Blog Archives

Moving on to A Mountain High-Top

3/30/2016

Spring ! Time for planting !

Spring and Rondeau were both very impressive. Please continue practicing Rondeau so we can play it again next week.
We will also play Sweet Sue again so keep working on getting that "swing" feel.
We talked about dominant 7th chords (pg 28-29) and then began to work on A Mountain High-Top, a very fun latin american song. Please listen to the slow recording, and play with it, to help learn this fun piece. Start with Uke II.
Next week we will also play the Gypsy Rover again (pg24). I suggest that you try playing the chords (reading the Roman Numerals) and then try changing it to a different key.

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Vivaldi, Rondeau, and Sweet Sue

3/24/2016

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We'll play Spring again next week to give you a chance to enjoy playing this beautiful piece, and to encourage Spring to come along. Remember to try to get a warm full and joyful tone while playing this. Make it sound like Spring!
We move along into another very familiar (thanks to Masterpiece Theater) classical piece. Remember to practice the shift up the neck on measure 5 and use the fingering that is written there. Then practice measures 4, and 5 together, and then add measure 6. Also, before practicing the whole piece, practice measure 2 (all those 8th notes). The slow recording for this is on your Resource page.
Also on your Resource Page is a recording of the swing strum and the chords for Sweet Sue. A copy of this is on the Resource page
Have fun with Sweet Sue, practicing the chords, the strum and playing the notes, using both tabs and notation.

Events:
Bellingham Ukulele Orchestra will present it's 4th annual concert (Just For Fun) on May 21 at the Heiner Theater at Whatcom Community College. Tickets are $10.00 and can be purchased at Brown Paper Tickets or from ME in April. We will have special guests and we put on a good show so don't miss it.

Also - the Langley Ukulele Ensemble will be appearing in Bellingham on April 24. If you have never heard the amazing group of kids, you will love them. Click here for ticket information.

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Happy St. Paddy's Day !

3/16/2016

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Very nice work on Barney and Katey. What a difference a week makes.
It was fun to relax and play some Irish tunes to celebrate the season. Even if nobody knows Whiskey in the Jar. Your Irish education is incomplete so here it is by the Dubliners:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlWTASnnft4

Next Week we get to play Vivaldi ! We are playing again in the key of F. Go to the Resource page for the slow version of this.
Practice both the Uke I and Uke II and try to play along with the recording. We probably will warm up with Aloha O'E again so practice that one, too.

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Barney and Katey and other Irish Songs

3/9/2016

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For next week practice again Barney and Katey (and then we'll be done with it). We'll also run through Aloha O'e and Up Above My Head. Then… in honor of St. Patrick's Day we'll just have some fun with some Irish Songs. We will be mostly strumming and singing but will also pick when we have the music.
Some of these songs are in your book but it is up to you bring the song below to class. some of the scans are not great and these songs can be found in the Daily Ukulele (DU), if you have it.
Barney and Katey (pg 15)
The Little Red Fox (pg 10)
The Gypsy Rover (pg 24)
Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ra ( all of the rest are on the resources page)
When Irish Eyes are Smiling
Danny Boy
Whiskey in the Jar

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Playing in the Key of Bb

3/2/2016

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* Remember that learning the Bb chord and making it sound nice takes time. Lots of time. Be patient with yourself and just keep (gently) working at it. For right now be OK with a not very pleasant sound from the Bb. It will come in time.

We warmed up with the Purcell Canon, played as a round. Nicely done
Then on to Era Una Vez and the Little Red Fox, chords and notes
We played through the Bb exercises on page 14, and then introduced some fingering suggestions for Barney and Katey.
For Next Week:
Continue using exercises on page 14 to work on Bb and rhythms.
Practice the 1,3,5,8 handout to help you hear these intervals. Pick the notes and sing the words.
Begin to learn Barney and Katey - Remember that the goal here is to be very efficient with your fingers. Study the notes and figure out when you can get away with little or no finger movement, like we talked about in class.
If you want to, you can start to work on the notes in Aloha 'Oe.

Slow version of Barney and Katey and 1,3,5,8 are on the Resource page.

BELLINGHAM UKULELE ORCHESTRA Spring Concert
MAY 21
$10.00 - Tickets will go on sale in April

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Moving on to A Mountain High-Top

Vivaldi, Rondeau, and Sweet Sue

Happy St. Paddy's Day !

Barney and Katey and other Irish Songs

Playing in the Key of Bb

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