellington classic and jam circle favorite C Jam Blues! We’ll talk about the blues and how to start swinging and having fun with the rhythm. Great place to start taking solos, getting into swing, and jamming with others.

In this workshop we will explore some proper singing techniques and exercises to help improve our singing performance.

In this workshop we will learn some quick and easy tips on how to make our song introductions more exciting by incorporating some of the same techniques used in instrumental,  chord melody arrangements. A number of intros to popular songs will be taught.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to improvise but were unsure how to do it? You don't need to know all the notes on the fretboard or memorize all your scales in order to play a solo. In this workshop, you will begin by tapping into your intuitive brain and learning to improvise using colors to represent emotions.

Students will complete a wristlet made with fresh flowers using the “wili” (winding) method.

Instructor Debi Velasco will supply all materials and tools needed. The technique taught is simple and can be replicated at home.

Ever wondered how to construct a harmony part? Ever run into a song that was easy to play in uke group, but completely out of your vocal range? If you're ready to go beyond the basics of "hum & strum", this class is for you! Using the simple technique presented in this class, you'll be able to create one, two, and three-part harmonies quickly and with confidence.

Don't know what to play or tired of playing the same old down-up-down-up strums?

One of the first skills a ukulele player learns is the art and craft of strumming, playing rhythm. This refers to an accompaniment technique suitable for the singer - songwriter or someone who plays a support role for another instrument.

Learn just enough about this "1 4 5" that you've heard everyone talking about and start joining jams without having to have paper music in front of you.  This approach gives just a minimal amount of the "algebra" or music theory.  Since it's not everyone's...JAM! :)

This is more of a beginner/confident beginner/longtime beginner class.

Learn some of the secrets that made Pete Townshend a legendary guitar player. Part jam, part rhythm technique, we will focus on learning some of The Who’s most iconic songs as well as Pete Townshend’s unique rhythmic strum.

In 2022, I launched Ukulele Tales a ukulele podcast featuring in-depth conversations with the likes of James Hill, Jake Shimabukuro, Bernadette Teaches Music, Bakithi Kumalo (bass player on Paul Simon’s classic album, Graceland), Danny Weinkauf (They Might Be Giants), Cynthia Lin and Children’s BBC star, Nick Cope.

One of the virtues of the ‘ukulele is learning just how much we can do with so little. We take it one step further and focus on just 3 strings at a time to help visualize the fretboard a bit differently; with constraints. We’ll walk through a small tune and do some finger-picking to help train our fingers and ears to traverse the fretboard. High G and Low G friendly :) 

Students will learn the folk dance of our 50th state, the Hula.  Simple steps and hand motions will combine to tell a story.

Instructor Debi Velasco will supply written instructions to each dancer.  Students will perform the song they have learned at the Saturday evening concert!

Hey! What exactly is a set-up, anyway? Why does my ukulele buzz? How do I fix it? What does my ukulele want from me? Mim will be breaking down the mysterious “set-up” everyone talks about! She will lead you in an informative workshop that will cover everything from changing your strings and daily ukulele maintenance to diagnosing ukulele problems and even fixing them yourself! 

In this workshop , we will learn about common effect pedals, the best ones for ukulele , how they work, and how to properly use them. The end of the class will include an open mic where the students can play a song of their choice while experimenting with various effect pedals to tastefully enhance the song.

In this workshop, we will explore some great techniques to make our playing more dynamic. Chord suspensions, double stops, palm muting and some different strum patterns

Learn some basic fingerpicking patterns to change the dynamics of the tunes you play. We will
go over good fingerpicking techniques so your body is in a good ergonomic position to play
and doesn’t create tension in the neck, shoulder, or wrist. We will learn a four finger forward

or "How to use your iPhone to create killer backing tracks to jam along to when you don’t have any musician friends." 

How would you like to write an anti-love anthem like Taylor Swift? Deliver a burn song like Justin Bieber? Or revel in the pain of longing like Bob Marley? This workshop will open your mind to the spectrum of love songs from empowerment to revenge!

This workshop is an introduction to the music genre known as the murder ballad. Derived from the British/Scottish Broadside Ballad tradition as a means to spread news, the tradition was carried over to America and continued most notably in Appalachia, sometimes as a cautionary tale, and sometimes as a means to reinforce social order.

Jawaiian music is a unique blend of reggae with pop sensibilities that comes from Hawaii. Mixing the culture of life in Hawaii with catchy reggae beats makes for great songs to jam on and even more fun to play with friends. We'll go through some of the basics of the genre by learning some of the classics with their foundational rhythms and licks.

A little bit o'Smeck.  Roy Smeck that is, one of the grandaddies of uke shredding-native of PA.  A quick run through some of his right hand technique and we'll jump into a very simple chord melody of his. Early 20th century east coast style.

Open up the ENTIRE ukulele fretboard using chord shapes you already know to be able to play chords up and down the entire ukulele. Within 45 minutes you’ll know at least 4 ways to play every single chord on the uke... guaranteed!