Blog Archives

F Barre chord

3/25/2014

It may not be your favorite chord but it can help you be the kind of ukulele player who can play in ANY KEY. Just think about it!
So…..warm up with the finger exercises - stretches and then snaking up the neck, keeping your fingers as close to the fretboard and possible. I am unable to get my scanner working tonight but I will try to scan a diagram for you when it agrees to scan again.
Practice the new "closed" chord shape using it for the F chord. It is the third shape on the page that I gave you. Remember that the root is on the C string. Use Iko Iko (BUG book) and On top of Old Smoky (Daily Ukulele) to work on changing from C to F (both closed shapes).
Continue to practice the Tennessee Waltz using closed shapes and 3/4 Waltz Strum.

0 Comments

Barre chords in waltz time

3/18/2014

0 Comments

This week work on the three barre chord shapes we talked about today. The G shape, the C shape and the D7 shape.
Use Good Night Irene, and The Tennessee Waltz (below) to practice. Both in G
Remember to be patient with yourself while your fingers are getting used to these shapes.
Suggestions today were to do finger exercises, and also to move the chord shapes up the neck one fret at at time. Work on one shape at a time until you become more confident with them. Then begin to combine them.
Michael Gonzalez is doing another Blues Workshop on April 12. For information:http://stargroove.com/clinics/blues-uke/

tennessee_waltz__g_-_for_teaching.doc
File Size:	24 kb
File Type:	doc

Download File

the_three_3-note_shapes.jpeg
File Size:	236 kb
File Type:	jpeg

Download File

0 Comments

Barre Chords - Love them or leave them

3/13/2014

0 Comments

Barre (closed) chords are a way of opening up your musical options and better understanding the ukulele. If this sounds like torture to you, don't go there.
The bottom line is the joy of the music. Many can find joy with three chords and a simple strum (I wish that I was that kind of person). Some people want more and love the challenge. Whichever type of musician you are, embrace it and enjoy it.
We began working with major chord 2 shapes - As you will remember, a major chord is made up of scale notes 1 (root) 3, and 5. In the below diagram, the R and numbers at the top identify these notes that make up the chord.

If you choose to work on barre chords, practice these two shapes at home this week. Of course, these shapes can be used anywhere on the fretboard. What chord it becomes is determined by what the root is. So, as shown in the two diagrams above (on the 2nd fret) the chord shape on the left is a G chord and the one on the right is a B chord.

Some good songs in the daily Ukulele for practicing these chords are:

Folsom Prison Blues

Proud Mary

Chapel of Love

King of the Road …… and many more.

Just force yourself to practice one of these shapes at a time.

Some hints to learning these shapes. As always, work on teaching your fingers the shape, not building the chord one finger at a time. Make the shape putting your fingers lightly on the strings but don't press. Then press and strum all at once, then release. This will reduce the stress on your fingers and help your fingers learn the shape. Shake your handout and do it again.

0 Comments

Doo Wap 101

3/4/2014

0 Comments

Nice job on SWAY - keep working that calypso strum and the B7 and Em chords.
DOO WAP, DOO WAP -
The Chord progression is…. I, vi , IV, V7
practice this in the keys of C, F, G and A
The strum we were using is in the boxes on the document below, along with the words to the Blue Moon"quodlibet" ( a light-hearted medley of well known tunes - I googled it).
In addition to these 3 there are about a million other songs that can be sung to the Doo Wap progression:
Sillouettes on the Shade
Heart and Soul
Twenty Six Miles across the sea
Donna
on and on and on…….

doo_wap.jpg
File Size:	87 kb
File Type:	jpg

Download File

0 Comments

F Barre chord

Barre chords in waltz time

Barre Chords - Love them or leave them

Doo Wap 101

Author

Archives

Categories