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I AM A PREMIUM MEMBER
@lhamilton, that was absolutely gorgeous! So beautiful and mystical with the whistling! And the baritone! Very lovely! 🥰
@grannieannie, I feel your pain – quite literally – with The Skye Boat Song. 😂 Some of those chords were pretty painful and really tricky, not going to lie! But definitely worth the effort because it sounds SO lovely once you’ve got it!To be honest, I watched that lesson when it first came out, but then didn’t rewatch it before learning the song tonight, so there may have been tips Matt gave to make it all smoother / easier, but I just didn’t have time to rewatch it. Boy, some of those were tricksy contortions, though! I have played songs in A Major (?) before because I love how it sounds on uke (though it is not always as intuitive or natural as other key signatures – is that how you say it? LOL), so some of those I knew already. I also did end up doing that “creepy” D chord because it was the easiest way, the awkward partial bar that then turned into the B Minor chord variation? It was quite painful and uncomfortable for me, but the other approaches really interrupted the flow a lot. It was good practice being uncomfortable with that, though!
I learned this entire song tonight AND recorded it. How? I’m not sure. It’s so very beautiful, though. Matt always does an incredible job laying out the harmonies of a tune – just making any song sound extra pretty on uke. If I have time on Thursday, I may try to get a better take, because I’m not 100% happy with this one, though considering how quickly this came together, it is okay! 😂
Here’s my take on The Skye Boat Song:
Really looking forward to going back and listening to the awesome entries that Annie mentioned! Thank you so much for this challenge, @Andrew, and all the hard work you and your team always do! And all the incredible music of course! 🥰
Even though I’m not really sure if anyone has seen these videos at all, I still wanted to share this thing I created tonight, which is a video about an original song for piano I created in high school that I came back to 20+ years later (in the past few months) because I found out my family was obsessed with it and would randomly sing it?! I found that so hilarious and it inspired me to finish it. 😂
I also wanted to mention that things have calmed down with me by A LOT and things are much more peaceful now, which is an inexpressible relief. Everyone and everything is okay, by the grace of God. I am still playing ukulele just as much because it will forever be my “comfort instrument,” and my cuddle instrument, to be perfectly frank, LOL. I still am figuring out tunes on ukulele. But if anyone sees this, please enjoy, and maybe the other videos!
I also am working on my entry for this month’s challenge, obvs! I am relatively confident that I can figure it out quickly, since The Skye Boat Song is a style I am used to playing in. We’ll see though!
For now, please enjoy this piano tune. I also secretly hope that @Andrew sees this (it’s not much of a secret if I tag you, lol). Also @jbmills07. 😂
This thread is my little “piano pocket” on RC101 that no one is paying attention to anyway…
@dianna, not sure if it’s going to quote your text like I tried to do, but let’s see! 😂 I think that point you brought up is why many musicians / artists / writers / filmmakers, etc., etc., etc. are ardently against the idea of using AI for creating complete songs and various works of art. I think Evan brought up in the interview the fact that AI is incredibly useful for expediting certain aspects of artistic creation (such as quickly gathering / compiling / analyzing theoretical information about music creation, for example), but it is NOT a substitute for artistry. There is definitely that ethical issue, in my opinion, that AI indeed draws from databases of existing, including copyrighted, artistic material to create what it does. Are those artists credited? Nope. Maybe you could argue that the information is so “diluted” just by virtue of how vastly compiled / condensed it is, as a person does when they create (compiles their creative experience and draws inspiration). But I also feel that, even though it may not even be fully detectable, there is something profoundly “off” about the things AI creates. It is lacking soul and always will be. Even if it can, in the future, *exactly* recreate the human hesitations and attempt to emulate the emotions behind the music – it never fully will recreate our expression of music because AI has no consciousness and no soul. I mean, I guess we can direct this conversation to Isaac Asimov or another of our sci-fi friends for further commentary. 😂
@nat-uke, sorry, VERY delayed reaction, but I also – like apparently a lot of people – was looking at Skye Boat Song! I’m joining the Skye Boaters this month, LOL. It would be really cool if you and your husband played it together with him on guitar! 😊
