Flat-Picking the ookoolaylay bruhda! (Or introduce myself with a funky little improv)

TheNoseeums

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Well, i've always used UU forums for this and that, but I thought since now i consider myself a professional uke player, id love to introduce myself, and so i decided to film a short 2 minute thing i did off the cuff here.

Anyways, I play with a flat pick, I prefer to get funky and improvisational, im also in a band where i play lead uke/tenor guitar and sing.

So heres me. Would love to be a part of this community.

Oh, I also had to end the video a bit early cause someone walked in the room..
 
that was a breath of fresh air. So much of the ukulele world is devoted to strumming whatever 3-chord pop song that is current. It is encouraging to see someone doing what I'm trying to do. I'm not at your level. Whereas your improv had a note that maybe didn't work, I have 20 second stretches that don't work or that sound too much like a scale.

I was really impressed with those baritone strings. You said they were a custom-set. Are you willing to say where you got them, or is it a professional secret? I currently use unwound strings ( light medium gauge) from Southcoast ukulele & guitar company and the D string is a little buzzy (it kind of drones when I am playing other strings).
 
Nicely done. I started out playing uke doing improv with a flat pick before moving into fingeestyle. Some songs I still play with a pick, just feels more natural. Keep posting and welcome back to the forum.
 
that was a breath of fresh air. So much of the ukulele world is devoted to strumming whatever 3-chord pop song that is current. It is encouraging to see someone doing what I'm trying to do. I'm not at your level. Whereas your improv had a note that maybe didn't work, I have 20 second stretches that don't work or that sound too much like a scale.

I was really impressed with those baritone strings. You said they were a custom-set. Are you willing to say where you got them, or is it a professional secret? I currently use unwound strings ( light medium gauge) from Southcoast ukulele & guitar company and the D string is a little buzzy (it kind of drones when I am playing other strings).

Yah, I dont necessarily enjoy that part of the ukulele community. Didnt mean to rant. or offend anyone...

Anywho. Yah southcoast ive never tried, if I were, after looking at their website I would go with the baritone linear with the 3rd and 4th wound. That would be closest to what I have.

I use Guadalupe custom strings, you can place custom string orders with them but they make an already pre made baritone DGBE string set which is absolutely amazing. (although its about 18$) But They are wonderful strings, and theres nothing out there like it.

Anyways, yah keep up the work. It takes a lot of time to learn all the technical stuff blah blah blah, scales blah blah, this technique that technique, but in due time you start to notice that you can create your own voice in your playing. And thats what im working on. You know a little bit of this here, a little bit of that there, thats unique to me, and my character in playing. But you know, unless you're a genius, you first gotta start out sittin there learnin all the tedious stuff...
 
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And also, string buzz could be caused for a number of reasons. You know, I know southcoast to be pretty reputable, so it may be your uke. I dunno. How long have you had it? what company makes it? What model?
 
Nice playing in the video, lovely rhythm to it. Edited the rest out after the below response!
 
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I understand, and changed my response. Its just often ive found that when I tell people I play the ukulele, they tend to not take me so seriously because a majority of what they've seen are videos of people playing hit songs, one after the other, covers of old pop songs, or popular melodies that have been overplayed, and in very simplistic fashions
 
I understand, and changed my response. Its just often ive found that when I tell people I play the ukulele, they tend to not take me so seriously because a majority of what they've seen are videos of people playing hit songs, one after the other, covers of old pop songs, or popular melodies that have been overplayed, and in very simplistic fashions

Changed mine too! I have found the same thing, and I find it both annoying and freeing - when people expect nothing from your playing it's much easier to impress them :D
 
Great playing, I really enjoyed that!
 
Yah, I dont necessarily enjoy that part of the ukulele community. Didnt mean to rant. or offend anyone...

Anywho. Yah southcoast ive never tried, if I were, after looking at their website I would go with the baritone linear with the 3rd and 4th wound. That would be closest to what I have.

I use Guadalupe custom strings, you can place custom string orders with them but they make an already pre made baritone DGBE string set which is absolutely amazing. (although its about 18$) But They are wonderful strings, and theres nothing out there like it.

Anyways, yah keep up the work. It takes a lot of time to learn all the technical stuff blah blah blah, scales blah blah, this technique that technique, but in due time you start to notice that you can create your own voice in your playing. And thats what im working on. You know a little bit of this here, a little bit of that there, thats unique to me, and my character in playing. But you know, unless you're a genius, you first gotta start out sittin there learnin all the tedious stuff...

Thanks for the support. It looks like you edited your response. It is tantalizing to imagine what you said that had to be modified. It couldn't be directed at me. You couldn't offend me...unless you said I should check out the music of 21 Pilots as kindred spirits. Now that would be offensive.

Anyway, this weekend I am driving up to Michigan to trade in some instruments I no longer play in exchange for either a Kala or Cordoba baritone (I cannot afford the Kamaka). I am seriously contemplating re-stringing it with Guadalupe strings. What I will be thinking about is my previous displeasure about wound strings: how they feel different and sound different than their fluorocarbon partners. In the past those things were deal-breakers for me.
 
TheNoseeums, I can't get the video on Reddit to play (since one of their recent overhauls, videos tend to go screwy there).
Is there another place where we could see it?
 
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