Participate in the September 2026 Member Challenge – WIN $549 Kala Ukulele

[Andrew]

Hi Rock Class 101 Community!

We’re back with a VERY SPECIAL Site Member Challenge #114! We’ve teamed up with Uke Republic to give away an INCREDIBLE Kala Revelator Tenor Ukulele! This slimline electro-acoustic ukulele has a beautiful mango wood top and includes a built-in pickup. This ukulele retails for $549 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 ANY SONG from our new course: Pathways: A Curated Guide to Learning Ukulele Through Songs

Please watch the video above for guidance on taking the course in order versus choosing songs out of order. Premium members have full access to all 30 songs, while free members can access only the first three beginner-level songs.

** 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: ANY SONG IN THE BEGINNER LEVEL

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: ANY SONG IN THE INTERMEDIATE OR ADVANCED LEVEL

3. Participation Goal: 35 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 30 RC101 songs anytime between Tuesday, September 1st till Wednesday, September 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 3 chances for you to win this ukulele.

SUMMER CHALLENGES:

First Chance: Participate in our July Challenge.

Second Chance: Participate in our August Challenge.

Third Chance: Participate in our September Challenge.

There will be 1 winner, selected by random drawing on October 5th. To qualify to win, you must submit your audio and/or video links of your playing by the deadline listed above.

Grand Prize:

1) $549 Grand Prize! Includes:

A) Kala Revelator Night Owl Mango Tenor Ukulele with Pickup

LISTEN TO THIS SWEET UKE BEING PLAYED!

UKULELE SPECS

Tenor size with slimline Revelator body design
Solid mango top for warm, articulate tone
Innovative Night Owl soundhole for enhanced player-facing projection
Lightweight okoume body and neck
Florentine cutaway for easy upper-fret access
Beveled comfort edges for reduced arm fatigue
Passive piezo pickup for natural amplified sound
Bone nut and saddle for improved sustain and clarity
Black open-gear tuners for smooth, accurate tuning
Aquila Nylgut Low G strings installed

Other Features: Includes a deluxe padded Revelator gig bag

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THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR!

Uke Republic: https://www.ukerepublic.com/

AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO YOU! Let’s crush this challenge!

[leb397]

@Andrew really like new features with chord library and fretboard, especially the testing. I’ve come a long way learning the chords but still have to think about a note on fretboard. You’ve really made some great additions to RC. Also hearing the chord is nice. Oh and tuner too – It works! Louisa

[Andrew]

Thank you so kindly Louisa! I really appreciate the kind words and that you dig the new features 🙂

[otzepeng]

Heyho Rockclass,

Here we go with another recording of Evan’s mindblowing (written, notated and incredibly played .. at the age of 13 – can’t get it …) arrangement of Saint James Infirmary.
I did not knew anything about the tune and had to close a big gap. From the Betty Boob short with Cap Calloway, which I used for my video, over Louis Armstrong to Hugh Laurie, whom I only knew as an actor, and many other recordings – i did a deep dive.

I’m very thankful for this opportunity, which the song and lesson offered to me.

Looking out for your entries and a good start into fall,

Markus

• This reply was modified 2 weeks, 3 days ago by otzepeng.

[Andrew]

@otzepeng – Love the intro and the video, and of course, excellent playing! What an awesome start to our September challenge 🙂

[jasdel]

@otzepeng Wow, impressive presentation! And I know how challenging that piece is…you made it seem effortless. Well done! 🙂

[otzepeng]

@Andrew : Glad you like it! 🤙🏼

@jasdel : Thank you so much …. i practiced it kind of excessively the last weeks i guess 🫣
For the moment I take a breath and lie my Uke beside to get it a litte bit out of my head. 😅

• This reply was modified 2 weeks, 3 days ago by otzepeng.

[brettboy]

Aloha Uke Friends! As some of you know I broke my left wrist back in late July after spending 11 wonderful days in France. The bone is healed now, But it’s still stiff and it’s going to take some time and PT to get my range of motion hopefully close to where it used to be. I’m very happy to be able to play ukulele again! I plan to post three videos this month so I can still claim perfect attendance for all RC101 challenges but please just give me one entry for September for the Kala. I don’t think it’s fair to get three entries.

Here’s Hone a Ka Wai From the magic of the high g pathways lesson 😀

[leb397]

@otzepeng wow so much fun there! Great entry. You get ten points from me. Makes me want to learn the piece. As you explained in your deep dive, so many different arrangements. Cartoons were the best with exposure to classical and great music. Excellent job.

@brettboy so nice to see you healing and back. You are an inspiration that makes me want to improve 👏☺️

• This reply was modified 2 weeks, 2 days ago by leb397.

[grannieannie]

@otzepeng Your practice obviously paid off. Nice how you paired your playing with the vintage video!

@brettboy Good to see you playing again – the injury didn’t hamper your style! And I imagine moving your hand up and down the fretboard is the best therapy you could do for yourself.

[dianna]

@Otzepeng …..that was just way to cool! Loved the vintage animation…perfect touch! Inspired by @anyon1 and @gi_gi_ from last month, I also chose this piece for this month. Just wondering how u are getting those hits so smoothly? I get them, but not always and there is a lot of hand movement/drama when I do it…..yours are so smooth I can hardly see the hand movement.

Welcome back @Brettboy….with a lovely Hawaiian entry….sounding great as always! Hopefully, as @grannieannie says playing is a form of therapy towards further healing.❤️‍🩹

[marianne]

Lovely take @otzepeng! @brettboy so happy to see you back at it and getting better. Nice entry!

Here’s the fun Fingerpicking and Strumming Dynamics etude 🙂

[Andrew]

@brettboy – So great to see you back playing ukulele and you haven’t missed a beat! I’ll be sharing your performance in this week’s newsletter 🙂

@marianne – Nailed it! Bravo 👏

[marianne]

Thanks @Andrew 🙂

[gi_gi_]

Where have I been? OMG I am just seeing your performance @Otzepeng 😱 It was amazing! I loved the intro and combining it with the cartoon. Wow! Just wow! Awesome job. You made it seem so easy. This month has been flying by for me. Haven’t picked up my uke yet but you have encouraged me to do so. Thanks.

@brettboy welcome back. Nice job. @marianne nice as usual. Hope your thumb is better. Seems like it. You did great.

[Author]

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