Left Hand Technique For ʻUkulele is a complete ebook guide to fretting and fingering. It will teach you everything you need to know to confidently navigate the neck of your instrument.
Technique is the collection of movements that make music come out of an ʻukulele. They’re the physical interactions that facilitate notes.
Unfortunately, this vitally important aspect of playing isn’t taught very often. Whether you’re a student of Youtube or studying in a prestigious music program, odds are good that the focus of your lessons are on notes and chords, NOT how best to play them.
This is a terrible shame since these notes and chords are the bones of ANY music you play.
If you haven’t learned proper left hand technique, you can bet that you’re not getting the most clarity, ease, and expression from your music.
In Left Hand Technique For ʻUkulele I show you the path to polishing your technique and truly being able to express your playing well.
Containing 64 pages, Left Hand Technique For ʻUkulele is a comprehensive guide to all the ways your fretting hand touches the neck. It’s a large subject, but super important to any uke player since it impacts every single note.
“I found myself grinning with excitement as I unpacked new knowledge to put into my musical tool belt. Whether a newbie or a seasoned pro, guaranteed you’ll find this book useful.”
Ryan “Higgs” Higgins, performing/recording artist
What’s in This Ebook?
Left Hand Technique is split into two main sections:
- Fretboard navigation – Finger pressure and placement, barring, muting/dampening, position playing, and single-string playing.
- 10 Fundamental articulation techniques – From basics like the hammer-on and pull-off, to advanced concepts like artificial harmonics and the mono strum.
Aside from the core content, you’ll also find sections on proper body posture, common tactics, and a skill-based learning track.
To back up the 50+ musical examples (included in both TAB and standard notation), there are corresponding MP3 recordings. Listen to me play each example with correct timing and technique to model your study on.
Just a few of the how-to illustrations from the book.
Did I mention the photos? I hired my photographer brother to take over 60 illustrative pictures of me playing each technique step-by-step so you can see exactly how to position your hand.
All of your questions about left hand technique will be answered with this knowledge at your fingertips!
FAQs
Who are you?
I’m Brad Bordessa. I run this website and am a longtime ʻukulele performer and educator.
I graduated with honors from the Institute of Hawaiian Music in 2012 and have performed with Ledward Kaapana, HAPA, Jeff Peterson, the late Martin Pahinui, and many more.
My teaching has taken me around the world and I’ve taught alongside James Hill, Herb Ohta Jr., Kevin Carroll, Gerald Ross, and others at several well-known uke workshops. I’ve written two other critically acclaimed books for ʻukulele.
I’ve read a number of ukulele tutor books (I work in a music store, so we have a lot of them coming in) and to be honest, never rated any of them. This one however, I will be recommending.”
Do I need to read Right Hand Technique For ʻUkulele first?
Nope!
My other book focuses on strumming and picking technique for the right hand. This book focuses on fretting and fingering technique for the left hand.
Together they provide a full picture of ʻukulele technique, but can easily be used independently.
I want to learn _______! Is it in the book?
Let’s see… Here are the majority of subjects covered:
- Skill-Based Tracks (an index for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels of study)
- Holding the ‘Ukulele
- The Art of Fretting
- Finger Pressure
- Finger Location
- Barre Technique
- Muting
- Dampening
- Fingering Logistics
- Playing in Position
- Playing on a Single String
- Combined Approaches
- Other Left Hand Techniques
- Hammer-on
- Pull-Off
- Open String Pulls-Offs
- Slides
- Combining Articulation Techniques
- Rolls
- Bending
- Trill
- Natural Harmonics
- Artificial Harmonics
- Harp Harmonics
- Mono Strum
- Rake
- Vibrato
- A Word on the ʻUkulele Player’s Toolbox
Basically, anything that’s common to fretting notes on the ʻukulele is included.
Is this book for high-g or low-G?
Both! The examples are G-string neutral.
Is this a beginner’s book?
Yes and no. It’s not a quick-start beginner book. But if you’re comfortable with the basics of playing chords and picking some melodies, there’s lots of basic stuff to learn. Just be sure to use the beginner or intermediate skill track to avoid getting overwhelmed by more advanced concepts.
When are you writing a baritone uke version?
Probably never. The techniques that drive a standard-tuned ʻukulele are the same for a baritone-tuned uke. That means 100% of the concepts are applicable to baritone players.
That said, the examples themselves are written and recorded for GCEA tuning. If you want your baritone to sound exactly like the notation or recording, you’ll have to transpose. Otherwise, the examples will still illustrate the techniques if you play the TAB as written and ignore the pitch of the notation.
I want videos too! When will they be released?
The content of this book deserves full video documentation – I agree! However, this takes time to produce and in the meantime I wanted to release the book itself.
I can’t promise a timeline, but corresponding video courses for both my technique books are my next big project.
Can I get a print version?
Not yet! I’ll be working on formatting my digital ebooks for press once the videos (above) are done.
In the meantime, think about how eco-friendly an ebook is!
Money back guarantee – what’s that about?
Simple. If you don’t like the book, I don’t want your money. Send me an email and I’ll refund your purchase ASAP.
Still have questions?
Shoot me an email and I’ll do my best to answer your questions at: liveukulele@gmail.com.