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Curly, so sorry for the super delay! I saw this post, and then it got drowned out with posts in our April challenge, and I just remembered today! So glad I remembered 🙂
Awesome job on challenge number one! I think you are super close to nailing it. If you listen back, you deviate off the beat a little bit, but you never lose the beat OR knowing where you are at. And that’s the most important thing, especially when you add in counting the rhythms to the click while playing. This exercise is so good for helping you develop rhythm and timing. Keep up the great work!
Great job again on challenge 2! So again I’m hearing that sometimes you deviate a little bit, but you are so on the right path 🙂 Here’s an idea for the ending, hit the G7 3 times, with this rhythm:
1 (quarter) 2 (quarter) 3 (eight)
Then on the & of 3, you will play the three notes that precede the main riff (all as eighth notes). That simplifies it and will sound very good as you go back into the main riff.
Welcome Ben! You can never practice too much, lol! Have you seen our guide on where to start with our lessons? Start out with watching the 2nd video on that page 🙂
That tune is a toughie for starting out on. I’d recommend an easier rhythmic piece. Check out the tunes in our Beginner’s Course, they will be much better for where you’re at.
Concert feels right to me, the perfect size! And close enough in timbre to a soprano, the “classic” uke sound. Plus I enjoy the extra frets 🙂
Thanks for the kind words everyone! I’m glad the feedback was helpful 🙂 This month we had 36 members participate! Our participation goal was 25, and we crushed it! But more important than numbers, is the fact that all of you accomplished a personal goal: To learn a song within a month and share it with our community. These songs were challenging this month and I’m proud of all who participated! I saw a lot of improvement this month! Keep up the great work and keep having fun!
So I think it’s time to announce the winner of the Banjolele! So without further ado, the winner is…
Again, big thanks to each of you for a job well done this month! Our May Challenge is live and we have two very fun songs this month plus a super unique prize! Last but not least, below I am leaving follow up responses that I hadn’t gotten to.
mayaqatsi, thanks for the nice words! Actually our site began with guitar lessons, you can find those lessons in our shop and read more about our history here and how we transitioned to uke. But for now, no plans to go back to offering guitar lessons. If you’re looking for lessons, I have friends who run sites and can recommend a few to you, send me an email.
As far as the finger noise question, it happens to me sometimes too. But usually only when I’m doing a fingerpicking piece like this lesson. I’m not too sure on what to suggest, maybe a Google search my provide more insight.
I’ll be announcing the winner tomorrow as I just bought a last minute ticket to BILLY IDOL! Rebel Yell, anyone??? Here’s the rest of the feedback for everyone.
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ukuleleloo, excellent playing! Here is a short video with some tips on grooving to the beat. This will be very helpful for a lot of members, so I’d encourage everyone to watch.
smartinuk, amazing job for 6 months of playing! I’m Blown Away! And thank you so much for the kind words 🙂 I think you are doing very well, but here are a couple tips I think will help you. First off, I noticed that you bend your wrist downward when playing. Take a look at how the wrist and hand are parallel in this article on proper right hand form. A more parallel approach should feel much more ergonomic. Also, you may want to scoot back a little, as your right hand occasionally strums over the neck. Again, that article will show you the positions we recommend.
Lastly, loosen up on the tension in your wrist. There were a few sections where you looked tight, such as the triplet strum. A loose wrist will make Rhythm (and playing in general) easier. But truly great job overall! Again, amazing progress for 6 months!
bklynsoul, great playing! Overall, everything sounds great: Timing, note clarity, form. But the trend that I’m seeing throughout this month, and I mentioned it in the first video I posted in this post (feedback for ukuleleloo), is finding our groove in the music. So I’d encourage you to watch the feedback I left for her and the video I’m posting below. Take these tips and see if you can groove a little bit more in your performance. Feel free to post a follow-up video after working on these concepts and I’d be more than happy to offer more feedback 🙂 and a big thing to point out, you’re definitely on the right path, keep up the great work!
ukukelley1, Sheryl, way to go! That was excellent! Great feel on the first Melody. You nailed the playful vibe 🙂 keep working on the second Melody to get it a little bit smoother, and definitely match that feel to that section. I know you know how to practice, so keep up the great work!
cornishdpt, Cory, great job! If you read some of the comments I’ve left for others, you’ll see a trend this month, as it seems the hardest challenge of these songs has been to nail the feel of the piece. I think you did a great job on that, and I definitely think your drumming background helps so much in that regard. What’s interesting is, if you watch Sheryl’s take above you, she has a playful, yet laid-back/behind the beat feel; while yours is playful, but on the beat. Same song with two takes on how to play it, very cool!
