Dorothy Muncy Chord Melody Arrangements

Several years ago, Dorothy Muncy used to have a uke site called UkuleleLady, where she sold chord melody arrangements in a variety of styles. I have at least a dozen of her arrangements, and I have always liked them. Some are extremely easy (too easy), others are on the beginner side of intermediate. Some of them (e.g., Kainoa, Honolulu City Lights) seem to be based on Ohta-san's versions of these tunes.

The Ukulelelady site has been down for a while but last year I emailed her and she let me know she moved the contents to Payloadz. She sent me this link:

http://www.ukulele-lessons.net/id17.html

I don't think she is active any more and doesn't seem to support the site, but I just purchased three songs and the purchase worked out fine. You get a zip with a chord melody arrangement and a very crude recording of the song. Its not tab, more like chord charts with the melody notes in red. Hard to explain, but its clear enough how to play the arrangement.

So if you are looking for a chord melody arrangement for any of the songs she offers, you might consider it. Again, I just successfully purchased three, but I wouldn't expect support from her if there's a problem. Many of the arrangements are very nice (some of my favorites are Blue Lei, Cry Me a River, Come Back to Sorrento, Besame Mucho).

Brimmer thanks for the link. How would I know which one is for the intermediate or beginner player songs? The one you bought are they for intermediate player? I'm interested in some of the songs but The website doesn't tell you what level the songs are. Thanks again Brimmer.

Hent, here are some of the ones I would say are early intermediate: honolulu city lights, ain't misbehaving, satin doll, once in a while, blue lei, what a wonderful world, georgia on my mind, besame mucho, come back to sorrento, cry me a river, hawaiian wedding song, maria elena, smoke gets in your eyes, waikiki, days of my youth. Actually the arrangement of waikiki is super nice.

There are a few that are pretty easy but worth knowing and fun to play if you like old hawaiian songs: royal hawaiian hotel, kainoa, kuu ipo, he punahele, sweet leilani, beyond the reef, to you sweetheart aloha, waipo. I would rate these as advanced beginner.

There a a few that I purchased that were so simple I could have figured them out myself: pua lillehua, tiny bubbles, pearly shells. They all have simple chords. If you are a beginner learning chord melody style, they might be worth a look.

I had problems with 2 arrangements I bought last year: Mapuana is a really good arrangement but it was missing part of the bridge, and Dorothy didn't respond to my email for a corrected copy. I had to figure out the missing part of the bridge myself. I also bought Old plantation but it had the wrong pdf ( it had 'once in a while'). I don't know what you get if you buy once in a while, but I like the arrangement so I'm glad I got it, even if by mistake.

The rest i can't comment on because I didn't buy them. But something tells me that arrangements of happy birthday and we wish you a merry christmas are designed to be introductions to the style for beginners.

Also, the arrangements of sophisticated hula and sukiyaki are nice but I play the arrangements in Ohta-san's book.

My only advice is buy them one at a time and hope for the best because I doubt there will be any help if there's a problem. I hope this helps...

Also, Somewhere over the rainbow and when you wish upon a star are early intermediate. Nice simple arrangements of tunes that have to be in your repertoire.

Again, don't expect anything fancy. These are not elaborately crafted arrangements like Craig Brandau's...

Brimmer thanks for all the info and I'll try a couple of the Hawaiian songs when I get home today. I have some of Colin Tribe's arrangements and I like the way he arranges songs. Also he has videos of the songs and that makes it real easy to follow along. Thanks again Brimmer and info is much appreciated.

Yes, I have some of Colin's too and like them very much. His are fingerstyle, whereas hers are a sort of Ohta-san style, where you either strum down into the melody note, or pick the melody note alone and strum on beats where there isn't a melody note played. You could do the whole thing with your thumb if you wanted, like Ohta- san or the japanese players you see on youtube.

Overall Colin's are more elaborate and better arrangements, but he doesn't have waikiki, blue lei, or royal hawaiian hotel.