What are you working on:

JJFN

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I am really working on my barre chords. Every song I play I am only playing barre chords. It isn't easy, my arthritic left hand really fells it. So as long as I have a supply of Ibuprofen I should be okay. The goal is to play barre chord almost exclusively I really like the control the barre chords bring. And the results will be worth the trouble. But as I say, it isn't easy. Just sayin'.
 
Who me? I've got the basics, now I'm working on getting better. ;)

Seriously, there are a lot of things I need to improve, & there are others I would like to be able to do, so practicing is the only way to get there. :)

All the best with your barre chord practicing.
 
I have been working on memorizing three seperate chord melody songs. I have found working on two or three at the same time actually helps. It might be because I don't get frustrated or bored doing the same song over and over and over and over and over and over........:confused:
 
I have been working on memorizing three seperate chord melody songs. I have found working on two or three at the same time actually helps. It might be because I don't get frustrated or bored doing the same song over and over and over and over and over and over........:confused:

Good point.
 
I've been working on fingerpicking my baritone. I just got a new baritone "song" book with good folk music, and I'm using it and a "regular" fingerpicking book to learn. Baritone books in DGBE that I like are very difficult to find.

I can easily play most of tunes on the staff, but I'm having trouble with the TAB. Some of the notes are not where I think they should be, and I have to transpose the notes on the first string because I'm playing in DGBD. I'd like to use the TAB though because the chords are easier for me to read, but I'll figger it out.

I have a lot of trouble memorizing stuff, but I've found that playing tunes that I already know and like makes learning a lot easier. Just learning the tune from the next page of a book makes learning a drag for me. I have a little less to learn now, and I'm enjoying my studies more.

I'm really enjoying my baritone uke studies, but, alas, my baritone's strings are very old and easily slide outta tune (like me) a lot. I don't like to change strings, but I just gotta, I guess.

So, after a long hiatus, I'm playing the ukulele again and enjoying it. :eek:ld:
 
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There is a song that I have long thought of as one of the most emotionally powerful songs I have ever heard. I worked out a chord arrangement a couple of years ago, but have been intimidated by both the complexity of the singing and the power of the song. Partly based on encouragement from a friend, I decided to start practicing it last week, and am making progress.

Don't know if I could ever record it, but might play it live.

Also itching to start on a fairly complicated multi-part arrangement of a house tune - that one might be done in a couple of weeks.
 
Well, my baritone now has brand new Aquila strings. The ones on it were very old and in pretty bad shape. I shoulda changed them a long time ago.

Now that I'm entering a new facet of my ukulele training, I thought new strings would be appropriate. Maybe I'll even play better. I got nowhere to go but up!

Anyway, nothin' broke (yet), the loose strings didn't stick me in the eye, and I didn't yell or throw anything. Success! :eek:ld:
 
Well, my baritone now has brand new Aquila strings. The ones on it were very old and in pretty bad shape. I shoulda changed them a long time ago.

Now that I'm entering a new facet of my ukulele training, I thought new strings would be appropriate. Maybe I'll even play better. I got nowhere to go but up!

Anyway, nothin' broke (yet), the loose strings didn't stick me in the eye, and I didn't yell or throw anything. Success! :eek:ld:


Way to go bro. Nothing like new strings to make an instrument sound as if it cost twice as much. Good stuff, keep swinging.
 
Mainly working on my scales and theory knowledge - having to redo it all coming from the bass! New set of Aquila strings arrived for my concert - first time I'll be changing a set of strings on the uke so should be interesting, and hopefully the sound will be even better!
 
Working on a chord melody version of Autumn Leaves for Baritone. Love that tune and it's that time of year. Also working on our gig list for Strummin' Man Ukule le Festival in Panama City next month. We. Have a group that will perform. Also trying to get a basic ability on harmonica, but that doesn't count here.
 
Re-entrant, I'm working on a few Beatles tunes: Yesterday, And I Love Her, both almost "there", Here Comes the Sun, Across the Universe and Michelle.

Linear: Still Can't Say Goodbye, Daniel Ho's Hana Malie (Quietly), which is quite a challenge for me bit I keep plugging away at it, and just started working on Always With Me.
 
I have my first actual paying gig next week. Three separate musicians, each doing a half hour set. We all three share ten percent of the till for the night. I'm working on my play list, my introductions to the songs, and thinking about how I can muster up some stage presence to get the audience to engage.
 
