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Just a Stroll in the Park

2/23/2017

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Next week we will play While Strolling Through the Park again and will add the harmony, for those who would like to practice that. I think the harmony part is easier that the melody because it has less accidentals so don't be afraid of it. It is attached to last week's blog.  
We'll also spend a little more time with playing intervals (3rds) on the uke but not enough to make you crazy. Just a little bit each week.
AND begin to practice Dance of the Hours. First work on finding the notes in the melody. Remember that we are in the key of Bb so all B's and E's are flat.
Next work on finding the TOP notes in the Use II. Then the BOTTOM notes. The rhythm will be pretty easy to get in class so just focus where the notes are.
If you are so inclined (after you have identified the notes of each part) try playing both Uke II notes at the same time using the handout I gave you in class. If you are confused by it, we will go over this next week in class (attached below). Also attached below is a slow version of this song.
See you next week.
​Gail

dance_of_the_hours_-_uke_ii.jpeg
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Welcome Back !

2/15/2017

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It sure is good to see everyone again. It seems like it was a long break. 

Great Job on Abdelazar and Las Chaparerras! I'm impressed. And without even toooo much whining about the flatpicks. 

Look at your intervals lesson (pages 36 and 37) but don't fret over it. We will re-visit this subject next week with more exercises and explanation. Understanding will come as little bursts of enlightenment over time. Attached below is a Scale degrees and patterns page that we began to talk about last night.
Note: An error in the triplet exercise a the top of page 38. The second example should be:  i  p  i   i  p  i  - the same pattern twice.
                 D D U D D U
We move on to While Strolling Through the Park, which is a light hearted, even silly, song with many lessons to teach us. For intrepid ukers, I have attached a harmony part for this song below. 
1. Work on getting proficient at making and changing between the Em and the B7. These chords are often used together. 
2. Learn the notes. There are many accidentals (sharps and flats) in this song, making it very interesting to listen to and fun to play, once you identify where the notes are.
3. The strum is a Jig rhythm, just like we played in Charlie is My Darling: 
         down          up.   down.          up - with no strum on the 2 or 5 beats
          1         2     3       4       5     6 
Since this song is 12/8  it is played just like two 6/8 measures stuck together.  
​4. Triple Strum (or Triplet strum) - One video tutorial is below. This fellow teaches it the way I do except his upstroke after the thumb down, is with his thumb. If you poke around youtube, you will discover that there are many ways to play and teach this strum. I just showed you the way that I learned it. The point is to get the right rhythm (tri-pl-et) and you can watch a variety of video and decide which one works for you. 
Next week, let's warm up with Let Me Call You Sweetheart, just for fun, and to listen for "alternative chords".
​Gail




scale_degrees_and_pattern.jpeg
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while-strolling-through-the-park-high-4th-friendly-harmony-c6.pdf
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    Instructor

    Gail MacDonald is a
    Fully Certified Instructor with the James Hill Ukulele Initiative with  over 6 years experience teaching Ukulele In The Classroom classes. 

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