Ohta San Tick-Tock strum

rayan

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Aldrine and I performed at a Roy Sakuma event on Kauai a couple of years ago. Ohta san went on after us. When he plays with his guitarist, he plays this tick-tock strum to let him take a solo. I was blown away by it but I couldn't find a video of it until tonight.

Here it is, skip to 2:50

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zVGwFBgqWI

Anyone know how to do that?

Doh. I posted it in the wrong board.
 
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It sounds like his uke is being run through a spring reverb and he is tapping the top. The guiro effect with the nail scraping the frets is a nice touch.
 
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I asked Roy to show me how Ohta San did it afterwards and it involved hitting the uke with your thumb above the fretboard and your pointer below the fretboard... I honestly have no idea other than that. :confused:
 
wow thats pretty good that strum haha! that would sound heaps good for every s0ong.
 
Wow... I've never heard a technique like that on the ukulele or any instrument for that matter. I love this technique! I'm going to try it out on everything now haha

By the way, is his thumbnail filed to be pointy?

Okay, so I just watched the video in slomo and he wasn't hitting the uke above the fret board. In the video he is doing a down strum with his thumb, tapping with his pointer, then knocking with his knuckles.

so this would be the breakdown:
down, tap, knock
down, tap, knock
down,up,down, tap, knock *repeat
 
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Wow... I've never heard a technique like that on the ukulele or any instrument for that matter. I love this technique! I'm going to try it out on everything now haha

By the way, is his thumbnail filed to be pointy?

Okay, so I just watched the video in slomo and he wasn't hitting the uke above the fret board. In the video he is doing a down strum with his thumb, tapping with his pointer, then knocking with his knuckles.

so this would be the breakdown:
down, tap, knock down, tap, knock down,up,down, tap, knock *repeat

You're probably right. You got that strum down? I wanna see a video so I can learn it too.
 
Awesome strum ! Uh...currently out of my league but a can appreciate his playing style. What a mellow sound.
 
You're probably right. You got that strum down? I wanna see a video so I can learn it too.

haha i wouldn't say that I have it down. I have the movements for the most part, but i can't reproduce the tap quite like his. His sounds so crisp. He has such a mastery of his instrument that I don't think i'll ever be able to reproduce anything he does. :eek:

I'll post a vid when I get it down.:D Do you know the chords for this song though?
 
Wow... I've never heard a technique like that on the ukulele or any instrument for that matter. I love this technique! I'm going to try it out on everything now haha

By the way, is his thumbnail filed to be pointy?

Okay, so I just watched the video in slomo and he wasn't hitting the uke above the fret board. In the video he is doing a down strum with his thumb, tapping with his pointer, then knocking with his knuckles.

so this would be the breakdown:
down, tap, knock
down, tap, knock
down,up,down, tap, knock *repeat
davo, good call on the break down. That's exactly what I believe he is doing. Thanks for breaking it down dude...e.lo...
 
crazy strum! tanks fo sharing rayan! I love Ohta San's style - it really comes out in Jr's style too eh? Real mellow and free. I like it.
 
It reminds me of how Led Kaapana would play bongo sounding licks on his guitar when his brother did bass solos on Hui Ohana songs.
 
Herb Ohta Jr. does this strum in a different/faster way in his song Together.
 
hey junkie, do you have a link to a Herb Ohta Jr "together" video so I can check out the strum?...thanks, e.lo....

i bought it off itunes i can make a mp3 of it i'll post it sumwhere

After hearing it on the computer compared to having it blasted in my car haha its not as profound, but if you have aim i can send u the mp3.
 
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Didn't you know Ohta san is a master beat box and ventriloquist?....lol...j/k

That strum is so tight. Definitely gonna try this one!
 
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