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Hi Rock Class 101 Community!
We’re back with a VERY SPECIAL Site Member Challenge #109! We’ve teamed up with Kanile’a ‘Ukulele and Uke Republic to give away an INCREDIBLE Kanile’a K-1 Mango Tenor Ukulele! This pro-level model is crafted from beautiful curly mango wood and retails for $2,095 USD.
I’m beyond humbled to share that over 5,000 members have now participated in our challenges! If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines, now’s the perfect time to jump in! This month’s challenge is a fun way to stay motivated and a great opportunity to connect with fellow ukulele players who are passionate about learning and growing as musicians.
Please watch the video above and read the instructions below carefully for all the details on this month’s challenge.
Pick 1 from the following 6 RC101 Lessons:
1) One Finger Etude (ML009) * – This beginner-friendly fingerpicking etude can be played with one finger on your fretting hand.
* Taught in its entirety for FREE!
Note: This song can be performed with either high or low G ukulele, but sounds best with low G.
2) Travis Picking Etude (ML023) * – Learn a beginner-friendly etude that’s fingerpicked entirely using the Travis picking technique.
* Taught in its entirety for FREE!
Note: This song can be performed with either high or low G ukulele. You’re welcome to play it with a swing feel, which is how it’s performed and taught, or with a straight feel.
3) 2 Chord Jam (no. 3) * – Learn a chill and beginner-friendly fingerstyle song that is played entirely with just two chords!
* Taught in its entirety for FREE!
Note: This lesson is for baritone ukulele. BUT, you can perform it with low G ukulele.
4) “The Skye Boat Song” * – Learn to fingerpick a beautiful Scottish folk song.
* Taught in its entirety for FREE!
Note: This song can be performed with either high or low G ukulele.
5) Fingerpicking Etude no. 39: “Jazz Chords” * – Learn to play jazz chords without playing jazz.
* Taught in its entirety for FREE!
Note: This song requires low G ukulele.
6) “Spanish Days” – Learn a Spanish-inspired ukulele duet that’s perfect for developing both your rhythm and soloing chops!
Note: This song requires low G ukulele. You can choose to perform either the lead or rhythm ukulele part. If you choose this song, you MUST perform with the backing track. The backing track requires premium membership to download.
** If you need assistance with how to record yourself, check out our FREE course on recording audio/video or email me, and I will be happy to help you out. **
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GOALS FOR MEMBER CHALLENGE:
1. Beginner Level: Be able to play one of the lessons smoothly and in time. Don’t worry about trying to play fast, slow and steady wins the race 🙂
Recommended Piece: One Finger Etude (ML009), Travis Picking Etude (ML023), 2 Chord Jam (no. 3)
2. Intermediate to Advanced Level: Be able to play the lesson smoothly, in time, and at/or close to the original piece’s tempo.
Recommended Piece: “The Skye Boat Song” [INTERMEDIATE], Fingerpicking Etude no. 39: “Jazz Chords” [ADVANCED], “Spanish Days” [ADVANCED]
3. Participation Goal: 50 Rock Class 101 Member Participant Videos/MP3 posted.
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GROUND RULES FOR PARTICIPATION:
1. Post your Youtube, Vimeo, or Soundcloud links of you playing 1 of the 6 RC101 pieces anytime between Wednesday, April 1st till Thursday, April 30th, 11:59pm ET.
The upload feature on the site only supports photos. Members must host their own files. Creating an account is easy and free. Here are the links to create an account:
YouTube (For Video) – https://www.youtube.com/create_channel
SoundCloud (For Audio) – https://soundcloud.com/signin
2. Submit individually, as a reply, IN THIS POST.
3. Feel free to submit more than one video for the challenge, but additional videos will not count as extra entries into the raffle for the prize.
4. Have fun and don’t be intimidated by this challenge!!! Use this challenge to help you set goals and complete them by a deadline. You can also use this as an opportunity to chat with your fellow Rock Class 101 members and share tips or tricks on this challenge that you think are useful.
5. You must perform the entire piece to receive an entry into the prize raffle. Your performance must be submitted by the deadline listed (in #1) above to gain an entry in the raffle.
