[walter]

Beyond the reef
Sway
You belong to me
Autumn leaves
Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Iz version)

These are what I would like to hear when I am in bed and may not ever get out. I know because I was there once.

[walter]

My final January challenge report — I’ve been really busy but wanted to post this for myself even if I’m too late.

I worked on pentatonic scales, and it was a big success, much more interesting than I expected it to be!

I learned the patterns for C/Am up the fretboard for am octave, transferred mid-fretboard patterns to F and G.

It tied together the C chords I already knew, and made the fretboard more comfortable.

As real-life practice I used it to solo in some of the jam groups I go to.

Here it is:

[walter]

This is my mid-month followup on pentatonic scales. I am starting with C/Am. This video shows C and AM scales in 1st position,then the pentatonic versions,the a couple of random riffs based on C pentatonic (ie I end on C. C and Am pentatonic have the same notes.

[walter]

2019 January Rock101 Challenge — first post
execution
I want to explore using pentatonic scales for improvisation.
I have been playing ukulele for 7 years and can use movable chord shapes and finger pick.
By the end of the month I want to be comfortable with the C/Am pentatonic from the nut to the body. I will start with C/Am scale exercises each morning, then use the pentatonic patterns. I will start ‘horizontally’: The first few days just first & second position, then adding a ‘position’ until I get to the repeat pattern. Then I will go ‘vertical’: play the pattern up each string. Along the way I will improvise with backing tracks.
application
I will add some improvisational solos to some songs that my jam groups do.
evaluation
I will see how much of the entire pattern I learn, and see how effective it is on improvisation.
I want to see how many questions I generate. That is, how much more work I have to do!

[walter]

Alain, I saw that instrument on you cover photo on May’s challenge — I thought it was a strange looking Ukulele 😉

[walter]

We might arrange a duet. She does more Hula than uku, maybe we can add that too.
We’ve been busy these past 5 months with various family issues, so just getting back to you now!

[walter]

I like the tone you get out of your uke, and the smoothness of your playing!

[walter]

Thanks, Andrew, for the idea, and thanks to everyone else who posted — you all were an inspiration!
I chose ‘Ode to Joy’ because I like the music.

I have a low G Tenor, so I made some adjustments to Andrew’s arrangement to take advantage of the low G.
– I use the g on 3rd fret 2nd string
– for the Dm I use A on 2nd fret 4th string as continuo

I waited to the next-to-last day because I had to let my nails grow out after doing some construction work without gloves (silly me)

The youtube is:

[walter]

IMHO it is perfectly acceptable. the tone will be slightly different. hammers and pull-offs will eventually make your life easier once you get comfortable with them.

One exercise I do is play my warm-up scales with hammers and pull-offs. I start up the fretboard (eg C on 5th fret on low G string) and try not to pluck anything — hammer going up, pull-off going down (hammer the 1st note on the lower-toned string)

[Author]

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