Ukulele books by Choan Gálvez

I’ve published a few ukulele repertoire books with The Ukulele Bookshop. And there are more in the works!

Most of my ukulele tablatures are also published on my Patreon site.

Songs Mathilda Taught Me

Four waltzes and a polka

Mathilda is a unique ukulele. She’s a flat-body five-string soprano who has travelled all around Germany since 2013, visiting many ukulele players’ homes.

Choan Gálvez got hold of her in December, 2023, and after some doodling, Mathilda soon revealed some of the songs she had within.

This is how Songs Mathilda Taught Me: Four waltzes and a polka, a collection agnostic of your favourite fourth-string octave, was created: the arrangements in this book work great on low-g, high-g, and doubled-course instruments.

❯ Learn everything about Songs Mathilda Taught Me.

Anthology of Alternate Ukulele Tunings Vol. 1

Taro patch, wahine, plectrum, and other linear tunings

While Hawaiian slack key guitar masters use a great variety of alternate tunings, ukulele players are usually stuck in major sixth tunings (albeit in differing pitches, and linear or re-entrant). Retuning a couple of strings—or even just one—can help one discover new sonic worlds, makes some elusive voicings possible, and, in general, stimulates inspiration.

In this anthology, Choan Gálvez proposes you to work on a few scordaturas, all of them feasible using a standard low G string set. Your instrument won’t be at risk as all of the suggested tunings decrease the total tension supported by the ukulele.

❯ Learn everything about Anthology of Alternate Ukulele Tunings Vol. 1.

Eight Rags a Week

Original ragtime music for solo ukulele

Playing ragtime on the ukulele is always big fun! After including a few pieces of this style in my recent books, I thought it was time to write a dedicated collection. Eight Rags a Week includes eight original ragtime pieces for re-entrant ukulele that I’m confident will delight players and audiences alike.

❯ Learn everything about Eight Rags a Week.

50 Miniature Studies for Ukulele

Improve your musicianship and fingerpicking abilities

50 Miniature Studies for Ukulele is a set of brief pieces created to develop a variety of musical performance abilities and fingerpicking techniques. All of these studies are written for C6 re-entrant tuning and can be played on any sized instrument within a range of 12 frets. Take your ukulele abilities one step beyond!

❯ Learn everything about 50 Miniature Studies for Ukulele.

May the Low 4th

12 new originals for low G ukulele

May the Low 4th is a collection of new original works for low G ukulele written by Choan Gálvez. Most of the pieces will fit beginner and intermediate fingerpickers—though mastering them may be challenging.

Among the repertoire you’ll find tango, samba, melancholic waltzes, Renaissance inspired brief works… Check the playlist!

❯ Learn everything about May the Low 4th.

Brevities

12 short original tunes for baritone ukulele

Brevities is a collection of short solo pieces for baritone ukulele aimed at the intermediate fingerpicker. In this set Choan Gálvez profits from the extended range, the sustain, and the resonance that this instrument and its tuning provide.

❯ Learn everything about Brevities for baritone ukulele.

For Four Fingers

New campanella pieces for re-entrant ukulele

For Four Fingers is a collection of ten one-minute pieces for re-entrant ukulele. They are, mostly, simple melodies where the movement of the fretting hand has been intentionally restricted to the four frets at reach in a single position.

❯ Learn everything about For Four Fingers.

Waltz in Progress

12 original waltzes for solo ukulele

This set is inspired by the collections published by the great guitarists of the romantic era. Each of these 12 waltzes is named after some ukulele player I appreciate.

All pieces are written for re-entrant tuned ukulele and presented in notation and tablature. Their performance difficulty ranges from fairly basic fingerpicking to advanced playing. Styles include classical, romantic, jazz and even latin-american grooves and avant-garde harmonies, always within the realm of ternary rhythms. Shall we dance?

❯ Learn everything about Waltz in Progress.

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