With the barre chords, I worked on those a lot and got to the point that’s the main way I like to play is by moving barre chords around, then adding fingers to the barre chords, but with the partial barre chords, I still sometimes find those painful / creepy, because it weirds me out to put pressure near my finger joints, LOL. That probably sounds strange, but it’s true. So, for the D Major chord (which is what it looks like @otzepeng is playing in his example) I actually will just use three separate fingers for that one still a lot of the time. It can sometimes delay transitions ever so slightly using three fingers instead of one partial barre chord, but if you learn to be quick, you can switch from that position fairly well. I’d rather do that than be creeped out by the finger joint pressure. 😂😂😂 This is just my way of doing it; it obviously is good to try using the partial barre chord approach first if you’ve never done it because you could learn to be good / better at it through practice, obvs. I *can* do it; I just don’t always like it. But actually I’ll sometimes do it the way otzepeng does it when I do. 😊
And thank you so much about my entry last month! That was probably one of the best takes I’ve had recording my singing, so that really means a lot that you say that! Looking forward to all the Skye Boats this month (and all the rest)! 😂😂 Great start for all the entries so far!! 😊
Oh – and the AI Video that came out on Friday – that was pretty crazy! Really intriguing. That was a really interesting deviance from the lessons, more of a topical video, which was really cool!! I hope you do more topical videos like that @Andrew, so neat! 😊
So exciting! This challenge has quite an amazing array of tunes to choose from and that ukulele is gorgeous! Time for us all to spend several months pining after that uke! 😉 😂
@leihali, thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement! It means so much to me, it really does. It honestly was such a nice, enjoyable distraction for a little bit. I’m so happy you liked my performance so much, that really means a lot! I was so shocked how everything came together pretty well in a VERY short period of time, lol! I had practiced different elements of the song over the month – I’d practice the singing in the car without music almost every day, then I learned a bit of the piano part, then lastly the part I was actually supposed to learn which is the uke part! But it all came together, I’m so glad you liked it!! 🥰
@maryjanew, so sorry you just missed the deadline, dang!! Well, your entry sounded lovely! Also the tone of your uke is quite pretty! Thank you, you know, I think I felt your positive brain waves floating in my direction! Thank you for that and about my entry! I actually think the piano playing the solo with the uke rhythm sounded so nice, I’m definitely going to try other things with that, but it may not be as beautifully put together as RC101 does! Anyway, thank you again and great work on that tune, sorry it didn’t count! 😅🥲
@marianne, thank you so much! Just trying to take things one day at a time as much as possible. I appreciate the prayers so much! 🥰BOOM BABY!! I did manage to scrape an entry together, a very “me” entry that involves patching together a bunch of ill-timed clips, but somehow it magically worked pretty well together! 😂
I tried to play the solo part on piano (just reading the music Evan created) but the timing was really off so I sped up the piano part by 1.5. I think it has a lot of potential; I’ll definitely learn it at-speed in real life at some point. I’m not as familiar with jazz chords at all, so it was harder to make up on the spot with very little time to spare.
I am pretty happy with this overall, considering how very last second and off-the-cuff this was. I am even pretty happy with my singing, I just need to work on the more powerful notes and having a bit more control and sustain, I think.
Also, sorry for how extra disheveled I look; I was in comfort mode. 😂
And the thumbnail is a picture I took on the way to work a couple of months ago of a dazzling sunrise. 🙂
Please enjoy this very chaotic and “real” video! 😂😂
It’s time for a mega-post! I just want to say I really, really appreciate all the kind words and support right now from all my uke friends here – it means so much to me. These have been some of the hardest weeks of my life (I thought last year was, but nope! 😂). But for the moment, things have calmed, and I can breathe, so I thought I’d write out some replies to distract myself from everything, including my toof pangs currently. 😂😭 But yes, really thank you all so much! 🥰
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@nelsonlin2021, lovely job on that solo! It’s very tricky. I tried to figure it out on piano, but the ukulele version looks even harder! You really nailed that little run, though!! 🙂
@abster, thank you so much for the thoughts and prayers! It was a lot the last couple of weeks, and we’re still not out of the woods yet, but at least a moment of calm, which is much, MUCH needed. But yes, thank you! 🥰
@jbmills07, very, very beautiful, Justin! You always play so emotively and with lovely clarity with each note! Thank you about the craziness, things have briefly calmed down a bit, at least enough to breathe for a moment, so that’s really good! Hope you’re doing well! 🥰
