What is Uketropolis?
Uketropolis is where learning lives: online ukulele lessons for all levels, from kids to adults. James Hill provides world-class teacher training and a supportive community. Try a free ukulele lesson today!
Starting Out?
60+ minutes of beginner ukulele lessons with James. Learn to strum a song, pick a melody, read music, and more. All yours for a dollar.
Level: Absolute Beginner
"Fantastic! Perfect for any beginner."
- Aaron V., Student
60+ minutes of video instruction. Learn to strum a song, pick a melody, read music and more. All yours for a dollar.
Level: Absolute Beginner
"Awesome! This is exactly what I needed."
- Jake, Ready, Steady, UKULELE! Student
Ready for a Boost?
Go beyond beginner in 10 Online Ukulele Lessons with the magic of Chord Twins. Learn blues, jazz, and Hawaiian music fast! A fun, easy way to move beyond the "beginner's plateau" of ukulele playing.
Level: Beginner / Intermediate
"This gives me hope. I was going through so many contortions trying to learn basic stuff! This is a great way to get started. Thank you."
- Magda D., Booster Uke Student
Go beyond beginner in 10 Lessons with the magic of Chord Twins. Learn blues, jazz and Hawaiian music fast! A fun, easy way to move beyond the "beginner's plateau."
Level: Beginner / Intermediate
"This gives me hope. I was going through so many contortions trying to learn basic stuff! This is a great way to get started. Thank you."
- Magda D., Booster Uke Student
Master the Art of Solo Ukulele
Playing melody, harmony and rhythm at the same time is the ukulele's greatest magic trick. Learn the secrets of chord-melody from James Hill with this online ukulele course and connect with students from around the world.
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
"Finally, a course that teaches ukulele like it's a real instrument!"
- Louise C., The Ukulele Way Student
Master the art of chord-melody: play melodies and chords at the same time! Learn the secrets of "solo" ukulele from James Hill and connect with students from around the world.
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
"Finally, a course that teaches ukulele like it's a real instrument!"
- Louise C., The Ukulele Way Student
Explore Ukulele Jazz
Fall in love with jazz as you learn 12 famous jazz songs with over 40 video lessons with James. Variable-speed backing tracks included with notation, TAB and chord diagrams. Now available in both standard tuning and baritone tuning!
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
"I so appreciate your creativity and simple explanations."
- Caroline, Ukulele Jazz Student
Fall in love with jazz as you learn 12 famous jazz songs with over 40 video lessons with James. Variable-speed backing tracks included with notation, TAB and chord diagrams.
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
"Finally, a course that teaches ukulele like it's a real instrument!"
- Louise C., The Ukulele Way Student
Learn Extreme Ukulele
Go where no uke has gone before with this insane course. With UkuleleX, James takes you on a trip to the outer limits. Transform your uke into a drum machine and learn how a pair of chopsticks can turn the world of ukulele upside down.
Level: Extreme
"Amazing... out-of-the-box. You should really check it out!"
- Aldrine Guerrero, UkuleleUnderground.com
Go where no uke has gone before. With UkuleleX, James takes you on a trip to the outer limits of extreme ukulele. Transform your uke into a drum machine and learn how a pair of chopsticks can turn the world of ukulele upside down.
Level: Extreme
"Finally, a course that teaches ukulele like it's a real instrument!"
- Louise C., The Ukulele Way Student
Peace Like An 'Ukulele
A free course to help you relax and play beautiful music. 7 video lessons, TAB, sheet music and more.
Happy Birthday to Uke
12 play-along remixes of Happy Birthday from Classical to Hip-hop. Celebrate your way, every year! Watch the guided tour
Ukulele Funbook
A kids' activity book full of puzzles, games and crafts. Learn while you play and play while you learn!
Ukulele Teacher Resources
Uketropolis supports ukulele teachers worldwide with free and premium resources including Ukulele in the Classroom, Teacher Toolkit and the JHUI Teacher Certification Program.
Ukulele Today,
Music Forever.
Empower the next generation with Ukulele in the Classroom. Three hands-on, sequential levels. Popular, classical and traditional repertoire from around the world plus skill-building lessons. A fun approach to music literacy!
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
"Ukulele in the Classroom is a roadmap to comprehensive musicianship."
- Warren Dobson, M.Ed, Author of "U for Ukulele"
Teacher Resources
Uketropolis supports ukulele teachers worldwide with free and premium resources including Ukulele in the Classroom, the Teacher Toolkit and the JHUI Teacher Certification Program.
Empower the next generation with Ukulele in the Classroom. Three hands-on, sequential levels. Popular, classical and traditional repertoire from around the world plus skill-building lessons. A fun approach to music literacy!
