Ukulele Thread.

Subject: Ukulele Thread.
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 13 Dec 19 - 11:12 AM

I've just joined the British Ukulele Society. Is there any of my mates on mudcat in that society.

I've been struggling with the split stroke and the triple. I've got two dvds the jack Jones one and the aNDY EASTWOOD.

I notice that good uke players play the four string A7 barre shape with the 2nd finger rather than the index.

Also after a life time playing the guitar - I find myself playing with the nails of of three fingers - somewhat in the style of a flamenco players rasguedo move - rather than the single index finger.

I've only been playing seriously since September. I'm wondering how important it is to get these first moves strictly right to get up to full speed.

Subject: RE: Ukulele Thread.
From: Donuel
Date: 15 Dec 19 - 12:41 PM

Wish I could help Al but no new tricks from me. The single index finger technique looks like an illusion. Congrats for joining a group with international acclaim.

All I've done is create the cello uke, tuned like a viola and play cello repertoire.

Subject: RE: Ukulele Thread.
From: Helen
Date: 15 Dec 19 - 02:16 PM

Hey Big Al, I have a ukulele and sort of play it, but I do a funny technique based on what I would do on the Celtic harp. I'm no good at strumming.

I call the uke my 4 string harp, because it is easier to carry around than that great big heavy 34 string thing.

I use my four fingers on the four strings GCEA, plucking down with the thumb then up with each finger and back up again. I can change the number of pluckings to suit the tempo, 3/4 = 1,2,3,4,3,2 and around again. I can also modify the emphasis to suit the tune's particular rhythm.

I'm particularly fond of the House of the Rising Sun chord progression using that method. (What a surprise, eh? If it's good enough for guitarists, then why not for uke players?)

I've mucked around with a couple of other plucking patterns, e.g. the Alberti bass, strings 1,3,2,4 repeated as needed, and I was learning one style from YouTube called Travis picking but I found it a bit confusing, trying to

Subject: RE: Ukulele Thread.
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 15 Dec 19 - 03:12 PM

I play my uke with a flat-pick, just like a guitar or mandolin.

(Please don't inform the instrument police. One more fine for playing an instrument the "wrong" way and I'll have to declare bankruptcy.)

Subject: RE: Ukulele Thread.
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Dec 19 - 08:05 AM

As with a banjo a pick axe works ok

Subject: RE: Ukulele Thread.
From: Helen
Date: 18 Dec 19 - 02:07 PM

An insightful - or should that be "inciteful" post from an anonymous guest. What more could we ask for?

If you don't love it then leave it alone.

Subject: RE: Ukulele Thread.
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 18 Dec 19 - 04:46 PM

Hello Helen!

I thought this thread was dead and gone - thanks for responding!

Do you play a little uke - a soprano.

I've not had a go at picking the uke yet really. I find that high top string very off putting.. you're expecting a plonk but you get a plink! I'm hoping to put a couple of songs online soon.

I made a little breakthrough this morning finding some blues riffs.

Theres a lady at our folk club who plays trad songs accompanied by a tenore uke - she picks it like a guitar, which is fair enough - but I want to strum!! She's pretty good and like all traddies takes it VERY seriously.

I've got admit - I like to to tune it up a couple of semitones. So its A D Fsharp B.

it sounds sort of cheekier!

best wishes

Al.

Subject: RE: Ukulele Thread.
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 18 Dec 19 - 06:26 PM

Didn’t George Formby use a sort of figure of eight style strumming pattern? I know that was for banjolele, but it worked a whole lot better than trying to strum it as if it was a guitar, which most uke bands seems to do these days.

Subject: RE: Ukulele Thread.
From: Helen
Date: 18 Dec 19 - 07:04 PM

Hi Big Al, I have a concert size uke which has a slightly deeper tone than those plinky-plunky little things.

I also have the low G tuning, (GCEA strings) instead of the higher-tuned G, down to lower C etc so I can pick out tunes more easily. That higher G did my head in for trying to pick out tunes.

The baritone uke is tuned the same as the higher four strings of a guitar so it's easy for a guitar player to play it without the mental gymnastics of translating chords from one instrument to another. I don't play guitar, so that wasn't a problem for me.

I'm not a great player. I just use it when I go to sessions because it is easier to carry than the celtic harp. The advantage of the uke over the harp is that I can play in any key without flipping those levers to change key so accidentals, or change of key within a piece of music is fairly easy to accommodate.

I haven't been practising this tune lately, but I like picking out the tune of The Limerick Rake
which I heard on a Pogues CD.
music notation near the bottom of this page

It's a fun tune with a good rhythm.

Subject: RE: Ukulele Thread.
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Dec 19 - 05:07 AM

Sorry I forgot no one giggles on Mudcat. I am not anonymous. Its the Mudrobots forgetting my name again. JHW