Ukulele - the happiest instrument - has gained popularity with clubs forming in towns and cities around the world. This course caters for beginners who have completed the Ukulele Basics course (either level), or students who have been exploring online tutorials at their own pace for six months, and players who have never taken lessons but are strumming in a group and feeling challenged by strumming patterns and chords (eg. the B-flat chord). Using songs and exercises you will be taught 1, 2 and 3 finger chords, common strumming patterns, tuning, how to read song sheets and chord diagrams, and most importantly, how to have fun with the 'jumping flea.' Ukuleles cost approximately $90+tuner available from most music stores. Please note that course notes and tuition are based on standard GCEA tuning. Baritone ukuleles will need a capo to participate in GCEA tuning. To get the most from this course, you will need to commit to a regular (~daily) short practise schedule.

Your Tutor is Dr Chris Waite

Dr Chris Waite BMBS (Flinders), BCA (USQ Music) has been teaching at WEA since 2022. 

From Adelaide, Chris studied Music Performance at Norwood High School and in 1985 he won the SA Young Composers Award with a work written for piano and four voices. After graduating from Flinders Medical School in 1994 he spent several years working for the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Central Australia. In 2007 he moved to Beachport, where he continued working as a GP until 2012. 

He completed a Certificate 4 in Audio Engineering in 2002 and a Bachelor of Creative Arts (USQ) in 2018, majoring in music composition. In 2015 he joined the Beachport Ukulele Group (BUGS), learnt to play ukulele and completed Level 3 Teacher Training with the James Hill Ukulele Initiative. 

Now living back in Adelaide, he teaches group and private ukulele lessons and workshops, and is the musical director for UkestraSA, a community ukulele orchestra.