The best advice I can give you for working on this is just to clean up some of your playing. So hone in on the tricky bars, you know the drill: Looped and slow.
mody_guert, congrats on finishing the semester! And great job on this tune 🙂 check out the advice I left for bklynsoul above, as it will be very helpful for you. An extra suggestion for developing your feel for this piece, is to play along with me with the on-screen tab viewer. This will give you a guide and will help you develop the playful feel, because right now I’m hearing a lot of urgency and speed in your playing. And we just want to dial that back a touch.
One other thing too, check out this lesson for extra help on understanding the eighth note triplet rhythm. That will help to get that strum section down.
coffeespiral, awesome job and cute cat! I can definitely tell you put a lot of work into this 🙂 I think the best advice I can give you is to work on your timing when you transition from one section to another, as each section was in a different tempo. A great way to practices is to use the on-screen tab viewer and highlight the last two bars of the first Melody and the first two bars of the second Melody. This will Loop that section and provide a great way to practice the transition and develop timing. Keep up the great work!
jhooddelsigs, great job! I dig the vibe it gets from plucking everything 🙂 it sounds like you just started working on the B Melody, so keep up the practice on that section. Also, I’d recommend to narrow the spacing Gap in your right hand. Keeping more of a “claw” shape should feel more ergonomic when picking. Check out this lesson for more advice on right hand form.
Here’s the rest of the feedback for everyone on Page 6 🙂
ukulelelady, my pleasure, I meant it!
ultramom, I thought you did very well! I often get asked by members if they think they should try a song that may be beyond their current ability. And I always respond by saying yes! Because even if you don’t learn the entire song, you WILL get better in the process.
This is a great tune for you, and I’m sure that you thought it was a great challenge. And I would keep working at it. Couple tips, try to lighten up on the strum, as strumming with the nail produces a harsher tone. We can alleviate that by strumming with the thumb, which produces a softer tone, or adjusting our Strum to be lighter.
And I’d encourage you to continue working on barre chords. Check out this lesson from our beginner’s course for help on general barre chords and Also check out the lesson that covers proper right hand form.
mayaqatsi, thanks for the kind words! I have to say, that was very impressive. Interesting to see you use a 3 finger approach that mirrors mine (avoiding the index finger). Curious why you prefer that? I only do it because I have nerve damage in my index finger which has unfortunately come back after a recent injury in the gym. 🙁
I also hear what you are saying about skin noise. Two ideas: You seem to play with a lot of power in your plucking. Try a lighter approach. Or, maybe you have dry hands? Not sure what to suggest for that one.
tessa84, great job! I feel you on the crazy busyness of life! And I know what you are capable of, so definitely keep working on it. You always impress me! As far as the barre chord, your form looks fine. So I think you were talking about the pull off lick on the D7. Make sure you keep that barre of the index finger intact throughout the entire lick. In other words, keep that index finger planted. This will also help to give you leverage to get those pull-offs cleaner.
cheick, definitely big Improvement on new one!
pup123, great job! Here is a short video with some tips for you on building Dynamics.
immsy6, awesome job! Here is a short video with some tips on cleaning up your playing.
kellyblackburn, great playing Kelly! Here is a short video with some tips on timing.
marni11, well done! Sounds like you put a lot of work into it 🙂 couple tips, keep working on that second Melody so you can get it to flow a little smoother. The best way is to take a couple bars, slow down the tempo, and master it. Then do the same with the next couple bars, piece that together, and keep going until the entire Melody is there. Then start to boost up the tempo.
