We’ll have classes and workshops for folks of every age and every level of skill. And, because of the nature of the camp, we’ll be able to tailor-make every learning experience just for you. And remember, you’ll have access to the teachers and leaders throughout the day and night, as well. But, if you’re still in doubt, here’s a little sample (subject to change) of what we’ll be offering at Camp Oo-Koo-Lay-Lay this year:
Ukulele for Beginning Beginners – If you’ve never picked up an ‘ukulele before, here’s a chance to get your feet just a little bit wet, or to dive right in. The choice is yours. This special workshop is specifically for those who never have played before or are still at the very beginning stages of learning to play. You are guaranteed to come away from the first lesson with at least one song under your belt to thrill and impress the ones you love.
Uklele Fun with Heidi Swedberg! - More than just a repertoire class, in this workshop Heidi Swedberg will show you how to add fun and interest to all the songs you play with left and right hand techniques that will make you a hit with audiences of all ages.
Surf’s Up! Even though we’re in the mountains, there’s nothing quite like a little surf music to get your motor running. And here’s a chance to learn a number of surf classics with aspiring beach boy Jim D’Ville, including Wipeout, Penetration, Baja, and Miserlou. You’ll also learn
the single-string style of playing melodies quickly on one string. Surfboard not included.
Play Ukulele by Ear – There’s no better way to get the most out of your ukulele experience than by learning to Play By Ear. And there’s no better person to learn it from than Jim D’Ville whose motto is “Just say NO to hand-outs.” Regardless of your skill level, if you haven’t taken this workshop already, you should. And if you already have, a little refresher wouldn’t hurt. Entertaining and informative, Jim D’Ville will give you the tools you need to tap into your inner musical abilities and propel your understanding of how music works to a new level, making you a more proficient player and listener at the same time. By the end of the second class (Play by Ear, Vol. 2) your ears will be tuned to the sound of the tri-tone, dominant seven, and diatonic chord progressions. You don’t have a clue what that means? Perfect! You will by the end of this workshop, which will not only open your ears to the way all songs work but will get you well on your way to demystifying western music and figuring out how to play your favorite tunes just by listening to them. You better believe it! Jim has opened the ears of thousands of budding musicians from coast to coast!
Ukulele Sing! – Guest instructor, Lorrie Freitas, will be joining us for a day to bring all the fun and passion she brings to the indomitable Modesto FunStrummers to Camp Oo-Koo-Lay-Lay. Among other things, Lorrie will be teaching us how to make our ukuleles ”sing” with variations in strums and various left and right-hand techniques using vintage tunes from the 20s and 30s….. and 50s rock n’ roll. She’s a master at helping people to participate and find their own voice and style and her success is reflected in the burgeoning numbers of ukulele players she has inspired in her own home town of Modesto.
Beginning Jam Band - Playing music with others is absolutley the best way to advance your musical skills and have doing it. In this workshop students will be placed in small groups and taught the finer points of playing together in a band setting. (Exercise #1 will be picking a name everyone agrees upon.) We’ll be looking at fun and interesting songs to perform, how to arrange them based on the skills, talents, and interests of the band members, band dynamics, and good, old-fashioned performance skills. The graduation ceremony will include a performance by the band in an open-mic setting at Camp…unless we elect to go on tour. It’s the most fun you’ll ever have with your ukulele on. This little snippet of Jim D’Ville in acition, will give you an idea of just how much fun you can have jamming with your friends:
Up the Neck, One Chord at a Time – OK. I lied. It should read “two chords at a time.” Even so, we will still be taking baby steps up the ukulele fretboard as we learn to play some easy movable chords . . . and learn what that means. And, since practice make perfect, we’ll do plenty of practicing with a variety of fun, two-chord songs chosen just for the occasion. I say “two-chords” but you’ll soon learn how easily these can become four, five, six, seven, eight-chord songs as well!
Finger-style Technique and Practice – You’ve got four fingers on your right hand and an opposable thumb….so why not use them all? Even before you have your strumming down, you can learn to pick the melodies to your favorite songs, by ear, and explore some the ways you can use all of your fingers to create the sound(s) you want. At the same time you’ll be learning scales, arpeggios, rolls and fills, and more, from Jim D’Ville one of the most energetic and dynamic instructors we know.
Learning to Read Tab – What is that strange notation with four lines and a bunch of numbers? It’s tab! And learning to read it and use it, is easier than you think. This will be a just a very quick intro to reading tab that will get you on your way to finger-picking and simple chord melodies.
Three-Chord Magic - The three-chord song form is probably the most popular in Western music…so, once you understand it, you’ll be able to play just about anything. In this paperless workshop, Jim D’ville will guide you through the dissection of a number of interesting variations of that progression while you also play a lot of fun and familiar tunes from the rock, pop, and blues genres. This workshop is appropriate for players of all skill levels, though knowledge of basic chord shapes (C F G7) will be helpful. Guaranteed to Put A Spell On You!
Sukey Jump Music with Heidi Swedberg! – Join Heidi and the gang for a Sukey Jump song and dance party where everybody joins in.
Song Arranging – How do you take a song from robotic strumming to a finely polished tune fit for the stage? By learning how to arrange the song for presentation. In this workshop you’ll learn about intros and outros, stopping and starting together, key changes, interesting rhythms and more ideas that will really jazz up the songs you play.
Overcoming Stage Fright - It’s time to tame the beast and cross off another item on your bucket list. Camp instructors will work with you individually and in small groups to learn how to put your best foot forward while on stage. You’ll have opportunities to practice, with all the necessary equipment, before taking your (optional) turn at the open mic and if you want, one, or all of, will back you up!
Campfire Ukulele - No, we’re not going to be using our ukes to stoke the fire or even to roast marshmallows. But we are going to get corny and sit around the campfire singing timeless ukulele standards such as ”Kum-bay-yah,” “On Top Of Old Smokey,” and “ Oh! Susanna,.” And we’ll be teaching a few brand-new ones at the same time and hope you’ll some of your favorite tunes to share, as well. We’ll be working on all of our skills at the same time…playing by ear and playing by feel (remember…it’ll be dark.!) No campfire would be complete without s’mores and we’re already stock-piling new and inventive recipes for the more adventurous in the group. How about banana and Nutella? Rollos instead of milk chocolate? The possibilities are endless.
