Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I am a premium member 🎄
I had to go for the classic Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer for this month. I do still want to work on Last Christmas but oof…that’ll take a bit to get down. Like, maybe if I start now, it will be ready for Christmas next year 🙂 Still, I love this arrangement and it is so much fun to play!
Oh, and I made a donation as well!
I am a premium member 🙂
Well, it came down to the wire for me this month, but alas here is my recording of Etude in Eminor. I would have loved to give Valse Venezolano No. 2 a better stab, but I couldn’t spare the time to get it down and do it some kind of justice this month.
Still, this was really a great piece to work on and though and deceptively difficult to execute well. My understanding and execution of dynamics, vibrato, and rubato, could still use work, but I am all in all pretty pleased with the performance.
@andyrose that’s incredible!! I highly recommend it! I probably would not be the best at giving amp advice so I’ll leave that to the people who actually know things about music haha….and it looks like @Andrew has already given a good recommendation!
As for the audio recording – I use a set up that works directly with my camera and allows me to record my audio and video together, but I do also have an audio interface that I like and would recommend as a beginner friendly and pretty widely known option. It’s the FocusRight Scarlett series – there are several models. I have the third generation 2i2 which allows for 2 inputs and is compatible with my iPad & GarageBand iOS which is what I use, but there are other models with more or less inputs.Ahh yes, thank you for the feedback @Andrew. I often get so nervous that if I play more softly it just won’t come through loud enough in a recording, not to mention the fact that I also just sometimes lose sight of dynamics when I’m making a recording. But you’re right the dynamics of a piece, and especially in this piece are crucial to the overall feel. I will work on being more intentional with it and thank you for the suggested approach 🙂
@gi_gi_ thank you! In a nutshell, when I record I use a mic and preamp system that connects in with my camera and allows me to record decent audio quality while recording my video. But after I’m done recording, I do some basic tweak in GarageBand iOS (not that I have a great understanding of what I’m doing mind you lol…I just try to make minor adjustments to improve the overall quality and try to get the tone right) on my iPad and then sync it back up to my video.
To be honest, it’s really just a lot of unnecessary work most of the time lol, but it is something I enjoy doing as kind of a side hobby almost.
PS. @Andrew told me I should just say it’s magic 😉
I am a premium member 🙂
Finally getting around to uploading for this month. I started recording this a couple weeks ago and just never really finalized it until now. Time and energy seem to be minimal lately, but participating in the monthly challenges is a high priority because they just teach me so damn much!
Anywho, long intros aside, I chose Moon River this month because I utterly adore the song and found the fingerstyle arrangement to be far to pretty to pass up.
I just had to do Chopsticks this month for all the childhood nostalgia…and this being one of two songs I could play on piano haha. The other one – which I would also love a ukulele arrangement of *wink wink* – was Heart and Soul.
Thanks for making me feel like a kid again! The uke version of this song is incredibly addictive to play. I took a few creative liberties with the video…I hope it’s not too much of a distraction from the playing itself!
Here is my entry for August 🙂
I am working on multiple etudes right now because I find them all so relaxing and soothing to play, but Etude No 25 Travis Picking is probably the one I have played the most thus far. It’s such a pretty tune!
I finally have a recording ready for this month! I chose to do Summertime…it was just such a lovely arrangement I couldn’t resist. I tried taking my time to really get down some of those trickier bars, but I don’t think the extra time did me any good haha. They were still tough and not how I wanted to execute them (one of these days my pinky will develop strength and dexterity but today is not that day :P) In any case, I didn’t want to run out of time to get something up, so here is where I’m at for now 🙂
I am a premium member 🙂
Like many of the others, I did Sleepwalk for this month. Holy gorgeous melody in that hauntingly melancholic kind of way. Is it sad that’s kind of my favorite kind of song? I can definitely see why so many people opted for this song this month…and WOW so many amazing performances!
So here is my version. I kept the tempo a little more loose in spots and tried to just play by feel as best as I currently know how. Also, I actually do not currently have a Low G strung ukulele, but I just converted my baritone into a low G tuned standard uke by putting a capo on the 5th fret. Hopefully that is ok!
@Andrew thank you so much! The feedback is much appreciated too…I definitely have a habit curling that particular finger under when not using it. I broke my hand a couple years ago and it didn’t heal very well resulting in the knuckle of my ring finger becoming displaced. For whatever reason it’s super uncomfortable for me to keep that finger hovering above, but I’m sure with more practice doing it will at least get a little more mobile!
@kirpuff me too! Define toy a great set list to choose from this month. And you are total uke inspiration for me….your performances are always so incredible!
@samash07 lol…..I debated on leaving the whoosh in but decided probably against better judgement to keep it. Probably a bit gimmicky but I’m ok with that 😂 And thank you!
I AM A PREMIUM MEMBER 🙂
I chose Smoke on the Water this month (what a supremely fun song to play) and decided to give it a go on my solid body electric uke. I didn’t entirely love the way it sounded in the verse/chorus section, so I did bring in my acoustic electric to fill in some of those parts. As for the video…chances are it’s a little dramatic and overboard, but it was fun to make 🤣
@smokealot your cover sounded great! I understand the nerves when the camera goes on – the more you do it, the better it gets!
And thanks! I’m hoping to record and post maybe sometime next week! 🙂
