Below is the lesson for “Cantina Band” from Star Wars.

Helpful Tips

“Cantina Band” is a jazz based song featured in the movie, Star Wars. Our arrangement contains four melodies played at an up-tempo pace. The song begins with the ‘A’ melody, which is played as single notes. The ‘B’ melody develops the ‘A’ melody into a chord melody. In the ‘B’ melody, we will be combining the plucking of multiple strings while tapping the ukulele’s body to create a backbeat. This is tricky, as the thumb and the plucking fingers need to move independently from each another. I broke down this technique in complete detail in part 2 of the video lesson. When learning new techniques, it is important to remember to practice slowly and work it up to speed.

The ‘C’ melody utilizes octaves and muted strums. Practice moving octaves throughout the neck, as to get comfortable at retaining the finger spacing needed for the shape. The ‘D’ melody is all about feel. Adding percussive hits and muted strums create an interesting backdrop, as opposed to playing it solely as single notes. This doesn’t mean you can’t play it as single notes! Adding ‘flair’ helps to create emotion in a piece. This song has always been a favorite of mine, I hope you enjoy it!

Part 1 – Performance & Free Lesson

Part 2 – For Premium Members

Tab Play Along