Maia is an instrumental ukulele virtuoso from Oʻahu who accompanies her playing with a wonder singing voice! She DJs dance parties and incorporates the uke into EDM genres.

In this episode we chat about artistry and forging a fresh path.

This interview is from earlier in the year. Check out @maiashizue for the latest on Maia's journey!

Support the show

Join my newsletter! It's free and I won't spam you. Get updates on new lessons and access to exclusive resources: https://liveukulele.com/signup/

Support the podcast:

• Become a supporting member: https://liveukulele.com/register/supporting-member/?coupon=SUPPORT5
• Buy video lessons or a book: https://liveukulele.com/store/
• Use my Sweetwater affiliate link next time you need to buy some gear! https://sweetwater.sjv.io/9WbER0.

Gear I use to create this podcast: https://liveukulele.com/about/my-gear/#recording

CREDITS
- Hosted, produced, edited, and mixed by Brad Bordessa
- Theme music by Brad Bordessa: "Fallout," "Eat You," and "Sister's Got a Gun" available on https://bradbordessa.bandcamp.com/

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 Show: https://www.showclix.com/event/brad-kevin-shem-sept10-2025
• "Pandanus" baritone TAB: https://liveukulele.gumroad.com/l/mbuiwv

Support the show

Join my newsletter! It's free and I won't spam you. Get updates on new lessons and access to exclusive resources: https://liveukulele.com/signup/

Support the podcast:

• Become a supporting member: https://liveukulele.com/register/supporting-member/?coupon=SUPPORT5
• Buy video lessons or a book: https://liveukulele.com/store/
• Use my Sweetwater affiliate link next time you need to buy some gear! https://sweetwater.sjv.io/9WbER0.

Gear I use to create this podcast: https://liveukulele.com/about/my-gear/#recording

CREDITS
- Hosted, produced, edited, and mixed by Brad Bordessa
- Theme music by Brad Bordessa: "Fallout," "Eat You," and "Sister's Got a Gun" available on https://bradbordessa.bandcamp.com/

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/store/step-by-step-picking/
• Dagan & Da Kine Sound: https://www.instagram.com/da_kine_sound/
• Kingside: https://www.youtube.com/@Kingside808
• Private lessons with Brad: https://liveukulele.com/store/one-on-one-lessons/

Support the show

Join my newsletter! It's free and I won't spam you. Get updates on new lessons and access to exclusive resources: https://liveukulele.com/signup/

Support the podcast:

• Become a supporting member: https://liveukulele.com/register/supporting-member/?coupon=SUPPORT5
• Buy video lessons or a book: https://liveukulele.com/store/
• Use my Sweetwater affiliate link next time you need to buy some gear! https://sweetwater.sjv.io/9WbER0.

Gear I use to create this podcast: https://liveukulele.com/about/my-gear/#recording

CREDITS
- Hosted, produced, edited, and mixed by Brad Bordessa
- Theme music by Brad Bordessa: "Fallout," "Eat You," and "Sister's Got a Gun" available on https://bradbordessa.bandcamp.com/

A quick reflection on dancing around the other musicians you play with. Push, pull, be dynamic!

Support the show

Join my newsletter! It's free and I won't spam you. Get updates on new lessons and access to exclusive resources: https://liveukulele.com/signup/

Support the podcast:

• Become a supporting member: https://liveukulele.com/register/supporting-member/?coupon=SUPPORT5
• Buy video lessons or a book: https://liveukulele.com/store/
• Use my Sweetwater affiliate link next time you need to buy some gear! https://sweetwater.sjv.io/9WbER0.

Gear I use to create this podcast: https://liveukulele.com/about/my-gear/#recording

CREDITS
- Hosted, produced, edited, and mixed by Brad Bordessa
- Theme music by Brad Bordessa: "Fallout," "Eat You," and "Sister's Got a Gun" available on https://bradbordessa.bandcamp.com/

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 stories, check out his hilarious books, A Hawaiian Life and A Hawaiian Life Vol. 2.

• Uncle George's website: https://kahumoku.com/
• Slack Key Show website: https://slackkeyshow.com/
• The Ukulele Podcast (not to be confused with this podcast!): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ukulele-podcast/id1651224228
• Anthony Fluke: https://www.instagram.com/mauianthonymusic/?hl=en

• Left Hand Technique course: https://liveukulele.com/store/left-hand-technique-video-course/
• Step By Step: Single String Ukulele Picking ebook: https://liveukulele.com/store/step-by-step-picking/

Support the show

Join my newsletter! It's free and I won't spam you. Get updates on new lessons and access to exclusive resources: https://liveukulele.com/signup/

Support the podcast:

• Become a supporting member: https://liveukulele.com/register/supporting-member/?coupon=SUPPORT5
• Buy video lessons or a book: https://liveukulele.com/store/
• Use my Sweetwater affiliate link next time you need to buy some gear! https://sweetwater.sjv.io/9WbER0.

Gear I use to create this podcast: https://liveukulele.com/about/my-gear/#recording

CREDITS
- Hosted, produced, edited, and mixed by Brad Bordessa
- Theme music by Brad Bordessa: "Fallout," "Eat You," and "Sister's Got a Gun" available on https://bradbordessa.bandcamp.com/

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: https://www.instagram.com/ke.alamokihana/

Support the show

Join my newsletter! It's free and I won't spam you. Get updates on new lessons and access to exclusive resources: https://liveukulele.com/signup/

Support the podcast:

• Become a supporting member: https://liveukulele.com/register/supporting-member/?coupon=SUPPORT5
• Buy video lessons or a book: https://liveukulele.com/store/
• Use my Sweetwater affiliate link next time you need to buy some gear! https://sweetwater.sjv.io/9WbER0.

