Couple of flute exercises

 From the Trevor Wye book 

5 chord progression

 Another of Marty Schwartz's tutorials, using D, Em, G, A and Asus2.

Once I'd got the chords down reasonably cleanly I decided to try playing them fingerstyle.

Trying out vimeo

 I normally upload my videos to YouTube but a while ago I discovered Vimeo, a similar video sharing platform but with the benefit of no ads. 

This is a video of me playing an exercise in Uke magazine  where a finger is added to chords to change the tone colour slightly. 

Edit:the videos on Vimeo are not supported by blogger so I have to upload direct or just use a link.

Adding fingers to chords

Ukulele Picks

 I ordered some ukulele picks from Southern Ukulele Store (SUS) and I thought I'd give them a little demo on my two ukes (Tanglewood concert and Brunswick baritone)

The picks are a Isuzi felt pick, quite thick, a Isuzi Custom which is triangular and transparent, and a SUS branded leather pick. 

First of all, you're gonna have to careful if you put the custom pick down-its quite easy to lose! They should have made it tinted.

Now I've only ever used guitar picks of various sizes, but these are quite different. The felt one took a little getting used to because it is quite thick, but the sound on my concert uke is fantastic. Obviously the sound will be quieter than using fingers but it does create quite a nice tone on that uke, warm, muted, but strumming it fast I can hear all the strings and can still get a decent volume. It doesn't sound so good on the big baritone though. 

Next the Isuzi Custom. Thinner than the felt but a bit thicker than a guitar pick, and quite grippy. Even if playing fast it won't slip out of the fingers. It sounds a bit harsh on the concert but sounds great on the baritone. It would also work well on a guitar I think.

Finally the leather. Now, right from the start I wanted a leather pick. Originally I planned to get a set of Jumping Cow picks which are the same shape as the Isuzi custom, but it was not to be. Instead I opted for SUS's own. And I'm pleasantly surprised. To start with there is a soft side, and a slightly harder side, and to my ears there was a difference in tone between the 2 sides! This pick sounded great on both ukes, being slightly quieter than the Isuzi custom. If I'm playing fast pieces on the concert I might use this one, it has just enough punch without being brash. But if I want to play slow and maybe I want to be quiet I would use the felt pick. It responds well when playing on different positions on the fingerboard. Played well forward of the soundhole it gives a soft almost flutey tone.  It really brings out the tone of the little uke!

Link to Southern Ukulele Store:

https://www.southernukulelestore.co.uk/

Isuzi custom pick:

http://www.isuzi.co.uk/product/isuzi-kup-80-custom-ukulele-pick

Bit of blues

Bit of blues on my cheap Jose Ferrer classical guitar. Now put aside in favour of the newer Valencia hybrid

Boom Chicka Boom strum

 Trying out a strum pattern from one of Phil Doleman 's 2 Minute Tips YouTube videos. You strum with the thumb, then follow up with the the fingernails, bringing the thumb to rest at the top, muting the strings. It gives a nice boom chicka rhythm.

Make it Snappy!

 a little chord prog I came up with on the concert uke, using a short, sharp strumming pattern, strumming further down the fingerboard than usual which increases the snappiness and makes for a brighter sound

Chords are E7, A7, E7, A7, C7, D7, C7, with a slide to C at the end

....E7.....A7.....C7.....D7......C....

(1202,0100,0001,2020,>0003)

When I'm Dead and Gone

 Baritone ukulele version of the 70s classic by McGuiness Flint 

Chillin With Ma Dog

 Little ditty on the concert uke tuned to ADF# B 

Tuning ukulele to English tuning

I tuned my Tanglewood  concert ukulele up to ADF# B, which is called English tuning and is how ukes were tuned in England in the early days of the instrument. Its the same as putting a capo on the second fret but without the intrusion. It makes the ukulele sound even brighter.

Evening Lullaby by Elizabeth Pfeiffer

Had a go at this nice little song in UKE magazine.
Tanglewood concert ukulele

Fun with SpongeBob

Had a little fun with my son's SpongeBob soprano uke, tuned down half a step so F#, B, Eb and Ab which is an old tuning for soprano ukes. Its not a bad uke but the intonation is slightly out, most noticeable on the B string.

Imagine by John Lennon

First attempt at Imagine by John Lennon on ukulele. We must not let coronavirus kill the music.

Guitar practice

A few practice pieces played on my Valencia VC204H hybrid

Trying out a synthetic reed

I bought a Légère reed for my clarinet. A 2.5 strength in European Cut and it made an immediate difference to my sound, and the clarinet seems so much easier to play!

Little chord improv

Played on my digital piano for the first time in a while and came up with a little bit of improv playing chords in the right hand and accompanying with the left hand.

Carol of the Bells

Quick version on my Tanglewood ukulele.
Merry Christmas one and all

Bit of blues

On my Tanglewood concert uke

Riff at the dusty end

Just noodling up the neck on the Fender dread.

Tanglewood improv

A little ditty on my Tanglewood acoustic in standard tuning.