Goal(s) for 2017

As a companion for the 2016 thread, do you have any specific ukulele related goals for 2017? Songs to learn? Chords to conquer? Music theory? Arranging? Performances? Or...?

The holidays sidelined a lot of my playing the last few weeks, so I'm just trying to get back on track with what I was working on, and figure out how to keep it going with my upcoming job schedule change.

I'd love to work on my own arrangements in the coming year, as well as make more progress with the huge stack of songs I'd like to learn.

I have quite a few goals I would like to achieve in 2017. It is a boatload, but I do get to practice an hour or two daily. Here goes

- I have been stuck in what I believe to be an advanced beginner state, so I purchased the Ukulele Aerobics book and want to get through the 40 week program this year.
- I believe that by learning Music Theory , it will help my Uke play, so I just started on a program that someone posted on YouTube. It has 50 lessons and lots of folks seem to like it, so here is being able to sight read in 2017
- I want to learn how to sing better. I find that just playing the Uke there is something missing and I am thinking it is my voice. Right now I am a 2 or 3 out of 10 singing and would love to get it to a 5 or 6 by the end of the year.
- Also It is a skill to be able to sing and play at the same time, so I want to get MUCH better at that this year.
- I have a YouTube channel, UkeTruck, and would like to get as much exposure as possibly. My big thing this year is posting my progress through the Ukulele Aerobics book and see if I improve and let others see what it can or cannot do for you.
- I am a RABID Philadelphia Flyers fan, so I am taking an existing song and write new lyrics that talk about their run to the Stanley Cup Finals this year. I want to be able to play the Uke and sing at the same time
- My end goal is to do covers on YouTube and eventually perform at open mic nights in my area. I play the Ukulele because of the beautiful sound that comes out of it and the way it relaxes me makes.

Thanks,
UkeTruck

To do more gigs and more jamming with friends. I've gotten addicted to performing, be it open mic, busking, coffee shop gigs, sitting around a bon fire with neighbors. I hope to do more this coming year. I also hope to be a little more polished in my performances, maybe a little flashier with my ukulele playing and maybe better at my singing. My goal is to just get a little better every year. If I can keep doing that, by the time I'm ninety I'll be really good.

I want to learn plectrum techniques on the uke in 2017 and generally work on rhythm (bought a tambourine for that purpose).

1.) Nail my instrumental uke cover of "Here Comes the Sun", error/glitch free.

2.) Get my sorry, hairy, old white hiney to the local ukulele club's jam on at least one Saturday morning a month.

3.) Do some recording, with myself on various instruments (various ukes, guitar, mandolin, banjo, etc.).

4.) Build my uke repertoire.

I spent 2016 learning a bit about playing a uke, & buying various different sizes & wood types.
I now feel that I am reasonable at picking a melody, but I still have lots of other areas to improve on.

However, my main focus for the first part of 2017 will be learning to play my harmonica(s) - I'm just starting & need more practice to get better.

After that, it will be back to improving my uke playing & sight reading, (maybe even 'singing').

In recent years I've focused most of my ukulele energy on designing and building instruments. This year I wand to focus more on playing and truly mastering a couple of new finger style songs and on becoming a more confident performer.

To release an instrumental album. I have quite a few tracks finished so that should be easily achievable.

To release a vocal album. Not so easy as I have none finished and only a few even started. Plus there's the problem that I can't really sing.

To be as comfortable playing in front of my family as I am at a jam or recording a video for the Seasons. Funny how that works.

To be able to fake fingerpicking well enough to appear to know what I'm doing, especially on my new Firefly.

To improve my singing and harmonica playing.

My goal for 2017 is to figure out what I want to accomplish on the uke!

For example:

* do an EP of my five best uke compositions?
* do more tutorial videos?
* learn to play my fav. 10 cover songs on the uke expertly and by heart?
* learn the 4 finger tremolo on a single string on the uke?

Petey

To get better at sight-reading, and to record the handful of songs I've spent the last year rehearsing with a couple of other players.

