Books, DVDs

amie

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Does anyone own these books and would you recommend them?:

http://www.amazon.com/Learn-Play-Fi...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265579694&sr=1-1

--- I understand that for this book, you would need a little music reading knowledge, which is something I lack

http://www.amazon.com/Blues-Ukulele...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265579757&sr=1-1

I am a beginner who has been playing guitar sporadically for many years. I enjoy fingerstyle because it's nice and relaxing to play late into the night and I also like traditional blues. I'm looking for a book that is appropriate for a beginner, but not too basic or too complicated although I am up for a challenge.

Also, if anyone could recommend a DVD, that would be great.

I just bought this off of amazon and was not impressed:
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Ukul...ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1265580081&sr=8-1

The guy seems to have a tendency to talk on and on about the most basic things, but then once it gets more difficult, he doesn't bother to slow down.
 
Hello, I don't post often. However, I own all three of the books/CDs/DVDs you mention. We are not usually connected to the internet and when we are we are at landline speeds and therefore cannot watch any YouTube or online videos. I hear there is a wealth of info out there if you are able to access it.

Mark Nelson's book is great. All pieces have music notation and tabs with chord names above and suggested chord form usage in the Performance Notes associated with each piece. It is not strictly blues oriented although you will learn some good good techniques and riffs that you can apply to blues and there is one challenging (at least it was for me), snazzy blues piece. I think it gives you a good foundation. Working with John King's and others' fingerpicking tabs is now is much less challenging for me. Comes with CD so you can hear what it should sound like. Highly recommended.

The Sokolow book is all blues. You get a chord solo and fingerpicking solo for each piece. The chord solos have music notation and chord box diagrams. The fingerpicking parts are all tabbed out nicely (no music notation) with associated chord boxes shown above. The pieces are mostly older classics. For many, I don't care for the song but the fingerpicking solos are what make it interesting. Comes with CD so you can hear what it should sound like. Recommended, if you like the song selection.

I think Ralph Shaw's Essential Strums is a far more useful DVD than his Complete Course. Essential Strums has one chapter on a blues song with bends etc. In another chapter you will get a chord solo of Dark Town Strutters which is embellished later with really fancy strumming. This DVD exposes you to many style strums. Concluding chapters introduce clawhammer and Formby split strum. Highly recommended for strumming techniques.

For blues fingerpicking I would recommend another book as well--it's a tutorial ebook by Al Wood at Ukulele Hunt. It is titled How to Play Blues Ukulele. It comes with lots of examples and sound samples. Very nicely done.

For a blues DVD, all I have found is Rigk Sauer's Learn to Play Blues Ukulele. It is a good tutorial but doesn't come with much written backup--often the info is displayed only on the screen. It presents good info but I tended to glaze over a bit when it was first presented to me. If you have a good foundation on movable chord forms (as from Fretboard Roadmaps or elsewhere), you can move past the "rabbit in the headlights" bit. I'm just ready to go back to this DVD and try to move on. Recommended.

We just received Aldrine Guerrero's Ukulele Solos. It is not specifically blues oriented but it introduces many picking techniques, left hand techniques, some music theory and a has a 30 minute workshop on soloing and improvising. Lots of meat to chew on here. The workshop part is blues based. I would recommend this DVD before you try Rigk Sauer's DVD. Highly recommended.

This is just my two cents. So glad these resources are available to the "bandwidth challenged". Good Luck.
 
I definetly agree with Christie, Mark Nelsons book and cd is one of my favorites. Aldrine's DVD is also excelent.
 
I agree that the "Fingerstyle" book is a good one, as is the Ralph Shaw "Strums" DVD.

Can't vouch for the others.

JJ
 
I'll put in another thumbs up for Mark Nelson's book. Many of the songs are Hawaiian, FYI.

He does have performance notes for each piece, which is helpful.

Jason
 
Hi, I'm working on fingerpicking too. I've got John King's Solos and Duets and I find it a little above my level but excellent stuff. I definitely recommend.

@ hawainanmusiclover. Is Herb Ohta and co's book apt for beginners, or should I wait?
 
Hi, I'm working on fingerpicking too. I've got John King's Solos and Duets and I find it a little above my level but excellent stuff. I definitely recommend.

@ hawainanmusiclover. Is Herb Ohta and co's book apt for beginners, or should I wait?

Herb Ohta, Jr's book Discovering the Ukulele is apt for beginners because I am learning from it. The other book that Herb Ohta Jr has is called Exploring the Ukulele which is the Intermediate/Advance level. PM me if you have anymore questions.
 
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Amie,

There is a new ebook out called How to Play Fingerpicking Blues Ukulele. How about that? Reduced price till the 25th, I think. Info available at Ukulele Hunt.
 
I'll put in another thumbs up for Mark Nelson's book. Many of the songs are Hawaiian, FYI.

He does have performance notes for each piece, which is helpful.

Jason

I agree, this book is very good and has some very challenging music. The performance notes are a great addition.
 
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