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I finally got a chance to listen through some of the entries today. They are all amazing, just wanted to comment on a few. 😊 It may not be in the order they were shared. 😅
@lyndallk, so, so beautiful! I love the triplet picking technique so much and you did so well with it. I don’t know if I’ve heard that one here, but you played it so majestically! 😊
@jgillard, very, very nice! You really captured the happy spirit of that song so beautifully. 😊
@leb397, your performance of that Etude in E was absolutely gorgeous! Sorry that it wasn’t on the list of options, thankfully there are some ‘Tudes that are pretty easy and quick to learn! And thank you so, so much for your encouragement about my entry. 😊💕 That recording was not fully planned, tbh, how I did it that time. I did a fleshed out version of each technique, but that version was shortened and combined the two techniques. 😅Happy Thanksgiving to you and all who celebrate!! 😊💕
@johanna2509, very beautiful, friend! 😊 That one has a kind of “Beatles” sound to it, you played it very lovely-ily indeed! 😊💕
@marianne, absolutely gorgeous playing! Your performances always having such feeling behind them. 😁Everyone did absolutely amazingly well as always! 😊💕
Just wanted to say thank you to @Andrew again for creating all these amazing pieces and all the work and love you put into these challenges! 😊
@Andrew, thank you so much! Your encouragement always means a lot. 😊💕 Your songs are all so beautiful. That’s why that one has reached “core memory” status in my brain. 😅 Well, I play that one and variations of it often. All of the ‘tudes are amazing though. 😊
@dianna, thank you so much, clawhammer sister! 😉😅 For some reason, that Etude works extra well with clawhammer. I feel like some songs just do more naturally. I did play through the whole song with clawhammer, but that recording blends the clawhammer with the triplet picking version part way through. The only thing I don’t like as much when playing through it with clawhammer is when it goes higher up, sometimes it doesn’t sound nice. I’m trying to figure out that issue in general. I hope you do give it a try, it’s fun! Oh also I totally stole the feedback Andrew gave you because I have that exact struggle with chord transitions even still at times. But that reminded me to try to correct it. It helps that I know that Etude really well because of course part of the issue with chord transitions is knowing the next move. 😂 That’s why I feel like you can’t really reach the emotion of a song until you know it well by heart. At least for me that’s true. Anyway, thank you so much!! 😊💕I’m really sorry people are having issues watching the videos, like @leb397 and @marianne. Not sure if this helps, but I usually look at the site on my phone and also have the YouTube app on my phone, logged in. I haven’t had that issue yet.
@clempek, thank you kindly! I’d like to think that I’ve made progress since then. I feel like with my confidence, ability to be more experimental, and expressiveness I’ve made progress, but I feel like I could play more cleanly and also maybe spend more time learning new things because I definitely always like to gravitate toward my “comfort songs.” 😂 It is interesting to return to playing a song you’ve known for a while after having not played it for a while though. 😊
I AM A PREMIUM MEMBER
Hello Friends o’ the Uke! 😊
To all the entries I’ve gotten to see/hear so far, I’ll say in the (clean) words of Gordon Ramsay: “Wow, wow, wow, amazing” (even though he’s usually saying that because he’s upset / disappointed / about to fly into a rage, but not in this case). 😂 Maybe a rage of amazement…
I really wanted to try Etude No. 9 this month, that I uncovered in searching through the ‘Tudes, but I’ll be honest, I haven’t even started learning it, LOL. I may still have a chance to coming up, but I wanted to secure my entry, so I recorded a new version of Etude No. 5, which I’ve known and loved since I learned it around two years ago? I forgot how beautiful the original version is because I spent so much time HORSIN’ AROUND with it (noodlin’). That said, I added two “bonus versions,” kind of like what @brettboy did, really, really cool! But the two “flavors” are blended together with mine. I really like that you called them flavors, man. I also loved @dianna’s, your take was lovely, and @clempek’s had a very interesting, different, lovely sound to it. Oh, and @katazumiri, your entry was so much fun! That made me smile, so good. 😊 I have to go back because I know I missed some other great entries, too.
Here’s mine:
Obviously I didn’t accidentally jump back to random chords from different parts of the song. Your mom did that, actually, burn.
