The Live Ukulele Podcast
Join Brad Bordessa, a professional ukulele teacher and performer, for insightful deep-dives, interviews, and fun on The Live ʻUkulele Podcast! In these episodes you'll explore important uke lessons, hear first-hand stories from the Hawaiʻi music scene, and get to know some of the biggest names in the ukulele community.
With a background in Hawaiian music, Brad approaches the ukulele from the intuitive side. Through tips and tricks to improve your mentality surrounding music and the philosophy of the ukulele, he provides encouragement and permission to explore this four-stringed instrument in an organic way that works best for you.
Guests from Hawaiʻi and abroad join in to share heartfelt and insightful off-the-cuff conversations on a huge range of topics.
Tune in every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month for a new episode and be sure to subscribe.
- Update frequency
- every 13 days
- Average duration
- 46 minutes
- Episodes
- 113
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
Dizzi Diamond on Originality and the Craft of Uke
In this episode I sit down with Dizzi Diamond to talk about music, freestyling, beauty, and her 8-string baritone ukulele.
- Dizzi's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DizziDiamond1212
- Brad @ Slack Key Sh…
Uke Day Judgement - With Autotune!
Join me for some thoughts on ukulele week and how the uke isn't Portuguese, what it's like to have nervous students, and why "perfect" kinda sucks.
- Step By Step picking ebook: https://liveukulele.com/…
The Dance of the Ukulele
A quick reflection on dancing around the other musicians you play with. Push, pull, be dynamic!
Join my newsletter! It's free and I won't spam you. Get updates on new lessons and acces…
The Renaissance Man: Uncle George Kahumoku, Jr.
Here's the conversation with one of my main mentors that we're all been waiting for! Truly just scratching the surface of the stories this amazing man can tell from his life. If you enjoy Uncle's sto…
"I Really Don't Like That Song, Dude!" - Keʻala Lindsey
In this episode I talk to next-generation slack key/ukulele player, Keʻala Lindsey, about learning by osmosis, Hawaiian immersion, and songs that don't land well with local boys.
Keʻala's Instagram: h…
TLUP Classic: Isaac Wang & the Live Ukulele Origin Story
This episode throws back to season 2, episode 14 when I talked to my friend, Isaac Wang, about the beginning of our music careers and the website. I also share an update on the George Kahumoku Slack …
"Kōkeʻe" - Kani Ka Pila Classics: ʻŌlelo Breakdown
Pronouncing the Hawaiian language correctly is one of the many important ways foreigners should respect the people, place, and culture of Hawaiʻi. In this episode, I walk through the basic pronunciat…
The #1 Goal for Every Uke Player: Serving the Music
Many people get caught up in the latest ukulele technique or strum they're learning and automatically add it to every song. This is a surefire way to make every song boring and cliche. It's important…
Singing Expression & Lesson with Joey Bradley
Singing is a wonderful way to accompany your ukulele playing. Anyone can use it to create more diverse arrangements and connect better to the expression of their music.
In this episode I sit down with…
Huh? What? My Plan For Not Going Deaf as a Musician
Working musicians are often around loud sounds. Ukulele players not so much, but it can still have an impact on your hearing. In this episode I discuss some areas that I try to be cautious and provid…
TLUP Classic: Kelly Hyde
In this rebroadcast of one of my favorite podcast interviews, I speak to songwriter and baritone uke rhythm whiz, Kelly Hyde.
- Kelly's site: https://www.kellyhydemusic.com/
- Kelly's music on Bandcamp: ht…
Stories About Plugging In + New Uke Ebook
This episode celebrates the launch of my new ebook, Plug In! It's all about choosing the right gear and getting the settings right so you get the best sound out of your ukulele pickup. I share some s…
Mim's Inside Scoop on Setups and the Ukulele Business
This month's guest runs one of the most well-regarded online ukulele shops in the USA. Mim has been a longtime proponent of providing a setup for every instrument sold. In this episode we peek behind…
When to Give Up on Playing Something
We often get over-determined to practice and play something. When is a good time to let go? In this episode I try to answer the question: when should I give up on a chord, song, or technique?
Live Uku…
Jamming Under the Influence(r): Jiggy with Viggy
Victoria aka Jiggy with Viggy joins the podcast for a fun exploration of arranging songs for ukulele, what it's like to be a big deal on social media, and how "Vicky" became "Viggy"!
Jiggy with Viggy:…
Out With the Old, In With the New - Uke Style!
Welcome to the first episode of season 6 of the Live Ukulele Podcast! This week I share some updates and dig into the concept of "killing your babies," letting go of things that are holding you back …
2024: Is it Over Yet? A Live Ukulele Review
Recap of 2024 and the challenges, successes, and plans for the future.
- Ways to support: https://liveukulele.com/support/
- Easy songs database: https://liveukulele.com/songs/easy-ukulele-songs/
- Work…
Digesting my New Single: The Story and Arrangement Behind "Eat You"
This episode breaks down the meaning and arrangement of my new single, "Eat You." Hear the isolated multitracks and the story behind the humorous message.
SHARE on FB: "Eat You" music video: https://w…
Kingside: Exploring Ensemble Playing with Brad's Band
In this episode, Brad is joined in the studio by the members of his band, Kingside: https://kingside808.com/. They talk about the process of creating interesting arrangements, playing as a unit, bein…
September is Improv Month!
Several opportunities this month to learn improvising and soloing:
- Zoom workshop: https://liveukulele.com/register/9-28-24-workshop/
Keep an eye our for my soloing masterclass at the end of the month…