Events @ Funky Frets
Check out the Funky Frets Photos Page for photos of the latest events and excursions.
November
Dates TBA
Virginia Ukapalooza — Funky Frets will be a vendor.
Tickets: funkyfrets.com/festival
October
October 2-5
Our annual Funky Frets Uke Fest — This is our 10th ukulele festival.
Tickets: virginiaukapalooza.org/
August
August 15-17
62nd Philadelphia Folk Festival — Funky Frets will be a vendor.
Tickets: virginiaukapalooza.org/
June
June 13-15, 2025
ESVA UkeFest | Annual Ukulele Festival on the Chesapeake Bay! Funky Frets will be attending as a vendor.
Tickets: esvaukefest.com
May
May 30th
Christopher Davis Shannon is coming thru PA and stopping at Funky Frets for a concert and workshop. 6PM — Ukulele Workshop, 7:30PM - Performance
Workshops: Loke Lani — A workshop unlocking a beautiful Ernest Ka’ai tune. We’ll learn three distinct right hand patterns from the first virtuoso ukulele players: Ernest K’ai. Learn to apply new rhythms as well as textures to this tiny instrument and walk away with an entire solo piece under your fingertips. In the process of learning this song by ear as it would have been traditionally passed down we will also build a strategy for easily learning and memorizing songs.
Tickets: tinman.co
May 18 — Ukulele Harmonic Convergence VIII
Join music-loving ukulele players on Sunday, May 18, 2025 at Tellus360, Lancaster, PA USA from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm for an afternoon of music and camaraderie. Bring an ukulele and music stand or just bring your voice, but be sure to attend! Best of all, admission is free!
Funky Frets, Central PA's premier ukulele store, will have a stand, as they have for every UHC since its inception. It wouldn't be a convergence without them. more info…
NO May (17th) Funky Frets Uke Jam
The May Funky Frets Uke Jam is CANCELLED — we'll be attend a family wedding.
April
April 25-27
Allegheny Ukulele Soiree, Altonna, PA
Funky Frets will be vending.
Saturday April 12th
Lisa Webb & Bob Tigert Duo are coming thru PA and stopping at Funky Frets for a concert and workshop. (Following the Community Strum) 1:00 Workshop, 2:30 Concert.
March
March 15th Funky Frets Uke Jam
The March Funky Frets Uke Jam is Saturday 2:30.
February
February 15th
The February Funky Frets Uke Jam has been CANCELLED do to Saturday's impending snow from noon to 6.
January
January 26th
Come join Curt, Bern, Kelly, TJ, and Ali a.k.a – Funky Frets Music Store as we say farewell to 124 N. Chestnut St, Boyertown and take the Funky Frets Music Store on to new adventures.
Join us from 12 (noon) till ? for live music and food. Followed by a short Ukulele — Final Jam and 124 N. Chestnut St.
Third Saturday of Every Month Starting at @2:30PM
- Funky Frets Jam @ 2:30 — Show up at 2PM and Curt will go over a song or two ahead of time and go over how to embellish it with chord substitutions, strumming variations. intros and endings, etc... We'll be using the Daily Uke Book — Another Year,
The Purple Book
Past Artist Workshops, Concerts, & Events
These are the artists that have performed and presented ar Funky Frets: 124 N. Chestnut St., Boyertown, PA USA Debi Velesco, Christopher Davis Shannon, Peter Moss, Jack Kohler, Andrew Molina, Bill Wynne, Amy Kucharik, Lil' Rev, Jim D'Ville, Curt Sheller, Kelly Thompson
Past Workshops Over the Years
4-Part "Jazz" Chords
Exploring contemporary 4-part, a.k.a. "Jazz" chord on ukulele all start with the Big Six, Core Chords. You most likely know the open position chords they're based on. From the Six core chords that are the Big Six and the principles of chord construction along with learning the notes of the ukulele fingerboard, you WILL be able to create ANY chord you come across just from the name.
- 4-Part Chords a.k.a "Jazz" Chords - May 31, 2020
- 4-Part Chords a.k.a "Jazz" Chords - May 24, 2020
- Exploring contemporary 4-part, a.k.a. "Jazz" Chords on Ukulele
- Jazz Chords - Week Three &n dash; Jun 14, 2020
- Common Chord Progessions, Jazzing up your basic chords - Jun 14, 2020
Alternating Thumb Style Fingerpicking
- Fingerpicking Week 1 - Mar 28, 2020
- Fingerpicking Week 2 - Apr 4, 2020
- Fingerpicking Week 3 - Apr 11, 2020
The Seven Modes
Ukulele Strums
- Ukulele Strums Workshop - Apr 4, 2020
- Ukulele Strums Week 2 - Apr 11, 2020
- Ukulele Strums Week 2 - Apr 11, 2020
- Ukulele Strums Week 2 - Apr 11, 2020
Improv Using Blues and Pentatonic Scales
- Learn to use the C Pentatonic with the Blues. And the Super Blues Scale. - May 3, 2020
Learn how to create a simple melody and chord version of this folk classic.
- Ukulele Improv & Blues - Week 4 - May 17, 2020
Learn to navigate the fingerboard using the Blues and Pentatonic Scale.
- Ukulele Improv & Blues - Week 3 - May 3, 2020
Learn to use the C Pentatonic with the Blues. And the Super Blues Scale.
- Ukulele Improv & Blues - Week 2 - Apr 26, 2020
- Ukulele Improv & Blues - Week 1 - Apr 23, 2020
Misc
- Spring Maintenance - Apr 19, 2020
Grab a set of strings and learn how to change the strings of your ukulele. We will also cover fretboard cleaning and care, then end with a set up Q&A
- Funky Frets Getting Started with Ukulele – A Recipe for Success - May 17, 2020
Where Do I Start? That’s a common question. This workshop covers ukulele tunings, learning the ukulele fingerboard, basic chords and four famous strums. This workshop gets you rolling on having some fun playing the ukulele.
- Learn Red River Valley - Instrumental - May 3, 2020
Learn how to create a simple melody and chord version of this folk classic.
Technique Left Hand Technique
- Building Left Hand Technique - May 24, 2020
Left Hand Technique, Building Left Hand Technique explores what it takes to build killer left hand chops on the ukulele.
- How to Build Left Hand Technique for Ukulele - Introduction - May 27, 2020
Left Hand Technique, Building Left Hand Technique explores what it takes to build killer left hand chops on the ukulele.
Music Basics
- Music Basics - Intervals - Jun 14, 2020
- Music Theory, The principles of music. Starting with the basics. - Jun 7, 2020
Contemporary Triads
Just browsing over both books, they look fantastic! I'm a guitarist and uke player for over 25 years and was thinking about writing a ukulele book but you've already written what I think are the best, most comprehensive and thorough books I've ever seen for the instrument. I just might end up buying every book you've written and I'll be giving my highest recommendation for your books to my friends and students. Thank you so much for taking the time to write such great books! — Peter Rhee
Aloha, Curt, All I can say is WOW! What you have accomplished is simply incredible! All the best — Glen Hirabayashi, The Aloha Boys
Thanks for visiting and checking out the site!
Original Curtie Animation from 1987 for my first web site on a Macintosh II, 38 years ago.