"Hi can anyone share a good music for practicing? I like Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole but seems hard for beginner."
"Hawaii by Ohta San. Low G. It's a great piece for practicing."
"Oops. I misread the Title. But practicing tab really help. You Are My Sunshine"
With respect: This was really funny!
But it reflects quite my own path! I heard
IZ's version and immediately wanted to have a uke and play and sing this song. You know what? After I had sung and played
"Over the rainbow" for the first time after I finally had figured out what he played, I was addicted. I then tried out, if this or that song could be figured out on uke myself, which was fun for hours and days each time. I enjoyed the route to learn how to play the song, figuring out the chords, as much as I enjoyed playing the stuff once I was able to. I then found
Cliff Edwards version of "Over The Rainbow" and was thrilled! Still sometimes trying to make it. Came close and I was so amused by myself! Never managed to play it like him. But was happy with my take. And when I discoverd
Herb Otha Sr. and his version of "Stardust" I was locked in for weeks to figure out where his fingers move from watching the video hundreds of times. Never got there. But meanwhile I found my own version of "Over The Rainbow" with a lot of cool Jazz progressions, a very little Herb Ohta Sr. style, I played this song for weeks to anybody, no matter if they want to hear this or not. And
"You are my sunshine" was played by me and sung by our friends for a wedding (Corona-scale) two weeks ago. So I guess: Whatever makes you thrilled and wanting to learn, don't push it too far away thinking, you will never get there any soon. It can come so quick!! Just do regardless of how it sounds at the beginning. Don't think at possible auditors. Just noodle around on the couch and be happy with whatever comes out of this ukebox.
As long as it makes you smile, it's good.
I find, "Singing In The Rain" can be a lot of fun to play and sing. This time I talk not so much about the old version from the Hollywood Revue of 1929 played by Cliff Edwards. Its the Gene Kelly version I really love. Go look it up. The moment when the camera moves over his head, and he looks up, arms wide open and sings smiling: "Come on with the rain, I've a smile on my face!"
Here is it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1ZYhVpdXbQ it is at 1:40 ....
And here is a good tutorial on youtube (there are lots of other very good ones, too, but I like this one):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3w1TAv0ljc I just do it a little different: When the part comes "come on with the rain, I've (D7, exact on "I've a", to beats) a smile (C7, on "smile")( Gm7) on my face or so. To me, sounds better. Go try it out, It*s realy fun to do! If you progress and you want to play along with the original video with Gene Kelly, you have to tune your uke up a half step to G# - C# - F - A# to match it, chord shapes keep the same.... Don't be shocked by the strange chord names, they are easy to learn!
Enjoy, and don`t forget to smile when you sing and play! If your voice is to low in this key, you can search for a version in the key of C. I have one, but with bar chords and some jazzy chords, not good for now, but maybe later...