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Got 15 minutes? You can learn to play the ukulele

Music teacher Cathy Whalen says learning the ukulele is easy, fast and fun. Weekend AM's Heather Barrett puts that to the test.

Cathy Whalen's adult ukulele students in Mount Pearl are so into it, they're doing pop-up gigs

Cathy Whalen of Take Note Music School in Mount Pearl gives Weekend AM host Heather Barrett a quick ukulele lesson. (Carl Hodder/CBC)

"Heads up, this is highly addictive," ukulele teacher Cathy Whalen warns me.

Whalen teaches the ukulele at Take Note Music School in Mount Pearl.

She said the instrument is experiencing a resurgence in popularity with both children and adults. Grace VanderWaal, winner of America's Got Talent, and members of the band 21 Pilots have ukuleles front and centre in their music.

I have a background in piano and woodwind instruments, but I have never taken to string instruments such as the guitar or violin.

No worries, according to Whalen. She says the ukulele is easy to learn, and it has become extremely popular with adults at Take Note Music School, where she leads an adult group class.

"You have all of these moms and dads, they're brought their kids to music [lessons]," says Whalen. "They've been the ones watching from the sidelines, now it's their turn."

In less than 15 minutes on Weekend AM, Whalen and I were rocking out a duet of Sam Smith's hit song, Stay with Me. Have a listen to our lesson here.

Easy peasy!