Ukulele at MOMM...

Does Victoria Vox do any cool solos like Jake or Aldrine? I mean, every video I see her in, it's her and her Pineapple sunday strumming away, but not advanced picking... So would it be safe to say that she's... not very imaginative? Unless, of course, you can prove me wrong with her picking like crazy.
 
Shes a singer who plays the ukulele. Nothing wrong with it.
 
Shes a singer who plays the ukulele. Nothing wrong with it.

And Aldrine is an ukulele play who happens to be able to sing. I don't see Vox playing on the uke for other reasons than strumming. Just because you can drive a sports car doesn't make you a race car driver.

just saying
 
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And Aldrine is an ukulele play who happens to be able to sing. I don't see Vox playing on the uke for other reasons than strumming. Just because you can drive a sports car doesn't make you a race car driver.

just saying

What's wrong with accompanying ones-self by strumming? Does that make her less of a uke player? I'm just not following you here amigo... She's a professional singer-songwriter with (for the genre) quite a following.

You seem to be suggesting that virtuosity and picking solos are required to be credible, and that's (no offense intended) just wrong.
 
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...it's her and her Pineapple sunday strumming away, but not advanced picking... So would it be safe to say that she's... not very imaginative?
Huh? Does someone have to be a virtuoso picker to be acceptable as a performer? Geez, then pardon me, but I guess I'm outta here. And a few hundred other members have to accompany me...​
 
Victoria might not be a shredder, but she entertains crowds 180+ days out of the year, has a degree in songwriting, and has some pretty neat chord changes. I attended a workshop of hers at NY Uke Fest and was surprised at how deceptively simple her strumming is. And she has a hell of a set of pipes. If not being Jake or Aldrine makes one less of a uke player than anyone else, this forum would be a lot smaller.
 
Does Victoria Vox do any cool solos like Jake or Aldrine? I mean, every video I see her in, it's her and her Pineapple sunday strumming away, but not advanced picking... So would it be safe to say that she's... not very imaginative? Unless, of course, you can prove me wrong with her picking like crazy.

My favorite part of this whole post is where he calls a woman who writes and performs her own music which includes the occaisional instrumental solo on an imaginary trumpet "not very imaginative".

I'm wearing a Uke can't touch this t shirt as I type this though so I am clearly biased. I love Victoria's stuff.

Thanks for the link Ric, some great vids there.
 
I think GC said it best . . .
 
Victoria ukes, writes in two languages, sings, mouth trumpets and plays toy piano impressively. That's all pretty imaginative in my book. She does a minimalist mesmerizing show to boot. Don't be fooled my the demure attitude you see on video. She's seems four times life size when she performs.

She's a singer/songwriter who uses the uke as a vehicle for expression. If you think about it, most s/s are not virtuosos. I think you have being a virtuoso and being imaginative confused. There are a lot of great performers who are technically excellent and very expressive, but are not at all imaginative. (Check out classical guitarists.) Victoria is imaginative, but is just not an instrumental virtuoso. No sin in that. I'd prefer her that way.
 
What's wrong with accompanying ones-self by strumming? Does that make her less of a uke player? I'm just not following you here amigo... She's a professional singer-songwriter with (for the genre) quite a following.
You seem to be suggesting that virtuosity and picking solos are required to be credible, and that's (no offense intended) just wrong.

Nothing is wrong with accompanying oneself with an ukulele while singing ones heart out. It would be safe to assume that every single member on ukulele underground does that. I do that. But would you agree with me that there is more to any instrument than playing simple chords in different patterns? If that weren't the case, we would have no reason to try and learn any Aldrine's songs or tabs from Dominator or from any other source. I'm not suggesting that she's not a musician, not a song writer, and I'm definitely not saying she's a bad singer.

Huh? Does someone have to be a virtuoso picker to be acceptable as a performer? Geez, then pardon me, but I guess I'm outta here. And a few hundred other members have to accompany me...

