From April 5, Roy Sakuma Studios has offered lighthearted, weekly “Ukulele Practice Videos” on its website and YouTube channel at no cost to the public. Families who want to teach their children (or themselves!) this instrument, as well as distance-learning teachers, can regularly provide music lessons, whenever Roy Sakuma releases two to five new “uke” lessons throughout the week at roysakuma.net/lessons/video.
While following stay-at-home orders to slow the spread of the coronavirus, local people and Hawai‘i musical fans can try basic ‘ukulele techniques demonstrated in this video series, such as:
- “Ukulele Itch”
- “Picking Exercise #1”
- “Strumming Basics — Tips & Tricks”
They can also strum and croon along to these popular classics, together with the students and instructors of Sakuma Studios, who are featured as a chorus playing and singing the songs in some of the videos after Roy Sakuma’s chord instruction:
- “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”
- “E Ku‘u Morning Dew”
- “America the Beautiful”
- “I Am What I Am” (a 1970 song composed and made famous by Roy Sakuma)
To the 2,670 subscribers to YouTube’s RoySakumaProductions channel at www.youtube.com/user/RoySakumaProductions/videos — which also features clips of ‘ukulele masters such as Jake Shimabukuro, Herb Ohta, Jr., Danny Kalekini, Kalei Gamiao and Taimane — Roy’s wife and fellow instructor Kathy Sakuma says, “During this COVID-19 time when we’re all staying at home, we hope that you reach out to your ‘ukelele, pick it up and make it a part of your daily routine activities. We hope that ‘ukulele … fills your spirit and just lifts you up, with laughter, love and hope.”
