Styles of playing - does this have a name??

polstein

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When most people learn the Uke, they start by just strumming along to the chords of a song. Then you move up to more complicated strums, chucking..etc.

Then you move on to Fingerpicking notes of a chord, but repeating the same plucking for most of the song. I've seen some people call this "finger style" but not sure that's right.

Then there is chord melody - where you fingerpick the lyric part of the song & strum certain parts for emphasis at certain times.

** Then you hit... I don't know what to call it.. songs where you pick individual notes, sometimes 2-3 notes and strum rarely. But while you are hitting most of the lyric notes, you are also getting a lock of .. umm.. filler? back beat? other notes. **

I can post examples of this is needed, but as an extreme example, think of songs done by Jake Shimabukuro (which I personally think can be over-done with too much going on).

Last week I made (composed?) my own version of a song by taking the sheet music lyric notes, and using the Chords to fill in strums to accent certain words. (ie, what I think is a Chord Melody). While it sounds nice, it 100% feels like it's missing stuff.

Is there a name for this "style" of a song/tab so I know what to search for ???

Edit 1: Trying some random googles & found this: https://ukuleletricks.com/arrange-chord-melody-songs/ (where he seems to call everything Chord Melody)
 
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If I understand you correctly, you are looking for fingerstyle arrangements. Melody plus accompaniment.

Here are some free arrangements from Brad Bordessa:
https://liveukulele.com/tabs/

There are also some free arrangements from Aaron Keim on quietamericanmusic.com. I can't post the link, forum thinks I'm spamming.
 
Not so much arrangements, but the correct names for the different types.

I'd like to find more info and examples about making my own 'chord melodies that are more then just strum chord & play the note of the lyric' ... whatever it might be called.
 
I got around this spamming thing by using Go Advanced, twice.
 
Aren't the things to which Polstein is referring called "fills"? If so, I don't think there will be tutorials because fills are dictated by the musical context and they consist of parts of scales or broken chords or anything else that sound good.
 
Yes, fills might be the word I'm looking for. So the question is - is there a name for Chord Melodies *with* fills ?

I hit an example today - the song Vincent by Don McLean (Starry starry night....). In the beginning of the song it goes..

Starry, starry night (like 12 filler notes here)
Paint your palette blue and gray

In a normal chord melody those 12 notes wouldn't be there if all you're doing if plucking the notes with lyrics and sometimes strumming a chord to match a lyric. When I'm looking for tabs on a song, or a tutorial - I want a chord melody *with* all these fills.

(and maybe some help making my own)
 
Along the way when I was playing melody in a key that has notes that dip down below C I would play the chord instead. It sounded good, so sometimes I strum a chord instead of playing a note in places I think it works. I don't have a formula for when to use it though, and I don't have a name for it. But it is often times in those interludes when nothing is happening. So fills sounds like a good way to describe it.
 
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Yes, fills might be the word I'm looking for. So the question is - is there a name for Chord Melodies *with* fills ?

The Chord Melody genre includes tab arrangements both with and without “fills.” Tabs for beginners tend to have less fill. The more fill there is, the more challenging the arrangement becomes, but they are all still called Chord Melody, regardless of how much fill the tab contains.
 
Ok, to sum up:

Basic just strum along = no special name

Plucking chords notes (like Travis Picking) = Finger Style

Plucking "lyric" notes and strumming some chords = Chord Melody

Adding fills to above = still Chord Melody

Something totally fancy that involves lots of picking & fills & stuff (maybe to no lyric notes at all) and advanced strumming = still Chord Melody

(my inner OCD is crying right now)
 
Ok, to sum up:

Basic just strum along = no special name

Plucking chords notes (like Travis Picking) = Finger Style

Plucking "lyric" notes and strumming some chords = Chord Melody

Adding fills to above = still Chord Melody

Something totally fancy that involves lots of picking & fills & stuff (maybe to no lyric notes at all) and advanced strumming = still Chord Melody

(my inner OCD is crying right now)

Something totally fancy that involves lots of picking & fills & stuff (maybe to no lyric notes at all) and advanced strumming = MUSIC :music:
 
I do all the above plus tapping and a bit of finger drumming. I call it “my style”. After 30 years of playing different stringed instruments, I let my right hand do what it wants whilst keeping good timing, rhythm and tempo. Ofttimes I do not play the same piece twice. My ethos is, if the melody is strong and the twiddly bits decorate the tune and not detract, anything goes.
 
Something totally fancy that involves lots of picking & fills & stuff (maybe to no lyric notes at all) and advanced strumming = MUSIC :music:

Maybe :) but, can't exactly search youtube for "ukulele xxsong music style"
 
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