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@jbmills07, the only Zelda game I’ve played is the one where the characters are meleé fighting. Super Smash Bros…? Haha that’s so funny that you also played the Disney Sega games. Those were the best. 😅
Rocksteady and Beebop are pretty amazing names for cats! I already have future names for cats or dogs that I will have at some point. 😅 I actually think you can attach photos. If you look at the window where you create a new reply, there’s a button that says “select file” and I think you can upload photos that way. Pocket kittens! 😅
Yes, amazing music from video games and also movies. So many of them translate so beautifully to the uke as proven by Rock Class’ uke arrangements. 😊
So many lovely performances even so far!
@gi_gi_, I loved your video and performance so much! So lovely. I also love your outfit a lot. 😅About what everyone was saying with multiple takes when recording… So true.
These are some things that have been helping me with that and with my performance anxiety:
* If I mess up, I don’t stop recording, but just start over (if I have to) while keeping the recording going. Then I crop the video later.
* I try to learn the song so well that I don’t have to think about it, so I can focus on pushing passed the anxiety. That takes a long time, though. But the songs I know best are the ones I’m the most comfortable recording.
* I try to focus on the emotion I feel when playing a song. That may be the thing that’s been helping me the most. And trying to channel the performance anxiety into the emotion I feel behind the music, like the anxiety (and frustration at times) is “powering” my playing. That sounds crazy 😅 but that helps me redirect the fear into something useful and positive.
* I accept that the first few (or 40) takes will likely not be shareable, and that’s okay. I also tell myself that it’s okay if I’m having anxiety symptoms, that they will pass, and if they don’t I can try again later. And it’s okay if there are mistakes. Basically, anything to take the “pressure” off a bit.
It really, really helps that Rock Class is full of people who are not only non-judgmental, but also incredibly kind, helpful, and sympathetic. It’s a safe space to share. And a lot of people share these struggles, even some of the instructors.
I hope this isn’t too much, I just thought this might be helpful. Thank ye! 😊
@gi_gi_, that would be really cool! I’m not sure if I’d survive that challenge though unless the time period for it were five years (minimum). 😅
It’s always so cool to see the “behind the scenes” of how great musicians learn songs and create songs. To me that’s maybe even more interesting than the final performance. It’s like if a magician let you have a glimpse into his magical hat, but inside the hat is a tiny virtuosic man practicing ukulele.
@jbmills07, they seem like pretty magical games! I played other games as a kid, like DOS games, The Sims, Jump! Music games, and the Disney Sega Genesis games, like Aladdin and The Lion King. Somewhat recently my brother, sister, and I tried to play them again and we could not win. 😂😅😂
Nooo, magical pocket kittens! I need to experience that. 😂 I wonder if you’ve raised a society of shoulder kitties. It really seems like you have. They must’ve learned it from each other, and apparently their early days as pocket kitties. That image delights me more than it should… 😅😂😅
Video game music really can be great though. The Sims has some pretty magical music, too. 😊
@jbmills07, Zelda’s Lullaby was actually the song I learned for that challenge, and even though I really have never played those games, I liked it so much that I kept playing it. 😅 You did a lovely job with it!
Hahaha that’s an interesting problem to have! 😂 I’ve had five different cats throughout my life and none of them did that strangely. Maybe it’s learned behavior from the other cats you’ve had. 😂
@dianna, I feel like we have the exact same experience trying to record. It really does help to know that most people share that struggle, even the instructors here who are obviously also incredible musicians. Ha, I knew when May 20th rolled around that I was “doomed” with Funk Jam because I was only half way done learning it and literally nothing about that piece was comfortable or easy for me, so I just tried to embrace that it would be very imperfect, but I’m definitely going to keep working on that one. For me it has helped a bit with the anxiety of recording to allow for the mistakes and also trying to record more often–even if I look like a slob in my appearance, in my work clothes or pajamas. 😂😂😂😅😅😅 Because sometimes the build up of getting ready to be on camera, trying to look nice, makes me more anxious. That sounds really dumb but it’s true. Thank you, though. I appreciate your support and so many other people’s support here. This is such a special community of people. 😊💕
@muzikmama and @deadbuggy, such lovely entries to start out this mini challenge!! I’m so excited for this one! 😊
Hahaha, @Andrew, thank you so much! I’m honored and delighted to have blazed that trail. 😂😅 My “comfort uke” ran out of frets so I had no choice. 😂
Being part of the Rock Class community has truly changed the course of my uke-playing journey for the better and become such a special and positive part of my life, so thank you for that. 😊
I’m going to keep working on Funk Jam; I need to redeem myself, man. 😅
@leb397, hahaha, thank you! I think I’d go with “E” because it’s closer to “F” (the letter grade I should probably get for that performance). 😉😅😂😅 But the struggle is definitely real and I agree; straight up, that’s probably the hardest thing I’ve ever tried to learn on uke so far, because so many techniques I have not worked on a lot are required. I hopefully can get a “redemption take” because I know I can play that first riff better than that at least 5% of the time. 😅 But yes, sometimes it can help to show the mistakes. The other two Funk Jams were lovely though! I think it was @marianne and @lhamilton. Very good! 😊
I AM A PREMIUM MEMBER
So many great submissions so far. Then, there’s this… 😂
Funk Jam is an amazing-sounding tune and I really thought I’d abandon all reason and go for it–even though it’s pretty much 100% outside my comfort zone of what I usually play and highlights some of my struggles, like strumming and grasping complicated rhythms and also “being funky.” 😅 And boy, it has been a journey trying to learn it. I watched the lesson countless times, played through the more difficult sections of it countless times, but still needs so much more work.
Thank you to Andrew for creating such amazing tunes and creating opportunities for people to stretch the boundaries of what seems possible. I hope I might be able to rerecord this one if I get another chance, but this is its current “state,” lol. Thank you.
So many questionable things about this video. How many can you spot? 😂
@janaq1 facts! That’s exactly what she’s thinking! 😂😅
@jbmills07, that was so beautiful! I really loved that song when they included it in one of the video game themed challenges a while ago. You played it very beautifully!Miss Ziggy is quite the spry one! It’s kind of amazing to actually see her jump up onto your shoulders like that! My dad used to have a cat who would do that, too. So adorable! She is a queen! 😂😁💕
@leb397, not gonna lie, learning Funk Jam has been a journey and it ain’t over yet. It is good because I’m working on skills that were actually around level 0 of development, pretty sure, like if this were a video game. 😂 The multiple takes can be a gauntlet, trying to get the best take possible, but like @gi_gi_ said and you’ve shown, it’s so worth it. 😊 Oh my, I loved Matt’s arrangement of Imagine so much, too! I used to play that on piano all the time and he really captured the feel of playing it.
@leb397, that was very spicy and lovely!! 😅💕 Hearing your take makes me want to learn that, too. But I have my hands full with Funk Jam. 😂🥺 But yes, quite a lovely take of that one, you did! 😊
@surferjay, hahaha! I would literally die if I were on one of those shows. Well, I’d probably faint honestly. So, that’d make things easier. 😂 They sure are entertaining to watch though! 😅
Thank you so much… I honestly want to cry after you saying that. It just means so much because I struggled with that song on and off for months, and that recording is one of the best takes I’ve ever done of it. Your playing inspires me, and your’all’s encouragement has meant so much to me. Thank you! 😂😭💕
@Andrew, oh, good idear! I will try that! Thank you! 🙂