@malku2603, very beautiful take on that one! I agree with others who say that it’s cool to see how you progress throughout the month. Your steady work paid off, sounds so lovely! And thank you so much for the kind words, I can’t say how much that means to me. You’re so right in everything you said. The last couple of years have tested me in ways I never thought I would be and I have grown so much through it; stronger in ways I never thought I could be and more appreciative of life while it is here. For me, these experiences have drawn me closer to God than I ever have been in my life – that’s why I see His hand in everything that happens, good or bad. I’ve learned even more the importance of treasuring the people around you and being grateful for everything, in everything. Thank you again! 🥰
@leihali, so stinkin’ beautiful! I agree with everyone that you have a gorgeous voice! I want to say that your pitch is pretty immaculate and your tone so clear and lovely! I like that you hummed the solo! Lovely playing and singing! 🥰
@carynjoy, very lovely take on Winter Glass! You can’t even tell there’s been a gap in your playing! 🥰
@leb397, thank you so much for your kind words, Louisa! The root canal is done, as I write this, I miss my face being numb, the pain has set in. 😭😂 With everything happening, the hardest part is the family trouble, having to do with very serious sickness in the family, close family. It doesn’t even seem real. I pray about it constantly. I know God’s will …will be done in all of it. Sometimes, that’s all you can do in life, is fully rely on God to carry you forward. But yes, there is peace in that during turmoil. Your take on Winter Glass was so lovely! That tune is growing on me more and more. And thank you so much about my piano rendition of IFILTE, but I have another take comin’!! I share it after this. Piano I think is more deeply ingrained for me, but ukulele is my “comfort instrument,” always will be. You can’t cuddle with a piano. 😂😂 Anyway, thank you again!! 🥰
@nat-uke, haha your description of your entry is funny! I think it sounds pretty much perfect! Very lovely, in fact! Ha, I also limit my takes, partly because it just gets to be too much. 😂 But your playing sounds beautiful! 🥰 I also appreciate the “production value” of your videos, they’re well put together! 😂
@katazumiri, thank you for that! I’m hoping since things are *very slowly* starting to calm down a bit, I’ll have more time for watercolor, along with uke. Those pictures are really pretty, paint-able indeed! Thank you! 🥰Beautiful work by all!! It was so nice to sit down and feel completely relaxed just for a little bit and write out these replies, watching everyone’s amazing work! Also, I have another post incoming with something I cooked up very last second!! :O
@grannieannie, thank you so very much for that! I pray every day non-stop about what’s been happening and God has answered already in incredible ways. There are still some things that are really hard – some of the hardest things we go through in life – that are happening right now, I think. But only time will tell. Sometimes things happen in life that we have no choice but to leave in God’s hands, which is why I believe we go through certain things and why suffering exists – to draw us nearer to God. And I am basically clinging to Him like a barnacle right now. 😂 Thank you, I appreciate those hugs so much and I send virtual hugs right back!! I also listened to all the entries I missed and they made me smile so much, very beautiful work by all, and your entry was so lovely! Music can be so comforting during hard times! 🥰
I did actually start learning the ukulele chords for I Fall In Love Too Easily. After watching the lesson, they were way more manageable than I thought. That’s the beauty of the lessons here; they’re so thorough and make impossible-seeming things… possible, even easy sometimes. That’s one I am going to continue working on, though, and when I can, I’ll share the recording. Thank you to this beautiful community for all the inspiration, lessons, and encouragement! 🥰
Hey ukulele friends!
Quite unfortunately, many a crisis has once again befallen me in my life and I’m not going to make this challenge. I haven’t missed one for maybe 3 years straight? Maybe longer? But in my heart I’m counting my “alternative” piano entry because with RC101, like most people here, I’ve always liked to make these challenges my own in some way – even though I am breaking a major rule by no ukulele in my entry. 😂 You know it’s serious when I can’t really say what’s happening – I can name one crisis and it’s that my root canals from last year failed so I have to get them redone next week, but it’s free, wheeeee! It’s actually free; they’re not charging me, so that’s nothing shy of a miracle. But there are other things happening far more troubling than that. So, if you’re the praying type, please pray for me and my family right now, and also for my brain to keep working (as much as it ever has).
