[dianna]

Bravo @misterbones ! I think that is the fastest I’ve ever seen a first post😂…..Well-done! Your claw-hammer is impeccable….I even like the slight tapping sound you get as your thumb plucks and hits the banjo-uke head….a drumming effect.

I also went back and listened to your January clawhammer submission…(wow!)…and I liked the raspy voice….it suited the style.

Where did u get the tabs for your January submission…..(meant to ask in January😜)

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by dianna.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by dianna.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by dianna.

[dianna]

OMG @The_Bumble_Bard I love it! You are having way too much fun!😂❤️❤️😂

[dianna]

@Andrew and @gi_gi_ …..Thank-you!😁

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by dianna.

[dianna]

Just 53 secs! Oyvay…….singing and playing is not easy! Also, may have added a bit too much reverb from a new reverb app I found……..but another incredibly busy month……so here goes a cringeworthy attempt at I’ll Be There for You……

Do not include me in the draw this month…..thank-you Roc101 and especially Ashley…..and congratulations!

[dianna]

@morrieuke1 – congratulations!

@ruthie-roo – thank-you for the review♥️…..and thank-you for taking the initiative to give a shout out to everyone who created an original……that is no small feat….greatly appreciated.

@the_Bumble_Bard, I agree …..this was a great challenge!

[dianna]

@grannieannie….Bella, Rica and Mikey sound like characters❤️❤️❤️

[dianna]

@The_Bumble_Bard I love your enthusiasm for something you are so very passionate about….it’s a beautiful thing♥️

[dianna]

@The_Bumble_Bard……it is so amazing what we can do with a handful of notes and chords (The DNA of musical composition)….and a lot of fun to play around with (honestly, I love this stuff….could do it all day…..but alas too many other things on my plate at this time). Thanks for spending so much time with my piece and would love to hear what you have come up with😁…….Also, @Janaq1 is highlighted this week….what I think is interesting is she uses similar chords, but creates something completely different……beautiful and haunting.

@grannieannie thank-you for your kind words and a shout out to your fur-family♥️. Just out of curiousity…..what are their names and are they usually underfoot when you are playing Uke?

[dianna]

Awe…..thank-you so much @Andrew – you said ‘keep it simple’…..so I did. Looking for inspiration, they were right there…..as they always are…. inspiring me.

@The_Bumble_Bard….Wow! Thank-you so much for listening and sharing your thoughts……it means a lot to me….especially from my clawhammer sister😁…..Also, I’m impressed that you have taken the time and effort to listen and review so many others here….I have no doubt it is greatly appreciated.

It did occur to me that someone listening to the whole piece may hear something totally different than what I was trying to convey………I think that when you put something out in the world, that ‘thing’ than takes on a life of its own, and then ‘meaning’ comes from the one engaged with it rather than the one who created it. It may also mean that I didn’t differentiate the voices enough🤪……..

Anyway, the task I created for myself was to present two ‘distinct’ (maybe not so distinct) voices coexisting harmoniously in the same tune………Cat and Dog. I kept it very simple…..mostly by ear….not theory. So here goes:

Cat: Em C7 B7
Dog: C F7 G7

Intro: Cat – should sound like a cat on the prowl…..clawhammered in 1st position
Dog – should sound easy and laid back……again clawhammered in 1st position

Body: Cat – strummed in 1st position, then clawhammered up the neck
Dog – clawhammered in 1st position, then strummed in 1st position, then clawhammered up the neck

Conclusion: Both voices – strummed between C and Em chord up the neck culminating in a C (which makes me think this is actually in the key of C – but not entirely sure)

This can be played on high G uke too, more traditionally clawhammer.

I’m guessing all those 7th chords must give it a bluesy sound. As far as ‘cliche’, I think when you listen to the snippets individually they sound very, very familiar.

@gi_gi_ thank-you for your kind words. Also, thank-you for sharing your recording set—up….so cool and inspiring…….I use my I-pad or phone, and I’m usually very frustrated with the sound…so you have given me food for thought. Your original piece is beautiful….it sounds like a tune from the heart….’On The Mend,’…..love it…..I hope your friend is doing well🙏🏼

Sorry for the dissertation…..I’m sure everyone here could probably write one on their own creative process….which would be interesting and educational….learning from each other’s experience.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by dianna.

[dianna]

……and one more thing🤪……I agree with @misterbones…….(by the way, loved your ‘original’)….my ‘original’ medley sounds like cliched snippets glued together…..so maybe it’s just best to call it a first attempt😁

[dianna]

My first original piece is called “A Medley of Minor and Major Distraction” (or The Abner and Lelee Song)…..inspired by my 72 (people years) year old cat – who fancies himself the James Bond of cats (and takes his prowling and mousing duties very seriously)…..and my 100 year old dog who whiles away her days seeking out sun puddles to lay her weary bones and dream her dog dreams.
These 2 have been with me for years….always in the background of my life…..a constant, lovely distraction with their sweet antics……they are pure love ❤️

I was attempting to create 2 voices that co-existed in the same tune. The cat is represented by an E minor voice and the Dog is C major. I used Miko’s suggestion of finding melody in the picking pattern of the chords….but rather than using Travis picking, I used clawhammer-style on a low-G uke. Then I included a strumming pattern that helped to pull it all together establishing melody, harmony and rhythm. Tune structure is circular and repetitive toggling between the two voices, with the Em Cat voice first, and the Cmajor Dog voice second until the end where the 2 voices merge.

One more thing……timing……it is supposed to start slow and build up speed a bit as the tune progresses………

there are a few flubs…..had the same issues recording…..not perfect, but it was time to post…..

Finally, what a great challenge…..Thank-you @Andrew! I am so impressed with the creativity and talent within our group……so much fun! Uke-On♥️.

Please do not include me in the draw this month.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by dianna.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by dianna.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by dianna.

[dianna]

Awe….@The_Bumble_Bard I did read all of it…..I love that in a way, you are giving homage to the roots of clawhammer……and also that in all of its ‘silliness’ there is so much thought and feeling behind it…….oh, and also a full story! It makes me wonder what the creators of some of those old-time tunes were actually thinking: “Grasshopper Sittin’ on a Sweet Potato Vine,”….”Shove another pig’s foot on the fire….” Or this one….’Nail that Catfish to the Tree’ (Yikes!)…

[dianna]

I agree! @shmu88 that was amazing! I loved how you were able to express in a song what the rest of us (definitely me) are experiencing and thinking…..great job! Not to take away from all the other submissions……I am so impressed…..what a great challenge…..thanks @Andrew😁

• This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by dianna.

[dianna]

Wow! Congratulations @Emiliano…..what a gorgeous baritone!

Congratulations to Nat-uke also!😁

[dianna]

@deadbuggy…..Wow! Great job…..do you have tabs written out?

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