Gear I use to create this podcast: https://liveukulele.com/about/my-gear/#recording

CREDITS
- Hosted, produced, edited, and mixed by Brad Bordessa
- Theme music by Brad Bordessa: "Fallout," "Eat You," and "Sister's Got a Gun" available on https://bradbordessa.bandcamp.com/

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 Key & Ukulele Workshop.

Support the show

Join my newsletter! It's free and I won't spam you. Get updates on new lessons and access to exclusive resources: https://liveukulele.com/signup/

Support the podcast:

• Become a supporting member: https://liveukulele.com/register/supporting-member/?coupon=SUPPORT5
• Buy video lessons or a book: https://liveukulele.com/store/
• Use my Sweetwater affiliate link next time you need to buy some gear! https://sweetwater.sjv.io/9WbER0.

Gear I use to create this podcast: https://liveukulele.com/about/my-gear/#recording

CREDITS
- Hosted, produced, edited, and mixed by Brad Bordessa
- Theme music by Brad Bordessa: "Fallout," "Eat You," and "Sister's Got a Gun" available on https://bradbordessa.bandcamp.com/

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 pronunciation of Reverend Dennis Kamakahi's classic song, "Kōkeʻe."

Follow along with the words here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XsKAZqHEMVpDwDKFnSXGCxOFxJEwqwIb/view

This Kani Ka Pila Classics series on The Live ʻUkulele Podcast aims to provide malihini a better understanding of the lyrics to popular ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi kani ka pila songs. Since these songs are enthusiastically sung and strummed more often than others, they're also unknowingly mispronounced by more people.

By ensuring you're saying the words correctly, you preserve the meaning of a song, demonstrate your effort to honor the language, and bring a greater depth to your presentation of Hawaiian music that can be both felt and heard.

Because I am poʻe haole (caucasian) in Hawaiʻi who plays Hawaiian songs and has the privilege of playing ʻukulele for - and with - Hawaiians, I am extremely anal about using the correct pronunciation. These episodes are a small way that I can give back to the Hawaiian music scene by educating fellow malihini.

I have studied Hawaiian at UH Maui with Leinoa Kong and Kīʻope Raymond, and later with Lanakila Mangauil, Kaliko Beamer-Trapp, and others. While I am not a fluent speaker, I am certainly versed enough to assist other English-first speakers in avoiding the main pitfalls of sung Hawaiian.

Resources:

-Hakalama practice: https://oleloonline.com/0404p-hakalama-practice/

-Ka Alala with Malu States: https://www.kaalala.com/

-Malu on pronouncing "Hawaiʻi": https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ky8xgn7appQ

Support the show

Join my newsletter! It's free and I won't spam you. Get updates on new lessons and access to exclusive resources: https://liveukulele.com/signup/

Support the podcast:

• Become a supporting member: https://liveukulele.com/register/supporting-member/?coupon=SUPPORT5
• Buy video lessons or a book: https://liveukulele.com/store/
• Use my Sweetwater affiliate link next time you need to buy some gear! https://sweetwater.sjv.io/9WbER0.

Gear I use to create this podcast: https://liveukulele.com/about/my-gear/#recording

CREDITS
- Hosted, produced, edited, and mixed by Brad Bordessa
- Theme music by Brad Bordessa: "Fallout," "Eat You," and "Sister's Got a Gun" available on https://bradbordessa.bandcamp.com/

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 to step back and observe the overall effect of your musical choices as a critical listener. 

In this episode I share some thoughts on looking past your ego to serve music in the best way possible.

Support the show

Join my newsletter! It's free and I won't spam you. Get updates on new lessons and access to exclusive resources: https://liveukulele.com/signup/

Support the podcast:

• Become a supporting member: https://liveukulele.com/register/supporting-member/?coupon=SUPPORT5
• Buy video lessons or a book: https://liveukulele.com/store/
• Use my Sweetwater affiliate link next time you need to buy some gear! https://sweetwater.sjv.io/9WbER0.

Gear I use to create this podcast: https://liveukulele.com/about/my-gear/#recording

CREDITS
- Hosted, produced, edited, and mixed by Brad Bordessa
- Theme music by Brad Bordessa: "Fallout," "Eat You," and "Sister's Got a Gun" available on https://bradbordessa.bandcamp.com/

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 my friend, Joey Bradley, for a discussion and lesson on singing. Joey is a great singer and shares some tips that benefit all of us ukulele players who are less comfortable with our voices. 

I sing often on stage, but I wouldn't call myself a comfortable singer. Joey shares some tips and critiques my singing with some practical feedback.

Support the show

Join my newsletter! It's free and I won't spam you. Get updates on new lessons and access to exclusive resources: https://liveukulele.com/signup/

Support the podcast:

• Become a supporting member: https://liveukulele.com/register/supporting-member/?coupon=SUPPORT5
• Buy video lessons or a book: https://liveukulele.com/store/
• Use my Sweetwater affiliate link next time you need to buy some gear! https://sweetwater.sjv.io/9WbER0.

Gear I use to create this podcast: https://liveukulele.com/about/my-gear/#recording

CREDITS
- Hosted, produced, edited, and mixed by Brad Bordessa
- Theme music by Brad Bordessa: "Fallout," "Eat You," and "Sister's Got a Gun" available on https://bradbordessa.bandcamp.com/