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Here is a video to help you out 🙂 Be sure to use the tab player set to “synthetic” mode with the metronome activated for further help with the timing. For a tutorial on how to do this, reference the second video on this page and skip 6 minutes into it.
Hi Rickey, my apologies for him rushing. It was one of the first videos Stephen made for us, and if you’ve seen a recent one from him, I’ve made sure that his instruction is detailed and thorough. Here is a video to help you out. I also updated the tablature to include chord graphs with fingerings. I’m not sure why it didn’t have that in the first place, as all of our tabs include that. I also updated the “helpful tips” description to include a few tips for making some of the bars easier to play.
Let me know if you have any questions 🙂
Chip, thank you SO much for your generosity. You are going to make so many kids happy 🙂 Thank you and Merry Christmas!
Kay, they do have a U.K. chapter, here is the link: https://uk.theukc.org/
Big thanks to everyone who participated this month! Overall, we had 22 site members participate! As always, I am blown away and extremely humbled. It’s such a joy to watch everyone’s performances 🙂
So without further delay, the winner for this month’s challenge is: *drum-roll*
Congrats! I’ll be sending you an email soon 🙂 Also below, I have left feedback for everyone who submitted on the last day.
Our new challenge for December is live! Click here to check it out: https://rockclass101.com/december-2017-challenge
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Well played Cory! This is a great song for working on a 4 finger approach. I thought you did very well! Revisit the areas that tripped you up a little bit and loop those selections/slow them down to hone in on practicing. Also, I notice you pick over the neck. This was something I also saw in Ben’s playing. I’d recommend to scoot your picking hand back a little bit. Here was the advice I left for him, which will also help you 🙂
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zukulele, excellent job! That was a great performance, I can hear that you put a lot of work into it 🙂 My only suggestion for you is to touch up on some of the notes that weren’t clean. For example, a few notes buzzed here and there. But honestly, that rocked! Keep up the good work!
Great job Kay! Your form looks much better! The only thing I would continue to work on is transitioning from the riff to the chords without pausing. In other words, you’d want to practice the last bar of the riff going into the first bar of the chords and loop that section. Focus on nailing the timing so the flow isn’t interrupted.
Last tip for the ritardando: Began the first of these last two bars at normal tempo and gradually begin to slow down. This will sound much more natural then decreasing the tempo at the start of that section.
Thanks for posting both, it’s exciting to see/hear you improving and becoming a better player 🙂 Hope Santa brings you that new uke!
James, I thought it was lovely! Your tone sounds wonderful. You mentioned you ran out of time, and I think you are very close to being where you want to be with the song. It only needs a bit of touching up in the sections where you hesitate a little. It really was wonderful, you’re definitely improving! Keep up the good work 🙂
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Rickey, way to make a $38 ukulele shine! 🙂 Big improvements over the first take! You have a much better flow to your playing. This is what I would continue to work on: Eliminating the pauses between sections. So what I want you to do is to push yourself. For example, I want to see your timing become even in sections. To do this, I want you to use the on-screen tab viewer with the metronome activated as a guide to help you practice (See my advice for Deb from last month’s challenge beginning in this post and the 3 immediate posts underneath it). You are going to loop sections and play along with the guide. Try to keep up with it and push yourself to stay in time.
One other thing, try to mute the 4th string with your thumb when strumming the chords as that note clashes and sounds dissonant. Overall, great job! Keep rocking!
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crazydane, awesome job! You have great picking technique! The only suggestion I have for you is to focus a little bit more on the timing. One way you can do this is to slow down the tempo and loop sections, then piece larger sections together. I really dug your performance, thanks for participating!
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Wow Benjamin! You are amazing! I wish I played like you at 10 years of age 🙂 I do have one suggestion for you, I noticed that you fingerpick directly over the neck. I’d recommend to move your right hand back a bit, so that it is over the sound hole. Check out this lesson to read a more in-depth explanation of where we recommend to place your right hand for picking and strumming.
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cyberloh, excellent playing! You have great timing, feel, and tone. The only thing I can suggest for you is that when you strum the walk down chords, to lighten up on the attack of the strum. Since your fingerpicking is very delicate, you want to match the feel of the strum to that vibe. But bravo, I really enjoyed your performance!
I received an email last night from a member who wished to remain anonymous but has donated $50 to the charity 🙂 Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are going to make a child so happy! If anyone else wishes to donate anonymously, please feel free to email me.
That was excellent Steve! That uke sounds nice too! I like that you added the 4th string notes for the chords. The only thing that stuck out to me was on the last riff. You pulled the 2nd string notes down a bit, so watch out for that as it will cause the note to sound a bit sharp. Overall, awesome, sounds great!
My pleasure ultramom 🙂
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Fantastic playing ukedumb! Bravo! My only suggestion for you is to keep your fingers curved at the first knuckle when fretting notes. This is vital for proper form. Keep playing, you sound great!
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Lisa, there’s no cheating in ukulele, oh wait, I meant crying lol!
My pleasure Christy 🙂 happy to help!
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Great playing Daniel! Timing and clarity of the notes sounds great! The video I left above with some tips for Quentin will also be helpful for you. Couple things you want to work on are the transitions: Going from the riff to the chords and back without pause. Also, in the video I talked a little bit about muting the 4th string when strumming. The reason to do this, is because that string clashes with the chords (sounds dissonant). Overall, great job I enjoyed your performance!
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Hi Lisa, here is a short little video with some tips to help you out 🙂
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Hi Vida, I actually watched your performance after Lisa’s. But, the advice I gave her can help you out a lot too. You said it sounded mechanical with the metronome, and that is very true, that can happen. And in this lesson, we talked all about how Marisa was so focused on playing the music, or should I say reading the music, she wasn’t paying attention to how she was performing it. The same could be true if you are so focused on the metronome.
This is a very beautiful song and the notes and the chords should sustain into each other. That’s what I talked about in Lisa’s video above. The other thing I would suggest for you, is to slow it down a little bit. This will help you focus even more so on the tone that you are producing.
Overall, I think you’re doing very well and I’m excited to see your progress with this piece. 🙂
Welcome Charlene! Here is an extra lesson to help with the harmonics. If you still have questions, please post a video and I’ll be happy to offer suggestions 🙂
Welcome Joseph! I’m so happy you won the ukulele 🙂 And it’s awesome to hear you are traveling, you’ll create a lot of great memories!
Check out our step-by-step guide on where to start and what to work on with our lessons: https://rockclass101.com/learning-paths/. This month’s challenge has a great beginner fingerpicking song: Our First Song. Give it a shot and join the challenge 🙂