Greetings From The Desert!

[MD1948]

I've been playing for around 5 years and I also lead/teach a uke group here of about 25 players - most of them beginners.

I'm looking for ideas to move our group from just unison playing to something with more variety and interest for our performances.

In the winter we live in the SoCal desert in the Coachella Valley, and in the summer we live in Flagstaff Arizona.

I play pop/rock/standards from 1950 to about 1979 - because that's the only period I was really active in paying attention to music! If a song came out in 1994, or 2015, I probably have never heard it.

Thanks for having me!

 

[bsfloyd]

Welcome to the forums, MD!!

 

[TopDog]

Welcome aboard,and we apparently have similar
tastes in our appreciation of 'good music'!

 

[VegasGeorge]

Hey, welcome! I know exactly what you mean about "paying attention" to music. I only know the old stuff, and at 72, I mean the 'really' old stuff. I was sitting in a restaurant the other day and heard a tune being played over the system, very softly. I strained to hear it. I knew it, but couldn't quite place it. I struggled with it for a while, and finally came up with "Blue on blue." I checked that out, and it was the wrong tune. Then it came to me, "Love is blue." Yup, that was it. Released as an instrumental way back in 1967 or thereabouts. Hadn't heard it for years and years. Now I'm playing it just about every day. Play what you love, and love what you play. That's what I say!

 

[Lapyang]

Welcome to UU.

 

[WaylonUkulele]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[MsMartian]

welcome to the forum! :music:

 

[DownUpDave]

Welcome to UU, those are very nice places to reside, I have visited both. As far as making your performances more interesting try having 4 -6 people picking out the melody line to the song while others are strumming. The uke jam I attend does that from time to time, with fills and leads as well. Fortunately it is run by a music teacher and professional musician so he has the knowledge to do the arrangements.

I had seen a book or website that featured exactly what you are looking for......unfortunately I can't remember the name or title. Maybe someone else will remember.