Uke A-Lomg at LA Music Center Saturday

quiltingshirley

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Are we the only folks going to the LA Music Center tomorrow? Printed out the info they sent out and it sounds great. I want to learn it all and I'd like to work on that song by Phillip Phillips "Home" too. Hard to decide on the workshop I want to do. They all look hard. Cool Chords, yeah, want that one, hammer on's and trills, oh yeah, I need that one, finger picking, yeah, maybe, it looks easy enough the 1st couple of pages and then -- wow! Looking forward to tomorrow.

And a Happy 4th of July (Independance Day) to those of us in the States.
 
I'm going, but even though I got a confirmation email, I got nothing else. I was so distracted by stuff the last couple of weeks that I only emailed them today. Last year I go the packet of all the stuff. Could you forward me your packet? I can PM you my confirmation.

And everyone enjoy the 4th, already been hearing fireworks all night.
 
It was great. I got much more out of it than I'd expected. When we got there and signed in we chose which of the 3 work shops we wanted to do. (Cool Chords-Brad & ?, Drills & trills-Jason & Heidi, or Finger-picking-Daniel Ward), which we chose to learn. We started with a warm up session using some variations on common chords for about 30 minutes and then headed for the classrooms. They weren't crowded and had a screen so you could see the fingering, etc. They lasted for about 60 min with an informal setting with questions as you go. Daniel gave the lesson and it was great. We did picking on a classical piece where the melody is in the bass and the top strings use floating. It was something I'd never have tried on my own and with some practice is quite do-able. Daniel plays Flamenco guitar and it came across well on the uke. After the workshops we all came together again for a 60 min Jam playing Wake Up Little Susie with a rock beat (and some really quick chord changes on some neat chords) and Home as sung by Phillip Phillips. There were 3 versions of the Home song we could play and they got harder with each version -- I was lucky to do #1 but it sure sounded good with everyone playing along the same but not the same.
Anyway, if you get a chance to go to either the August or September workshop I'd recommend it highly.
 
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I had a good time. It was a little more challenging than I expected. They originally said something about only having to know a handful of easy chords, then they threw some harder variations at us that really gave the LH pinky a workout.

I was in Daniel's fingerpicking session, too, and I thought he did an awesome job. His solo at the end was a tease, I'm going to have to go see what of his I can find online. And, BTW, it's Flamenco, not flamingo. :p
 
I think this year's format was better than last. Instead of two classes and then you just leave, you get your choice of one class and then a mass kanikapila with everyone. It really made it end on a high note for me. If you've never played with 300 other ukers, well... it's exhilarating! Plus, you can say you've played at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion. :)

I got there just before 10 and wasn't planning to go to the "refresher" class but ran into someone I knew who was, and invited me to sit with them. So glad I did. Learned new chord voicings to facilitate transitions.

And I did not know until I looked at the instructor bios after I go home, that Heidi Swedberg, while obviously a talented uke player and vocalist, is better known as an actress with a long run on "Seinfeld." (Never really watched it and don't pay much attention to who's who in Hollywood.)
 
I thought this year was done very well, and I have to thank Shirley again for sending me the charts. I did the Drills & Trills with Jason, he mentioned that each class was actually a setup for the final group play-along. This year felt more focussed and I have to say, even though I stumbled on those new chords, I didn't feel overwhelmed like last year. There was a pretty good showing, I think they said about 300, though I have a feeling if it was not July 4th weekend, there might have been even more. Looking forward to the next two sessions.

I then went over to U-Space, Jason and Brad run it, and had a nice rest of the afternoon hanging with them there. I decided to take their new intermediate theory class Sundays for the next six weeks. I've never really learned music, and the last few weeks of faltering on a few tunes prompted me.
 
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