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Thank you so much for the encouragement, Andrew! Your feedback is so helpful and you notice everything. It’s still one of my favorite parts of these challenges, reading all your feedback (not just to me, but to everyone) because it’s so insightful and fun to read through. I’ll keep working on this one. 😊
I AM A PREMIUM MEMBER
Oh, dear… so I sorely underestimated the difficulty of this tune, Aerials, whilst also sorely overestimating my ability to learn it quickly. Only having a couple of hours before a party tonight, this is the best I could do with the limited time that remains. I think portions of the performance are actually pretty okay except for the strumming sections which are a complete train wreck, yet… personal best…? For me, I would have to memorize every single up and down stroke and each chord change and take it one “1 e and a” at a time like 4SB suggested in the lesson. I definitely am going to go back and do that because this tune is really, really cool, but this is what it is for now. So sorry for anyone who witnesses my struggle, especially to you Andrew. Thank you for this amazing challenge and amazing tunes – and everyone’s amazing performances! 🥰
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Oh my word, so, after I wrote that and was about to post my first take, I realize I forgot more than one section of the song and had to re-recorded. In my panic (running out of time to get ready, too), I feel like this take is even worse than the first one, but everything is there-ish. I’m so sorry; it’s so bad. 😂😂
Okay, watching it back, it isn’t *as* bad as I thought. You can tell the processing power of my brain is maxed out with the strumming sections though, but even those are not *as* bad as I thought. Gah, sorry, okay, here it is:
@otzepeng, hahaha! Yes, that math seems 100% legit! I’m pretty sure that is how my mind works, too – there is *at least* 48 hours per day in which all these things can be done! And yet they all do get done, so……….. your take on Aerials was so amazing!! All the takes I heard on that one were so, so good! I think I’ll definitely end up playing all the notes, at least. 😂 The strumming part in the first part of the verse is killing me; the rest is tricky but manageable. It’s great because that tune is just the style I love to play – almost classical, in a way; like right at the beginning of the tune. That’s how I’m viewing it. I’m just so bad at strumming but doing my best with it! At least it’s more practice! Thank you so much for your vote of confidence!! 😀
@grannieannie, hahaha, that’s true! I know I do that to myself constantly, put unnecessary pressure on myself. I think I enjoy being stressed out. 😂 Thank you, cutting out almost all caffeine has helped a lot. Ha, thankfully, I also have social plans at least two of those days, so *plenty* of time to work with! 😂😂 Your take on Iron Man sounded really great, despite a lot less practice time! 😀
@leb397, thank you so much, Louisa! 🥰 Yes, things are getting better. I’ve learned some ways to manage my anxiety and like I said cutting out caffeine was very helpful with that. There’s a lot more to it, but I think I’m on the right path now. Haha, yes, my take is definitely going to be a “personal best” especially considering the current time restraints! The results should be fascinating! 😂 Your take on Iron Man was so stinkin’ good! 🙂
@nat-uke, hahaha!! We’re in the same boat. I’d be willing to bet a lot of people had the exact same thing happen. There’s always so much happening in October for some reason. I’m confident we can both pull it off! 😂😂 (Cough) 😉I’ve really enjoyed listening to all the entries and reading @Andrew ‘s feedback! Even if I don’t log in, I get all the emails and still love to follow along with this group. 🥰
Also I used valuable practice time to write this, but it’s hashtag worth it! 😂
So many amazing performances, I just got to listen through them all! Some really tricky songs and everyone did such a great job! 😊
So, uh, I definitely didn’t do that thing when I practice for one day at the beginning of the month, then didn’t pick it up again until today. I can learn Aerials in like three days, right? I definitely can… Actually, it amounts to about one day due to having 1.5 jobs now and editing a book for someone by the first week of next month. Also need to take a driving course. This is all totally doable and realistic. 😂 I am weirdly overconfident that I can do this…
Also just wanted to mention that I am feeling much better now with my health issues overall, though I had to make some lifestyle changes for sure. It has been a slow healing process, but just taking things day by day. I hope everyone here has been doing well. 🥰
Oh man, I am so pumped for this topic! This should be interesting. Despite being an anxious person, I do enjoy horror movies.
I think one thing that can make music sound scary is a minor key but especially musical dissonance. I think something about that is automatically unsettling to the human brain.
Another thing is when there is a slow, steady, deep rhythm in horror movies – that triggers an ancient fear within us, that emulates the pace of a t-rex’s slow, ominous stride. That isn’t true, I just made that up. …Or is it?!
