Hello from Nairobi, Kenya. New to the group and to playing the ukulele. I was wondering if there are any beginners who are using the boot camp to self train themselves on how to play and how its working out for them. Also, what is their routine. I kind of have a challenge to myself to learn each practice sheet every month until i can fluidly do chord progression at 1 strum 80bpm. Currently in my 7th day since i started. Already learned the chords. So feel free to provide your responses
Uncle Rod's Boot Camp/Beginners
- Thread starter K8Irush
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Ms Bean
Well-known member
Welcome to UU, K8lrush!
Whilst I have sent some of my friends the link to Uncle Rod's bootcamp, I've never gone over it myself. I was already exploring other sites and teachers when I finally discovered his work. So, I'm unlikely to chime in personally. However, I think it's a great idea to start a thread, share your experience and see what feedback others bring to the discussion.
Whilst I have sent some of my friends the link to Uncle Rod's bootcamp, I've never gone over it myself. I was already exploring other sites and teachers when I finally discovered his work. So, I'm unlikely to chime in personally. However, I think it's a great idea to start a thread, share your experience and see what feedback others bring to the discussion.
cdkrugjr
Well-known member
It’s a good solid foundation for changing chord-to-chord, which lots of of have to work on quite a bit when we’re starting out.
Another good thing to check out is “Songs with Chords You Already Know,” which is exactly what it says on the tin.
Another good thing to check out is “Songs with Chords You Already Know,” which is exactly what it says on the tin.
Greetings from Canada! Welcome to the forum, and thanks for checking in. I don't have an answer, sorry, but this is a good place to get them, so hopefully someone who knows will see and reply.
Ukelori
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Welcome.
For basic strumming chords and patterns it's pretty good. Agree with @cdkrugjr about using it with a song book. Don't wait for mastery of the boot camp to supplement it or to move on.
I mostly play fingerstyle and use other resources to learn from and play through the boot camp book once a week to see how much better I am getting (or not getting
) at chord changes.
For basic strumming chords and patterns it's pretty good. Agree with @cdkrugjr about using it with a song book. Don't wait for mastery of the boot camp to supplement it or to move on.
I mostly play fingerstyle and use other resources to learn from and play through the boot camp book once a week to see how much better I am getting (or not getting
) at chord changes.
LorenFL
Well-known member
I discovered Rod's Boot Camp long after I'd already learned most of the chords and had been "playing" (I use the term loosely) for many years. I found his "exam" or whatever it's called to be a great exercise, and kinda fun to play.
This site is fun just for "random practice" of chord progressions. It's fun to play through them with different rhythms and see how many songs you can pick out in them.
This site is fun just for "random practice" of chord progressions. It's fun to play through them with different rhythms and see how many songs you can pick out in them.
Nothing But Great Ukulele Chord Progressions
Looking for some new ukulele chords to throw together?
ukulelego.com
ampeep
Well-known member
Welcome; wow from Kenya!
Usually get together & jam with Uncle Rod whenever he's in town. Didn't realize that he had such wide-ranging impact!
Usually get together & jam with Uncle Rod whenever he's in town. Didn't realize that he had such wide-ranging impact!
captain-janeway
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For practicing chord transitions and getting some chords more memorized it was helpful for me. It depends on your learning style.
Give it a week and see if it feels good to you. I pop back once in awhile just for the drilling. I mostly practice just with songs now.
He has it in YouTube with a metronome on it that's helpful
Give it a week and see if it feels good to you. I pop back once in awhile just for the drilling. I mostly practice just with songs now.
He has it in YouTube with a metronome on it that's helpful
Oldscruggsfan
Well-known member
Welcome from Georgia (US)! Never heard of this teacher but thank you for introducing me!
quiltingshirley
Well-known member
I was given a copy of Uncle Rod’s Boot Camp when I first started to play the ukulele. I did it as a warm up drill for fingers and brain. (Almost daily) I found I could play with folks much more quickly than I expected. When I bought a baritone I did the same thing. (Had to make my own) Best learning tool I’ve discovered. (I took just one key to work on and then the next most common, etc.) Many thanks to Uncle Rod.
stevejfc
Well-known member
Welcome K8lRush!
I will do so. Thanks for the advice
Thank you for the warm welcome
Hello. Thanks for the response. Had a question. Did you play all the key sheets everyday or tackled each one week after week, Or month after month? Basically, asking about the routine you had since it worked well for you
You are welcome
captain-janeway
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Did most one at a time which got the cord progression and the chord shapes into my head. I'd try to do the main "exam" slowly just to get the feel
From there I went to learn about circle of fifths and transposing chords to different keys
From there I went to learn about circle of fifths and transposing chords to different keys
quiltingshirley
Well-known member
I started trying them all and discovered I did better a key at a time. (It helped me remember them that way)
I wasn't familiar with Uncle Rod's Ukulele Boot Camp before, so I looked it up. (Here's the link.) I'm at the stage where I barreled into this wanting to learn a bunch of songs, only to discover that I'd picked up enough bad habits that it's worth going back to the beginning for, uhm, most of it. 
This looks like a great resource!
One of my favorite tips is saying the chord names aloud while you're practicing. At earlier points in my ukulele journey, I found myself a couple of times going, "Ugh, F#m sounds hard" only to discover that not only is it NOT hard, but I had already played several songs with it, and forgotten that I'd learned it! There's a lot of one- and two-finger chords that are the same way -- "Wait, you get Fadd9 by taking AWAY one of the fingers while playing F??? Oh yeah, I've already done this in another song."
I'm still glad that I spent a while learning some songs. I need that motivation to want to keep plowing through the practice, so I try to have practice sessions partly focused on drills like Uncle Rod's, but also with a song or two in the mix. I also look at songs that are over my head, identify the trouble chords and/or transitions, and make those part of the next round of drills BEFORE I start applying myself to the song. (Penny Lane, I'm looking at you!)
I tried googling this and got back a bunch of things that didn't seem like what you're talking about. The whole first page of results is the CHORDS to the SONG whose title is "You Already Know." LOL Accurate enough, but not what you mean, I think. Can you tell me what this is? A book? A site?
This looks like a great resource!One of my favorite tips is saying the chord names aloud while you're practicing. At earlier points in my ukulele journey, I found myself a couple of times going, "Ugh, F#m sounds hard" only to discover that not only is it NOT hard, but I had already played several songs with it, and forgotten that I'd learned it! There's a lot of one- and two-finger chords that are the same way -- "Wait, you get Fadd9 by taking AWAY one of the fingers while playing F??? Oh yeah, I've already done this in another song."
I'm still glad that I spent a while learning some songs. I need that motivation to want to keep plowing through the practice, so I try to have practice sessions partly focused on drills like Uncle Rod's, but also with a song or two in the mix. I also look at songs that are over my head, identify the trouble chords and/or transitions, and make those part of the next round of drills BEFORE I start applying myself to the song. (Penny Lane, I'm looking at you!)
I tried googling this and got back a bunch of things that didn't seem like what you're talking about. The whole first page of results is the CHORDS to the SONG whose title is "You Already Know." LOL Accurate enough, but not what you mean, I think. Can you tell me what this is? A book? A site?
cdkrugjr
Well-known member
Ukulelehunt. Also check out his UkeTube channel. http://ukulelehunt.com/2014/03/12/songs-with-chords-you-know-updated-2/
Thanks so much! I already follow Al on YouTube, but I'd missed this part of his website. I like that this list is anything but the usual suspects, so I'm looking forward to exploring some of these!
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