Surf Music

Griffis · Feb 20, 2017

..I hope this is in the right part of the forum.

I have wide-ranging taste in music. Very much so.

But perhaps my two greatest musical loves are pre-WW2 blues, jazz and folk/country, and instrumental rock from the 50s-60s. The Ventures, The Shadows, Dick Dale, Duane Eddy, Link Wray, Davie Allan & The Arrows, Santo & Johnny and a host of instro surf bands both famous and obscure.

I have played in many bands that made this type of music and I also never get tired of listening to the stuff. It just instantly transports me into another time and a great headspace.

I have never really attempted to play this sort of thing on solo uke.

I wondered if anyone here plays any tunes like these. Walk Don't Run, Pipeline, Bullwinkle, Rebel Rouser, Rumble, Wipeout, etc.

I think it would be a blast. Any advice, suggestions, experience along those lines?

Anyone here also into older instrumental rock from that era?

jollyboy · Feb 20, 2017

Yay a music thread

There are a few virtuoso ukulele performances of Miserlou knocking about the interwebs. Like this one...

Frankly if I could play anywhere even close to as well as they do I'd er... explode, probably

Or to put it another way surf music looks kinda difficult to me. Kudos to anyone who can play it well

Griffis · Feb 20, 2017

^^^ Ummm...wow. That makes me want to throw in the towel before I even start out trying.

I don't think I could ever come close to that, especially on a soprano!

geetee · Feb 20, 2017

Taimane does a surf medley. She just put up an official music video on her YT channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKyucFBBvJc

and here is an actual live performance.

kypfer · Feb 21, 2017

Griffis said:
..I hope this is in the right part of the forum.

I have wide-ranging taste in music. Very much so.

... The Ventures, The Shadows, Dick Dale, Duane Eddy, Link Wray, Davie Allan & The Arrows, Santo & Johnny and a host of instro surf bands both famous and obscure.

Anyone here also into older instrumental rock from that era?

Hank Marvin's tremelo'd Strat ... Duane Eddy's "The Twang's The Thang", Jan and Dean, early Beachboys ... I grew up with them on the "transistor sister" and still have some of the vinyl!

I attempt some of the music on a full-size electric guitar occasionally, but I've not tried it on a ukulele (yet)

:music:

janeray1940 · Feb 21, 2017

My ensemble covered The Shadows' Apache a while back:

We're working on an arrangement of Misirlu now, but it's a bit more Korla Pandit than Dick Dale.

Griffis · Feb 21, 2017

janeray1940 said:
My ensemble covered The Shadows' Apache a while back:

We're working on an arrangement of Misirlu now, but it's a bit more Korla Pandit than Dick Dale.

I love Pandit's version. In fact I put together a CD of nothing but versions of Misirlou. I think the earliest one I have is from 1918.

By the way, your ensemble's version of Apache kills. Just beautiful.

janeray1940 · Feb 21, 2017

Griffis said:
I love Pandit's version. In fact I put together a CD of nothing but versions of Misirlou. I think the earliest one I have is from 1918.

By the way, your ensemble's version of Apache kills. Just beautiful.

Thanks so much! Hopefully we'll have Misirlu in shape for the next time we perform.

Griffis · Feb 21, 2017

janeray1940 said:
Thanks so much! Hopefully we'll have Misirlu in shape for the next time we perform.

Please also give my regards to Santa Monica. One of my favorite cities on the planet.

JackLuis · Feb 21, 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoQoW1h11A&index=4&list=RD0V7DCJhsTdo

Honoka and Azita! Real Surfers!

janeray1940 · Feb 21, 2017

Griffis said:
Please also give my regards to Santa Monica. One of my favorite cities on the planet.

One of mine too - it's changing rapidly, but I still feel very fortunate to live here.

etudes · Feb 21, 2017

I'm inspired to find a good surf tune and adapt it for uke! Surf but with more of an island vibe.. Help me out, what's a great surf song with a strong melody?

KohanMike · Feb 21, 2017

I was just thinking today about performing a parody of the Beach Boys "409" next week at one of our open mics with one of the other members of The CC Strummers with whom I put the lyrics together. We were goofing off before rehearsal a couple of months ago talking about the Tesla S and somehow the idea hit us.

manfrog · Feb 21, 2017

Ukulele Extra Cheese did this cover of Walk Don't Run in the Seasons a while ago. It's really well done. It's a fun arrangement to play, and not too difficult to pick up, because you can see everything he is doing.

Futurethink · Feb 21, 2017

Griffis said:
But perhaps my two greatest musical loves are pre-WW2 blues, jazz and folk/country, and instrumental rock from the 50s-60s. The Ventures, The Shadows, Dick Dale, Duane Eddy, Link Wray, Davie Allan & The Arrows, Santo & Johnny and a host of instro surf bands both famous and obscure.

I also like Surf Music, and Rockabilly as well. I'm trying to learn some of these tunes, but can't claim to have made much progress. I don't have any experience playing in a band like you do.

The "guitar" portion of Wipeout is easy to learn, but this is essentially a drum solo piece.

There are tutorials and demos of Surf Music on YouTube. You might start with Pipeline;

http://www.muffin.net.nz/muffin/Uke_Tab_files/Pipeline%20low.pdf

Futurethink · Feb 21, 2017

Forum rules wouldn't allow me to attach multiple videos in one post.

Futurethink · Feb 21, 2017

One more. Not tutorials per se, but the fingering is pretty easy to see.

UkerDanno · Feb 21, 2017

Griffis said:
^^^ Ummm...wow.

Yeah, that would be WOW!!! My only surf tune is Surfin' USA out of the Santa Cruz book...fun tune!

Rob Uker · Feb 21, 2017

I play
walk don't run
Hawaii 50
The Munsters Theme
Sleepwalk

I love this stuff too.

I'm currently building a Ventures inspired Mosrite style ukulele.
Check out my facebook. I'm going to post some progress pictures today.

Croaky Keith · Feb 21, 2017

Wipeout is one tune that I can play from memory - but not like those little lovelies.

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