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Hi Rock Class 101 Community!
I am beyond humbled to say that there has now been over 5,000+ members participating in our challenges! AMAZING! If you’ve sat on the sidelines, please join us for this month’s challenge! Challenges are a fun way to stay motivated and a great way to meet fellow ukulele players who are passionate about learning and becoming better players.
Please watch the video above and read instructions below carefully for details/instructions on this month’s challenge.
This month’s challenge is a departure from our typical challenges in which you choose a preselected piece to learn, practice, and post a performance of. This month you are in total control of what you wish to work on! Examples of things you could choose includes: a certain technique, an element of music theory, or a song. Below are 3 guidelines you must follow. In your first post, please list all 3 in complete detail.
1) Execution – Let us know what you’re gonna work on for the month of August and what your goal is.
2) Application – Tell us how you’ll be applying what you’re practicing to your playing. For example, if you are learning how to add a backbeat to your rhythm playing, you could apply this new technique by using it in a song, such as this one: 12 Bar Blues Strumming.
3) Evaluation – Analyze how you are doing. I suggest to evaluate yourself week by week. Throughout the month, feel free to post updates on how your practicing is coming along (optional).
You are free to work on anything musical related. It does not have to be Rock Class 101 related or ukulele specific. If you want to work on music for another instrument this month, go for it!
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GROUND RULES FOR PARTICIPATION:
1. You must create 2 posts. Post 1 lists the 3 steps in detail and must be submitted by Friday, August 15th. Post 2 shows your results for the month. Depending on what you choose to work on, this could include audio and/or video files of performances. Post 2 must be submitted by Sunday, August 31st, 11:59pm ET.
The upload feature on the site only supports photos. Members must host their own files. Creating an account is easy and free. Here are the links to create an account:
YouTube (For Video) – https://www.youtube.com/create_channel
SoundCloud (For Audio) – https://soundcloud.com/signin
** If you need assistance with how to record yourself check out our FREE course on recording audio/video and/or private message me and I will be happy to help you out. **
2. Submit individually, as a reply, IN THIS POST.
3. Have fun and don’t be intimidated by this challenge!!! Use this challenge to help you set goals and complete them by a deadline. You can also use this as an opportunity to chat with your fellow Rock Class 101 members and share tips or tricks on this challenge that you think are useful.
* Note: In my opinion, it is better to show progress versus perfection with these challenges. Remember we are all here to support you no matter what your current playing level is.
Participation Goal: 35 Rock Class 101 Member Participant Videos/MP3 posted.
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HELPFUL TIPS FOR DECIDING WHAT TO CHOOSE TO WORK ON:
1) Check out Learning Paths. It’s a step-by-step guide which takes a look at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced player and answers the big questions; such as “Where do I start?” and “What do I work on?”.
2) See what other members worked on when we initially ran this challenge theme in September of 2017, January of 2018, January of 2019, January of 2024, and in January of 2025.
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COMMON FAQs:
1) The challenge is open to the entire world!
2) Premium membership is NOT required to participate, but will make participation easier as it gains you complete access to the full video lessons, tabs, and the on-screen tab viewer.
3) Basic membership (free) is required to submit a reply on this forum post. You can sign up for Basic Membership HERE.
4) To post YouTube video links (in which they appear embedded on the forum), simply copy and paste the video URL in its own line. For example:
YouTube URL
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Notes for this Challenge:
Last month, we celebrated our 100th challenge! This month, I’m taking a little R&R and stepping back from leaving feedback. There won’t be a giveaway prize this month either.
Let’s crush this challenge!
@Andrew, it sounds like a well deserved break for you!
I look forward to picking another tune to work on. Maybe something slower paced. ☺️That video was so neat ‘n’ sweet!! Such a fun, casual challenge, this group loves a free-for-all! 😅 So glad you can have a little break, Andrew! Well deserved indeed! 😊
@Andrew any instrument you say? That sounds cool. I’m so smitten by the uke that I’ve neglected my other instruments 🥴 This will be fun. are we gonna find out who won last month’s challenge?
OK. I’m going to be really boring and work on something that I already have memorised. My goal is to get it close to where it was last year. My challenge is that I broke my right arm a few months ago, so I haven’t even been able to hold a uke, let along practice for a long time.
