[The_Bumble_Bard]

@leb397, not sure if you will see this, but for those who said kind things about my new kitty cat, I wanted to mention that I found out yesterday that she is experiencing congestive heart failure. This was heartbreaking to discover.

I found out when I was going to sleep with her and noticed that she was breathing abnormally heavily while sleeping. Then she got up, stared at me, and walked into her cat carrier on her own (she hates being in there). She was letting me know we had to go. I was there until 5am this morning but they gave her meds and they are helping her for now. Some cats can go for a while with this condition, so please pray she does well for a while with no pain. She’s the sweetest kitty I’ve ever had and my heart has broken for her struggle. She is okay right now though and her breathing seems better. So yes, just thought I’d share that and some pictures from today. 🥰❤️

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[The_Bumble_Bard]

Just wanted to leave a few replies to the entries so far! Hopefully I remember all the ones I listened to (roughly in order). 😂

@marianne, truly gorgeous performance as always! You are an inspiring musician. Really impeccable playing. I’m so honored to try playing your song this month, hopefully I can manage it and do it justice. 🥰

@nelsonlin2021, very beautiful play through of that tune! I especially loved the parts with the tremolo but the feeling throughout was lovely. I’m trying that one and listening to your performance I realized I forgot how the rhythm goes to the second melody (the non -tremolo part). Anyway, very lovely! 😊

@deadbuggy, such a lovely performance, you really bring extra life to all the music you play! Beautiful! 😊

@misterbones, that was perfect!! That really sounds amazing. Did you add a bit of the Imperial March to the end, or was that in the lesson? 😂 Always look forward to hearing your performances and that one didn’t disappoint! 😊

@leb397, I saved your reply for last because of the high rambling potential on my part! 😂 I loved that performance so much, that was really perfect and sounded so good on your antique banjolele! Some songs don’t always translate well to the banjo uke but that worked perfectly! Thought it sounded great start to finish! I oddly was thinking of starting a topic about practice on here just as you asked that question because I’m so curious what others do with that. 😅 I’ll say that my approach of waiting to the very last second possible has backfired a few times, but shockingly goes pretty well most of the time. I can usually tell by listening to the song / watching the lesson play through if I can get away with that. I know that some techniques and styles are way harder for me to learn, for instance, like strumming. I may never learn strumming, I guess that’s fine. I haven’t fully given up yet. 😂😂😅 You “strumpt” so beautifully in that tune! I’ve already rambled a lot, but let’s just say things have gotten much, much worse since I wrote about that. 😂 It’s all okay and with each issue, I’m so blessed to have so much emotional and practical support from those around me. I might write about it in the thread I started about my new kitty cat here. Anyway, lovely work, friend! 🥰❤️

[The_Bumble_Bard]

@shmu88, that was a very lovely play through of that tune!! Really perfect! 😊

@leb397, there have definitely been tunes here that I’ve felt that way about. One really memorable one was the tune Always With Me from Spirited Away that Steven created. So beautiful, but I had soooo much trouble memorizing that one because it was so long and intricate. The tune you’re learning seems the same sort of thing.

My method for practicing RC101 tunes has changed since I started here. I used to start at the beginning of the month but now I sometimes start practicing a week or two before the end of the month, or sometimes the same day I record. 😅😅😅😂😂 But it depends on how tricky the tune is and also how much mental energy I have to spare for the challenge. Everyone has a “challenge quota” each month. The last year or so it’s been harder to pick challenging tunes because life has been so insane.

That said, I picked Marianne’s tune this month which is advanced difficulty and………………… haven’t even started practicing, but that’s where brazen and misplaced overconfidence comes in! 😉😂

[The_Bumble_Bard]

Hi Mike from Uke Republic! That’s your formal title here. 😅

Thank you so much for all the uke contributions in the challenges and also for your enthusiastic descriptions of them in the challenge videos! Those are always fun to watch! 😊

I fully intend to visit your shop some day once I escape the deepening mire of poverty in which I find myself now. I haven’t seen any “fancy ukes” in person yet. But I want to go to one of those meetups, too!

