Below is the lesson for “Danse Paysanne” by Ferdinando Carulli.

Helpful Tips

Learn three ways to add expression and emotion to your performance of this Classical piece by Italian composer, Ferdinando Carulli. The three stylistic approaches are:

1) Shaping Your Sound – We can produce a variety of tones by simply moving the position of the picking hand in relation to the soundhole. For example, picking the strings towards the bridge produces a thinner tone with more treble and clarity. By contrast, picking the strings towards the neck of the ukulele produces a much warmer, fuller tone.

2) Rubato – Involves the subtle slowing or speeding up of tempo. Music played to a strict, metronomic beat can sound dull and robotic. To overcome this, rubato can be used to achieve a more natural, human feel.

3) Dynamics – Refers to the volume of the music being played. We can make a huge impact on the expression and emotion we convey in performances by varying the volume.

These three approaches are taught in complete detail in our Classical Technique & Style Course. If any of these stylistic approaches are new to you, I encourage you to take the course before attempting the piece. The course will explain each approach and show you when and how to apply them in your performances.

Part 1 – Performance & Free Lesson

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