ok... I can't sing.. NEVER will sing.. so, what songs should I think about?

Tailgate

Tailgate

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earlier poster said 'their dog leaves the room when they sing'.. my dog's out the door when I open my mouth... so, any recommendation's on songs to keep me (beginner) engaged? I'm having fun learning, but my expectations are realistic on the vocal issues...

thanks in advance for your empathy and your input..

noobie (can't carry a tune if you spotted me the distance) uke lover...!
 
Hi, and welcome to UU! :)

I'm not a singer, either. Well, I've done choir type things as part of a SATB lineup, but I'm really not a solo singer.

What I love (especially coming from a background as a classical guitar player) is fingerpicking.

There's a lot out there. Look for Wilfried Welti's Solobuch and PDFMinstrel and Ken Middleton's site for starters.
 
Learn to do chord solos (search UU for several good threads on this). Then, you won't be limited to what you can find already tabbed or written in sheet music. Once you learn how, you can create chord solos from the almost infinite variety of song chord sheets you can download. The basic idea is that most of the melody is usually in the chords. You simply have to play the right strings individually to find it. You also often have to change a finger up or down a few frets within the chord shape to find the tune. You still strum the chords at appropriate times (usually on the first of the measure, or where there is a chord change) Its a lot of work but worth it, I think.
 
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Haha I'm a non-singer too xD

Maybe you can try transposing songs to the ukulele, which means that you play the melody on the ukulele instead of you singing it. Get the chords from a website or figure them out yourself. Then it's just a matter of getting the right mix of chords and melodic lines to make it sound good. It's hard but you'll definitely learn a lot.

As for a song recommendation, Jason Mraz's I'm Yours is good because a lot of people know it. Start in the key of C, because that's one of the most ukulele-friendly keys to play. Eventually, you should be able to play like 정성하 here if you're motivated enough: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2OEuyF_2u8.

Why did I recommend such a crazy-hard song? Because you only live once, as many people say ahaa
 
Tailgate said:
Any recommendation's on songs to keep me (beginner) engaged? I'm having fun learning, but my expectations are realistic on the vocal issues...
Click to expand...

It sounds like maybe you're asking for specific song suggestions, so I'm wondering if fingerpicking and chord melodies feel a bit beyond your reach right now. If that's that case, it's fine to focus on chords and strumming--playing songs you like will keep you engaged. When you're alone, sing your head off. (Ignore the dog!) When someone's in hearing range, hum. And if you want to play for/with someone, ask them to do the singing. When you're ready, you can tackle fingerpicking. Fingerstyle Solos for Ukulele is a good book to start with.
 
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I once knew a guitar teacher who teached his student singing before they ever touched the instrument - just to get some basic idea of harmonies etc.

I guess either you're all exaggerating (I'd have a word with that dog anyway....) or you can at least whistle or hum a melody properly. If you can't you're probably completely wrong at music altogether.....
Just face your fears and start training, it will get better over time (just like playing ukulele)
 
I consider myself to be a horrendous singer too, so much so that I intend to take singing lessons in the not so distant future.

Secondly, I have seen uke vids with people who couldn't sing to save their lives, but one thing was common in all of them... They all had soul and at the end they were smiling, and that made me smile.

Thirdly for vetrans (and way off topic) does the image verifications to reply to topics ever go away?
 
Non-vocalist

cantsing said:
It sounds like maybe you're asking for specific song suggestions, so I'm wondering if fingerpicking and chord melodies feel a bit beyond your reach right now. If that's that case, it's fine to focus on chords and strumming--playing songs you like will keep you engaged. When you're alone, sing your head off. (Ignore the dog!) When someone's in hearing range, hum. And if you want to play for/with someone, ask them to do the singing. When you're ready, you can tackle fingerpicking. Fingerstyle Solos for Ukulele is a good book to start with.
Click to expand...

good advice.. from everyone.. guess us non-vocalists have a lot of company... I'll concentrate on the finger picking.. I'm loving the video lessons from Aldrine and UU.. well worth the few dollars to enroll
 
The Big Kahuna said:
What exactly do you mean?
Click to expand...
First of all: no offence intended
music


I noticed that quite often "musical illiterates" not only seem unable to sing/hum/whistle but also don't seem to have any sense of music - so the first could be seen as symptom of the latter.

But fortunately there are exceptions :)
My theory: these exceptions are understating/underestimating their musical capabilities.
 
Louis0815 said:
First of all: no offence intended
music


I noticed that quite often "musical illiterates" not only seem unable to sing/hum/whistle but also don't seem to have any sense of music - so the first could be seen as symptom of the latter.

But fortunately there are exceptions :)
My theory: these exceptions are understating/underestimating their musical capabilities.
Click to expand...

:) No offence taken dude, I didn't think you meant any

I've always had a problem where I can't pitch a note correctly. I don't know if there's a problem with the wiring in my brain, but if I try, I'm miles away. I can hear the tiniest difference in pitch though, so I guess I'm not "tone deaf"
 
I guess I agree with SweetWaterBlue: chord solos, riffs, what ever you want to call them. I'm a marginal (at best) singers and not so advanced player. I've been focusing on learning barr chording. You can do things like the slide in "Dock of the Bay" fairly easily and it sounds good.

Please don't buy a kazzoo!!:D
 
You could do some old B-52's, and release your inner Fred Schneider. Or try Ting Tings. Or punk-type music.

(I'm not kidding).
 
Tailgate said:
earlier poster said 'their dog leaves the room when they sing'.. my dog's out the door when I open my mouth... so, any recommendation's on songs to keep me (beginner) engaged? I'm having fun learning, but my expectations are realistic on the vocal issues...

thanks in advance for your empathy and your input..

noobie (can't carry a tune if you spotted me the distance) uke lover...!
Click to expand...

One of the things that I like to do is to record a chord progression then play it back and improvise up and down the scale. I have several software music programs that will also let me put together a chord progression in an endless loop. The easiest key to play is "C". So record a chord progression in the key of "C" such as C, Am, F, G and then play the "C" scale along with the progression. As long as you stay within the "C" scale you can't play a wrong note and it's surprising what tunes you can come up with on the fly. It keeps me occupied for a while and helps to loosen me up. Plus it's a lot of fun! It's called jamming!
 
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I noticed that quite often "musical illiterates" not only seem unable to sing/hum/whistle but also don't seem to have any sense of music - so the first could be seen as symptom of the latter.

.[/QUOTE]

Oh my goodness Louis, you just keep digging a deeper hole for yourself. I would like to point out that people have different talents and gifts. I look at those long flexible fingers on youtube videos and know that my old short stiff fingers will never physically be able to do what long flexible fingers can do. Some of you folks have a natural talent while others have to work very hard at it. I am not a musical illiterate. But I also do not have a natural ability to pick up rhythm and easily figure out a strumming pattern. I can carry a tune, but I have a limited range and not a pretty sounding voice. Sure voice lessons would help but... How many hours do you have in a day? Just because someone knows music theory (musically literate) doesn't mean that person has a natural ability. Look at all the talented musicians who do not read music, hence musical illiterates. I am guessing this all comes relatively easy to you so therefore you assume it should come easily for others. I play both the accordion and the ukulele for hours every day and trust me, I will never be better than mediocre.

Okay, stepping off my soap box.
 
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