2 About the Authors 5 How to Use This Book and DVD 6 Part 1: The Basics 7 Selecting Your Ukulele 7 The Parts of Your Ukulele 8 How to Hold Your Ukulele 9 Standing Sitting The Right Hand: Strumming the Strings 10 Strumming with a Pick Strumming with Your Fingers Using Your Left Hand 11 Hand Position Placing Finger on a String How to Tune Your Ukulele 12 Tuning with the MP3 Audio or the DVD 13 Tuning the Ukulele to Itself 13 Getting Acquainted with Music 14 The Staff Measures Clefs Reading TAB and Chord Diagrams 15 Reading TAB Chord Diagrams The First String A 16 Playing with A, B, and C Extra Credit 17 Sound-Off: How to Count Time 18 4 Kinds of Notes Time Signatures Repeat Signs 19 1st String Blues The Second String E 20 Jammin’ on Two Strings Hot Cross Buns Blues in C Rockin’ Uke The Third String C 24 Jammin’ on Three Strings Largo (from the New World Symphony) Jingle Bells Beautiful Brown Eyes Introducing B-Flat 28 Aura Lee Three-String Boogie Tempo Signs 30 Three-Tempo Rockin’ Uke The C7 Chord 31 The F Chord 32 Good Night Ladies Key Signatures 34 Down in the Valley Ode to Joy The C Chord 37 Incomplete Measures 38 A-Tisket, A-Tasket Eighth Notes 39 Jammin’ with Eighth Notes Dotted Quarter Notes 40 Preperatory Drill Cockles and Mussels Clementine The G7 Chord 44 Aloha ‘Oe (Strumming) When the Saints Go Marching In Love Somebody The Streets of Loredo The Down-and-Up Stroke 49 The G Chord 50 The D7 Chord 50 Calypso Strum Introducing the F Sharp 51 The Sloop John B. More Chords 53 Introducing G, D, D7, A, and A7 My Dear, Dear Mama from Madeira Wai O Ke Aniani (Crystal Water) Minor Chords 55 It’s Only A Minor Inconvenience Waltz Time 57 Amazing Grace Right-Hand Tools and Techniques 59 How to Hold a Pick Rest Strokes and Free Strokes More on Sharps and Flats 61 Accidentals Raised by Gypsies Accidentals in a Key Signature 62 Red River Valley Navigating a Musical Map 63 Part 2: More Advanced Playing 64 The Major Scale is Your Measuring Stick 63 Two Foundations: The Chromatic Scale and the Major Scale 64 CONTENTS
The Second String E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Jammin’ on Two StringsHot Cross BunsBlues in CRockin’ Uke
The Third String C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Jammin’ on Three StringsLargo (from the New World Symphony)Jingle BellsBeautiful Brown Eyes
Strum Patterns and a Tune in G . . . . . . . 71This Hammer’s Too Heavy
Accenting the Backbeat, The E andE7 Chords, And “Sally Ann” In A . . . . . 72Sally Ann
Fiddle-Tune Form andSoldier’s Joy in D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Soldier’s Joy
Old School: The Swingin’ Ukulele . . . . . . 74How to Swing
Sixes and Sevens and Chords . . . . . . . . . 76Jazzy Progressions Need Jazzy Chords
The Circle of 5ths Progression . . . . . . . . . 78How Will I Ever Learn to Charleston
If I Can’t Even Tie My Own Shoes?
