What To Buy Next?

For the last thirteen months I have been playing chord chart, uncle rods boot camp, notebook of songs (some hard some easy) and Absolute Beginners Ukulele. I feel fairly confident in all but still have some room to grow and improve. I also have Learn To Play Fingerstyle Solos For Ukulele but this book is way out of my league right now and still need more practice. I would like to learn more music theory(first instrument) and technique but I don't want to mess w/ my flow. Would roadmaps be a good selection or should I get another beginner book?Please help recommend a good book I could use to help my progress.

rowjimmytour said:

Would roadmaps be a good selection or should I get another beginner book?Please help recommend a good book I could use to help my progress.

Click to expand...

Roadmaps is an excellent book and you should definitely get it. But, if you're new to theory, don't expect it to make sense right away.

I've been playing for several years and that was one of the first books I bought. I started working my way through it on my own and quickly became overwhelmed and gave up. About a year later, the author (Fred Sokolow) began teaching workshops based on the book, and for me that really helped it all make sense - I really could not figure it out on my own and needed the help of an instructor. The book has a lot of information; I would recommend that if you do get it, just take it really slow.

To the best of my knowledge, there isn't a whole lot out there in print about theory that is specific for ukulele, so I'm not sure if there is anything else to recommend as an alternate choice. I think it depends on what exactly you are trying to learn. You might actually find more on the web - Jim D'Ville's site is a good starting point.

I've found that I learn the most about theory when I really try to analyze a song that I'm learning - I'll learn the chords, identify the chord progression, find the melody, and then transpose it into a different key or two. But I haven't seen a book that teaches that sort of thing.

I've had books laying around for a year or two before I was capable of comprehending what they were about. Then i got a teacher and his direction made everything finally make sense, I could see what to ignore and how to learn from the other parts.
Without getting a teacher for music theory, I'd suggest getting a big fat book about music theory and reading it (at your leisure). You'll carry around nuggets of 'useless' info until you reach an 'ohhhh' moment at random intervals.

janeray1940 said:

Roadmaps is an excellent book and you should definitely get it. But, if you're new to theory, don't expect it to make sense right away.

Click to expand...

Oh, so much this. Every word of it.

You don't mention if you are playing with other people. Honestly, the most important thing you can do for your advancement is play with others. It doesn't matter a great deal whether they are good or mediocre (though playing with experts, if they are patient, is amazing). The main thing is get out of that bedroom and play with others. Theory is good, and to some of us it is interesting in its own right, but theory is not music! Some of the best blues and rock musicians didn't / don't know a lick of theory. B.B. King claims never to have learned to play chords!

John

OldePhart said:

You don't mention if you are playing with other people. Honestly, the most important thing you can do for your advancement is play with others. It doesn't matter a great deal whether they are good or mediocre (though playing with experts, if they are patient, is amazing). The main thing is get out of that bedroom and play with others. Theory is good, and to some of us it is interesting in its own right, but theory is not music! Some of the best blues and rock musicians didn't / don't know a lick of theory. B.B. King claims never to have learned to play chords!

John

Click to expand...

Still play in the closet and maybe theory is not the direction I need but please suggest where if you think I can benefit. I just want to continue advancing and not have the uke go stale for me.

rowjimmytour said:

Still play in the closet and maybe theory is not the direction I need but please suggest where if you think I can benefit. I just want to continue advancing and not have the uke go stale for me.

Click to expand...

Well...not to harp on the point...but the best way to keep it from going stale is to play with others. In fact, you can have the best equipment in the world, stacks of books memorized, chords and scales and songs down cold...and music (not just the uke) can become stale and a "chore" if you're not playing with others or at least for others. Seriously.

See if there is a uke group in your area and, if not, consider starting one. Beyond that there are open mic events in some places. (I guarantee playing in front of others won't go stale - it may leave your knees knocking the first few times but it's a rush that's hard to beat.) Another thing to consider is doing the rounds nursing homes - often the people there almost never have visitors and the staff is hard put to find enough volunteers to entertain the residents. Call a few nursing homes and volunteer to come around and play a few old-timey tunes a couple of times a month and I'd be very much surprised if there isn't a facility in your area that can "fit you in."

The most important thing is that music is not really music until it is shared with others - it's sort of the old "tree falling in the forest, thing."

John

i bought the roadmaps book and it is/was way over my head, i will take another look to see if i have progressed at all since the last time i tried it, as regards playing with other people that is really good advice, i went along to a uke group a coupla weeks ago and had a ball, highly recommended was buzzing for days after

A new uke!

A solid bodied concert perhaps?

I'm not hating on soprano, I just think the concert size provides a wider range.