No account: no sign-up, no email address, no class management. No pupil data has to be created or passed on for lessons.
No ads, no tracking: no in-app purchases, no cookies, no analytics services.
Everything stays on the device: Stars, settings and own songs live only in the browser’s storage. The microphone is analysed only on the device and never recorded.
Works without a microphone: If you’d rather not allow the microphone, just tap “Done” yourself.
Open and free: no subscription, the source code is public (open source).
In the browser on tablet, phone and computer – nothing to install and no approval needed from the school’s device management.
Even on older iPads (iOS 12 and later) that can no longer install new apps.
Offline after the first visit: the tuner, rhythm and every song opened before then work without internet.
Tip: with “Add to Home Screen” in the browser menu, the app sits on the home screen like any other.
In class
Tune at the start of the lesson: the tuner recognises the string and helps when someone turns the peg of the next string.
Every song has its own address. On the handout below, chosen songs appear as QR codes – the children land right on the song.
Enter your own or public-domain songs under “My Own Song” and share them by QR code. The song is inside the link itself; nothing is uploaded. Add your own song
Make homework concrete: “Every day, play the song once in ‘Waits for me’ mode and one minute of the chord game with two chords.”
On a projector or whiteboard everyone sees the same line of the song; with a speaker the whole class hears the backing.
For parents: you don’t need to play yourself
How to help your child, even if you can’t read music:
Short and regular: 5 to 10 minutes every day beats one hour once a week. A fixed time saves arguments.
Listen instead of correcting: Ask for a little concert and praise what already works – and that your child kept at it.
The app does the checking: The backing waits, the microphone listens, there are stars. You don’t need to know whether everything is right.
Let them choose: Your child picks the next song.
Sing and clap along: Making music together is the best reward.
Breaks are okay: If fingers hurt or the energy is gone, a favourite song helps more than any reminder.
Practice plan: 10 minutes a day
Always in the same order – so your child knows what’s next:
Nothing is stored or checked – the plan is just a suggestion.
Printable handout
One A4 sheet for children and parents: QR code to the app, first steps, practice tips and room for your notes. What you type here only goes on the sheet and is not stored.
Tip: choose A4 and portrait in the print dialog. Without an entry, lines remain to fill in by hand.
Ukulele Club
Learn, practise, play along – free in your browser
Class:
openstring.de/ukulele/en
Scan with the camera or type in the address
Songs to play along with, chord charts, a tuner and rhythm. The backing waits at every chord change until you’re ready.
How to start
1Open the page: scan the QR code or type in the address.
2Tune: pluck a string – the needle shows whether it’s too high or too low.
3Pick a song, choose “Waits for me” and play along.
For parents: you don’t need to play yourself
5 to 10 minutes every day, ideally at the same time.
Listen and praise what already works – don’t correct.
The app checks and waits. You don’t need to read music.
At the end, ask for a song and sing along.
10 minutes a day
1 minTuning
3 minSwitch between two chords
4 minPlay along with a song
2 minRhythm with the metronome
No account, no ads, no data
No sign-up, no cookies, no tracking. Progress and own songs stay on the device; the microphone only listens and records nothing.
Runs on almost any device
In the browser on tablet, phone and computer, nothing to install – even on older iPads. After the first visit, much of it works offline too.
From your teacher
Homework: lesson
Our songs:
Learn ukulele in lessons: The learning path week by week: 24 lessons with a piece to play along, homework and a printable sheet.