Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Yes, that’s called Picado Technique. You can def use it! If you need an overview on it, I covered it in the second video in this lesson (from our Reading Course).
@stinyuke – I’d recommend high G. It’ll sound pretty off at times with Low G.
@deadbuggy – TY for the kind words Sara and lovely playing 🙂
Welcome, Emily!
First off, I’d recommend checking out Learning Paths. It’ll give you a few ideas on where to start with our lessons 🙂
I’d also recommend creating a practice schedule that consists of 3 parts. It can cover any 3 areas of study, but here’s an example to get you started:
1) Technique Building – For example, developing 3 and 4 finger fingerpicking. There are multiple exercises for this in our fingerpicking course.
2) Rhythmic Study – Rhythm is 1/3 of music and is almost always the part that is overlooked. Developing a good sense of rhythm and timing is best accomplished through learning to read music.
3) Songs – Pick 1 or 2 songs at a time to work on. Think of these as the cookies, they are what help to keep you motivated and having fun! Try to pick songs that reinforce the 2 other areas of your practice schedule. A good place to start is with the performance tunes contained in the courses.
If you ever need help on the lessons, please don’t hesitate to ask.
@samash07 – An excellent start for our April challenge, Sam! Beautifully played, well done 🙂
WOW! We had 65 members participate this month! This challenge was a lot of fun and I thoroughly enjoyed watching everyone’s performances. Bravo to each of you who participated! Everyone did an amazing job!
This month’s prize was ANY ukulele valued at $250 or under from Uke Republic. So without further ado, the winner is:
Our April Challenge is LIVE: https://rockclass101.com/april-2022-challenge
The theme is Classic Songs and it’s your first chance to WIN a $6,000 Kanile’a Platinum Ukulele! Hope to see everyone in the challenge! 🙂
Here’s everyone on page 8.
sarahd – Beautifully played! Keep up the good work 🙂
@jbmills07 – Nice job on this tune too! Try to lighten up your picking attack to get a softer, sweeter tone.karenj – Great job, Karen! Watch out for the timing in the bar before the B melody. It starts out with two quarter notes. Other than that, keep working on the B Melody. Overall, you played it really well 🙂
mac1984 – That was really well played and I thought you did a great job with expressing feel in your playing. Only suggestion is to get that B Melody memorized so you can put your full concentration in performing that section.
robinboyd – You aced the feel and flow of the piece. Well done, Robin!
mademoiselleannette – Beautiful performance! My only suggestion is to play it a little bit slower. But that’s a preference more so than a suggestion lol.
kirpuff – Beautifully played, Sara! Just target those notes that you want to touch up. But it was fantastic overall!
sarrafina – Here’s my feedback for you and the lesson I referenced 🙂
uku241 – LOL @ the intro! Playing sounded great and your adaption for that chord works. Only thing I’d say is to target your practice to the opening bars of the B melody. Keep up the great work!
maryjanew – Good job, MJ! I think you have a good base established, just needs more practice time. You were so close, but unfortunately you missed the deadline by 1 minute 🙁
Here’s everyone on page 7.
tules14 – Playing sounded excellent and great job on the timing! Only thing I’d suggest working on is cleaning up some of the buzzy notes and chords that did not ring out completely. Most of this can be fixed by making sure you keep finger pressure held down throughout the entire notes duration.
P.S. I can’t believe you’ve only been playing for 5 months! It sounds like you’ve been at it for much longer. Keep up the good work!
janne__ – Beautiful performance played with excellent feel!
morrieuke1 – Excellent take this month and love harmonics at the end!
qiuyan -You played it beautifully! Keep working on the B melody and watch the timing a little bit. Overall it was excellent!
themccoys – Bravo, Tim! This is the best performance I’ve heard from you to date! Here’s what I would do as you continue to practice. There’s a couple spots where timing gets a little loose, for example bar 5 and 6 in the A melody.
I want you to take 4 bars at a time and play along to Steven’s performance in the tab player. His playing will act as a guide to help keep you locked into the timing. Do small sections like this at a time.
In essence, we’re just refining what you’ve already got which is really really good!
akukes73 – Wonderful playing! There’s a couple spots where the rhythm is incorrect. For example, the bar before the B Melody starts out with quarter notes, which you played as 8ths. Double check that and the B melody, because I’m hearing similar mistakes there. Other than that it was excellent!
Catherine – Great job and that uke sounds nice!! So I’d recommend the same advice I gave @themccoys above. Which is to work on timing and one of the the best ways to do that is to play along with the tab player 🙂
richard_siegert – Great performance! Excellent job with getting the sustain of each note and chord to ring beautifully.
biancak – Beautiful take! Keep up the great work 🙂
yukalele – Here’s a video I made last year to help another member out. Additionally, here is another lesson and one more covering this topic that I recommend reviewing.
