Every year around Hōʻike season, I start hearing the same thing. “Dr. Trey, I’m nervous.” Some students whisper it before class. Some tell me after rehearsal. Sometimes it’s the parents who mention it first. The funny thing is that after…
As summer arrives, many of our students will be taking a well-deserved break from classes while traveling with their families. Some of you will be visiting ʻohana on the mainland, some will be exploring other islands or states, and some…
I wanted to take a moment to send a huge mahalo to ʻUkulele Project Hawaii and Larry for recently featuring Four Strings ʻUkulele Studio in a full YouTube video. As someone who spends countless hours building tools, writing lessons, creating…
Bringing the Backyard Jam Back Over the past few days, I’ve been quietly releasing something new on Instagram and TikTok called Loopables. Soon, you’ll begin seeing them here on the blog as well. Loopables are songs I’ve found where the…
The Playlist of Your Life… and Why It Matters in the Classroom If you had to make a playlist of your life, what would be on it? The songs from your childhood. The ones you listened to with your friends.…
There’s something I see all the time. A player learns a song… plays it pretty well… maybe even performs it…and then a week later, it’s gone. Not completely gone—but shaky. Slower. Hesitant. And the reason is almost always the same:…
If you take one thing away from this post, it should be this: Music doesn’t just support a moment—it defines it. Above, you just watched the exact same video played multiple times.Nothing about the visuals changed. Not the setting. Not…
Kapena School Of Music had the opportunity to perform at the ʻUkulele Summit this weekend, and it was a great experience for everyone involved. The event brought together a wide range of players and groups, and it was nice to…
If you’ve been waiting for the “right time” to start playing ʻukulele… this is it. Not later. Not when things calm down. Now. Your Brain Is Ready Right Now Every time you practice, your brain is changing. Scientists call this…
When you open one of my arrangements, everything is laid out in a very intentional way. Once you understand the flow, you’ll be able to read any chart quickly and confidently. Let’s go step by step. Header Section At the…