Oh and thank you so much, I won an electric ukulele in my first challenge here (almost three years ago now)!! Thanks for all you do to support Rock Class 101! 😊

[The_Bumble_Bard]

Really excited for this one, recording has been a struggle for me from day one and continues to be a struggle – though it has somewhat gotten better. 😅

One thing I learned though is that you can only do so much to fix an internal issue with a microphone or laptop. You can do “damage control” by editing a recording in post, but really the original recording has to be at least decent, or it’ll sound like a robo-uke.

As far as the nerves with recording, the only way to get better at it is to do it… a lot. The nerves are still are there, but you learn how to experience that terrified feeling and keep going. That applies to so many things in life. 😂

Thank you for another great topic!! 😊

[The_Bumble_Bard]

@Katazumiri, that is absolutely amazing! I love that idea so much with the bird songs and your music together. The song is gorgeous, beautifully played and perfectly suits the birdy’s tunes!! Thank you for sharing! 😊❤️

[The_Bumble_Bard]

Very excited that @Marianne ‘s song “Contemplations” is an option this month! That’s the one I’m going to pick, for sure! Although all the song options are lovely and quite eclectic, I must say! 😊

This was an extremely delayed reaction, but life do be gettin’ crazy at times.

(Actually it wasn’t that delayed of a reaction. I’ve just lost all perspective on time over the past few weeks. 😂😭)

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by The_Bumble_Bard.

[The_Bumble_Bard]

I actually forgot to say:

I AM A PREMIUM MEMBER

That hasn’t happened in a while. 😂

[The_Bumble_Bard]

Just got done listening to all the performances and WOW! Y’all’s really brought it this time! Ya done brunked it! Brung… 😂🥺

Seriously, so many incredible performances, each so unique and impressive in different ways! Each challenge the playing gets more amazing. Thanks to everyone for sharing!! 😊🥰

[The_Bumble_Bard]

@Andrew, thank you so much! I’ve said it before but it seriously means so much when you like changes like that. I felt like I had to compensate for my uke not being low G somehow because that makes such a difference with the sound. 😅

Haha! Well, the melody has been in my head since I heard it and I thought it went really well with how Mowgli plays, which is very sweet and spirited, like the music. 😊

Thank you about the dental issues, I won’t lie to you, it’s incredibly stressful on multiple levels. 😅 Unfortunately it’s also very painful at times (like it is again now) while I’m trying to sort out everything. So praying I can get an appointment very soon. But yes thank you so much for your kind words, Andrew, they mean a lot! 😊

[The_Bumble_Bard]

Hello uke friends! 😁

Here is my take on “April Smiles” with my special little guest, Mowgli! I love her. 😉 😂

This tune is so dang lovely. Andrew, you have a way with writing melodies that are very memorable, unique, sweet, and uplifting. I really enjoyed this one and the challenge of recording with the backing track (I didn’t record the rhythm part myself). I also am extremely pleased that I managed to learn this is in basically two days. That’s why there are still a few pauses because I kept forgetting what came next, but still. I also am missing the 14th and 15th fret and the low G string, but I feel like I made it work reasonably well for high G. 😂 I did try a clawhammer version and it is promising but didn’t get to finish it. Plus, it is fully a different song, then, with that technique and I wanted to experience the beauty of the original. 😊

Side note, I have been having some somewhat serious dental issues the last two weeks that still are not yet resolved (though I’m working on it – it’s hard to get appointments these days, which is very unfortunate) so I didn’t know if I’d get to record this or not. Thankfully the pain isn’t that bad right now and I was able to learn it / record this tune pretty efficiently. 😊

This might be my favorite video that I’ve gotten to make for RC101. 😂😂😂

I also want to say thank you so much for the lovely comments people left for me last month that I didn’t get to reply to. I always appreciate that so much, but the last couple of months have been absolutely insane for me.

