Participate in the October 2020 Member Challenge – WIN the Islands Kanile’a

[sdorunga]

Thanks @Andrew that’s good news, I’ll keep working on it, excited about next month’s challenge! 🙂

[lissid]

Thank you for the encouraging feedback and for the excellent lesson @Steven

I completely didn’t realize my overcomplicated double stop in there – no wonder it took me longer to master that part 😅

[whollyprofit]

Thanks for the encouragement, Mark. It is certainly tough to unlearn my style of playing and replace it with something new but, I guess that’s why it’s called a “challenge”. 🙂 And man, I feel you about the recording anxiety. I’ve got dozens of partial takes that I need to trash. Same happens when I record stuff I know well. Just another part of this to get comfortable with, like singing. Best of luck to you!

[lhamilton]

Wow! Thanks for the feedback, Steven! I’m really happy to know I’m on the right path. I enjoy the piece and will keep at it til it’s smoother 🙂

One thing I found especially challenging was the pull-off with the 4th finger, especially on that uke. I’m finding that, if I make sure the finger isn’t straight, it helps.

Linda

[joannetala]

I AM A PREMIUM MEMBER

Hi, Here’s my attempt doing the Triple Strum Etude. I’ve recently bought this Kanile’a long neck soprano and it is a joy to play it. However, it would pair really well with a concert size 😜 😄. Would really love to win the wonderful Island version of the Kanile’a concert uke. 😍

• This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by joannetala.

[karenj]

I AM A PREMIUM MEMBER!

Hello all,

Here’s my October submission. It isn’t as smooth as I would like, but here is goes anyway. I need a better microphone, but that would eliminate yet another excuse for why it doesn’t sound as good as I wish. I very much enjoyed learning this technique and am looking forward to completing the course and learning St. Anne’s Reel.

I had to take a couple of months off as I was too busy with COVID-19 and school planning. But it is so great to be back and I am more convinced than ever that music is the world’s best stress reducing medicine. Thank you Andrew and crew for all of your work.

I apologize if this is a repeat posting. I tried earlier but think I wasn’t logged in correctly.

Take care and stay well,
Karen

[haroldh101]

I AM A PREMIUM MEMBER

Hi Andrew,
I have been a premium member for two years and this is the first time I have participated in a monthly challenge. I have never taken a video of myself playing the ukulele nor posted anything on YouTube before so I hope I did it correctly. I was nervous but it was fun to do. Thank you for the challenge.

[wongbrown]

Thanks so much for your feedback, Steven. When I reviewed my submission, I did notice that my right hand was moving so much that it looked a a strum rather than fingers movement. I’ll work on positioning it more parallel to the strings. Thanks again!

[xarqin]

Hi, @Andrew and @Steven,

I’m brand new to ukulele and super excited thanks to you both. Got my new ukulele yesterday and went right to work doing my best to learn the Triple Strum Etude while also adding a bit of – hopefully – musicality and dynamics so it isn’t too monotonous. You taught it so well and were so inspirational – this is literally the second thing I have tired to play (after Iz’s Somewhere Over the Rainbow – of course – ha!).

I would welcome any constructive feedback or criticism.

While I appreciate the entry level Kala, I have, I dream of having a truly amazing instrument like the Kanile’A Hawaiian Island ukulele that will only reinforce my desire to practice and get better (and not held back by the limitations of an instrument).

Here’s to hoping I get picked… Please make my dream come true!

• This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by xarqin.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by xarqin.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by xarqin.

[Steven]

Here’s everyone on page 8:

akukes73 – looks like you’re progressing well with this. It is a really tricky technique but as you have mentioned it will really improve your right-hand dexterity and help with other aspects of your playing too. I can see you have mastered the triple pick sequence so you’re well on your way. From the camera angle of your video it’s difficult to clearly see your technique but it looks like you might need to try and extend the index finger across the strings a bit more (this is surprisingly hard though and probably the most difficult part of the whole technique), which will help you reduce your wrist movement. You could also try to get the single picked notes to ring out just a bit more to help to whole thing sound a little more fluid. Keep working at it though, you’re doing really well 😊

rufio0 – nicely done! I’m loving your right-hand form. Your thumb and forefinger are correctly doing all the work and the movements are wonderfully controlled. I especially like how smooth that index finger flick is 😊. The whole thing sounds really good and I love the sound of that soprano you are playing. I can see how resting the ring finger and pinky on the body of the ukulele has helped you control this technique but if you wanted to try applying this technique to even more challenging pieces such as Out in the North you may find a floating hand position helps. Great work though!

