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https://rockclass101.com/blackbird/ check this out @denisedistefan….they have a lesson on Black Bird here at Rock Class 101.
Happy New Year! Funny, I have been thinking about this probably since Matt’s live lesson on goal setting for 2024. So how wonderful that our first challenge of the New Year is to create our own lesson based on our interests and areas in which we would like to improve. As much as I would love to focus on clawhammer (which I will also be doing outside of this lesson),instead I’m going to focus on maintaining tempo and simplicity in expression. To me this means taking a step back and revisiting some of the pieces that I worked on last year.
Execution: Revisit “Always With Me” and if I have time “Adilita” (Always With Me is still somewhat in my memory….Adilita may take more time, because I will have to re-memorize)….I find myself in that vast expanse of intermediate playing, and I believe I have been here for awhile. I would love to have that sense of breaking through to a level of intermediate proficiency that will serve me in more advanced pieces.
Application: I will be focusing on the relationship between tempo and expression, and possibly review the classical techniques course for Adilita. I have always had the sense that I would get so far with my practice and then move on to another challenge. I am hoping by continuing to practice these pieces with a focus on tempo/expression, I can continue to fine tune my playing.
Evaluation: I like the idea of journaling in an effort to keep track of my experience……I will keep you posted as I go along.
Good-luck Uke friends…..this is a great challenge! Dianna
@jbmills07 that was so sweet and congratulations to @joe150!
Thank-you Andrew…..yes….I was taking liberties on purpose that backfired a bit…….there were things that I liked while playing that didn’t sound as good on recording……also, I was trying to just use the thumb for strumming and picking, which made it a little trickier (my other fingers desperately wanted to join in)……
Expression vs./(or as) K.I.S.S. Now this is interesting and fun….great challenge for 2024 – See you then and Happy Holidays!
I AM A PREMIUM MEMBER
Donation of $20 to the Ukulele Kids ClubThis Month I worked on Matt’s lovely arrangement of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. I wish all my Uke friends here a Happy and Joyous Holiday season, and as always Thanks to all at Rock Class 101 for all that you do.
Way to go @The_Bumble_Bard….and your painting is beautiful and festive. @nat-uke that was absolutely lovely and I agree with you whole-heartedly learning an instrument, playing a song is powerful and therapeutic. @Andrew and team…….Wow! You have created all this…..an impressive ukulele repertoire and from that an amazing supportive community has grown……That’s good therapy!
That was lovely @firebladetim, thanks for sharing. I’m a fan of clawhammer also, but I don’t feel quite up to speed. You have probably noticed they have a little clawhammer course here, and in August they included a great clawhammer challenge ‘Bury Me Beneath The Willow,”…..After you and @The_Bumble_Bard mentioned some other clawhammer ukulele videos/teachers….I checked u-tube and am surprised how much is out there now. This was not always the case. I would love to see an expanded clawhammer program here, but admittedly I love all the other ukulele opportunities they offer also. One more thing, I agree with keeping the tunes in the original key in order to play in old-time/blue grass jams (so that we can play nicely with others🤪).
By the way, I was impressed with your first challenge……well-done and very brave to attempt such a challenging piece…….Welcome to Roc101.
@leb397…..I’m not very technical, but what are u using to record? If you use your phone or an iPad…..these short videos can be uploaded straight into u-tube…..which only takes a minute or two and there is no need for pre-conversion, Maybe someone with better technical skills than I have can help you……..but 3 hrs…..I can understand your frustration!
Also, I agree with you on memorization….sometimes it causes more issues for me if I am not totally focused.
@Andrew, thank-you…….I seem to get to a certain point each month in my practice at which point I have to post, though I don’t really consider myself truly performance ready. It’s a good time to review where I am at, get some pointers from you…..but then each piece could benefit from a minimum of at least another month’s worth of practice, if not more. Still, as I move onto the next month’s challenge, I do sense that what I have gained from previous challenges, I can apply to the next challenge. Maybe, I should take on pieces that I know I can prepare to be performance ready in a month……I don’t know, I rarely feel ready to post…..I usually feel it could be so much better and that I have taken on way more than I can chew.
I AM A PREMIUM MEMBER
I worked on Always With Me this month, beautifully arranged by Steven…..It sounds like such a simple little tune…..but that is deceiving…..quite a challenge!….especially verse 2. I used a scene from the anime “Spirited Away” as a background (and yes, maybe a bit of a visual distraction!). It took about a minute to get the background……but, it took a significant amount of time to get a reasonable recording….So excuse all the cringe-worthy parts.🤪. Thanks for the challenge……Also, kudos to everyone for their posts……impressive work. I love sharing in this journey with everyone and witnessing everyone’s growth.
@misterbones – I second @Andrews critique……Wow!
@The_Bumble_Bard ….Thanks for posting….impressed by the way you can turn almost any song into clawhammer…..love it!
@jbmills07 I think I have been living under a rock all these years!🤪 I had definitely heard of anime, but it never occurred to me to actually watch it! Thanks again to Rock Class 101!😁. This weekend we watched ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ (gorgeous!)…….We have a lot of anime catching up to do, so I foresee an anime future!
@The_Bumble_Bard …….oooooh, I want to hear the clawhammer version please! Also, I like to hear voices….it makes the video more human. Just like when @jbmills07 smiles at the end of his videos…..you get a sense of the person playing.
@jgillard. Wow! Thank-you for sharing some of your process with us, it helps me become aware of the way I approach practice and how I can improve.@Muzikmama sorry about your Uke and thanks for the warning!
To all who have already posted great work and thanks for the inspiration. @rebeca I was so intimidated by ‘The Merry Go Round of Life,” and you have made it look easy (and I know it’s not easy)…..great job!
@jgillard – Well Done for a first attempt at recording….I’m definitely in the same boat as @The_Bumble_Bard….but not as brave as she is as far as recording and posting🤪…..
I’m guessing ‘the work’ that you still have to do is memorization and wondering if it is really necessary in your case……will it improve the performance? I’ve been wondering about memorization for awhile, because I usually memorize as I go along…….So, I do not move forward until I have sections memorized. It looks like your approach is different or opposite….you have learned the whole piece and now you will memorize.
I’m also finding that when I move onto another piece I forget what I memorized.
What I see watching you read the music is that you don’t have to look at your fingers moving on the fretboard….that was impressive! But then in verse 2 you do look down at the instrument….you have memorized this section (probably the most difficult section)…..by doing that, I sense an emotional charge….a connection and intimacy between player and instrument……
Anyway, I look forward to your next post!
One more thing…..did you play a stringed instrument before picking up the uke?