Thank you for these amazing songs / challenges, as always! I feel we could hit up the ‘tudes for another challenge some time because there’s so many to choose from. 😊
@katazumiri, so sorry for the crazy long delay, this year has had its moments of genuine insanity, as happens! 😂
I didn’t get to watch his video yet, but will, but is what you played one of his creations or yours? Either way, that’s really, really neat!
I can’t remember if I said but I decided that the song I created may not work as a canon. I do like the song, but I may have to watch the video you shared and see if I can create something more similar to that. I think the issue is it has to be more symmetrical and you kind of have to check each measure as you go, don’t you think, to make sure it overlays properly?
I will eventually get this, I haven’t given up yet!! 😅😅😂 Thank you for sharing! 😊
Such a good idear to play the same song on three different uke tunings! And it happens to be an actually good Christmas song, maybe one of twenty that exist. 😉😂
Do you think this is something you could do with most ukulele songs without too many issues, play the same song on all tunings? Wouldn’t the main difference be the low G string, but with a high G and baritone, you could just play the same “placement” of notes, but they’d just be in different keys?
A guitar player I know said you could also play any uke song on guitar and it works, but he may not have known about the reentrant tuning of ukes. Not sure if that’d be an issue.
Thank you so much, sorry for these convoluted questions / comments! 😅
@leb397, well… I already know Andrew’s Etude No. 5 very well. That’s one of my “comfort songs” now that I play very often and one of my favorite RC101 songs, like @Marlongas mentioned (lovely playing by the way!). 😊 It’s just so soothing, satisfying to play, and fun to noodle with. So, I’m thinking that will be my “backup” once again and I’ll try to learn one of the Etudes I haven’t learned yet. But I won’t record Etude No. 5 yet until I’ve learned the new one. That’s my rough plan at the moment. 😂 There was a strumming Etude (that Matt taught the lesson for) a long while ago that Andrew told me was inspired by John C. Mellencamp, but no idea what number Etude that was. 😂 I may try that one because of my strumming struggles. What are you thinking? 😊
I am sooooooooo pumped for this challenge and this theme! So exciting to have so many options, can’t wait to pick one!! 😊
(Scheming already) 😂 >:D
@Andrew, haha!!! Yes, the quote was from Amadeus. 😅 I couldn’t find the exact clip of that quote, but this one has a similar vibe: https://youtu.be/PGSzeHKgHfI?si=jshz8hAj67fhLNk0
I love that movie so much. I need to watch it now. That’s the most dramatic way you can say you like someone’s music ever. 😂
Oh and thank you so much, I will keep going with it! 😊
@leb397, couldn’t agree more with what you said, Rock Class 101 is a very special group of people indeed. I truly don’t think I would’ve grown as much as I have and been able to unlock what I can do now creatively without the people and music from here. So inspiring and exciting to see what everyone can do here, and such amazing lessons. 😊💕
Haha thank you, friend! 😂 I am pretty shocked that I was able to at least memorize the first theme so quickly, but it needs a ton of ironing out to get it as seamless as the other performances here, and also achieve the expressive sound I hope to reach. But with that take (of many) I liked that it was the most expressive, even though there are many mistakes. 😊
Everyone did such an amazing job this month, really incredible playing by all! 😊
@lhamilton, I really loved the emotion behind your take of Toccata and Fugue. So, so beautiful. And @morrieuke1 also an amazing take of that with crazy speed and accuracy! @katazumiri, I loved your take of Blue Moon. I actually really like it a bit slower like that and with the bass. Really beautiful! @johanna2509, that was so cool with the Werewolf song! Lol. You played it perfectly. Everyone’s entries were so amazing this month! 😊Ha, okay. I knew I’d only get through Theme 1 of Toccata and Fugue by the time I finally got to play through it, but I was pretty pleased with how far I got with really only two days of solid practice. I’m starting to think I actually work better under pressure like that, with less time. 😂 I did listen to the lesson multiple times and practiced little bits of it, but only played through all of Theme 1 for the first time yesterday. So, considering that, I’m pretty happy with it, LOL, but there are still many bumbles throughout. I will keep working on this because it was indeed more possible than it seems (thanks to the inspiration of others here) and so satisfying once you get it! @misterbones, I found out the hard way what you meant about Measure 13, I think? LOL. Good times.