You know that's not what I meant, if that were the case, I too would have to leave. But... making an attempt to utilize all the notes that an ukulele is capable of, that's worth doing. I'm sure everyone on ukulele underground strives to be more than a "chord player"

Because music is hard to play doesn't make it better.

eh.... that's true. But better is a subjective term. Beethoven's 5th, at least to me, is better than...say anything T-Pain can throw out in his entire career. But to another, Beethoven's 5ths might be trash and T-Pain might be god. To a 5 year old, Mothergoose songs are the bomb. Are they difficult to play? Some can. Are they better than... Victoria Vox? To a 5 year old, it just might be. Again, you can choose any part of song and create a catchy tune or allow a melody to form, and it would still be wonderfully easy, yet it would be beautiful music. I.e Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, who we can say is the ultimate ukulele player.

My favorite part of this whole post is where he calls a woman who writes and performs her own music which includes the occaisional instrumental solo on an imaginary trumpet "not very imaginative".

Yes, because it's a woman, she's not imaginative. :rolleyes: You know very well that if there were a guy doing the same thing, I would say the same. Buckethead shreds like crazy on Guitar, but there's more to playing fast and KFC. And he's freakishly tall. Regardless though, some find his music inspiring an something to work up towards. Dragon force is another example.

In the end, when all is said and done, I like Victoria Vox's music, just not all of her practices. Whether you want to believe that or not is up to you. She's pretty, she sounds great, and she's something different, exactly what the media wants. I would hope that you have to be imaginative to write music. Otherwise we would all be stuck singing the same tune that our ABC's were written to. Who am I to say she's an insipid person when it comes writing music? But when it comes down to the ukulele... perhaps I should keep my opinions to myself.
I didn't mean to offend any fans of hers nor did I mean to imply that not being able to play like Jake or Aldrine makes her less of an ukulele player. If you can play three chords on any instrument, you could play many songs. But isn't there a bit more than playing an instrument than repeating the same chords over and over again?

To each his/her own, so say we all.
 
....Nothing is wrong with accompanying oneself with an ukulele while singing ones heart out. It would be safe to assume that every single member on ukulele underground does that.
There are several UU members who have no interest in singing and only play instrumental pieces.

.... But would you agree with me that there is more to any instrument than playing simple chords in different patterns? If that weren't the case, we would have no reason to try and learn any Aldrine's songs or tabs from Dominator or from any other source.
Many people have no interest in learning any Aldrine songs or Dominator tabbed songs. Does that make them less of a musician? I didn't know one had to learn that in order to be a certified creative musician.
.... I'm not suggesting that she's not a musician, not a song writer, and I'm definitely not saying she's a bad singer.
Berklee will probably send you a thank you letter for acknowledging this.



.I'm sure everyone on ukulele underground strives to be more than a "chord player"
No, not everyone wants to be Aldrine or Jake. Many just like strumming.
.
I.e Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, who we can say is the ultimate ukulele player.
No disrespect to Iz, but he is not the ultimate ukulele player.

...... But isn't there a bit more than playing an instrument than repeating the same chords over and over again?
...
She hardly plays three chords over and over. What you've seen on video and maybe if you've listened to her cds, is a mere fraction of talent she possesses with the uke. Back to your original post, she's not into "advanced picking" but this does not mean she's unimaginative.
 
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Cool!!!!!..........
 
I've been debating whether to join in this thread derailment or not, but the notion of Victoria Vox being "unimaginative" is completely deluded.

Try writing a song at the same level of quality as she can, and then come back here and call her "unimaginative."

Sorry, I'm just really pissed off at that comment. Wow.
 
I'm sure everyone on ukulele underground strives to be more than a "chord player"
I don't, so there goes that assertion.

I.e Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, who we can say is the ultimate ukulele player.
I can't say that (as much as I love Iz), so assertion two shot down.

Sort of makes one question your other assertions.
 
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I've been debating whether to join in this thread derailment or not, but the notion of Victoria Vox being "unimaginative" is completely deluded.

Try writing a song at the same level of quality as she can, and then come back here and call her "unimaginative."

Sorry, I'm just really pissed off at that comment. Wow.

That was a rough comment, Seeso. There are better ways to verb the opinion. As an example I do not enjoy listening to rap music, but I still consider it music that takes lots of practice and talent to get it right. It sure brings smiles to the faces of my offspring!

Anyone who's been to a Victoria Vox concert got more than their money's worth. It certainly takes a lot of imagination to come up with a unique style like hers. At the last concert I saw her in Encinitas, California the audience ranged from 7 years old to 80+ years old. Victoria appeals to a wide range of listeners for sure. Ric
 
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