Noob Challenge Week One!

barefootgypsy

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So here it is at last NUUbs.... an experimental and exploratory first challenge for the first week!

"Learn something...anything...and play it all the way through. You don't have to video it, but play EVERY. LAST. NOTE. Then tell (or show) us that you've done it, and what it was."

Last day Sunday 10th June. Declare your song, say whether it's straight chords or whether it includes any fancy strums or fingerstyle....work like h*ll at it, report back sometime on Sunday! Video yourself if you can, don't worry if you can't! Good luck, folks! We can "tweak" this challenge idea as we go along week to week.... and please, you more skilled players out there - look in at our efforts if videos appear and help us out! Thank you! :)
 
My target for this week is - to manage to play "The Waters of Tyne" and sing along with it - smoothly. Haven't got much time as I'm going to be out a lot, and away for the weekend - but I'll go for it. I don't do videos - maybe some day! Can't report back Sunday though! Thanks Kahuna for your impetus!
 
Nice! Looking forward to seeing the fruits of this challenge. :)
 
Ummm ... ummm ... C?
It's has C, Dm, F, G, Em Am, D7 and more in it. Perhaps a bit too much for me?? It's going to be a challenge ... might take me 2 weeks
 
OK. I'm in. I'm going to work on Aldrine's version of "Island in the Sun" by Weezer. It has Em and chunking in it :eek:.
 
Chunking is where you strum but you don't let the strings ring out. It makes kind of a "chunk" sound. I don't remember which one but there is a Uke Minutes episode that explains how to do it.
 
Ummm ... ummm ... C?
It's has C, Dm, F, G, Em Am, D7 and more in it. Perhaps a bit too much for me?? It's going to be a challenge ... might take me 2 weeks
Too much for you? NO NO NO! Go for it! It doesn't matter if it does take two weeks! You'll do it.....! :D
 
I'm going to get through all of Radiohead's "How Can You Be Sure" without messing up any of my Bb chords (and there are a LOT). Using the suggestion to just go back and forth between the F and Bb until it becomes second nature...

We shall see how it goes, especially since I can't seem to play that Bb without buzzing or muting a string!
 
I will play and sing a song straight thru with no stopping or commentary. I tend to blather. A lot!!
 
I will play and sing a song straight thru with no stopping or commentary. I tend to blather. A lot!!

:biglaugh: You crack me up!
 
We shall see how it goes, especially since I can't seem to play that Bb without buzzing or muting a string!

I feel your pain! Bb is a pain in the butt!

I will play and sing a song straight thru with no stopping or commentary. I tend to blather. A lot!!

Hahahahahaha. I blather a lot too. It's probably just as well that I don't actually have the capability to record myself. ;)


I have actually learned 2 songs this week, at least I've learned the chords and the order they go in.....:eek: I'll pick one tonight to learn the strumming on really well for the challenge. Yay!
 
I'm going to try playing a song that combines fingerpicking and strumming (and with any luck be able to sing along).
 
I'm doing Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison. It has simple chords (C F G7 A) and a nice strumming pattern with chunking. I shot a practice video today with my iPhone. This is just one verse to check the audio/video quality.



What I learned from this experiement...
Forgot that the air conditioner was on in the background. The final take will have to be in the spare bedroom.
Forgot to wait a few seconds after pushing record, so it didn't catch the first strum.
Forgot to take the tuner off the headstock before shooting.
Forgot what my hair looks like... must wear a hat.
Forgot the faces I make when I sing. Perhaps a mask?
 
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I'm normally a lunchtime supervisor at the elementary school; but I also do substitute Teacher's Aide work. Today is a full day as a teachers aide. And the boy I'm assigned to work with had detention with the music teacher. Which means I had detention with the music teacher. :)
Found one of the classroom ukulele's, borrowed her tuner and tuned it, and plunked away on some Disney songs that were in a music book in the class.
Good way to pass 30 minutes ... and they said they could *almost* tell what songs I was trying to play.
 
I'm doing Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison. It has simple chords (C F G7 A) and a nice strumming pattern with chunking. I shot a practice video today with my iPhone. This is just one verse to check the audio/video quality.



What I learned from this experiement...
Forgot that the air conditioner was on in the background. The final take will have to be in the spare bedroom.
Forgot to wait a few seconds after pushing record, so it didn't catch the first strum.
Forgot to take the tuner off the headstock before shooting.
Forgot what my hair looks like... must wear a hat.
Forgot the faces I make when I sing. Perhaps a mask?
Woo hoo! Love it! Got me smilin'......:D
 
Glad to see so much enthusiasm for this. You folks rock!

I doesn't matter about mistakes, it's all about playing THROUGH a tune without stopping after 8 bars to noodle away at the intro to While my Stairway to Heaven Gently Weeps, or whatever particular monkey is on your back. If the tune only has 2 chords, and you can only play one of them without getting it wrong, it doesn't matter. Start it and finish it :)
 
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