As a beginner I have a hard time deciding what to learn first, I feel like there are so many things to work on. I've already had soma guitar lessons so I got the chords and some scales pretty easily and I can read music. Right now I'm trying to stop trying to learn everything at once and take it slowly cause otherwise practicing is not effective.

I've downloaded Wilfred Welti's book for beginner solo pieces and I'm working on "the long way home" and "scarborough fair", I've also learned the beginning of "yesterday" from a youtube tutorial by Jake Shimabukuro. Meanwhile I want to try out some more intricate strumming patterns that combine picking and strumming but I haven't found any tutorials on them.
 
Re-entrant, I'm working on a few Beatles tunes: Yesterday, And I Love Her, both almost "there", Here Comes the Sun, Across the Universe and Michelle.

Linear: Still Can't Say Goodbye, Daniel Ho's Hana Malie (Quietly), which is quite a challenge for me bit I keep plugging away at it, and just started working on Always With Me.

I feel like I must have written this post under someone else's name. LOL.

I'm also working on some Beatles tunes, (Michelle being one, polishing up Here Comes the Sun), and had started Daniel Ho's Hana Malie. I find the beginning of that one a great thing to play if I'm trying to tell if I need to tweek tuning a bit. The Daniel Ho pieces from Polani are beautiful. I'll definitely be working on more of those. I've got the title tune down, (at least, for me, LOL), and love playing it.

I had tabbed out John Hartford's Presbyterian Guitar quite a while back and forgotten about it, so that one has been on the list lately as well.

I'm also still working on Here, There, and Everywhere, but it's getting there!
 
I am really working on my barre chords. Every song I play I am only playing barre chords. It isn't easy, my arthritic left hand really fells it. So as long as I have a supply of Ibuprofen I should be okay. The goal is to play barre chord almost exclusively I really like the control the barre chords bring. And the results will be worth the trouble. But as I say, it isn't easy. Just sayin'.

Take care using ibuprofen, it can cause liver damage if abused. Good luck!

Right now our group is working on 10 Beatles tunes for the upcoming benefit for Metropolitan Ministries, a John Lennon birthday tribute. About 5 local ukulele bands are participating.
 
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Working on improving dynamic !

Hi Brenda,

I started working on "Moon Reflects..." my first week with a uke. Found two TAB downloads before yours arrived and didn't realize one was Reentrant, the other Low G. In the end I put together a mix of all three in high G. I woke-up a few days after getting my first uke and heard your rendition and tears came to my eyes. "I have to learn THAT!" So, many thanks!!!

Now I'm learning fingerstyle (matching TAB to video performances) three or four songs on a high G strung uke, and another three or four on Low G as well as on a Baritone (DGBE). Soooooo fun.

- LOW G:
1. Still Can't Say Goodbye ( Corey Fujimoto)
2. Heartstrings (Kalei Gamiao)
3. Fly Me to the Moon (Lyle Ritz/Aaron at HMS)

- HIGH G:
1. Moon Represents My Heart (combo-Brenda)
2. The Sunbeams (Corey Fujimoto)
3. Edelweiss (Lyle Ritz)
4. Rocky Mountain Lullabye (Corey's version)

Eight weeks ago I picked-up a Uke for the first time. Been playing guitar 4 years. I am flabbergasted at what can be done on a uke and how handy it is.

Brenda - anyone can learn fingerstyle TAB. It is Brenda's dynamics that make it compellingly beautiful.

Humbly following in the footsteps of so many who make this all possible for us.

BTW: I'm 68. Who knew one could have this much fun now!
 
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About 5 local ukulele bands are participating. Nickie you are so lucky to have so many ukers nearby.
 
I'm trying to learn Comptine d'un autre ete ^_^ It was very difficult for me at first and I almost gave up but now it has started to take shape
 
Although I picked up the ukulele a little over 2 years ago, I've only been seriously practicing the last month and a half, establishing a routine that oscillates between: practicing scales (using 3 notes per string method[1]) and strumming easy songs (that are incrementally increasing in difficulty) while singing along and very slowly making my way through Jame's Hill's Lesson 2 on theukuleleway.com.

I feel this is plenty and is a good mix between fun and theory; but I do wish I did have more time to watch some videos on UU+ since I have an active subscription.

But, ultimately, I'm working on gaining the confidence so that I can comfortably improvise and jam with others.

[1] 3 notes per string method - http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?9272-Uke-Scales-Three-Notes-Per-String-Method
 
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