Ryk’s Uke Classes Online Spring Classes begin April 7, 2025.
Registration is open!.
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REFERRER PROMOTION
If you refer a friend, and they register for a class, have them put your name in the “Referred by” field on the registration form. You will get a free hour of private instruction for each person you refer (up to 3 hours per semester)!
If you are interested in private lessons, contact me at ryk@ebcmp.org.
Thank you for your interest in learning to play the ukulele! I’m looking forward to strumming and singing with you this Spring!
Sign up to receive emails about class registration (if you haven’t already) so you don’t miss the start date!
Spring is here! What better way to greet the season than with a song? It’s is a blessing to be able to participate in community through these classes. I’m really looking forward to continuing to share the love! Whether you’ll be continuing or starting anew, it will be an honor to make music with you.
Also, one of the great silver linings of this online format is that friends and family who don’t live near one another can take the classes together. Tell someone you love to check it out!
If you don’t see a time slot that works with your schedule, let me know, especially if you have other friends that might want to join with you.
Here are the details of my current offerings.
Ryk Groetchen, Music Together teacher and director of the East Bay Community Music Project, is offering online ukulele and singing classes. These classes are appropriate for adults and tweens/teens, and younger children who attend with an adult and want to join at their own pace without expectation.
Spring online classes will run from April 7 – June 14, 2025 (10 weeks)
– Beginning Beginners
– Intermediate I
– Intermediate II
– Advancing Player/Continuing Technique & Theory
See below for example class descriptions and times.
One advantage of online classes is that folks can attend from anywhere, so feel free to invite family and friends from out of town that you want to keep in touch with.
Pricing: Fee for class is $140–$280 sliding scale for 10 weeks. Since the class is online, any family members in your home are welcome to join the class. Classes are limited to 11 students/families/logins to keep the experience intimate and interactive. There are scholarships available. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have a special request or hardship.
Children are welcome to attend, and encouraged to have their own instrument and participate at their own pace. That being said, the class is geared toward adults and teens/tweens, and we will not stop the class flow or wait for kids to participate in turn-based activities. If your child is 12 or under, the accompanying parent is responsible for learning the materials, providing a good model of appropriate behavior in class, and helping to foster good habits by practicing at home. Contact me if your child already has experience with this type of class or is a self-directed learner and we can make special arrangements. Please let me know if you have any questions about this aspect of our learning experience.
NOTE: ALL TIMES ARE PDT (UTC -7)
Beginner Beginner Ukulele and Singing
In Beginner Beginner class, we will cover the basics of holding and tuning the instrument, strumming technique, and putting the rhythm in the body. We will gain a sizable repertoire of one-, two-, three-, and four-chord songs, while learning different strumming patterns and rhythmic feels. Good for complete beginners or anyone who would like to get back to the basics.
Tuesdays 5:00pm-5:45pm
April 8 – June 10, 2025
Wednesdays 8:00pm-8:45pm
April 9 – June 11, 2025
Thursdays 4:00pm-4:45pm
April 10 – June 12, 2025
Thursdays 7:00pm-7:45pm
April 10 – June 12, 2025
Fridays 10:30am-11:15am
April 11 – June 13, 2025
Saturdays 11:30am-12:15pm
April 12 – June 14, 2025
Intermediate I Ukulele and Singing
Intermediate Beginners should be familiar with the chords C, F, G, and A minor, and be able to change chords in a steady rhythm. We will cover two-, three-, and four-chord songs, learn to play in different keys, and learn some complex strumming patterns. We build on the foundation of the Beginner Beginner class.
Tuesdays 7:00pm – 7:45pm
April 8 – June 10, 2025
Wednesdays 7:00pm – 7:45pm
April 9 – June 11, 2025
Thursdays 5:00pm – 5:45pm
April 10 – June 12, 2025
Fridays 9:30am-10:15am
April 11 – June 13, 2025
Saturdays 10:30am – 11:15am
April 12 – June 14, 2025
Intermediate II Ukulele and Singing
Intermediate Beginners should be able to play two-, three-, and four-chord songs in C, F, G, and D. We will incorporate extended (7th) chords, fingerpicking, and more complex rhythm techniques. We build on the foundation of the Intermediate I class.
Tuesdays 4:00pm-4:45pm
April 8 – June 10, 2025
Wednesdays 6:00pm – 6:45pm
April 9 – June 11, 2025
Thursdays 6:00pm-6:45pm
April 10 – June 12, 2025
Fridays 11:30am-12:15pm
April 11 – June 13, 2025
Saturdays 9:30am-10:15am
April 12 – June 14, 2025
Advancing Player/Continuing Technique and Theory
Advancing Player/Continuing Technique & Theory class is a group for exploring more complex arrangements and playing techniques: movable chord shapes/barre chords, sharp/flat keys, fretboard harmony, fingerstyle playing, free rhythm interpretation, polishing your arrangement, etc.
Prerequisite: Two or more sessions of Ryk’s Uke Classes, or approval of the teacher. This is an ongoing class for students who have completed Intermediate II class.
Tuesdays 6:00pm-6:45pm
April 8 – June 10, 2025
All classes are family-style, so feel free to bring family members, young and old, who will benefit from community music time.
All students should bring a serviceable instrument, a tuner, and a willingness to strum, sing, and move in musical ways.
If you have any questions, or would be interested in joining or helping to recruit families, or would like to receive information about future classes, please contact ryk@ebcmp.org. Please share this announcement with anyone you think will be interested in the class. One advantage of online classes is that folks can attend from anywhere, so feel free to invite family and friends from out of town that you want to keep in touch with.