Let String Along teach you to play the ukulele!


Whether you are an experienced ukulele player or someone who wants to try out a stringed instrument for the first time, String Along Ukulele has a class for you. With her decades of teaching both children and adults to play, Elayne Ruplen has developed levels of instruction to suit all playing abilities. Following are the specific classes available through String Along to let students develop at their own pace. Most eight-week group courses will be held in the auditorium at St. Joseph’s Villa in Dundas, or in a private home setting. Date and time of courses will be communicated to you. Each class is one hour. Cost for each of these full courses is $170, plus the cost of the individual books that you will use at each level. As well, these courses conclude with an extremely fun jam session at a pub in Dundas!

Introductory/Beginner

No musical training required!

Before you commit to an eight-week course, Elayne offers two 75-minute lessons to get you playing, just to see if the ukulele is for you. This can be done for individuals or for small groups of people at times that are suitable to them. These introductory lessons are for people who are brand new to the instrument, and they cover all the basics you will need before you take the eight-week, large-group beginner course—how to tune, hold and strum the ukulele, how to read a chord diagram, and how to play chord progressions using four to six chords. These are the skills beginners need to practice and play songs.

If you don't yet have a ukulele, we will loan you one to take home during the course. The cost of the two lessons is $95 and includes an instructional booklet and music. These classes are held in Dundas, and they can be scheduled any time. Email us for the fun to begin!

Please use contact form below.

Beginner 2

This eight-week course is for people who have taken the Two Week Beginner Introductory Course, or are already familiar with the basic chords C, G7, C7, F, Am and G. We will continue to review these chords and introduce the new chords D7, Dm, Bb, D and A chord positions, the double strum, the straight eighth strum, 12 bar blues, the C scale, simple TAB picking arrangements and basic 4/4 and 3/4 folk-picking. These skills will be applied to songs in our String Along Book 1 and Book 4, plus many handout songs.

Please use contact form below to email us!

Intermediate

This eight-week course is for people who have taken the Beginner 2 or Intermediate Course, or can smoothly play 12-15 chords. You will learn songs in the key of C, chord progressions and tunes in the keys of D, G, A and F, several new chords, review the Bb chord position, “Doo Wop” songs, straight eighth strum and thumb strum with variations, pinch strum, reggae strum, turnarounds, TAB picking arrangements and new folk picking patterns. There is a range of playing ability in this class with several levels of difficulty presented, which allows you to comfortably choose to play just the chords, or try some new techniques. Songs will be chosen from Books 1, 2, 3 and 4, plus many handouts.

Please fill out the contact form below to contact us!

Intermediate/Advanced

This eight-week course is for those people who are already experienced ukulele players. We will cover many old and new songs and arrangements that require more advanced strumming, chording, and finger-picking techniques. You will learn finger thumb/pinch strum combinations, the reggae strum, the harmonized C scale, simple chord/melody, instrumental and blues riffs, walking transitions to new chords and full TAB arrangements. As well, we will cover rolls, triplets, damping, straight and thumb strum variations, the chuck, rocking notes, hammer-on and slides. There is a wide range of playing ability in this class, giving the player plenty of freedom and choice to concentrate on their own level of ability and what interests them. This allows everyone to progress at their own speed in a stress-free, fun setting. Songs will be chosen from all four String Along books, as well as numerous materials and arrangements handed out in class.

Please use contact form below to email us!

Private Lessons

Elayne provides private lessons to anyone who wants them at any stage of their ukulele education. These can be particularly helpful to anyone who has trouble fitting the group lessons into their schedules every week, or who prefers one-on-one lessons to the group setting.

Other private course offerings are:

- Chord/Melody

- Tin Pan Alley

- Strumming Techniques.

You can fill out the contact form below to get in touch!

come strum with us!

From our students

★★★★★

“A lot of people know how to play an instrument, but not all of them know how to teach it. Elayne is a true teacher. In classes that appeal to everyone from confident beginners to advanced students, she gives everyone something to work on.”

~ Nancy P.
★★★★★

“String Along classes feature a fantastic mix of music, both new and old. Elayne is a gifted teacher. What makes her unusual is her ability to teach the same class at varying levels. If you need more time to acquire a skill, Elayne always offers the option of at first choosing an easier technique, which helps maintain and increase confidence and skill.  No one is left behind.”

~ Claudette S.
★★★★★

“Elayne teaches technical skills and how to apply them in such a fun way. And you’re progressing at your own speed. Her classes are based on so many years of teaching experience, as well as her expertise with the ukulele out in the world.”

~ Nancy R.