Ukulele For Dummies ...finally in my hands!

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painterbob

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I finally received my pre-order of the Ukulele For Dummies book and it looks great. I've read through it for a couple hours. Over 300 pages full of great info. Also comes with a cd with almost 100 example tracks. It is all in a humorous style similar to the Ukulele Hunt blog posts by the author, Al Wood. If you're looking for a good book that's an overview of everything uke I think this is the book.
There seems to be a section on just about any style of music you could be interested in. The rock and blues sections look great. "4 chord nirvana style", "3 chord punk", "Iggy Pop strumming", "Bo Diddly Strumming", and a great sounding "AC/DC style riff" that will remind you of Back in Black etc. There's just one little track for each example but the ideas come through.
This isn't a thorough review or anything because I just got it but my first impression is I'm very impressed with it. I was getting kind of frustrated by the Fretboard Roadmaps book but I think I'll be spending a ton of time with this book. I'm going to go read some more right now.

-Bob
 
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I just heard from amazon.com today that my copy has shipped. Thanks for sharing your first impressions!
 
I got mine the other day and was very interested in looking at the scales chapter because the one in my scales book doesn't dumb it down enough for me. Well it only shows the major and minor pentatonic so that was not that helpful as I wanted the mixolodian or something like that.
 
Thanks for the awesome review Bob. I just ordered my copy! :)
 
ukulele for dummies! I didn't even know there was such a thing! Amazon, here I come.
 
I received my copy yesterday, and I'm very happy with it! Thanks for the review.
 
Huna said:
I got mine the other day and was very interested in looking at the scales chapter because the one in my scales book doesn't dumb it down enough for me. Well it only shows the major and minor pentatonic so that was not that helpful as I wanted the mixolodian or something like that.
Click to expand...

One book that has helped me a lot with music theory is, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory." Here's a quote from P. 36, "Once you get past the major and minor scales, all the other eight-note combinations aren't technically called scales; they're called modes.............There are seven essential modes, each of which can be thought of as starting on a different degree of the major scale. You stay within the relative major scale; you just start on different notes.....The mixolydian (mode) starts on the 5th note of the related major scale."

One of the reviews of this book (see on Amazon) is critical because it is too technical. Notation and music theory is just that. I've got a lot to learn. I was not a music major in college either. Most folks are a bit overwhelmed with the complexities of music theory. Sorry, but that's the nature of the beast. I don't know all the modes and am working on learning chord progression right now. It' going very slow for me.
 
Mine arrived yesterday and unfortunately I was only home for a short time and was only able to skim through it. From what I could see it looked good, and am hoping to delve deeper in to it this weekend.
Want to add, I agree "Complete Idiots Guide to Music Theory" is a great book as is "Music Theory For Dummies", and yes they are technical but it is a technical subject!
 
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I've been enjoying it on my iPad. The "enhanced edition" has numerous video tutorials and sound samples included with the text.
 
Another mahalo to you. Had you not posted, I probably would not have even thought about buying this book. I have gotten tons of uke info on the web, but it's also nice to relax with a book in hand. I had considered the Kindle version, but think the DTB (dead tree book) will better.
 
May have to get that, but I'm going to wait until it's in the bookstores first. After struggling to learn banjo for nearly 30 years I bought Banjo for Dummies only to discover that I must REALLY be a dummy. After a couple of weeks of frustration, I put the book away and decided to just play instinctively. Here's a link to our group's music page at No Depression. http://www.nodepression.com/profiles/profile/show?id=dawhealer I'm playing banjo on our "Deliverance version" of "You Are My Sunshine." Sometimes ya just have to relax and let your fingers do the thinking.

Hope to have some music up soon that features uke.
 
My copy arrived 4 days ago. It's going to be very well used. The strumming styles section is just what I needed. Mr.
Wood created a reference book that any ukulele player (beginner, intermediate, etc) will enjoy.

Highly recommend it!
 
I just ordered a copy.
 
what a great book, i have had mine for a few weeks now and i am chunking along just nicely, i have already learned loads from this book, it is well set out and very informative up to intermediate level, Al Woods writing style is concise and witty, i am now hammering on, pulling off and sliding in and out albeit not very good, PRACTISE, PRACTISE and PRACTICE some more, this book will keep on teaching me for a long time to come so it was well worth the money, i to nearly bought it on the kindle but i am so glad i did'nt coz the accompanying cd is invaluable when it comes to playing along with all the riffs and songs, most of which i have never heard of, the cd is also handy to hear how woodshed plays that particular riff/song all in all a great buy and a fantastic learning tool
 
Does anybody know if the iPad version has the music that is on the CD?
 
I wrote to my library recently because I was very disappointed they only had ONE ukulele book for the whole library system in the county and it is always checked out and on hold.
to my delight and by my suggestions they have ordered like 7 copies for the differnet branches of 4 different ukulele books! Ukulele for Dummies being one of them. I'm waiting to borrow a copy when it comes in, looking forward to checking it out. I feel this is a great victory for spreading the uke aloha in my area and am very pleased about it :)
 
Scarecrow said:
Does anybody know if the iPad version has the music that is on the CD?
Click to expand...

If you want the music portion for the iPad you have to order the "enhanced" version. There are two versions so be careful when you download. I've had it for a few weeks, but every time I have my iPad out my four year old wants to "read" his interactive books so I lose. I might have to buy a second iPad for myself :)
 
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