Reflections on 2020 and Resolutions for 2021

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  • #43323
    lisadmh
    Participant

    Hi folks,

    We’ve had a resolutions thread the last couple of years. I thought I’d start one now, with reflections on 2020.

    Clearly it has been a hard year, but that has meant I’ve focused more on my ukes. I think this year I managed to get myself solidly into intermediate level around here. That’s cool. I wasn’t seeing my progress, but now I can see some of the progress I’ve made. I’ve also started to work on dynamics – I have a long way to go, but I’m taking some baby steps. That was one of my resolutions last year.

    I have been writing and arranging a bit and I think I’ve gotten better at it this year. Andrew’s advice to start with an existing song and use it to write a new one is brilliant. I am doing cool things with that notion.

    In 2021, I want to continue my progress.
    1. I want to focus on HOW I play, not just what I play. I want it to sound cleaner, smoother, softer. By the end of the year, I want it to be natural for me to put some level of dynamics into songs, even if it’s not perfect.
    2. I want to continue writing and start to try to understand what the heck it is I’m doing. 🙂 Maybe I should start by figuring out what I, III, V, or whatever they’re supposed to be, actually means??
    3. I want to discover whatever unknown wonders the RC team will throw at me!!

    What goals do you have for 2021? What else should I add? 🙂

    #43324
    robinboyd
    Participant

    I think last year’s resolution was to relax and enjoy my playing, which I think I achieved. I also wrote my first composition, which was fun.

    This year, I want to work on playing with others. I will do more musical stuff with my wife and take every other opportunity to play with others. Unfortunately, there won’t be many such opportunities because I’m a total recluse, but I’ll do what I can.

    #43329
    daveh6700
    Participant

    Reflecting on 2020: I abandoned my ukulele in an attempt to learn Spanish guitar. Good experiment but the guitar just didn’t suit my lifestyle so, in the end, I returned to the instrument I love.

    For 2021 I have resolved to convert (transpose) some of the many Spanish Guitar pieces I acquired to the Ukulele and to develop a Spanish ukulele reputare.

    #43346
    henri0
    Participant

    Good call. Uke targets for the year:

    1. Continue with monthly challenge submission on rc101 (and ideally learn one additional piece a month)
    2. Expand into the courses/concept lessons
    3. Play with others whether by zoom or in person, when that becomes appropriate
    4. Buy an upgrade concert ukulele
    5. Learn the fretboard, scales and more chords (by name)
    6. Perform live whether that be informally, a busk or open mic night

    Specific songs I want to learn:

    Careless Whisper – when I first came across this site, I said it would probably take me 6 months before attempting it – nearly at 6 months now.
    Songs I’ve done a fair amount of practice on but not completed: Smile, Wouldn’t it be Nice, Fingerpicking Etude 23, 12th Street Rag, Uke Blues 2, Birthday, Under the Bridge, I’ll Be Seeing You, Autumn Leaves, Carol of the Bells, Helen’s Theme, Out in the North (need Low G for last three)
    I Just Called to Say I love You – need to learn this from a video performance
    BodySurfing

    I’ll leave it at that and be intrigued to revisit next year!

    #43377
    lyndallk
    Participant

    Thank goodness for RC101 during 2020 so we had great challenges to take us through. I was pretty pleased with my progress.

    2021
    1. be more strategic in my practice, particularly with timing which is my downfall often
    2. Work out a way to keep up with the songs I like so I don’t have to ‘start again’ when I want to play them again
    3. Try and do the monthly challenges, even if I don’t know the songs or if they seem to hard.

    Good thread @lisadmh

    #43405
    lisadmh
    Participant

    These are good plans, folks. I think i have bits and pieces of lots of these points in my own goals.

    I’m going to add one more resolution for myself. When I think I’m ready to post, I will play it for one more week before posting. I get excited when I’m 80% there and I post too soon. I will take a little more time with them to make them cleaner and more relaxed before posting.

    #43442
    cashmpe
    Participant

    I think I’m going to take a shot at posting my first video. I’m still in the beginner stage and never posted anything. January challenge might be a good start.

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