Can’t wait for this one!!
Hello friends! I tried to leave a bunch of notes and also reply to all the kind words from everyone about my submission, but didn’t quite get to everyone! Thankfully, @leb397 @Marianne and others left lovely comments and everyone got at least one reply, I think! That’s what makes this community so beautiful! Thank you for that! 😍
@otzepeng, your performance of the Severence theme was so good! I’m not smart, though. Is… that you in the video? How did you do that? Really neat! 🙂
@misterbones, really amazing performance as usual! So neat how you’ve incorporated the bass so much into these challenges – although, once again I am being a bit daft – that isn’t a u-bass this time? I guess I didn’t realize that you also play the guitar bass (I’m probably saying that wrong). 😅
@shmu88 – such a gorgeous performance of Marianne’s Contemplations. You really captured the expressiveness and beauty of the tune so perfectly. Lovely playing! 🙂
@leb397, such a beautiful performance of House of the Rising Sun! I really loved that one by Matt. You played it so perfectly! 🙂 I could never quite get the “ghost notes” down, but they sound very natural when you played them. And you nailed the harmonics at the end, too! Thank you so much for your encouraging words about my submission, that really, truly means a lot! I pray that I can make it through this. Despite some really hard days, more often now I am starting to feel like myself. I just take it one day, one hour, at a time. Anyway, thank you so much!! 😍
@nat-uke, very beautifully played, Matt’s tune, Drifting! That’s one of my favorite of his tunes, and you did capture the emotion very beautifully. Also, the scenery in your video is gorge! 🙂
@brettboy, such a happy tune and lovely and fun performance as always! I can’t help with any of the recording stuff since is my great struggle in this world, as well. 😅 I think your videos always sound really good, though, sound-quality-wise and it helps that your playing is very clean. 🙂
@malku2603, very beautiful playing!! 🙂
@katazumiri, that was so stinkin’ magical! I love what you did with this tune. This was originally a vocal lesson, wasn’t it? And you used the xylophone for the melody – it works so well. So fun! 😀
@misskika, very beautiful playing!! Somewhat hard to hear, but after turning up the volume it sounded really good! 🙂
@anyon1, such lovely playing! You always capture the spirit of tunes when you play them and the feeling. I really loved that one by Andrew – his compositions have such depth to them. Beautifully played! 🙂
@lhamilton, your take on Marianne’s Contemplations was so lovely! You’re very adept at playing tunes in a classical style for sure. Lovely! 🙂
@grannieannie, loved your take on Maybe I’m Still Amazed! Very beautifully played. 🙂 Hehe, thank you so much about my video! I am thinking I really will redo the music to the video to include some clawhammer. I don’t know how I could’ve overlooked that!! Thank you so much! 🙂
@nelsonlin2021, really loved your performance of A Shade Of Minor! That one is sad, but beautiful. Haha, thank you so much about my video! Ha, I had to put the twist at the end. Oh okay… so… Matt created a version of Canon in D in C major on his YouTube channel, but I took that and attempted to figure out a minor version. I was just guessing on most of the chords, though. I have to go back and figure out more specific chords that he used, because I only based it on what I remembered from listening to his lesson a few times. I sure am loosey-goosey with how I do things! But if I can figure out more specifically, I may be able to write it down because it is relatively simple. Sorry, that’s a very convoluted reply. I think that tune has potential to be quite pretty in minor, though. I just might need help. 😅
@ldarrow, very beautiful performance! I’m so sorry to hear that you are feeling minor. I so understand that. On the bright side, your performance was so lovely! 🙂
@akukes73, really lovely playing, even more amazing that it was only 3 attempts recording! So tricky. I don’t remember who started that trend here on RC101, might’ve been @johanna2509 (sorry if I remember that wrong), but it’s a really good idea! Very pretty performance! 🙂 Hehe, thank you so much about my video and for thinking that is my superpower! Being more imaginative can be fun, but boy does it have drawbacks at times! I’ve learned that the hard way. “Uh oh, what’s real?!” my brain says sometimes. Sorry that was TMI, but thank you! 😅
@janaq1, I was so excited to see that you picked this one before even listening to it, knowing it would be great, and you did not disappoint! Really, really amazing performance, wowzers! Good golly! 4StringBoy sure has skillz, as do you! I’m so happy that my goofy video made your day, that makes me smile! Thank you so much! 🙂
@karenj, very beautiful performance! Your playing was pretty dang close to perfect to me! Your videos always make me smile because of how kindly you connect to people through the camera. To me that means a lot, but you’re a great player, too! Thank you! 🙂(At this point, I am starting to run out of steam and not feel well, I’m afraid, so sorry for not getting to reply to everyone’s submissions (I know I don’t have to, but I gave it the ol’ college try!), just one more reply:)