ukulelee – well done, you are progressing really well with this. Playing at a slower speed like this is the best way to learn and to embed good muscle memory so well done for that. You have nailed the triple pick sequence so you’re well on your way. I like your right-hand position but to really unlock the magic of this technique you could concentrate on your index finger a bit more. It stays quite bent throughout and this means you need to employ more wrist/elbow motion to achieve the down strum. If you can concentrate on extending that index finger out across the strings (this is probably the hardest part of the whole technique though as for most of us those muscles aren’t used to being used in that way) you will find that the wrist/elbow simply aren’t needed.

antotonin – Awesome job! This is a REALLY tricky piece to play and I think you smashed it 😊 (glad you enjoyed playing it too – it is really fun isn’t it). Your right-hand position and overall technique are both excellent. I’m really hearing that rhythmic backbeat coming through strongly on beats 2 and 4. Although it probably wasn’t intentional, I really like the way your nails hit the body of the uke after those down strums too. It almost adds a drum effect – super cool!

janett75 – really well done Janet and I’m so glad you’re enjoying this new style. I went through exactly the same thing when I first starting learning this technique. It just felt so foreign that I nearly gave up a few times so well done for persevering. I can see how disciplined you have been with your practice because your right-hand technique is looking really good! That index finger flick is just perfect and all your movements are so lovely and controlled – great work. On to Out in the North next 😉

concan – wow! I am really impressed by this performance, especially considering how long you have been playing. Your right-hand form is just perfect. Your hand looks so relaxed and comfortable with this technique and that has allowed you to play with such fluidity that the final result is absolutely spot on. You have a wonderfully light and consistent attack and the rhythm and flow of your performance are both truly excellent. Great work 😊

coffeemug – this sounds really good, and I’m glad you enjoyed the lesson 😊. You mentioned you intended to flick more and strum less but I wouldn’t say you have achieved the opposite at all. That index finger flick is definitely there and your overall technique looks very good. You do have a bit of wrist movement going on but it’s not a problem. I can see that you were just wanting to give a bit more emphasis to that index down strum to create a bit more a rhythmic feel and that’s absolutely fine. Keep doing what you’re doing!

[Steven]

Here’s everyone on page 9:

nthibode – I’m so glad you enjoyed the course and well done for picking the harder song – there are some really tricky little sections in this piece which you have handled really well 😊. Your right-hand form looks really good – nice and relaxed and that has helped you achieve a nice smooth and fluid sound. That rhythmic backbeat is coming through nicely on beats 2 and 4 too. Now that you can play it well at this speed you could work on trying to up the speed just a touch as this will just help that backbeat come through even more and create that dance tune feel. Great work though!

laurakarr12 – wow, three days! That sounds more stressful than fun to me 😉. I think given your limited practice time you are progressing really well with this. By playing it at a nice steady speed you have been able to achieve a smooth and consistent rhythm through most of your performance so well done for not rushing it. I would love to have been able to see your technique but from the sound recording alone it definitely sounds like you’re progressing very well.

ccwuke – great work! Your rhythm is good and the whole thing flows really well. I like your right-hand technique too; it looks nice and relaxed. Your hand position is good and your thumb and index finger are correctly doing all of the work. If I was being super picky, I’d suggest trying to extend that index finger flick just a touch more but that’s a tiny thing. This really is excellent over all.

goody2shoes – excellent job! I know the frustration of not having the time to practice as much as you would like. From your performance of the etude I have no doubt you would have smashed St Anne’s Reel, if you’d had the time. Your triple picking technique looks really good. Your hand is nice and relaxed and your excellent technique has allowed you to create that all-important fluid sound. Your speed and accuracy are really impressive too. You still have three days to learn the reel 😉

whollyprofit – well done for persevering with this, I think its sounding really good. I totally get the frustration. I first learnt this technique so I could play Out in the North. I was already pretty competent at standard finger picking techniques so I didn’t think I would have too much trouble. However, when I tried to copy what Tobias was doing, I just didn’t have the muscle memory. It was almost like picking up a uke for the first time! I went through a few ‘what’s the point, I’ll just play my way’ moments but I’m pleased I stuck at it. It’s one of those things that eventually just clicks. I like your right-hand form. It looks nice and relaxed and your movements are very controlled. The whole thing sounds very smooth and fluid. Keep at it 😊

[akukes73]

Steven, thanks for the constructive feedback. I’ve also realised on re-watching your lesson that my arm needs to be positioned so it is running more parallel to the strings. On re-positioning my arm I am moving my wrist less, getting there….slowly.

[allesyone]

Thank you for so nice feedback Steven! 🙂 I will work hard to be better~

[laurakarr12]

Steven, thank you for the positive feedback! In the beginning, I really struggled with the triple strum. Numerous time throughout the day, I would practice the pattern without my ukulele… in the air, on my shirt, even on my pillow in bed before I fell asleep. I had to get my head around it and muscle memory going. Finally, it began to click!

[themccoys]

I AM A PREMIUM MEMBER.

This was fun to learn! So cool to have the ‘magic’ triple finger picking in the toolbox now! – Emily

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