Here is a video of me playing the piece I will work on a few years ago.
@robinboyd Hi Robin, sorry you broke your arm. You broke a finger in the past too if I remember correctly. Sounds painful. I just saw the video you posted. What a beautiful song and well played.
@gi_gi_ – You’re not the only one to have noticed a pattern. It turns out I have osteoporosis.
Hi,
1) Execution – I’ve decided to pull together accompaniment on a low-G uke and whistling for Una Furtiva Lagrima.
2) Application – I’ll work on putting the accompaniment together rhythmically with the solo part and figure out how to arrange the accompaniment to best support the solo without distracting from it.
3) Evaluation – I’d like to have the two portions work well together and sound relaxed and flowing.Linda
@robinboyd Sorry about that.
@lhamilton look forward to your entry. Your whistling is beautiful. @robinboyd what a time you have had 😱😒 so sorry and hope you can build strength to play more.
Hi All,
1) Execution – I chose to continue to work on adding a percussive element through tapping since I enjoyed doing that with Free Fallin’ a couple of months ago.
2) Application – I found a fun version of Fool in The Rain by Led Zeppelin that requires tapping various parts of the body of the ukulele that I will play.
3) Evaluation – I’ll monitor my progress as I take the piece in sections, work to memorize it, and hopefully bring it up to speed to record it in the next few weeks.
I look forward to seeing the variety of techniques/songs/instruments people choose to work on this month!
1) Execution – This month I’m going to work on the ‘technology side’ – wireless mic recording and creating a merged video that incorporates multiple video ‘takes’ (different angles or settings) that are all synced up to a single master audio track. I occasionally like to prepare uke videos for friends for special situations like anniversaries or ‘thinking of you – cheering them up’, etc. I battle a bit with the syncing of audio to video and I don’t like to be tied to my husband’s big semi-complicated audio set-up that he has, so I’m loving the idea of wireless mics. Several folks have been chatting about wireless mics which I’ve also been interested in. I’ve just purchased a Hollyland Lark M2 combo – no shipping confirmation # yet, but I’m hopeful it will arrive in a week. That wireless mic is the only equip I’m going to buy – I don’t do anything fancy enough to warrant purchasing other video hardware or software (though I’m always tempted). I have iOS platform and Apple tools and will make do with the software that comes the platform (Garage Band, QuickTime, iMovie).
2) Application – I’ll use my new (yet to be shipped) wireless mic to record multiple audio takes (such as uke only, vocal only) and then multiple video takes (different settings or angles), pull the audio together in Garage Band, then use iMovie to sync and merge videos and master audio track together. I’d like to learn a new song also (looking at L-O-V-E because I want to do this for friends 65th anniversary), but I’m not committing to the new song part yet – LOL.
3) Evaluation – week 1: While I wait for the hardware to arrive, work on a song (L-O-V-E?), watch YouTube videos on syncing tips that use software packages I already own.
Week 2: test out wireless microphone – figure out how to do noise cancelling, pairing, connect transmitter to various sources like iphone or imac or DSLR camera, create multiple audio takes (e.g. uke, vocal) and use Garage Band to pull it all in and sync – exporting into one master audio track.
Week 3: play with videos – multiple video takes (different angles etc) and experiment with syncing them all together.
Week 4: finally, merging master audio with the multi-take video.
On the one hand, it sounds easy, on the other hand, it sounds a little overwhelming. But I always enjoy the step of using iMovie in our monthly challenges, so I do have a bit of a head-start on the software. And I’m a tiny bit dangerous with GarageBand. Goal is to ‘up my video game’ for when I create uke videos for friends and family.I love the free choice challenges, expecially for August as the kids have school holidays, so I like to choose a not too complicated song for this time of the year. 😉
1) Execution – I’ll work on “The sound of silence”. My goal is to extend my repertoire.
2) Application – Work through the lesson and practice at least 3 times per week.
3) Evaluation – I will record myself playing the song at the end of the month.
Aloha Ukulele Friends!
Ex : I’m going to learn RC101’s new Morrison’s Jig Baritone arrangement 🙂
Ap : watch the RC101 video. Print out the tabs. Play it over and over and over again until I got it at a decent speed.
Ev : Post video on my YT and share it here 🙂
Have a great August Rockclass Fam’ ! ! !
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