BOOK 3 2019

Congratulations !

12/1/2019

You did it. And I hope you are all very proud of yourselves, as I am.
I have enjoyed this class so much. As always, I feel that I have gained many new friendships, and I always learn as I teach.
I hope to see you all at our concert on December 12. details here
UKe On ! Gail
P.S. Clay's Coconut Poke Cake is here

Times Flies

11/19/2019

I am always amazed at how fast 12 weeks goes by. This has been such a fun class to work with, but here we are. Just one more lesson to....... graduation!
Next week we will play with flat picks and tremolo Jeu! Jeu! Slow recording on Resources Page.
Also we will work our way up the neck a bit with the chord shapes on page 59. and talk some more about how to make use of these chords shapes.
Then we'll play something very different without flat picks: Nu'a O Ka Palai. Enjoy the sweet slowness and long sustained notes in the lovely Hawaiian song
Then, we celebrate and be merry......

Tacos next Monday

11/12/2019

Remember, everyone who wants to will go up to Mi Rancho for tacos after class next Monday, Whoo Hoo! They have $1.00 tacos, giant taco salads, burritos, and more....

Continue to practice March for next week. Please practice both Uke parts and chords.
Moving on to Tremolo Flatpicking. Refering to pages 48-49, remember that the tremolo action is smooth and within a rhythm (8th note, 16th note, etc.)
On pages 48-49 you will be working with 8th note and 16th note tremolo. As always, slow the exercises down until you can play them, then gradually try to speed up.
Work on Blue Monday, a cute song utilizing an 8th note tremolo on half notes. Practice both Uke I and Uke II. This song is very nice with harmony. Slow version on Resources page.
Also go back to Elenke (page 27) and try playing using a 16th note tremolo on the quarter notes.
If you are very adventurous, try moving Blue Monday up the neck, one fret at a time, as they do on the recording.

Week 9

11/5/2019

Times flies when you are having fun, and I'm SURE you are having fun.
Continue practicing While strolling through the part - notes and chords including the Triplet strum. We'll play that in class next week.
We will skip Dance of the Hours for now, although on the resources page I have posted the sheet giving you the shapes for playing the Uke II part, both notes at the same time. It'as pretty fun so give it a try. Listen to the recording so you can get an idea of how it sounds. I also enourage you to work on the Uke I, which is very good practice for sight reading in the key of Bb.
Next week we will also play Oft in the Stilly Night. Please practice the chord changes, getting them smooth and lovely. Two strums per measure. And pratice the notes focusing on the getting rhythm right and getting a smooth sustained sound. Do not lift fingers too soon to get the most sound out of the notes.
Moving on to March (pg 42). Practice the chords and Uke II but focus on the Uke I, getting the rhythms right and practicing the 8th note runs up and down. A slow version in on the resources page.
Although we will not use a flat pick on either of the new songs for this week, continue practicing your other songs with it because next week we will introduce tremolo flatpicking.
Yes, we will meet in Veterans Day which is Next Monday. See you then.
The clock in the studio is still working......
Gail

Tri-pe-let, tri-pe-let, tri-pe-let

10/29/2019

Please continue practicing Bella Bocca Polka for next week. Also Las Chaparreras (use your recording for the rhythm). I was pretty impressed with how well you got it yesterday.

Read over page 36 about intervals, try practicing naming the intervals on page 37.

Now.... work on the notes in While Strolling Through the Park and the chords. Then the triplet strum that we use in measures 12 and 16. I have put a couple of videos on the resources page that will help to learn it. Also, there are lots of sharps and flats in this song. They make it interesting but you may need to focus on working certain parts to get them (and listen to the recording). Remember that the song is in the Key of G, when makes all F's sharp, unless they are marked otherwise.

Just like using a flat pick, learning the triplet strum will help you with every other part of your ukulele playing. Using your fingers and hands, developing dexterity, co-ordination and fluidity in both hands comes slowly, but surely, with practice.

Here are a couple of good articles on practicing....
https://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2013/09/03/216906386/10-easy-ways-to-optimize-your-music-practice
https://www.scotranney.com/blog/8/The-Talent-Excuse.html

See you next week.
Gail

Picking a jolly polka....