@dianna, really amazing performance of House of the Rising Sun! The way you put your videos together is also really neat, neat style! Haha, thank you so much for your kind words about my submission, that was so much fun to put together! I may try it that way again with ChatGPT, perhaps, though I think the drawings have more character when a person does them, frankly. 😅Really amazing month of performance, everyone did an amazing job!! Really looking forward to this month’s challenge! 🙂
Hello ukulele friends! 🙂
I managed to get together an entry this month! I have no idea how, lol. I frantically threw this together… today. 😂
I really wanted to do the option with the live lessons, since I’ve loved those so much, so I chose the What Is Your Ukulele Superpower? lesson. That led me to thinking about the imagined “origin story” for how I acquired my “ukulele superpower,” which I feel is creativity/imagination, and also being able to (re)create a clawhammer version of different tunes. I feel like those are two of my strengths with ukulele and this video showcases those things (but now I’m thinking, why didn’t I add clawhammer to this?! Der). I also included the Live Lesson on reharmonization because the background tune for this video is suppose to be a minor version of Pachelbel’s Canon, which Matt just did a lesson on for his Patreon. I figured that out somewhat at the beginning of the month, but then didn’t get to practice it again until tonight – so some of it was completely made up on the spot and that shows. I also was guessing on a lot of the chords because I struggled to figure out the “minor equivalent” of some chords. But considering how flippin’ quickly I threw all this together and that I was guessing with most of it, I think it’s okay. 😂 I may redo the music at some point when I have time again.
The images I created using ChatGPT. I would’ve drawn them all out myself, but I just didn’t have time with everything going on. I think it’s still pretty hilarious. Also, at one point, ChatGPT generated a random “critter” that I did not ask it to. So, if you’re wondering why there’s a weird creepy little grub creature – that was just pure AI nightmare fuel. 😂😂
Also, with the panels with the black background and text only, I forgot to remove the “camera turned off” icon, sorry about that. 😂😂
I think that’s it. I’m very tired, so hopefully I remembered everything. Can’t wait to listen through all the other entries this month, no doubt they are amazing!! 😊Thanks to @Andrew for these more creative challenges! 😊
Here ’tis:
Andrew, I won’t lie to you, that took me multiple readings to grasp, lol, but I think I’ve got it now! Everyone else can disregard what I’m saying here because you explained it perfectly. But if I understand, you want the “and” within each category and the “or” between categories? I feel like this is getting borderline philosophical. That is so confusing, but now the search works perfectly. I just tried it. 😂
@janaq1, I do see what you’re saying about that. You mean, that if you select “country” and “love” songs, you would want to see both those categories appear as separate entities but listed together – as in ALL the love songs and ALL the country songs, not just “country love” songs? I definitely see the logic of that with the song difficulty levels, but with the song categories, I feel like the best solution might be to just do two separate searches. Select “love songs” to JUST see love songs, THEN select “country songs” to JUST see country songs, THEN a combination to find “country love songs.” Hopefully I’m following what you mean. I just don’t know how you would design the search to be able to look up the two separate categories (love songs AND country songs) AND a combination at the same time (country love songs). If the search showed country songs, love songs, and country love songs – then that’s almost too much information, I think, too broad of a search. That’s just my thought on that. 😂
I didn’t have the issue with the search only listing 3 songs, unless the search actually did narrow it down to 3 options, but I’ll let others weigh in. Those are just my thoughts.
@jbmills07, thank you so much for all of that, Justin! Your thoughts and prayers mean a lot. I’ll say more about that in a minute. 😊
Ha, I understand what you mean when you say you have “choice overload.” There are so many amazing songs to choose from here. It can be helpful when there are only four to six options. I kind of thrive in a “free-for-all” environment which is probably pretty obvious. 😂 I actually know 100% what I’m doing now; hopefully I can get a good chunk of it done this weekend and week coming up. 😊
I’m not sure if you picked a song yet or went with one that @Andrew suggested (the first “Rocktober” song already being released – and that’s amazing – you could defs do that one and it’d be really awesome. Here ’tis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw1C5KNtZAs). I also looked through RC101’s YouTube to find the most recent tunes and picked four from 2025 that I think would be lovely if you played them (because the new search here isn’t public yet, otherwise I would’ve used that!!):
Drifting (beautiful tune by Matt, if I remember correctly)
The Interstallar theme by Sammy (I always forget how he writes his screen name, is it 4StringBoy? 😂)
Sunset Skip by Matt (I think Marianne did this one and it was absolutely beautiful – it’d be so lovely if you did it, too!)
