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September 24 -

9/25/2013

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Great work last night, Super Ukers.  I know those up-the-neck chords are difficult.  If you persevere, though, you’ll find that these different chord voicings will add interesting elements to your playing.  You can always use the first position chords that you already know. 

We used Keep on The Sunny Side as a warm up to practice up-the-neck chords, making sure that each string has good tone.  Next week we’ll have another tune.

 Folsom Prison Blues really sounds good with the alternate bass strum and occasionally adding an up-the-neck C and C7 chords.  When you’re practicing this week, see if you can pick out the melody by ear.  We’ll try combining the melody and chords next week and then move to another tune.  When playing your favorite tunes, try using this strum and see if it fits the song. 

We’ll also move on from The Crawdad Song after reviewing it briefly next week.  The “down-down-up-down-down-up” strum (within a 4-beat measure) can be used as well as the alternate bass strum.  The up-the-neck F chord introduced in this song can be used as a substitute for the 1st position F chord.  The three up-the-neck chords, C  C7 and F, should be added to your practice routine.  Practice chord changes as they occur in each song until you can smoothly move between them while keeping an even tempo.

Edelweiss sounds so pretty when we introduce chord melody.  When you are playing it, pick the melody notes that sound best to you; you can also occasionally leave out a chord if it sounds good.  As you experiment by trial and error with this technique, you will develop a pleasing arrangement of this beautiful tune.

The Canons could use some practice getting the notes to “flow” so we can pick up the tempo.  Rounds are a good way to build concentration.

The Uke Players in Disguise is just a silly song I thought you would enjoy.  We won’t play it in class, but I thought you would appreciate yet another way to present song chords and lyrics that you might encounter in a jam session.

Please bring both books 1 and 2 to each class and have a good week.

Evelyn

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Welcome Back

9/18/2013

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Hello Super Ukers!

It was great to see all of you at our new home.  Our Savior’s Lutheran Church is a very comfortable place to play and I hope you like it there.

Last night we reviewed the C and F scales as well as the C major pentatonic scale. Then we moved that same pattern starting at D on the C string to make a D pentatonic scale.  That scale pattern is the first figure on the Pentatonic Scale handout.  Flying Off the Handle is a practice drill for the C pentatonic scale. 

It’s a good idea to play all the scales you know as often as possible, gradually increasing speed.  Sing the note and say the note name as you are playing to instill the sound of that note/pitch in your brain.  And don’t forget to do the finger exercises to warm up your fingers as you prepare to practice.

Folsom Prison Blues sounds really good with the alternating bass strum.  You could also use a “whimpy/strong” strum, or the double strum illustrated on P. 46 in Book 2.  As you practice strumming this song, use the C7 chord up the neck and notice how different it sounds from the C7 chord we usually play.  Practice switching from chord to chord in the song until each transition is smooth. Also practice picking the notes, and next week we will divide the class in half with some picking and some strumming.  And sing when you’re practicing!

Work on the Beethoven Canons A and B, particularly measure 11 in section A using the finger numbers indicated above the notes, as well as any other measures that you find challenging. 

Review the I, IV and V chords in the key of F (see P. 17 in Book 2).

The Crawdad Song is in the same key as Folsom.  We used the C chord up the neck that has the same chord shape as the Bb chord – just moved up 2 frets.   When practicing this song, see how many times you can smoothly play the C and/or C7 chords up the neck.  Barred chords can be difficult to play at first, but persevere until you can get a good, clear note on each string.

And, finally, make up a personal practice log in which you record what you practice:  Scales, strumming, note reading, ear training (picking out tunes without notation), theory and singing.  Reviewing your log weekly will indicate where you need to focus your practice.

I’ll see you all next week – enjoy these Indian summer days.

Please call me if you need clarification of anything.

Evelyn
734-1792
 

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    Gail MacDonald

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