Season 88 of the Ukulele: Forget What You Know!

Forget What You Know!

This week, you are to record a song you do not know at the time I post this thread. (That means a song you haven’t played on the ukulele. It’s okay if you know the song in a general sense, or have sung it or played it on another instrument or on a radio.)

If you are new to the ukulele, or new to the Seasons, it is okay to post a song you’ve been working on. Just recording and posting a song is hard enough the first few times, so while I urge you to challenge yourself, I trust you to decide what that means for you.

If you are one of those (awesome) Seasonistas who learns a new song every week, or who (holy cats!) writes a new song every week, try something to challenge yourself anyway: a new technique, a different style of music, something to make it interesting.

The rules:

1. Multitracking is fine, but I want to see your ukulele and your pretty face. Duplicate entries are not only fine, they are awesome.

2. No bonuses. No “vintage” videos.

3. You may post one and only one video… PER DAY! (I forgot to mention in the video: each entry will go into the hat for the drawing.) If you’re recording with another Seasonista, that’s one video per UU account per day.

4. Please do not post before noon Eastern Time in the US. That’s 6pm in Switzerland, 5pm in the UK, 6am in Hawai’I, and 9am in Cloverdale. Apologies to Seasonistas from other time zones but I hope that helps.

5. Please mention in the video that it is for Season 88 of the Ukulele. (Rats! I forgot to say that in the video, too.)

6. Winners will be drawn randomly from a snazzy hat because I learned my lesson in Season 75. Prizes will be, as Tootler says, “token,” and I have no idea what they will be yet, but then I also have no idea which snazzy hat I will draw from.

7. For your own protection: you may do no more than three takes. I do not want anyone frustrated or annoyed. Less than three can be too much pressure, more than three you start thinking you can be perfect, and that’s not fun. Fun is good. (If you’re multitracking, I leave it to your judgment because I have no idea.)

As this theme would suggest, I am not looking for perfect videos. I want to see everybody having fun and maybe learning something.

A word to new Seasonistas: It takes courage just to show up and learn your lessons in public. Let us know if you need any help; this theme is very broad for you and if you want some guidance just post in the thread or send me a private message and I or one of the magnificent seasoned Seasonistas will be happy to help. Please let us know if this is your first time posting, though, as I don’t always know. We get very excited when you join us (especially Ginny).

I would love to see some of the Seasonista spouses who occasionally stop by, and kids and grandkids. And pets! It’s random drawing so there are no extra points for pets, but pets make me happy.

Oh, I almost forgot! The TCK Rule applies, in that you are invited to share what you learned in preparing your song. You can do this in the thread or in the actual video. This is purely optional.

Thanks, everybody! I’m very excited to see what you all come up with. Thanks for stopping by!

(By the way, I did a really horrible job with this video, so I apologize. I forgot to mention a couple things but everything should be covered here in the post. If you have any questions please sing out, literally or figuratively.)

Playlist filled with awesome videos by awesome people
Playlist of Seasonistas teaching Seasonistas

Ooooooooh, Lily, this is a cool challenge!
I'll be looking through those songs I don't try because there's something hard for me in them.

YAY- Snazzy hat! OK. SO I never know the songs I post for more than about 20 minutes. I figure I will step outside the box and play only one song at the end of the week that I have practiced for hours- NOT.
I will bring pets and spouses I am fairly sure.
This is gonna be fun!
Thanks for hosting again Lily

This looks like an invitation to dust off those songs I've been meaning to learn but never quite got round to.

I only know 4 songs at the moment [although have tried a few more] so that doesn't cut down the opportunities for me to choose as song for this week.
Not sure where to look for inspiration for a song with the chords that I know :^( oh well, I have a week to work on it.

GinnyT11 said:

Ooooooooh, Lily, this is a cool challenge!
I'll be looking through those songs I don't try because there's something hard for me in them.

Click to expand...

That's the stuff! If you think it's too hard it just might be time to try it.

TCK said:

YAY- Snazzy hat! OK. SO I never know the songs I post for more than about 20 minutes. I figure I will step outside the box and play only one song at the end of the week that I have practiced for hours- NOT.
I will bring pets and spouses I am fairly sure.
This is gonna be fun!
Thanks for hosting again Lily

Click to expand...

I have to admit I thought of you, and I know you're one of the people who does something new every week (Cuban Pete, anyone?). Well, just doing what you already do is good. Knowing you, something will come up during the week to get you thinking!

Tootler said:

This looks like an invitation to dust off those songs I've been meaning to learn but never quite got round to.

Click to expand...

Yup! Exactly what I had in mind. That should be fun for you, and the way you choose your songs we will all learn something!

Lumpy Wafflesquirt said:

I only know 4 songs at the moment [although have tried a few more] so that doesn't cut down the opportunities for me to choose as song for this week.
Not sure where to look for inspiration for a song with the chords that I know :^( oh well, I have a week to work on it.

Click to expand...

Maybe you will want to learn a new song anyway. Maybe with a chord or two you don't know? I remember in my second Season having to learn a new song (I needed a song about coffee or tea or honey) and I spent the entire week practicing two chord changes over and over... and over... and over. It ended up being very valuable, and was great practice in how to, you know, practice. Is there a video another Seasonista did during another Season that you liked? Maybe you can try that song, and you can ask that person to help you with it. Or try a song you do know but with a different strumming or picking pattern.

You might do one of the songs that you have tried but don't feel you "know" as well as your best ones. Practice for a couple days to get confident with it (not necessarily all week, but that could be fun for you, too), then record it. That's where I would start, I think. Anyone have any other suggestions for Waffles? (May I call you Waffles?)