* Note: In my opinion, it is better to show progress versus perfection with these challenges. So if you are a beginner and can only play the first couple of measures. That is completely ok. If you play two more measures of the next challenge piece than you did the previous one, you are on track to getting better. This is what these challenges are about… you learning ukulele and getting better. Remember we are all here to support you no matter what your current playing level is.
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COMMON FAQs:
1) The prize and the challenge is open to the entire world!
2) Premium membership is NOT required to participate, but will make participation easier as it gains you complete access to the full video lessons, tabs, and the on-screen tab viewer.
3) Basic membership (free) is required to submit a reply on this forum post. You can sign up for Basic Membership HERE.
4) To post YouTube video links (in which they appear embedded on the forum), simply copy and past the video URL in its own line. For example:
YouTube URL
5) If you live in the Continental U.S., we will ship the giveaway ukulele to you for FREE! If you live outside of the Continental U.S., there will be a shipping fee ranging between $40 USD to $80 USD (as this ukulele is very expensive, shipping costs may exceed this amount. It will be shipped insured). This fee will be collected by Uke Republic. You are also responsible for any custom fees or duties.
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Giveaway Rules:
There will be 6 chances for you to win this ukulele:
SPRING CHALLENGES:
First Chance: Participate in our April Challenge.
Second Chance: Participate in our May Challenge.
Third Chance: Participate in our June Challenge.
FALL CHALLENGES:
Fourth Chance: Participate in our October Challenge.
Fifth Chance: Participate in our November Challenge.
Sixth Chance: Participate in our December Challenge.
Basic (free) members will receive 1 entry for each month they participate in, while Premium members will receive 2 entries.
On July 4th at 12pm ET, a video will premiere on our YouTube channel, picking 1 member by random drawing that will BE AWARDED 10 EXTRA ENTRIES. This event will mark the end of our Spring Challenges (April, May, June).
We will break for July, August, and September. Entries for the prize will resume for our Fall Challenges (October, November, December).
On Christmas Eve (December 24th at 12 PM ET), a video announcing the winner will premiere on our YouTube channel, picking 1 member by random drawing that will WIN this AMAZING Kanile’a Ukulele!
To qualify to win, you must submit your audio and/or video links of your playing by the deadline listed above.
Basic members can earn up to 6 entries for the prize.
Premium members can earn up to 12 entries for the prize.
You must have an “active” premium membership at the time you submit your performance. Active membership means that your membership HAS NOT expired. This does not mean that you cannot cancel auto re-bills. If you sign up for monthly membership (valid for 30 days) on the 15th of April and cancel your membership the same day, then submit your performance on the 16th (the next day), you are still considered an “active” premium member. The same concept applies for annual membership or gift card membership (3 or 6 month membership).
YOU MUST WRITE “I AM A PREMIUM MEMBER” ON YOUR PERFORMANCE SUBMITTAL POST. Please write this phrase in its own line. For example:
I AM A PREMIUM MEMBER
I will only award 2 entries to premium members that write this line. It would be too time consuming to check if everyone who submits is a premium member. If you do not write this, you WILL NOT receive 2 entries.
Grand Prize:
1) $2,095 Grand Prize! Includes:
A) Kanile’a K-1 Mango Tenor Ukulele (Includes: a premium padded case)
OUR 12 PREVIOUS KANILE’A WINNERS! WILL YOU BE NEXT?
LISTEN TO THIS SWEET UKE BEING PLAYED!
UKULELE SPECS
Tenor Body
Curly Mango Top, Back, and Sides
Mahogany Neck
Ebony Fretboard and Bridge
Traditional Soundhole
Side Sound Port
Kanileʻa Crown Headstock w/ Ebony Headplate
White Mother Of Pearl Logo and Position Markers
Open Geared Chrome TunerOther Features: Includes a premium Kanile’a padded case
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THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!
Kanile’a: https://www.kanileaukulele.com/
Uke Republic: https://www.ukerepublic.com/
AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO YOU! Let’s crush this challenge!