10/23/2019

Next Monday let's warm up with Charlie is My Darling using our flat picks, AND Elenke. What do you think would be a good intro and outro for Elenke?
Practice Bella Bocca Polka for next week: First practice the notes using your thumb for picking, then practice it with picks. Note that there is a key change in measure 18 and that both Uke I and Uke II are written on the same staff. Practice the top and bottom notes separately. Eventually you may want to practice playing both notes at the same time. You will find slow version of this song and recordings of the 2nd half of the song, top and bottom notes separately, on the resources page.
Also, listen to the recording of Las Chaparerras! You don't even have to practice the notes for this yet. Just listen, then listen while looking at the score and following along with the recording.
Mostly...... Have Fun and see you next Monday

flatpickiing 101

10/15/2019

We continue along with chords in the key of G minor - pg 26. Please practice exercises on page 26 for strumming and changing chords.
Then Elenke. Very nice site reading in class, by the way. Practice the chords in the song (key of Bb) and the notes for both Uke I and II. Plan your fingering on this one.
We are skipping Theme from Abdelazer but if you want to work it on your own or with a group, the chord shapes that will help you play measures 3,4,5 and 6 are on the resource page.
On we go to Flatpicking. I love using a flatpick and I hope you will like it once you get the knack of it. At least give it a chance even though at first it will be odd and difficult just because it is new. But flatpicking gives you more options with the ukulele for variation of sound and style.
Refer to page 32 (often) to know how to hold your flatpack. Pick somwhere below where the neck starts on you uke. Experiment and see where you get a better sound. Try picking close to the bridge, over the sound hold, etc.
Angle of the pick to string – parallel for bright, angle for warmer
Thickness of pick: thin pick, thin sound
Focus is not on speed but keeping a steady rhythm
Practice the exercises on page 32 and 33. It's all about down and up. You will have to get used to the up pick because with our thumbs we have been just picking down.
Try playing Elenke with flat picks, and then to See Swainson. You should find the 16th notes phrases easier to play once you get your pick moving down and up.

Moving right along

10/8/2019

For this week practice the exercises on page 23, Wayfaring Stranger and To See Swainson:
page 23 is to practice the chords in D minor and the double strum. Try them as the instructions say. Tap your knee (lightly) with your right hand for every quarter note rest (not on 8th note rest on #6).
Wayfaring Stranger - try for sustained, sweet notes. Pay attention to the dynamic marks: mp - medium soft, mf - medium loud, crescendo and decrescendo on measures 20-24. Also practice the chords and try playing some arpeggiated chords or some finger picking patterns with them
To See Swainson - First work on the phrases in measure 3 and 11, and measures 13-18. Practice the Chords with a off beat strum. recordings on Resources page.

Slavonic and Charley .....

10/1/2019

Very impressive job on Hornpipe. Just to give you a bit more time to practice it, we'll play it again next week.
Also, playing in the the key of Bb (Sweet Betsy and Round Her Neck...) seemed to give you all no trouble. Good Job!
For next week practice the harmonic Am scale (pg 20) and the exercises at the bottom of that page, in order to practice the chords in Am.
Then....work on the chords and melody of Slavonic Dance No. 2. Notice that the lines are very repititious so once you make it through line one, you will find you have learned most of the song. When picking the melody, practice first the little run in m. 7. This song is in 2/4 time, which is considered "March Time". There are 2 strong beats to each measure. You can either strum ON the beat, or on the OFF beat.
Also, work on learning the notes for Charley in My Darling (p. 22). This is in 6/8 "Jig time". strum down on the 1 and up on the 3, down on the 4, up on the 6.
Slow recordings for both songs AND harmony parts for them are on the Resource Page.
Have fun !

Hornpipe and beyond

9/24/2019

Next week we will warm up with some of the exercises on page 15 so make sure you practice those chords in the key of Bb.
We will then work on Hornpipe for a while. Please be sure to practice Uke II. We will also play Uke I and chords. The slow version of measure 22-27 is on the resource page.
Then we will play Sweet Betsy from Pike - key of Bb so all E's and B's are FLAT. Practice the chords and the melody. That will lead us into playing in class 'Round Her Neck She Wears A Yellow Ribbon, which is also in Bb.