Etude No. 37 by Andrew (very beautiful and not too tricky to learn if you’re just starting now, because it’s marked as beginner level)
“Fingerpicking Etude no. 37: The In-And-Out Pattern” – Rock Class 101
Then there’s this mini-lesson No. 24, but I don’t if those are an option – I’m sure they are, though. 😊
So there ya go! I curated a list for you!!! They’re made up of both songs I love and songs I think that would be lovely if you played them! 😉 😂 Also, it’s totally okay if you already picked something else, obviously. 😊
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And just wanted to say thank you again for your thoughts and prayers about my health and for your encouragement. It really means a lot and lifts my spirits to read that. 🥰
A good portion of the issues relate to my mental health. I have had issues with my depression and anxiety my whole life – a very physical experience of those issues. I think sometimes people don’t understand how those conditions can be so very physically debilitating and, at times, absolutely terrifying – when you feel like you have no control over your own mind and your interpretation of, or connection to, reality. It’s actually hard to think of something scarier than that. In August, I had some really bad panic attacks that basically led to me having non-stop panic/anxiety issues for the entire month – that led me to go to doctors who did not give me the best mental health treatment (though it is typical of what they recommend and makes sense) and I reacted very badly to it. I am still recovering from all that, but right now feeling better. Every day is a battle to recover – it can be very intense, but taking it one day, one hour, at a time, and learning techniques to manage it. For me, more natural solutions tend to be better for those kind of issues. I feel like I can jinx if I say, “I’m doing better today,” then I seem to suddenly not be doing better. But I am slowly, slowly, getting better and back to normal. I am still playing ukulele pretty often and trying my best to be productive, but also rest when I can. 😊
Also, I am going to get another cat before winter because my family and I decided that cats are the solution to all ails. 😉 😂
The anxiety I was having also related to a “heart issue” that they discovered because I thought I might’ve had a heart attack when I had the worst panic attack early last month – so they did an EKG and did discover a heart abnormality. So, that fueled my anxiety more because I am hyper-sensitive to things happening in my body in general, but then I kept thinking, “welp, I guess I’m dying.” 😂 That’s an intrusive thought, though parts of your brain can send false alarm signals and make you feel that way. There is a chance that could just be my normal heartbeat that is slightly “off.” But I am in weekly contact with a counselor about these issues and have doctors appointments for checking on the other causes of the heart palpitations I’ve been having non-stop (one potential cause is Lyme’s disease, which can cause abnormalities in your heartbeat, but also high cholesterol, thyroid issues, and vitamin deficiencies can cause that, so I’m having those things tested next week and also seeing a cardiologist at the beginning of next month). So yeah, that’s basically what’s been going on. So, part of what was so stressful is not knowing if my mind was causing the issues (because again anxiety can cause very physical reactions in your body, including with your heart), or if the physical issues were causing the anxiety – it turns out it was probably both. 😂 But I feel, think, and pray that things are getting better now.
