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NEXT KANIKAPILA: LIVE UKULELE JAM: Have You Ever Seen The Rain?
Monday 3rd November 6pm UK TIME We’re back on the 3rd November with another fun live ukulele jam. This week we’ve got a rainy theme with absolute classics by Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Cascades and your People’s Choice from the Kanikapila Archive: Simon and Garfunkel’s Mrs Robinson. For all the links you’ll need including live link, chord sheets, website, tip jar and Facebook group visit here: https://bio.learnukulele.com/kanikapila-mondays-ra
Matt Stead
Oct 22, 20251 min read


Student Spotlight: Ian Sullivan — Finding Joy, Confidence, and Progress on the Ukulele
Intro / Background Ian first picked up a ukulele about five years ago, after trying guitar and finding it a bit of a struggle. The uke seemed like it might be easier — and a lot more fun. After a few false starts, Ian made a determined effort last Christmas to learn properly, searching for a method that would finally make it click. Student Spotlight: Ian Sullivan — Finding Joy, Confidence, and Progress on the Ukulele That’s when they discovered Matt’s YouTube lessons and th
Matt Stead
Oct 17, 20257 min read


45° — The Magic Angle You Might Be Overlooking
45° — The Magic Angle You Might Be Overlooking When it comes to playing ukulele, small tweaks make big differences. One of the most underrated tweaks? The 45° angle . It shows up over and over in holding, strumming, fingerpicking, fretting — and it can transform how natural, comfortable, and musical your playing feels. Let’s break down the five essential 45° techniques and why they matter. 1. Hold your uke at a 45° angle — for comfort and better technique If you hold your uk
Matt Stead
Oct 17, 20253 min read


NEXT KANIKAPILA: LIVE UKULELE JAM: Halloween Special
Monday 20th October 6pm UK TIME We’re back on the 20th October for another fun live ukulele jam. AND….it’s our Halloween special! Oooooooohh! (I know it’s a bit early but I’m always away the last week of October.) We’ve got some spooky classics as well as some eery esoteric tunes too with songs by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Olivia Rodrigo, R.E.M. and Radiohead. For all the links you’ll need including live link, chord sheets, website, tip jar and Facebook group visit here:.
Matt Stead
Oct 15, 20251 min read


Live Ukulele Lesson : The Circle of Fifths Explained – The Magic Tool Every Ukulele Player Should Know
Join me live as we dive into Trouble In Mind and explore the world of fingerpicking within the classic 8 bar blues format.
🎵 How to develop finger control for fingerpicking
🎸 A lovely tabbed arrangement of my original piece Jacobs Ladder
🔥 Tips for building speed and style in your playing
💡 Ways to make your finger picking more musical and expressive
Matt Stead
Oct 11, 20251 min read


🎵 The Personalities of Chords: Seeing Music Through Colour, Place and Emotion
Have you ever felt a chord before you really understood it? For many players, music theory can seem like a set of rules. But when you...
Matt Stead
Oct 10, 20252 min read


NEXT KANIKAPILA: LIVE UKULELE JAM: Forrest Gump Soundtrack
Monday 13th October 6pm UK TIME We’re back on the 13th October for another fun live ukulele jam. This time we’re going to have a Forrest...
Matt Stead
Oct 8, 20251 min read
How I Make a Ukulele Lesson (3 Days in 5 Minutes)
How I Make a Ukulele Lesson (3 Days in 5 Minutes) Ever wondered how much work goes into making a ukulele lesson? In this post, I want to...
Matt Stead
Oct 3, 20252 min read


Something - Beatles Ukulele Lesson - (Fingerstyle Chord Melody Tutorial)
Something - Beatles Ukulele Lesson - (Fingerstyle Chord Melody Tutorial)
Matt Stead
Oct 2, 20252 min read


Learn to fingerpick your ukulele - Exploring Fingerpicking & the 8 Bar Blues - Trouble In Mind
Join me live as we dive into Trouble In Mind and explore the world of fingerpicking within the classic 8 bar blues format.
🎵 How to develop finger control for fingerpicking
🎸 A lovely tabbed arrangement of my original piece Jacobs Ladder
🔥 Tips for building speed and style in your playing
💡 Ways to make your finger picking more musical and expressive
Matt Stead
Sep 26, 20251 min read


NEXT KANIKAPILA: LIVE UKULELE JAM: R.E.M. Special
Monday 6th October 6pm UK TIME We’re back on the 6th October for another fun live ukulele jam. This time we’re going to have an REM...
Matt Stead
Sep 26, 20251 min read


Melodic Mondays: Learn "Wildwood Flower" Clawhammer style on ukulele
Learn Freight Train on ukulele
Matt Stead
Sep 17, 20251 min read


Learn to fingerpick your ukulele - Jacobs Ladder - live ukulele lesson with Matt Stead
You’ll learn:
🎵 How to develop finger control for fingerpicking
🎸 A lovely tabbed arrangement of my original piece Jacobs Ladder
🔥 Tips for building speed and style in your playing
💡 Ways to make your finger picking more musical and expressive
Matt Stead
Sep 12, 20251 min read


NEXT KANIKAPILA: Live Ukulele Jam - Autumnal Songs
Monday 22nd September 6pm UK TIME We’re back on the 22nd September for another fun live ukulele jam. It’s that time of year when the...
Matt Stead
Sep 12, 20251 min read


100k Celebration Party + Ukulele Giveaway! 🎉
I’m absolutely thrilled to share some amazing news with you all – our YouTube channel has just hit 100,000 subscribers ! This milestone...
Matt Stead
Sep 10, 20252 min read


I'm back!!
Hi everyone! You may have noticed I’ve been quiet these last couple of weeks on Festival and Concert duty. But….I’m back! We’ll have our...
Matt Stead
Sep 8, 20251 min read


Melodic Mondays: Learn "Love Letters" Chord melody on ukulele
Learn Freight Train on ukulele
Matt Stead
Aug 25, 20251 min read
Fingerpicking on Ukulele – A Simple Pattern You Can Use on Hundreds of Songs
Fingerpicking on Ukulele – A Simple Pattern You Can Use on Hundreds of Songs Fingerpicking takes the ukulele to a whole new level....
Matt Stead
Aug 23, 20251 min read


Learn to Chuck on the Ukulele in 2 Minutes
Learn to Chuck on the Ukulele in 2 Minutes Ever felt like your strumming sounds a bit flat? That’s where the chuck comes in. It’s one of...
Matt Stead
Aug 23, 20251 min read
Ukulele Meditation – Relax with Fingerpicking & Breathing
Ukulele Meditation – Relax with Fingerpicking & Breathing Most of us pick up the ukulele to play songs, strum with friends, or have fun....
Matt Stead
Aug 22, 20251 min read
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