So exciting! This challenge has quite an amazing array of tunes to choose from and that ukulele is gorgeous! Time for us all to spend several months pining after that uke! 😉 😂
@the_bumble_bard – Yes, lots of interesting choices. I’ve decided already – I’m going to stretch myself and learn “The Skye Boat Song”. I’ve never heard it before – it’s beautiful! And my husband was listening while I was playing through the options and now he wants to learn it on guitar. 😄 I heard Andrew say 40 measures, but when you look at it, there’s a fair amount of repeat, so I’m thinking – yes, doable! Bring on the barre chords!
Which are you thinking of doing this month? P.s. I loved your entry last month and your singing! 👏👏
And yes I agree, that is one drool-worthy instrument – look and sound. 🤯 it will be taunting us every month with its beautiful pic on the forum.
@malku2603 – Sounding great so far Akansha!
Gosh! That Kanilea ukulele is a stunner—I absolutely love mango wood! @malku2603, that’s a great start—well played! I’m currently working on the Travis Picking Etude. Travis picking is so much fun, and while I know the piece, I’m really struggling to match the speed Mika is playing it at. Luckily, there’s still time to improve.
@malku2603 – Beautifully played, Akansha! I’ll be sharing your performance in our newsletter today 🙂
@heike_uke – Very beautifully played, Heike 🙂
Oh, another gorgeous uke to dream about! I’ve been working on Skye Boat Song, but my knobbly index finger doesn’t want to bend enough the wrong way to consistently play the three-string bar chord, so I think I’ll switch to one of the etudes. Hearing the lovely melody of the One-Finger Etude so nicely played by @heike_uke and @malku2603 has convinced me to go with that instead.
I’m working on the Skye Boat Song. I’ve been in love with this song for a few years now so I’ve been wanting to learn the chord melody. It is more difficult than it seems at first glance. 😬🤓
very nice work on the One Finger Etude, @Malku2603 and @heike_uke!Thank you @Andrew, @grannieannie and @maryjanew for your kind words.
I’m also practicing the Skye Boat Song, but my fingers are not flexible enough and sometimes I get a cramp in my fingers. So I decided to share the One Finger Etude.Heyho,
another “Skyeboater” here ….
@grannieanni: i use a partial bar with my pointer on the G- and C-string, middlefinger on E-string.
For me it’s easier to grab, especially if i reach out with my ringfinger at the 4th fret on G.
@maryjanew: It’s definitly trickier to play as it seems first. I struggle to get clean tones @ the A-string at bar 9 at the moment …. 😅
PXL_20260412_132724026.MP2_copy_1281x1192 
PXL_20260412_132541572.MP2_copy_1399x1202 @nat-uke, sorry, VERY delayed reaction, but I also – like apparently a lot of people – was looking at Skye Boat Song! I’m joining the Skye Boaters this month, LOL. It would be really cool if you and your husband played it together with him on guitar! 😊
With the barre chords, I worked on those a lot and got to the point that’s the main way I like to play is by moving barre chords around, then adding fingers to the barre chords, but with the partial barre chords, I still sometimes find those painful / creepy, because it weirds me out to put pressure near my finger joints, LOL. That probably sounds strange, but it’s true. So, for the D Major chord (which is what it looks like @otzepeng is playing in his example) I actually will just use three separate fingers for that one still a lot of the time. It can sometimes delay transitions ever so slightly using three fingers instead of one partial barre chord, but if you learn to be quick, you can switch from that position fairly well. I’d rather do that than be creeped out by the finger joint pressure. 😂😂😂 This is just my way of doing it; it obviously is good to try using the partial barre chord approach first if you’ve never done it because you could learn to be good / better at it through practice, obvs. I *can* do it; I just don’t always like it. But actually I’ll sometimes do it the way otzepeng does it when I do. 😊
And thank you so much about my entry last month! That was probably one of the best takes I’ve had recording my singing, so that really means a lot that you say that! Looking forward to all the Skye Boats this month (and all the rest)! 😂😂 Great start for all the entries so far!! 😊
Oh – and the AI Video that came out on Friday – that was pretty crazy! Really intriguing. That was a really interesting deviance from the lessons, more of a topical video, which was really cool!! I hope you do more topical videos like that @Andrew, so neat! 😊
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