Our Features

We offer a variety of additional features to help in your ukulele learning journey. From scale and chord diagrams to accurate tabs, we do our very best to provide the essential tools you will need along the way.

Online Ukulele Lessons: Learn How To Play Ukulele

Tired of searching youtube for lessons on how to play Ukulele? Tired of watching incomplete, poor quality lessons?

At Center Stage Ukulele Academy, learning the ukulele has never been easier with our online ukulele lessons. With our easy to navigate online campus, you can be playing the ukulele in no time. Our comprehensive beginner course features, an intuitive lesson plan that makes it fun and easy for the whole family.

Center Stage Ukulele features High quality videos with multiple angles that you can fast forward, rewind and pause giving you the ability to study and master each lesson with ease.

Private lessons can cost anywhere from 1,200 to 2,000 dollars a year, and you are limited to your teachers availability. With Center Stage Ukulele academy, you have access to your lessons how you want, when you want and for how long you want! And for only 9.99 a month. That’s less than 120.00 a year!

Whether you want to become a pro or just wanna have fun. Center Stage Ukulele has got you covered.

Learn Ukulele Online vs. Private Lessons

Is there a big difference between private, in-person, ukulele lessons and learning ukulele online? Well that depends on the individual and how far along you are in the process of learning ukulele. First, if you are a beginner and not a very disciplined person then online lessons would not be the best choice. However if you are disciplined and can hold your own feet to the fire then I think you could benefit from online ukulele lessons. Online ukulele lessons offer a lot of benefits over private lessons. For starters, it is way cheaper. Learn ukulele at Center Stage Ukulele Academy and pay just $9.99 a month or $99 a year. Learn from a private instructor and pay a minimum of $1200 a year! Big difference. Two, you can learn how to play uke at your own pace with online lessons. You can go as fast or slow as you want. Three, you can do it from home at your own convenience. If you are already playing and just want to expand, then online lessons are great because you already know the basics. If you need someone to hold you accountable for learning then private lessons are the answer. However, if you are not motivated enough to keep yourself accountable then you are probably not going to see it through anyway. And in the process waste a lot more money on private lessons. Be wary of any site that makes claims such as “play a song in the first 10 minutes”. This is completely false. Learning an instrument takes work and the more work you put in, the better you will be. There is no short cut! Its all about you and your desire to learn how to play. We can provide you with the tools and instruction, but ultimately you have to put them to use.

About the Instructor

Ashley Shepherd

“Why are uke’s so popular these days? Its so affordable and portable. Such a great amount of entertainment in such a small package. Plus, its easy to learn, four strings, a little strumming and off your go…”

With a degree from Berklee College of Music, Ashley Shepherd has been playing music for over 30 years. Starting out playing in jazz band and local rock bands in high school, he moved into a career producing, engineering and playing on records that have garnered gold and platinum awards.

His primary instrument is bass, with guitar a close second. Ukulele has been a fun addition as it fits easily with guitar techniques and has such a complimentary tone. He even has a Uke Bass now!

His credits include Peter Frampton, Humble Pie, Blessid Union of Souls, Carol King, Bad Veins, 500 Miles to Memphis, Pokemon the Movie, Google, NASCAR, NFL, Oprah, Everyone Loves Raymond, Seinfeld, Puma, Proctor & Gamble, Woolrich Clothing and many more.

As a technical author, he has written Pro Tools for Film, TV and Multimedia (2nd. Ed. ISBN: 1598635328), Nuendo 5 Power (ISBN:143545958X) Plug-in Power (ISBN:1592009530) and writes manuals for Steinberg, Yamaha, and Iosono.

At his studio, www.audiogrotto.com, he continues to write, and produce new music and create sound design for films, games and television. You can also find him playing out on the weekends with his blues band or sitting in with his wife, Annette’s jazz trio’s.

Bryan Billhimer

“Ukulele is the gateway instrument. If you have always wanted to learn an instrument, starting with the uke is the way to go. You’ll be playing your favorite tunes in no time. Whether you are chillin’ on the beach or lounging in your room, the uke is the perfect instrument to entertain yourself and your friends.”

Bryan Billhimer is a 20 year guitar veteran with experience in teaching, live performance, and studio recordings. Bryan began his guitar playing career at the age of 14 taking guitar lessons for two years from a private instructor. In those two years, he learned all the fundamentals necessary to further his craft and easily add the ukulele as a primary instrument.

During high school and college Bryan performed in several bands on a regular basis playing blues and rock. In this time he earned a Bachelors degree from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. Upon graduating college he worked in a local studio where he met producer Emosia (produced Blessid Union of Souls, Lakeisha Berri, etc.) and members of Blessid Union. After a year or so he was asked to join the band and toured for nearly ten years with the international recording artists covering the U.S., Japan, South Korea, Germany, and Afghanistan.

Throughout his career in music, Bryan has also privately taught multiple students. Beginning in college and to the present, he has taught over 50 students in private lessons.

Testimonials

I’ve always wanted to learn the ukulele finding a ukulele teacher for one
on one lessons was not an easy task. Then my friend suggested youtube and I
thought, why didn’t i think of that? But youtube reminds me of my daughters
messy room. I know what I’m looking for but can’t seem to find it. The one
good thing I did happen to find was a lesson from Center Stage Ukulele
Academy. I decided to join and I have to say I am glad I found it. I tasked
myself to learn how to play a song in a week and did it within 4 days. The
site is easy to use and I can go over a lesson as much as I need to get it
right.. Definitely well worth it. I’m a fan..

Veronica Stecker

Center Stage Ukulele is hands down the easiest way to learn. I had never picked up a stringed instrument before in my life and within the first hour of picking up my Ukulele, I could play a full song (and it actually sounded good!) Thanks to Ashley and Brian. The instructors are knowledgable and even teach the small things like how to hold your uke and how to strum. It’s the little details that make you feel comfortable that you’re being taught the right way by the best instructors out there, and confident to keep learning more songs!

Shelly Valentine

About Center Stage Ukulele Academy