So many lovely entries, though! This group is the best!! I truly hope to return to light-hearted ukulele fun times soon. Hearts to you all! 🥰
I replied to everyone else because I got to have a lazy Saturday with only plans in the eve! So many amazing entries and so much talent in this group! As Dianna and others have said, so very inspiring!! 🥰
@nat-uke, thank you so much for that, very encouraging! Hopefully I can get an even better take with the ukulele and singing, but I definitely love how it sounds with the piano, too. I think it helps with piano because I can play the piano part without thinking as much, but still with ukulele it can take a lot of conscious thought just to get the playing right, which makes singing along even harder. But at least the rhythm seems pretty easy in Ashley’s version, which gives me a chance! I guess we’ll see what happens with that! Looking forward to your take on Winter Glass, that’s a lovely one! 😊
@otzepeng, very beautiful take on Winter Glass, so lovely! Honestly, that was perfect. Thank you so much about my entry, your encouragement means a lot! 😊 Hopefully I can get a pretty good take with the uke, too! 😂
@katazumiri, that’s really interesting about “cool jazz,” thanks for sharing that! I guess when I do sing I tend more toward that style, too. I thought your take on the solo of I Fall In Love Too Easily was lovely! And your second video, that was so crazy good! I love the xylophone (I think you’ve told me before that it wasn’t that, but a different instrument, but now I can’t remember, lol). So gorgeous, great work! 😊
@dianna, thank you so much for that, friend, your kind words mean a lot!! 🥰 I hope you do get to share your take on I Fall In Love Too Easily, would love to hear that! Your take on Winter Glass was so lovely! To my ears, your new mic sounds amazing, too, very clear and beautiful – capturing your playing! Thank you again! 😊
@malku2603, your take on Winter Glass is coming along beautifully!! Well played! 😊
@grannieannie, thank you so much for that, friend, that really means a lot!! 🥰 I’ve had a lot of issues with that neighbor playing music with floor-shaking bass at all hours (from the radio or whatever), so maybe I should be happy that he probably can’t hear me! 😂 Thank you, I made it through the storm, I ended up missing work because it was just too dangerous to drive with the blizzard conditions! Further north, they set records for the amount of snow – some places over 3 feet!! I have a friend in the UP of Michigan who had snow up to her roof with the drifting. Getting all Wisconsiny on this topic, but now so much of it has already melted and we’re approaching 70 degrees fahrenheit ! Oh, Wisconsin, you’re such a goober… ANYWAY, looking forward to your entry this month! 😊
@rw1950merritt, beautiful take on Winter Glass! Very lovely. 😊Beautiful work by all!! 🥰
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I’m going to push through my anxiety today and watch the lesson by Ashley and hopefully I’ll do okay with it. Looking forward to hearing more entries this month!! 😊
Okay, here is my one longer reply, then I’ll come back with some shorter replies to everyone else: 😂
@misterbones, I find it so interesting how different people play by ear and approach things like that – thank you for sharing! Playing by ear is one of my strengths, along with remembering melodies. I’ll go back and realize I wasn’t 100% accurate, but you still get the idea, lol – it usually still sounds like the song. Theory, though, is my biggest weakness. I have trouble comprehending chord names and technically describing what’s happening, even though I can hear it and visualize the shapes on piano and uke. That’s really cool that you did it that way and it worked so well – it came together beautifully. I also didn’t realize that’s what “cantabile” means, even though there’s a classical song I love with that word. Maybe that’s why I love I Fall In Love Too Easily – I’m drawn to songs that flow gently and beautifully like that.That’s really cool about the James Hill course! I can see how that knowledge would be so helpful! I somewhat knew about moving chord shapes and transposing from lessons with Matt Dahlberg, but some shapes are physically harder for me, like the… zigzag chords. 3434, diminished chords – those ones. 😂 With piano, it’s easier because I know the notes and many scales (I love playing them), which is how I can make up runs and play more freely. I’ve also been playing since I was 8, so there’s that. There are definitely patterns, but the “shapes” aren’t as consistent as on uke.
Thank you so much about my entry, that really means a lot! I still feel nervous and unsure with singing, but when I break through and can feel more confident, it makes a huge difference. I practice almost every day in the car now, and it’s great for physical and mental health, which is a bonus. It’s also something I’ve always wanted to do, so now as a middle-aged lady I’m putting in the effort. 😂 My sister and I have car singalongs too, so I have to practice for that, obviously!
I actually took Ashley’s version chord-for-chord, put it into ChatGPT to figure out the notes, then memorized them on piano. The 7 chords follow a pretty consistent pattern, which helped. I shared that take because the spontaneous run I made up turned out really well (they don’t always), even though there were better vocal takes, LOL. Since I can’t really sing like Ashley, I did listen to the Chet Baker version multiple times and leaned toward that style. I also listened even more to this version by Allison Young:
…because it feels closer to how I can sing – looser, for lack of a better word. Listening again, I think my singing mimicked hers more than I realized, though I was going for a moodier, sadder feel – that’s just how I interpret songs like this. If I can connect to the feeling of a song, it helps tremendously of course.
Thank you again, though, for your kind words and all your thoughts! 😊
@Andrew, very presh! They are two of our heroes here for sure!! 🥰
@Andrew, thank you so much! That definitely explains it! The new look is nice!! I am the glitch police, but this one was a false alarm. 😅🥺
Edit: Just saw the home page, that looks quite snazzy!! Also two cameos from RC101 friends! 😅😊
