It's no wonder that the popularity of the ukulele is quickly rising. It's a versatile instrument that is easy to play - yet can also handle complex chord patterns. A good quality handmade ukulele has beautiful tone and is a delight to play, but also very expensive...unless you make your own! Inside this book readers will learn how to make two different ukuleles. For beginning woodworkers, a basic box-shaped ukulele is included. For those looking for a more sophisticated project, instructions are included for making a professional grade soprano ukulele. Detailed woodworking plans, instructions and demonstration photographs are included for both projects. Basic information for tuning, setup and playing your new ukulele are also included. Sidebars, tips and trivia add personality and a bit of fun to this great project book.

Pages: 96

Dimensions: 216 x 279 x 6 mm

Publication Date: 01-02-2012

Historian, biographer, novelist, broadcaster, lecturer and international singer Edmund Bohan is the author of 18 books, including biographies of Edward Stafford, James Edward FitzGerald and Sir George Grey; the general histories of New Zealand: The Story So Far and Climates of War: Conflicts in New Zealand 1859-1869; and the O'Rorke series of historical novels. The Stafford and Grey biographies were Montana Book Award finalists. During his long singing career - much of it based in Britain - he sang more than 170 different major choral, operatic and orchestral works, and broadcast regularly. This light-hearted memoir, richly anecdotal and enlivened with pen-portraits of memorable personalities - musical, literary and academic - chronicles with wit and a sharply observant eye a lifetime of achievement as singer and writer. Following childhood in wartime Invercargill inside a close-knit family, he enjoyed schooldays at Christchurch Boys' High School and defining years at Canterbury University. After teaching for a period he left for Sydney and then London, establishing a career as a versatile 'general practitioner' of singing, mainly in concerts but enjoying memorable times with Benjamin Britten's English Opera Group and Kent Opera. A tour home with the NZSO prompted a permanent return as the end of 1987, where he resumed his 19th-century studies. He has concentrated on writing since then; though he continued to play character roles for Canterbury Opera, Wellington City Opera and the State Opera of South Australia for another dozen years. A dedicated family man, he now tends his Opawa garden - and plans new projects.

Pages: 228

Publication Date: 01-06-2012

Pages: 42

Dimensions: 203 x 272 x 8 mm

Publication Date: 01-11-2010

Pages: 44

Dimensions: 203 x 272 x 10 mm

Publication Date: 01-01-2011

Gustav Mole is lucky enough to be born into a musical family, and this charming tale traces the enriching role that music plays in his life. Gustav's musical education is rich and diverse, covering a wide variety of genres and styles. This is the perfect introduction to musical instruments, ensembles and occasions, and a humourous and sensitive exploration of what music can bring to our lives.

Pages: 32

Dimensions: 245 x 268 x 4 mm

Publication Date: 01-12-1992

It's night-time in the Animal Kingdom and time for all the animal children to go to bed. But animal children are every bit as restless as their human counterparts. How do their parents help them to sleep. What animal lullabies do they sing? Mandy Ross's original poems are linguistically rich and varied, creating affectionate and humourous sound-picturesout of an appealing mix of everyday language and nonsense words. Her engaging word play is admirably complemented by the vibrant watercolours of Krisztina Kallai Nagy. All children will love to imitate their favourite animals as they nestle to sleep, and the book finishes with a lullaby all human animals will love. Complete with Audio CD.

Pages: 32

Dimensions: 245 x 268 x 4 mm

Publication Date: 01-02-2007

This book will teach you basic playing techniques for the ukulele. No prior musical experience is assumed. You will learn how to hold the instrument, position the hands, strumming techniques, basic chords and beyond. The enclosed CD guides you through a series of exercises, which are organised in a progressive fashion (practicing one strum and slowly building to more complicated rhythmic patterns). The CD also includes a variety of charming songs that you will be able to strum along with (starting with one/two chords and progressing on to more complex). Encouraging tips are included as well as fun/interesting trivia and sidebars about the ukulele. Music theory is included, but the emphasis is on getting up to speed and on with the fun of playing quickly.

Pages: 64

Dimensions: 216 x 280 x 8 mm

Publication Date: 01-03-2012