Blog Archives

Music empowers !

4/29/2015

So….. we'll do our best to wrap up Book 2, even if it means skipping 1 song.
For our final class for this session, Practice Chiribiribin. Do your best and work on the fingering, shifting up the neck on the high notes.
Also, practice the secondary dominant chord exercises on page 56 and 57. We will then play Chords for When Irish Eyes are Smiling, My Grandfather's clock and My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean. We'll also learn Capital Blues in class. It is much easier to learn by ear.
This is a very good time to think about how far you have come (especially after practicing Chiribiribin). Just think about what you could do on the ukulele last August and what you can do now. Consider what you know about music now that you didn't know before. Playing music is a wonderful process in which the learning never stops, so it important to take ownership of what you do know, and what you can do at each step along the way.
At the end of class next week, we'll spend a few minutes celebrating YOU !

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Music can change the world…….

4/22/2015

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Let's start next week with Ruslan and Lyudmila… presto and with drama. to that end, practice with the dynamics we discussed in class (and will go over next week in class).
Work on learning the chromatic notes in the phrases in Woolly Boogie so that we can have some fun with it next week. Practice the chords for this also, which are written in a standard 12 bar blues pattern.
We will also begin to work on Ciribiribin so I am including the slow recording for that. Take a look at it and see if you can identify the notes and next week in class we will work on the fingering of high notes across the neck.
Remember that Ralph Shaw is here this Saturday at the Mt Baker theater, encore room. It wll be fun.
2:00 workshop ($25.00)
4:00 concert ($10.00)

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Glow Little Glow Worm…...

4/15/2015

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Very nice sight reading on German Dance. And very good progress on Glow Worm. The challenges for that piece are the staccato notes and the slightly tricky rhythm throughout the first page. Once we get to the second page, we're home free. We'll play Glow Worm again next week and move on to Overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila. Be sure to practice both Uke I and Uke II because the piece in incomplete with both parts. There are no particular tricks to this except that it is meant to move along very quickly. We'll start slow and then speed up. Slow Version is below.
Also….practice the double strum exercises on page 46-47, paying close attention to the down and up stroke indicators and the emphasis marks above notes on page 47. Remember to try to get the feel of the rhythms on page 47 and then play them while not looking at the page. It will often make more sense that way.

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A colorful (chromatic) scale

4/8/2015

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I think that Latin Time is one of the most fun pieces in this book. But we have some other great music to discover still in Book 2.
Continue to work on your chords in the key of Bb: Bb, Eb, and F7. They will start to sound better….eventually. Now and then, play each string individually to try to identify where the problem is so you can adjust your fingers accordingly. Relax you elbow and allow it to float up a bit, or down, if it helps with the chords. In fact, relax everything!
Practice Chromatic scale notes with the exercises on page 41.
Also practice Latin Time so that we can use it to warm up next week.
German Dance - work on learning the notes and practice the 8th note phrases (measure 5-8) first. This is really just one phrase, repeated 3 times. (slow version below).
Glow Worm - the work here is to play short notes on those marked with a dot indicating staccato (slow version below). The first page is probably unfamiliar, and therefore, more challenging. Remember that when notes are tied together, it's like one note. Use the recording to hear how this first page sounds. The familiarity and simplicity of the second page should be quite a relief.
See You Next Week!
Gail

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Playing in the key of Bb

4/1/2015

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Lovely job on the spirited Mountain High-Top and the lyrical Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes. Two songs with a very different style and mood.
We are expanding our options by moving into a new key - Bb. This week practice the new chord shapes that are on page 34. Use the exercises on that pg and Bill Grogan's goat, and Little Brown Jug to practice playing these new chords. Remember that you have the option of making all 3 chords closed. Just add the Bb on the G string to the Eb chord, and add the C on the A string to the F7 chords. Attached below
Next Week we'll warm up with Bill Grogan's Goat and we will also play Little Brown Jug. Notice! All of the E's are flat in Little Brown Jug because it is in the key of Bb. E flat is found on the 3rd fret of the C string. I may want to highlight the Eb's because it is hard to remember the change at first.
We will also begin working on The Chromatic Scale (pg 40)and related songs but there is not preparation required of you for that.
BUG Jam is the Saturday (April 4).
The 3rd annual Bellingham Ukulele Concert will be May 29 at WCC Heiner Theater. Ticket will be available soon. Put it on your calendars!
Also - I am going to be offering a new class for 4 weeks on Tuesday evening - Playing by Ear. If you know of anyone who is interested, please let me know.
4 week class - Playing by Ear.
This will be an entirely paperless class. We will be learning how to listen for the chord changes, some common chord progressions, how to know what chords fit in a key, playing a variety of keys, and some strums. No music stands required!
This is not a beginning class. You need know these chords well and be comfortable changing chords.
A, A7, Am, Bb, B7, C, C7, D, D7, Dm, E7, Em, F, F7, G, G7,
Class will meet Tuesdays Apr 14, 21, 28 and May 5. 7:00 - 8:30.
Cost $50.00 for the 4 weeks. Max 20 people

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Music empowers !

Music can change the world…….

Glow Little Glow Worm…...

A colorful (chromatic) scale

Playing in the key of Bb

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