Also watch out on the D7, as your middle finger should be curved at the first joint. But really good job overall, keep up the great work!
lisadmh, big Improvement! Did playing along help with getting the feel down? Sounds much better!
iris_peterson, cool 5-string and love the smile at the beginning 🙂 so your performance has elements of what we call rubato. This means – In a nutshell, you are not tied to a metronome and are free to speed up and slow down sections as you wish. This is a cool approach and I’m wondering if this was your intention?
If not, check out some of these tips on the rhythm of this piece that I left for Erica, as the complexity of it can be quite tricky.
andracass, nicely played! timing and feel on the first Melody is great and also on the triplet strum 🙂 I know you know how to practice, so keep working on the second Melody and you’ll get it down soon! Hope your finger heals quickly.
sandigirl, very good job on the first Melody! Question, have you tried to fingerpick with more than just your thumb? Using three or four fingers is a really efficient way to fingerpick and introduces a broader timbre palette. Check out this course for some great exercises on getting started with using a multiple finger approach for picking.
uku_on, great job and excellent form on the triplet strum! So it’s good that you noticed the timing issue. Now it’s actually not that bad, mainly just some pauses in the first Melody. So the best way to fix that is to slow the tempo down and loop a bar or two at a time. Then do the same with next couple bars. Master that before trying to tackle the entire Melody.
But I also have another piece of advice for you, and that’s working to clean up some of your playing, as some chords and notes have string buzz. Check out the first video I posted (for immsy6)in this post for tips on that 🙂
Hi guys, so awesome to see so many performances posted! I’ll be going through every one and giving feedback, so hang tight if I haven’t gotten to yours yet 🙂
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karenj, I thought you did excellent! Timing and Clarity sounds great. Couple pauses at the end, but overall very well done! Keep up the great work!
kmelton, great job Kevin! First thing I want to point out, about 16 seconds in your ring finger goes underneath check and behind the neck, that’s one thing we never want to do because it completely takes away the mobility of that finger. Also, watch out when fretting (like on the C chord) that you are not bending at the first joint. We always want to keep a nice curve to allow us better placement to be on the fingertip.
You definitely understand the difference between straight and swung rhythm, which is huge with this tune. What I would work on if I were you is to get the Rhythm to sound a little bit more natural. So what I think is happening is that your right hand looks tense at times, primarily when strumming. We also want to even out the volume of the piece overall, try to pluck a little bit lighter, this will produce a sweeter tone. Working on both of these concepts should make the overall feel of the piece a little bit more playful. Let me know if you have any questions on this advice.
Kay, here is a video with some tips for you. For others, this is a really great video for working on loosening up and playing with feeling and dynamics.
ukulelelady, wow I’m impressed! Have you played another instrument before? That’s really amazing for 8 months, great feel, timing, and form in both hands. Absolutely brilliant!
felixpitterling, great job! I thought you did very well overall 🙂 what I would work on is some of the tricky sections, such as bar 10. It has a syncopated 16th note Rhythm that can be quite tricky to grasp. So I’d encourage you to rewatch that section of the lesson and to use the on-screen tab viewer to match the Rhythm precisely. Counting it out and understanding the hits will help greatly with nailing the timing. Start slow and work it up to speed.
cheick, I was going to go back and rewatch your video, but you deleted it 🙁 from what I remember, it sounds like you have improved a lot on the second section, as I think you had the first Melody down pretty well. I would keep working on that hard bar (bar 10). This will help you improve your timing too; if you listen back you can hear bar 9 being played slower than bar 10. So I would Loop those two bars and practice, practice, practice. But you definitely are improving and you’ll be there before you know it!
ericaua, the video nerves get to all of us, lol! Here is a short video with some tips for you. Check out this lesson from our beginner’s course for help on the barre shape used in this song. Also check out the lesson that covers proper right hand form.
Hey Robin, I’ll add it to my request list. 🙂 I think the next theme tune is going to be Pirates of The Caribbean, as it’s been requested a lot! We’re also overdue for a video game tune!