Not to exaggerate too much, but this quote sums up my feelings about @Andrew ‘s arrangement:
Astounding! It was actually, it was beyond belief. These were first and only drafts of music, but they showed no corrections of any kind. Not one. He had simply written down music already finished in his head! Page after page of it as if he were just taking dictation. And music, finished as no music is ever finished. Displace one note and there would be diminishment. Displace one phrase and the structure would fall. It was clear to me that sound I had heard in the Archbishop’s palace had been no accident. I was staring through the cage of those meticulous ink-strokes at an absolute beauty.
😂😂
Oh, and I have a lot of trouble accidentally inverting chord shapes, which is why it took me so long to figure out what direction the first staircase shape went in that run down the fretboard.
Okay, here ’tis:
Thank you for these amazing challenges each month! 😊
@misterbones, you’re welcs! I think the thing about Bach that’s so tricky to play is that clarity and “even-ness” that it’s so easy to tell if there’s even one mistake or any tone imperfections, but I didn’t notice one with your performance, so well done. 😂 In some ways it is easier to play with rubato because you can adapt the speed to what’s comfortable for you and add pauses, but it actually sounds good with that (I think British Steven has talked about that a few times in lessons here – how you can sneakily utilize rubato in that way 😂). Obviously, the way Andrew plays in that more Romantic style is insane because of the speed and clarity he achieves. So, both are tricky. But you’re really right about that, that once you realize it’s playing out of shapes and repeating patterns, it’s not *as* crazy as it sounds. When I first heard his arrangement I thought I’d never be able to play it, but it’s true what you say that when you break it down, the actual music is not that difficult. To me what makes it difficult is the speed and clarity required, and then the style. But that’s why I love it because you can make it your own. Well, that’s why I love Romantic era music because it’s so expressive (and here, Bach with that stylistic interpretation). Actually the thing I’m struggling with the most is the multiple pull offs in a row at the beginning. 😂 I haven’t played past the first little section, but I think I have the layout and “tricks” of the first theme roughly memorized from listening to the lesson. So we’ll see how it goes today. Thank you for the lovely reply and sharing your performance, very inspiring indeed! 😊
@misterbones, that was insanely good! Just how much clarity and speed you achieved in playing that, perfectly crisp, is so impressive. When I think of Bach, that’s how I think of it sounding. I was wondering if / hoping you would pick that one this month. What Andrew said about the pauses between the themes is the only tiny thing, true, because I think Andrew’s arr. is sampling themes from the larger piece from what I understand. And his performance is a more Romantic interpretation of Bach, which I really love, but it’s cool to hear a more baroque-esque take on it, played so incredibly well. Sorry that really blew me away. 😂 I hope to get to that level at some point. Well done!
@Abster, absolutely amazing job!! Incredible for you to play a piece like that so well. 😊
@anyon1, so, so beautiful! Perfectly played! 😊Sorry it’s very exciting that so many people picked the Fugue this month. Hoping I can finally get to my attempt tomorrow. 😂
Such an amazing month of entries so far, enjoying watching every one when I can! 😊 Just want to comment on a few…
@brettboy, such amazing playing! Your puppet friend at the end has a surprisingly deep voice. 😂😉Loved seeing all the different playthroughs of Toccata and Fugue, so inspiring and incredible! I still brazenly think I can at least get through the first theme, even though the madness this month meant I haven’t physically played through it but I’ve listened to the lesson multiple times and think I can do it. 😂😊
@dianna, that was so magical! Really beautiful playing and very spirited! 😁💕 Haha!!! If @Andrew hadn’t mentioned in his feedback about the ending, I probably would’ve been super spooked by that but I was braced for it!! 😂🎃👻🍂💕
@leb397, really beautiful playing, friend! That theme is so lovely and you captured the flow of it!! 😊💕
@yukalele, that was so funny, crazy how you did the snapping too! That “Thing” hand always creeped me out, I hate the idea of that existing (thankfully it doesn’t…). Well played!! 😊@shmu88 and @marianne, such amazing takes on that one! I agree with Shmu, Marianne, I am jealous of your long fingers (along with your majestic playing and seemingly ethereal nature 😉😂). I have stubby, puffy little Hobbit fingers. 😂😅 Also not good for playing piano especially which always was a struggle. 😂 Anyway, really, really lovely playing! And @lucauka, too, that’s a fun song! Well played!! 😊
