THERE'S the easy strumming of the ukuleles, the warm sounds of a group of friends getting together, the chorus of singing voices rising up.
You could be relaxing in Hawaii, snoozing by some idyllic Polynesian beach, or at Foster St, Queanbeyan.
That's where local Artists Shed musical director Tim Keeble and his merry band of ukulele strummers meet each Tuesday night, and they're currently looking for new members.
With the humble, four string ukulele now back in some sort of musical vogue, Mr Keeble said it's the perfect time to pick up the 'uke.
"There's a small group of us that meet at the Shed every Tuesday night to play a few songs and there's some basic ukulele tuition," Mr Keeble said.
"It's always an enjoyable night. There's a nice cosy fire to sit around and have a bit of a sing-a-long," he said.
The ukulele group work their way through a number of timeless folk and popular classics, while relaxing and sharing a love of music.
"But it's not just about strumming along with the ukulele," Mr Keeble added.
"We also look at it from the performance side, because the uke is just a tool, not an end in itself. It's perfect for accompanying a performance, and it's used widely in comedy and other live performance," he said.
To catch a flavour of the ukulele and see whether it might be for you, stop by the Artists Shed on Friday night to see some top local ukulele talent on display.
Veteran Australian ukulele artist AJ Leonard will be performing a set of original uke material, accompanied by cellist Jenny Rowlands.
Festival favourites the Ukulele Republic of Canberra (UROC) will also be performing.
And on Saturday night The Shed gets back in the recording groove with a live concert destined for Artsound FM featuring the marvellous instrumental quintet, Takadimi from Sydney.Takadimi were Artsound's album of the week earlier this year with New Common Sense.
Be part of this unique event from 7.30pm.
*To join in the Queanbeyan ukulele group at the Artists Shed, email Tim Keeble atmusic@artistsshed.com.