Now I get to go back and listen to all the entries I missed! No doubt they are all amazing with this lot! Much love to all and a belated Happy Easter! 😍

[The_Bumble_Bard]

@jbmills07, thank you so much, Justin! She definitely will appear, but maybe not as aerobatically / epically (?) as Ziggy does! 😂 Mowgli is a very sweet and cuddly kitty. 🥰

I saw your take on Lacrimosa last month but for some reason when you first posted it, YouTube wouldn’t let me open it / comment on it. But that was very beautiful and moving. I also saw your take on April Smiles, so very beautiful! You have a way of drawing out the beauty of music even more. 😊

I’m also working on April Smiles and was pretty worried because I hadn’t gotten to start it until today but playing through it tonight it’s not as bad as I thought as far as difficulty. The tricky part will be layering the parts for me. 😂

Anyway thank you for appreciating my new feline friend! I love her. 😂😻

[The_Bumble_Bard]

Here’s a more recent version of “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” though it’s still not perfect, lots of mistakes.

I think I literally made some decisions in the moment while recording and it’s pretty obvious if you know what to look for. 😂

A while ago, I finally finished this version with the bridge but didn’t share it because I still wasn’t happy with it (except with a few other uke friends). But listening back now, I like it a bit more than I remembered. I hope to polish this one even more though.

Thank you to anyone who gives it a listen!! 😊

[The_Bumble_Bard]

@johanna2509, thank you so much for that! That makes me so happy that you think that, too! She is so precious and cuddly but now the mischievous / hyper / playful side of her is really starting to come out! 😂😳 She loves to have her tummy pet and it’s as wonderfully fluffy as it looks! 😂😻 She also loves to be brushed which not every cat does, but that’s helpful to keep the fur under control a bit! I love those terms sooooooo much!! Oh my. “Paw pillows” is my favorite!! Thank you for sharing that! 😂😻

@grannieannie, thank you so much for your encouragement! 😊😻 It has been waaaaaaay more of an adjustment than I ever imagined having a kitty; it has already been a journey, but it’s been so worthwhile to have a little friend. She is so sweet. Thank you, just as you say that, she has started to have “zoomies” more now! 😂 I also try to play with her every day, usually a few times per day if I can to get some of her energy out. I’m so sorry to hear about the kitties you had that passed that way. 😟 That’s why I wouldn’t let her out especially where I live where it isn’t as rural as her previous home. But even there, she had a brother who also was an outdoor kitty who was hit by a car. After he was gone, she became very desperate for attention and lonely and that’s another reason I took her in so she could get more cuddles and attention than they could give her. So yes, every aspect of having her has been extremely emotional, yet beautiful and special. I sorely underestimated all of it but I’m glad to have her. 😂😻😥

I’ll probably end up uploading more pictures of her here because I’ve taken “a few” since I’ve had her. 😅 I send them to my sister a few times per week because she’s also obsessed with cats. 😂😅 But I think you’ll see her in my videos for sure! 😊

[The_Bumble_Bard]

@johanna2509, thank you so much, she is so beautiful and sweet and cuddly! She’s also a lil’ wild cat! Still adjusting to that part. 😂 I feel the same way, but this one I get to keep and not just look at! 😂 I think you will see her for sure. Every time I sit down she wants to cuddle. 😻

@leb397, thank you so much, friend! 😊🥰 Adopting her and adjusting to her being here has been an incredibly emotional experience, if I’m being honest. Like I said, she was an outdoor kitty before, so I was very worried about that and if it would be stressful for her. It is a huge adjustment for her, but praying it continues to go well. There have been a few times where she seemed anxious but I guess that makes sense. Having her here is really so comforting and having her greet me when I get home is very special indeed! 😊 She thanks you for your welcome! 😂😻

Here are just a few more:

MowgsTrueBeauty

MowgsBeansAndTumtum

MowgsFeetz

Oh I forgot to mention. The family members who had her would always put a towel on their laps when they pet her due to allergies. But now those are her “cuddle/comfort towels” that they gave me and I think that helped a lot with the transition for her. She still loves to lay on them, so presh. 😂😻😥

• This reply was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by The_Bumble_Bard.

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