Level: Beginner to Advanced
"Ukulele in the Classroom is a roadmap to comprehensive musicianship."
- Warren Dobson, M.Ed, Author of "U for Ukulele"
Give Awesome Lessons.
Engage your students with backing tracks, video tips, interactive scores and more. Teacher Toolkit adds new dimensions to both online and in-person teaching.
Level: Beginner to Advanced
"Incredible... light years beyond traditional resources."
- Charley D., Teacher
Give awesome lessons. Engage your students with video tips, backing tracks, interactive scores and more. The Teacher Toolkit adds new dimensions to both online and in-person teaching.
Level: Beginner to Advanced
"Ukulele in the Classroom is a roadmap to comprehensive musicianship."
- Warren Dobson, M.Ed, Author of "U for Ukulele"
Celebrate Every Student, Every Year.
The world's most famous song arranged in 12 styles by James Hill! Sheet music, play-along videos and interactive scores included. Celebrate every student, every year! Watch the 3-minute guided tour.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
"Sensational. Very creative and will inspire for sure."
- Ian P., JHUI Level 3 Certified Teacher
The world's most famous song arranged in 12 styles by James Hill! Sheet music, play-along videos and interactive scores included. Celebrate every student, every year!
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
"Sensational. Very creative and will inspire for sure."
- Ian P., Teacher
Discover the magic of canons.
Canon Club is a teacher resource that features 12 new canons by James Hill. Includes play-along backing tracks and interactive scores. Listen to James' guided tour of Canon Club.
Level: Beginner to intermediate
"Student-friendly, appealing and accessible. Super-fun and perfect for warm-ups with students of all ages."
- Bartłomiej O., JHUI Level 2 Certified Teacher
Canon Club is a teacher resource that features 12 new canons by James Hill. Includes play-along backing tracks and interactive scores. Listen to James' guided tour of Canon Club.
Level: Beginner to intermediate
Be A Great Ukulele Teacher.
The James Hill Ukulele Initiative (JHUI) Teacher Certification Program is the most comprehensive ukulele teacher training program in the world. Start your own ukulele revolution and join a worldwide community of certified teachers. 100% online.
Pre-requisite Level: Intermediate
"A huge body of work, experience and expertise... all there to support me and my ukulele teaching."
- Jon M., JHUI Level 3 Certified Teacher
Be a great ukulele teacher. The James Hill Ukulele Initiative (JHUI) Teacher Certification Program is the most comprehensive ukulele teacher training in the world. Start your own ukulele revolution and join a community of over 500 certified teachers worldwide. 100% online.
Pre-requisite Level: Intermediate
"A huge body of work, experience and expertise... all there to support me and my ukulele teaching."
- Jon M., Level 3 Certified Teacher
Meet Your Teacher
One of the foremost ukulele players and teachers of his generation, James Hill has helped thousands of ukulele players reach their goals.
6 Questions with James:
Is it possible to learn ukulele online?
Yes, you can absolutely learn the ukulele online. In fact, learning online can be efficient and social. Some of the benefits of online ukulele lessons include: 1) Working at your own pace, on your own time. 2) Connecting with students around the world through the Uketropolis Community page. 3) Using interactive scores to make your practice more effective. This includes playing with backing tracks, using speed control, and watching songs on a virtual fretboard.
Can I teach myself the ukulele?
With a little guidance, anyone can teach themselves the ukulele! You only need 3 to 5 chords, a basic strum and a handful of notes to feel a real sense of accomplishment. Beginner Ukulele Courses like Ready, Steady, UKULELE! and Booster Uke are designed to put you on the fast track to mastering the basics. Plus, you'll get a solid foundation for future learning.
Is it better to learn guitar or ukulele first?
In most cases, it's better to learn the ukulele first before learning the guitar. Ukulele is more affordable, more portable, and less painful for the fingers! Many people consider the ukulele easier to learn than the guitar since it only has four strings, which makes chords and scales simpler to master.
How difficult is ukulele?
Ukulele is easy to play but hard to play well at a high level. Why is that a good thing? Because it's the best of both worlds: 1) accessible and fun for beginners and 2) endlessly fascinating for intermediate and advanced players!
Can you learn ukulele in a week?
Yes, you can learn the ukulele in a week! While you won't master the instrument in a week you can definitely learn to strum a handful of chords, sing some songs and even pluck a melody with the right instruction. Ready, Steady, UKULELE! is a great online beginners ukulele course if you want to learn the basics in a hurry... and it's only $1!
How long does it take to master ukulele?
A lifetime. 😄