I am digging it, what is happening, here.

I have an idea or two of how to be wicked to myself and to bend and stretch and learn and grow because of your huge slab o' wisdom Frau Lilykins!

Thank you!!

It occurs to me that Miss Lily...when she leads a season, she is considerate of the special needs kids over in time out on the island. This statement below leads me to believe that this week is going to be even better than previously expected.
Number one is in the can- how long do I gotta wait so I don't vex last weeks host?

decaturcomp said:

I am digging it, what is happening, here.

I have an idea or two of how to be wicked to myself and to bend and stretch and learn and grow because of your huge slab o' wisdom Frau Lilykins!

Thank you!!

Click to expand...

And HERE IS THE FIRST POST and one wish completed. ;-)
Well here is my first entry. Well I learned this one today. Although it is a song I am very familiar with (I love The Killers) I only learned the chords to actually play it today. I've tried to do the song in a different style to the original although I have no idea what style you would call it. Swing maybe? Dunno.
Anyway. I hope you enjoy.
Oh and HERE IS THE FANTASTIC ORIGINAL.

Hahahaha- That is RAD Dave. I remember staying up until 3AM to do the same at some point. Well played good sir!

Maybe you will want to learn a new song anyway. Maybe with a chord or two you don't know? I remember in my second Season having to learn a new song (I needed a song about coffee or tea or honey) and I spent the entire week practicing two chord changes over and over... and over... and over. It ended up being very valuable, and was great practice in how to, you know, practice. Is there a video another Seasonista did during another Season that you liked? Maybe you can try that song, and you can ask that person to help you with it. Or try a song you do know but with a different strumming or picking pattern.

You might do one of the songs that you have tried but don't feel you "know" as well as your best ones. Practice for a couple days to get confident with it (not necessarily all week, but that could be fun for you, too), then record it. That's where I would start, I think. Anyone have any other suggestions for Waffles? (May I call you Waffles?)[/QUOTE]


Call me what you like so long as it isn't late for lunch.
I will of course find a new song :^)

You people are awesome. I can't wait to see what you all do this week.

I was watching bonesigh's wonderful "Whiskey in the Jar" tutorial from Season 87 (I know, you wouldn't think we would need a tutorial for that, but she did a really beautiful job), and it occurs to me that some Seasonistas have done wonderful tutorials in the past. Since this week is about growing, we should include teaching, too, don't you agree? Finding a way to share a song so someone else can learn it is challenging in itself. So if you want to do a tutorial of a song you know, that will be okay. Maybe a newcome will decide to use the tutorial for their entry!

Okay, as you were. 28 minutes until UkeyDave goes live, and we don't want to annoy last week's host.

ukuLily Mars said:

Okay, as you were. 28 minutes until UkeyDave goes live, and we don't want to annoy last week's host.

Click to expand...

Hahaha this made me laugh out loud Lily. Strangely AND completely coincidentally I included the chords this week. Blimey now that is spooky and I can now confirm. I AM LIVE. ha

Your three take limit is my very favorite rule ever! I had to enforce a similar rule with myself 70 or so seasons ago. I caught myself doing take after take, thinking I would eventually be able to hit some of the notes I couldn't before. It would take all day and I'd only end up frustrated or not posting anything. Since, I've decided that, once I know a song and begin recording, if I make it to the end of the song, I'm done with that take. I've been a far less cranky Seasonista since. This has kept The Season fun. Why else would we all be here week after week? Also, I'm willing to bet, for most of us, that our take #3 was better than take #33.
Great theme, ukuLily Mars! Looking forward to another fun season!

UkeyDave said:

Hahaha this made me laugh out loud Lily. Strangely AND completely coincidentally I included the chords this week. Blimey now that is spooky and I can now confirm. I AM LIVE. ha

Click to expand...

You sure are! Way to break from the gate, my friend! (Oh, sorry; wrong season.) This is really wonderful. It's fantastic that you included the chords! Hey, everybody, c'mon and jam with Dave!

So, what are you gonna do for tomorrow's entry, Dave??? :music:

watchyourtoes said:

Your three take limit is my very favorite rule ever! I had to enforce a similar rule with myself 70 or so seasons ago. I caught myself doing take after take, thinking I would eventually be able to hit some of the notes I couldn't before. It would take all day and I'd only end up frustrated or not posting anything. Since, I've decided that, once I know a song and begin recording, if I make it to the end of the song, I'm done with that take. I've been a far less cranky Seasonista since. This has kept The Season fun. Why else would we all be here week after week? Also, I'm willing to bet, for most of us, that our take #3 was better than take #33.
Great theme, ukuLily Mars! Looking forward to another fun season!

Click to expand...

I'm glad I'm not the only one! Although I was pretty sure I wasn't. Very happy you like the theme! I'm looking forward to seeing what you post.

Aaaaaand... we have a playlist! Give me stuff to put in it!

Making sure my vid was on time. Is this behaviour normal? I may have lost the plot ;-)

UkeyDave said:

Making sure my vid was on time. Is this behaviour normal? I may have lost the plot ;-)

Click to expand...

:biglaugh: I've learned something already! Also, I am going to write "tap to snooze" on my forehead. I will use lipstick, I think.

This looks fun, Lily! I'm preparing for a few days away again (lucky me) so I won't be entering, I'm sorry.... you're already a fabulous host and I know it will be a super week for you and all the Seasonistas taking part!