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Wow! Such beautiful playing this month, and amazing original compositions. I really enjoyed listening and am amazed.
My song is a work in progress… In the third melody I work my way up the neck and then get lost trying to get back down again, but I’ll do some more work on that.
I’m thinking of calling it “Song for My Daughters Far From Home”. It begins sad and sparse – the sound of missing them – then repeats with some rhythm and chords. In the second melody, there are happy memories. In the third melody (that runs up the neck but I didn’t bring back as I wanted to) the idea is that they are grown up and figuring out their own beautiful lives and are healthy and happy… [This is how it’s supposed to work, Mom, so be proud and happy for them!]. And I guess it ends with repeating the initial part acknowledging my feeling of missing them and longing to be together again.
Some day the title and the playing might cover that without the paragraph – but the skill level is not making that happen yet.
Sheryl
Here is my rendition of White Christmas — think more Bing Crosby, not swing…
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By the way, I’m still working on playing with more emotion. In case you think I finally achieved that in the last 4 measures of this one, that’s not what was going on… Having scrapped several recordings, and the almost good one that I deleted after an Amazon Prime truck with thumping bass visited the next door neighbor and excited my dogs…., I was determined not to stop this recording even though I was about to be overtaken by a coughing fit.
Andrew, I’ll send you numbers for my Ukulele Kids Club donation and company match.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone.
Sheryl
Happy Thanksgiving weekend, all. Here is I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.
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Question for you, Andrew… I did try to use this one as an exercise in playing with feeling. Note that there’s a short section where I seem to relax a little and I’m actually thinking about the pretty melody and arrangement and ‘feeling it’…and then my fingers jam in the strings and I make a total mess. So if I concentrate I sort of get through it, but it sounds mechanical. If I relax, it sounds prettier, but then I either lose my place or some mayhem ensues. Suggestions?
Thanks,
SherylI’m so excited for you! I went to an event (Uke Ohana) in August and had that same feeling (mind blown!) talking and living ukes for several days with like-minded people, getting lots of focused teaching and exposure to great playing. So great that you have new ukuleles, too! Enjoy them!
SherylHere is my strumming challenge entry, Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue, played on a jangly-sounding resonator, which seems to suit this song.
Hey Andrew – I actually managed to memorize something for a change!
SherylThat was very fine playing! Your tempo gave it a really nice ‘flow’!Thank you for posting your video. You inspire me to get that song back out and try to take it further than I was able to in the challenge month. Such a great song!
Andrew, Just finally catching up with your feedback on Wipeout — Thank you for the helpful video! I appreciate the recommendation to simplify the one or two measure extra tough spots for me vs leaving them rough for the recording. On the first joint finger bend, I think that happens for me because I’m pressing so hard on the string and fingerboard. I heard a tip that said think in terms of only ever touch the string vs the fingerboard, so I’m trying that to avoid my death grip and maybe then I can hold a curl vs flexed position.
I do have one big question I’d like to get your perspective on… There seem to be a couple different schools of thought on left hand position. One, that I think you subscribe to, is that fingers should be parallel to the frets, as is the instruction for classical guitar (I think). The other, which I have seen some professionals subscribe to, is that the uke should rest just above the nut in the part of the palm between thumb and forefinger and fingers reach more sideways into the fretboard, like mandolin instruction I have seen. I guess I’m looking for a firm rule, when maybe it’s not needed, but I do want to do what’s best for mobility on the fretboard.
Thanks!
SherylI AM A PREMIUM MEMBER.
I am a premium member who did not practice enough on the challenge song this month…. Here’s my attempt at Wipe Out. I love exploring music, but I seem to have trouble making myself do the number of repetitions needed for drilling and making things clean and smooth. On a positive note, though, I wouldn’t have attempted something like this not that long ago, so I do have a sense that I’m developing and progressing with my playing.
Sheryl
Lyndall – Beautiful performance! You’re developing such musicality with your playing. I really enjoyed listening to your playing.
SherylMe, too, Lisa! Except for me, I’m only like you and Jake at the speed he demonstrates early in the video when he’s first teaching it vs later in the video when his hand blurs with the speed…… 😉
Andrew, I appreciate the thoughtful feedback! I am going to work to completely memorize and “keep” When I’m Sixty-Four and also A Thousand Years, as well as work on both Wipe Out and Aloha Oe for June… Perhaps ambitious, but maybe the variety will also help my ability to make myself do the “hard part repetitions” I need to get smooth…. because I’ll have a lot of different ones to do (?)…
Thanks much for the helpful feedback,
Sheryl