Great job on the tune! Watching your performance, I can see that you are hugging the neck while playing. That’s going to limit the mobility and dexterity in your left hand. Check out the lessons I linked above and let me know if you have any questions.
jbmills07 – That was awesome! I’m impressed, really good job! Only thing I’d say is to speed up the ending lick of that first melody.
@lbilkie – BIG improvement in timing, flow and feel. I’m impressed!! I can tell you put a lotta work into getting it here. Great job!
Here’s everyone on page 6 I hadn’t gotten to.
ldarrow – Playing sounds great! My only suggestion is to keep the timing for the first melody a little bit more steady.
nthibode – Bravo! Excellent playing with such great feel 🙂
lynnzo – I thought your playing sounded nice and relaxed. I’m not hearing any stiffness. What I would suggest working on is the timing of the first melody. The first part is a little rushed. Try playing along with Matt in the tab player. Other than that it was excellent!
leslieb – Great job! While watching and listening to your performance, I noticed that the last melody had a beautiful flow to it. Whereas the first couple melodies seems like you were referencing the sheet music in between playing. Let me know if I’m correct.
But if I am, I’d recommend memorizing those sections. So you can put your full focus into playing just like I’m hearing you do in that last melody.
andyrose – Excellent job, Andy! Only thing I’d suggest is to lighten your thumb attack for a softer strum sound, as well as, the picking attack in the last melody. Keep up the great work!
Hmm… they are working for me. What device and browser are you using? Can you try with a different device and browser? Please let me know if it shows there.
@Catherine – Your video is set to private. Can you change it to public?
Friendly Reminder – The deadline for receiving feedback and an entry into the giveaway is tonight at 11:59 PM EST (check your local time zone).
Here’s everyone on page 5.
jbmills07 – excellent playing overall! I dig the hammer-on accent you added too 🙂
mark1256 – I think you nailed the B melody! I’d keep working on the A melody. You’ve got a cool phrasing/rubato idea with rushing the first part of it. But as you practice, go slower and try to keep it steady right now.
Also, I really like the slight swing feel you added!
barbecueblack – sounded great! Keep up the good work!
marianne – thank you so much for the kind words!! Playing was beautiful!
johanna2509 – beautiful feel and flow 🙂
neciasnow – Bravo! Excellent performance!
kpurdy – I thought you did great! Here’s what I would do. I would play along with Matt in the tab player. Slow it down to the speed you are currently at. And just do 1 theme at a time. So for ex: start with Melody A (8 bars). Try to match his playing. It’ll help with keeping the tempo steady as you transition from one chord to the next.
When you can match him perfectly start to boost the tempo.
abha-jeurkar – playing sounds great! Only thing I’d say is to replace that open string strum you do at 1:05 and 1:19 with just the open C note.
herbdrawsaline – I thought it sounded great! I don’t think I’m hearing too strong of a strum. I do hear some of the chords are not ringing 100% clear. Form looks fine from what I can tell but it’s hard to see properly from the angle you recorded at.
You can double-check that your form is as we recommend here. Most of the time when notes don’t ring out in barre chords it’s because of form or not pushing with enough strength. But it could also be because of the size of the ukulele. It’s easier to fret barre chords on larger size models (tenor) than smaller (soprano). So if you’re playing a smaller one you may want to visit a store to compare.
gstriph – sounds great, Jerry! What I would work on is timing. Try playing along with the tab player in “synthetic” mode. Start with four bars at a time and try to tap your foot along. When you’re good with that, add the next four. Then practice all eight.
After you can play that in-time, I’d start experimenting with some of the rubato ideas I heard in your current performance.
whollyprofit – love the smile in the “flub”. But you did exactly what you are supposed to do, which is whenever we’re in a performance we always play through our mistakes. Bravo in that regard and your performance had a great feel throughout!
For the last melody, my suggestion is to keep it flowing a little more steady as opposed to drawing it out for suspense. But that’s my suggestion, it’s always up to you guys on how you want to interpret and perform the music.
Here’s everyone on page 6 so far.
terryfallon3 – playing sounds great, Terry! The one thing I would work on is increasing your sustain. In a nutshell, what you need to do is keep finger pressure held down throughout every note and chord for its entire duration. Practice this by doing 1 bar at a time.
lhamilton – gorgeous playing! And I love how you added more emphasis on the last A Melody as well as the variations. Bravo!
bibilele – here is my feedback for you 🙂
nelsonlin2021 – here is my feedback for you and here is the lesson I referenced 🙂