One other thing that I want to mention is that all of this relates to my faith in God and my relationship to Him, so that’s been another really profound aspect of this experience – is that I feel the trouble I’ve gone through has caused me to reconnect with God in a much deeper way than I have in a long, long time. I never have lost my faith, but I was not really living it the way I should. So, prayer, reconnecting to God through His Word, and through music – through the ukulele and singing. I feel like that is why I went through this, is because God was drawing me back to Him, even though it’s been one of the hardest things I’ve ever been through. I also think because I have drifted away from Him in some ways, such as not going to church every week, that has caused my mental health issues to run even more rampant, as I have a tendency to want to isolate myself. So, I view this as a really good thing. It is a lot happening at once, but steadily trying to take it all in and adjust my lifestyle in every way conceivable, basically – including adding in more exercise because that can also help with all these issues. 😂
But yeah, I feel like I am doing much, much better than I was. It helps that I know a bit more what is going on, in that a good chunk of it is just my “monkey mind” (amygdala) going crazy with fight or flight reactions, a good part because of my own thoughts. So, I am trying to be mindful with that. So yes, an ongoing recovery every day. Thank you again for all your kind words and support, Justin! 😊
@leb397, thank you so much, my friend! Your encouragement and concern means a lot, Louisa. 🥰 I detailed a lot of what’s been going on (above) to Justin, just because I think it’s less helpful in my case to be vague. Ha, yes, oopsies, I sure can be prolific! I have said it multiple times but I am planning to really start a blog before the end of the year because I think it could be really good for me. I have had a lot of inspiration to write on these topics, especially spiritual topics, such as about the Psalms, so I think that might be a good chunk of what I write there, along with sharing my ukulele tabs and songs, daily goings on, experience as an older single lady, recipes, and things. So, I think that could be a really good, productive, cathartic outlet for me. 😊 Hahaha, I would love if Andrew did something like that because my love for this group of people is deep and undying, and I love to “give back” the encouragement and inspiration everyone here has given to me. So, it definitely goes both ways. 😊And thank you again for your kind and thoughtful words and to everyone else who was so incredibly encouraging about all of this and also about my entry for August – in case I don’t get back to that. The ridiculous, beautiful otamatone – so stinkin’ stupid. That made me laugh so hard last month and still gets me every time. 😂 My entry for September will be even worse as far as the silliness, but that should be fun right now, hopefully I can get it together. Thank you again for the thoughts and prayers, they help a lot right now! 🥰
To my eyes, the search looks really perfect, I wouldn’t change anything! 🙂
At first I thought the spacing between the categories looked off, like there was too much space, but I think that was just in one of the screen shots. When looking at it on that link, the layout and spacing looks perfect. Really looking forward to that, the more detailed search will be so helpful, especially in more “free-for-all” challenges!! I also really love that you can search by instructor / performer of the songs. Thank you so much for all your and your team’s work, Andrew!! 🙂
Oh man, I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooOOooooooooooo excited for this one!! I can’t wait to learn more about this concept!
Without fully knowing what’s involved with this idea, my question is: How far can you modify a given tune before it no longer is that tune anymore? That’s more an existential question, perhaps. 😂
Maybe as long as the main melody is in tact and recognizable, no matter how much you change the harmony, it still is the song you started with?
I’ll be pondering this way too much now…
Thank you for coming up with these great topics and lessons! 🙂
Hey @jbmills07 Justin!! I immediately knew roughly what I was going to do, which was one of the Live Lesson options – because I love how open-ended that is. I’m probably going to do the Live Lesson Andrew mentioned, “What Is Your Ukulele Superpower?” (not to give too much away because I want it to be a surprise) but then I had a moment of inspiration last night, knowing “more approximately” what I’m going to do – a more specific, rough idea. 😂 You could also do that – showcase what your Ukulele Superpower is (here is the link to that lesson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDcdJEyJZFg)! I’d love to see that! I think you can also choose any song from 2025, and there are a lot of great options with that. 🙂 I also saw that you left me a lovely comment on my YouTube video for the August challenge – just haven’t gotten to reply yet, but thank you so much for your kind words there! 🙂 My health has been very spotty, as I’ve mentioned, and I’m just getting caught up with things now. A lot of it has to do with my anxiety and the effects it’s had on my health – which have been pretty serious, but I am hoping and praying that I am through the worst of it now, though I am still dealing with daily physical symptoms (though overall less intense than last month so far, but I take it day by day, hour by hour, and I’m learning to navigate this “new normal” right now). I am trying to lean on my family and my faith – and the healthcare I am trying to acquire – as I navigate what I’m going through right now. I went into more detail here because I don’t think too many people will read this, though I’m still being vague enough that I think it’s okay. 😂 Sorry, hopped aboard the TMI train there once again. I basically am the conductor of that train. Anyway, I really look forward to whatever you pick!! 🙂
@otzepeng, haha, that is so magical!! That’s almost as tiny of a uke as one could create! Almost! 😂
@malku2603, awww yay, that makes me so happy!! 🙂
@lhamilton, okay, that really makes sense! I was just thinking, whistling that good needs to be heard by many! Thankfully it already is and has been! 🙂 I can see what you mean about falling in love with playing the melody on an instrument – that’s also how I love to play instruments, as not “just” an accompaniment, but it also shows how lovely that can be when you do play an instrument that way, too.I still have more replies “bottled up” that I’m going to write out this weekend at some point. 😂