...To earn a place in either of the two Luongo Ukulele Ensemble performance groups!

And that means substantially improving my singing, playing melodies up the neck crossing strings, developing my ear (picking out melodies, once again up the neck), practicing scales, thirds and fifths in C, F and G (ten times through each with no mistakes is the goal; starting over from number one time when a mistake pops up) as well as up the neck, and, finally, memorizing the fretboard.

'Hope to get this all done by January 5 or so...

Jim Hanks said:

To release an instrumental album. I have quite a few tracks finished so that should be easily achievable.

To release a vocal album. Not so easy as I have none finished and only a few even started. Plus there's the problem that I can't really sing.

Click to expand...

I have similar goals, but you are a few steps ahead of me in that my ukulele songs need to be recorded first, but I have lots of other music that I recorded previously that I'd like to put out there.

In the past 2 yrs I've been changing up my recording setup from a more synth/production based one, to an acoustic/recording based one, while also trying to figure out if I want to go CD Baby, Bandcamp, DiscMakers or TuneCore with my distribution, and hoping to also get everything on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Pandora, etc...

It's been a very long time in coming for me to release any music to the public and this will be a first, but a big goal of mine that I hope to achieve this year...

As to the singing, I really cant sing either, but that has not stopped me from spending the last 25 yrs trying, and the best part was realizing that I will never be able to sound like Sting, nor be as 'cool' as Bobby Darin or Frank Sinatra, and learn to accept that I have a unique, albeit limited voice, and make the most of what is possible within my own limitations, while hoping to push their bounds over time.

You can do it, just depends on how dedicated you are to the task, as well as how open you are to your own self-discovery.

My goals for 2017:
I want to start and complete the Ukulele Aerobics book along with The Ukulele Way.
I want learn/understand basic Music Theory and be able to proficiently sight read by EOY.
I plan to make all of my uke groups monthly meetings.
I want to find a local teacher to point out/correct my wrong learned habits
I want to learn to "play up the neck."
Most of all, I want to keep having fun in these pursuits!

Booli said:

trying to figure out if I want to go CD Baby, Bandcamp, DiscMakers or TuneCore with my distribution, and hoping to also get everything on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Pandora, etc...

Click to expand...

If you just want to get it out there the cheapest way possible, Bandcamp. Otherwise, CD Baby as they take care of getting it to iTunes, Amazon, Spotify at least.

Tonya said:

'Hope to get this all done by January 5 or so...

Click to expand...

January 5 2020? LOL. Very ambitious.

Looks like at least a few people here will also be contributing some recorded music for the rest of us to enjoy, so that's something to look forward to.

2017 ukulele goals:
- Take my ukulele website idea from "neat idea" to "website with 20 beta users" to "website with 10 paying users." Curious individuals should PM me.
- Join Ukulele Underground as a paying member. Actually use the subscription the whole year.
- Be a better player by the end of the year.
- Feed my UAS, get a tenor, add my first NUD post to this forum.

Jim Hanks said:

If you just want to get it out there the cheapest way possible, Bandcamp. Otherwise, CD Baby as they take care of getting it to iTunes, Amazon, Spotify at least.

Click to expand...

Jim, Thanks for the info. I may need to consult you down the road for further discussion.

Being new to the instrument, there is so much room to grow! I'd like to keep my goals realistic, but I do dream big

1) I recently picked up used copies of: Ukulele aerobics and Pekelo's Ukulele method books 1 and 2 and purchased Ukulele Chords shapes ebook. Would like to go through all of these and master the ability to play all the chords in all their different positions/shapes.
2) Even though I am new, I have already started composing original songs. Would like to complete a CD of original compositions by end of 2017.
3) Start using a metronome regularly as part of my daily practice regimen.
4) Collaborate with others and or by myself to ~ work up a set of songs for live performance.
5) Accept and control my serious case of UAS . . . . .

1. Finding a job,
2. Kanile'a K-1 Soprano, generally I don't like tuning ears on a soprano but principles are there to be abandoned.