Over the Rainbow/What A Wonderful World
  Bellingham Ukulele Orchestra
  • Zoom/Roster
  • Music Library
  • Online Opportunities
  • Recipes
  • Orchestra Blog
  • About
  • Photo Gallery
  • Exercises
  • Links
  • Set Lists
  • Gail and Pat Asia adventure 2020
  • YouTube Videos

Working up and across the neck

9/28/2016

0 Comments

 
Working up and across the neck will open a whole new world to you. Many people prefer playing up the neck so much that once they get comfortable up there, it's hard to get them back down. 
Now we are really finished with Book 2. No need to bring it to class anymore.
Nice job on Shenandoah. This is a song you might find yourself playing a lot at home because is so lovely and so familiar. Just remember to make it pretty. 
Also, practice Happy Birthday in F or G (or any other key) at home, by ear. Someday you will find yourself in a position where you want to play this for someone, and you will have not have the music.
Playing by ear (by heart) is a skill that is definitely worth having and is learned by practice, like everything else. 
In preparation for Hornpipe, we worked on learning the F scale across the neck. Use the handouts to learn the pattern across the neck. Remember, there are only two finger patterns to learn for major scales. The one that starts on the C string (this is the one we are working on now) and the pattern that starts on the G string (we'll do that later).
For next week, practice the F scale up and across the neck, and The Ryans and the Pittmans (pg 11). This song is in 3/4 time, is rollicking, and is great to use to practice your chord changes, especially the Gm. Also practice the strumming and chord changing exercises on page 10. Scale handouts from class are posted on the Book 3 Resources page. 
And always, pat yourself on the back for the things that you can do, enjoy the process of learning new things, and celebrate the small stuff. 
0 Comments

Shenandoah..

9/21/2016

0 Comments

 
…..A great traditional song that allows us to practice our arpeggio and working on making it sound pretty.
Yesterday we did a fine job of picking and strumming C'Etait Anne de Bretagne in two keys and transitioning from one to the other using…. the V7 chord of the new Key. 
We reviewed major and minor chords in a Major Key, reviewed the use of Roman Numeral to identify chords (large Roman Numeral for major chords and small for minor chords) and played Drunken Sailor (Am) and Happy Birthday by ear (G). 
Please practice your new chords and chord changes on page 7. 
Also Practice Shenandoah on page 8, the Chords (write them in), the Uke II arpeggio, and the Melody in Uke I.  Pay special attention to the fingering of the Uke II in measure 10. Consider playing the E on the C string to get the smooth arpeggio that we want for this song. 
Thank You, Kristin, for reminding me to have you play Minuet, which was really lovely. We'll warm up with this next week, in 2 parts. 
​Gail's Carpal Tunnel exercises are posted HERE
Recording of Shenandoah is on the Resources page 
0 Comments

Book 3 !!!

9/13/2016

0 Comments

 
It's really good to see all of you back and ready to tackle Book 3. 
I am very impressed that you were able to site read so readily, and Roger reminded me that it is so important to think back to where you were at this time last year: Starting Book 1!. So please be proud and take ownership of the things that you can do now ! You can read music ! And sing and strum. 
Onward to Book 3…..
Please practice the new chords: Am,Dm, Em, Gm, B7 and Cm
Use the exercises page 4 for some of these but especially practice C'etait Anne de Bretagnen (pg 5) in both Keys ( Em and Gm). Practice both the chords (in 6/8 time) and picking the melody. 
Also, go back to Book 2 and pratice the Minuet (pg 63) so we can try that next week. 
Remember to try playing "What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor" by ear. It is 2 Chord song in Am. Chords are Am and G. Start on Am and let your ear tell you when to change. 

Recordings of C'Etait Anne de Bretagne are found on the Book 3 Resource Page. 
Write me with you questions or concerns 

0 Comments

    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. 

    Archives

    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed