Learn to Play JUST Like George Formby!
Welcome to Formby Fundamentals (George Formby Part 1). On this course, you’ll learn all the fundamental and foundational elements that comprise the famous George Formby technique.
This is a first-of-its-kind resource, featuring some of the most in-depth tuition on the style available with over 100 minutes of videos, downloads and more on everything from the split, triple and fan strokes, how to combine them to create a great solo and extras like playing the sung sections and the endings effectively.
The skills you learn on this course can be applied not only to virtuoso George Formby’s material but in countless other ways including trad jazz, Dixieland, show tunes and more, by elevating your rhythmic skillset and variety. You’ll even learn a cool trick or two that you can throw into any song and impress your audience with!
During the 1930s and 40s, George Formby was one of the most successful music and film stars in the world. Known for his cheeky persona and his mastery of the ukulele and banjo-ukulele with a heavily rhythmic and jazzy sound that makes full use of a ukulele’s tuning and set up.
“Quite simply brilliant and of extreme value to anyone who may embark on the exciting journey of learning to play in the Formby style”
Alan
“This is the best explanation of the split stroke technique ever”
Marco
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UKULELE ONLINE
Providing premium, high-class ukulele online courses covering specialist topics in unprecedented detail, taught only by world-class ukulele experts.
Our follow-up course George’s Genius (out now!) dives even deeper into the world of split stroke playing to study and reveal those professional techniques that wow audiences everytime.
Why not check out some of our other courses? We’ve got something for everybody and plenty for you to sink your teeth into.
MODULE OVERVIEW – see modules and lessons
Modules & Lessons
Explore the what you each module will entail. Rewatch, slow down or speed up each video as many times as you need, and enjoy lots of included downloads and exercises. Get a certificate at the end too!
- Introduction
- History
- New Chords
- Familiar Chords with Alternative Fingerings
- Formula & Structure
- Sung Sections & Sheet Music
- Exercise
- Introduction, Sound Sample & Posture
- Whole & Half Strums
- Rhythm
- Fitting in with the chords
- Slow speed
- Exercise
- Tapping versus non-tapping
- Tapping on simple chords
- Tapping on more complex chords
- Little finger extensions
- Thumb tapping
- When not to tap
- Exercise
- Purpose of the triplet
- Rhythm
- Mechanics
- Alternative methods
- Incorporating the triplet
- Exercise
- Split stroke at different speeds
- Correct technique (recap)
- Exercises
- Purpose & effect
- Technique & mechanics
- Alternative methods
- Fitting in with the split and triplet
- Exercise
- Beginning a solo
- Ending in C
- Ending in F
- Variations of C endings
- Variation of F endings
- Endings in other keys
- Final notes
NEW FOR 2025! An extra series of solo breakdowns. Songs include:
With My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock
Our Sergeant Major
Hitting the Highspots Now
Please get in touch if you are having issues with the course interface or are stuck on some of the course content. Your course comes with a free 30 minute consultation with the course tutor.
If you are already subscribed, click on a module header to navigate to the relevant module’s content.
Formby Fundamentals
Get to grips with a unique and rewarding style of ukulele…
£39.99 WINTER EXCLUSIVE PRICE: £24.99/year – 100+ minutes of video – 7 modules – 40 lessons – Intermediate level
Subscribe now to gain access
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You may also be interested in:
Formby Bundle: Formby Fundamentals & George’s Genius
Two courses for £63.99/year. Save 20%!
Course tutor Matthew Quilliam offers further instruction on the Formby style with 1-2-1 lessons. For more information, view the pages shown in the carousel below:
Or watch some of his free content on YouTube, such as an explaination of the theory of George Formby’s music:
What’s Next?
Now you’ve completed Formby Fundamentals, you can explore the next steps in the follow-up course, George’s Genius.
George’s Genius – OUT NOW
Master the techniques that made a star…
£62.99/year INTRODUCTORY OFFER £42.99/year
Over 2 hours of video – 7 modules – 40 lessons – Advanced
Dive head-first into the advanced realm of the Formby style. You’ll expand upon your basic split stroke and begin to incorporate all the little extra flourishes and details to really bring your solos alive!
Pepper your solos with fancy tricks like the shake, triplet-fan and more, and learn how to perform with a live band or backing track!
*External resources such as (but not limited to) videos, pictures, recordings and more are included here as reference material only to further inform and educate. Whilst each resource was checked at time of inclusion, Matthew Quilliam’s Ukulele Online is not responsible for changes to content of external websites. These resources’ inclusion here is at the whim of the original author, who reserves all rights to withdraw their inclusion from this course at any time. As such, the inclusion of these resources is not influenced by or does not influence the total sales cost in any way.
Matthew Quilliam 