The Triple Strum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80Triple Strum: Down-Down-UpTwo Triples and a Double in One Bar, or 3+3+2The Triple as a TripletThe Secret Handshake Rag
The Triple Burst Strum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82Introducing the Sixteenth-Note TripletHitch in my Git-Along Rag
Rocking Out the Uke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84The Syncopated StrumMy Feet Hurt (Oy! Sole Blisters!)Autoharp Sale (Replace Old Zithers!)Dreams of Summer on a Gloomy Day
(Haze, Cold, Misters)
Adding Percussionwith Mute Strokes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86The Right-Hand Mute StrokeMute Strokes on the BackbeatTry It with a SwingThe Left-Hand Mute Stroke
Moveable Chord Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88Passing the Barre ExamThe A Form Moveable ChordsThe C Form Moveable ChordsThe F Form Moveable ChordsThe G Form Moveable ChordsThe D Form Moveable Chords
Using Moveable Chords, Left-Hand,Reggae, and Soul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92The Reggae Beat, Scratching, and SqueezingWho Wants a Cool Beverage?Uke Got Soul
Taking It Home: Island Style . . . . . . . . . . . 94Aloha ‘Oe
New Strums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96Rolling with a RakeThe Alternating Triple StrumAlternating Triple with a RakeHula For Ho’Opi’i
Transposing the Blues andthe Minor Pentatonic Scale . . . . . . . . . 10612-Bar Blues in C (A Bouncy C)
Blues in a Minor key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108The Natural Minor Scale in ANunmoor Blues: A 12-Bar Blues in A MinorImprovising on a Minor Blues
Combining Major Pentatonic, MinorPentatonic, and Blues Scalesin a Solo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145How to Determine the Key of a SongHow to Play an Entire Song By Ear
How to Transpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148Major Pentatonic ScaleHow to Play By Ear Using Three Magic Chords
Part 3: Being a Professional Ukulele Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Finding, Rehearsing andPromoting a Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151How to Tell if You’re Ready to Play in a BandHow to Start a BandHow to Find and Get Into and Existing BandHow to Be the one Everyone Wants in their BandYour Personal Promotional PackHow to Prepare for an AuditionRehearsing and Improving the
Band Rehearsal LocationHow to Get Gigs For Your BandThe Gig
The DVD contains valuable demonstrations of all the instructional material in Part 1 . You will get the best results by following along with your book as you watch these video segments . Musical examples that are not performed with video are included as audio tracks on the DVD for listening and playing along . The audio tracks are all accesible through the chapter selection on your DVD player and also as downloadable mp3 files on your computer .
28
1st FRET
1
&
TAB
wb
1
B≤
A flat b lowers a note a half step . Bb is played one fret lower than the note B . When a flat note appears in a measure, it is still flat until the end of that measure .
Aura Lee
introduCing b-flAt
This old American folk song was later recorded by Elvis Presley and called “Love Me Tender .”
&TAB
44 ....
..
.
.œ œ œ œ
01 0 1
FTEACHER:
œ œ ˙
32
3
G
œ œ œ œ1 0
20
C7
w1
F
&TAB
œ œ ˙0 0 0
F
œ œ ˙0 0 0
A 7
œ œ œ œ0
3 1 3
Bb Bbm
w0
F
&TAB
œ œ œb œ0 0 1 0
F D 7New Note B
œ œ ˙
32
3
G 7
œ œ œ œ
1 00
3
C7
w1
F
44
O
2 3
1
G7
+ + + =
o
2
1
3
O
2 3
1
G7 Chord
Play all four strings together:
& 44 Û Û ÛG71. Û Û ÛC Û Û ÛG7 Û Û ÛC
& 43 Û ÛC2. Û ÛG7 Û ÛC Û ÛG7 Û ÛC Œ ŒC
& 42 ÛG73. ÛC ÛG7 ÛC ÛF ÛC ÛG7 ÛC
& 44 Û Û ÛC4. Û Û ÛF Û Û ÛC Û Û ÛG7 Û Û ÛC Û Û ŒC
& 43 Û ÛC5. Û ÛC7 Û ÛF Û ÛC Û ÛF Û ÛF Û ÛC Û ÛC
Û ÛG7 Û ÛG7 Û ÛC Û ÛF Û ÛC Œ ŒC
Place your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd fingers in position, then play one string at a time .
Play slowly and evenly .
the g7 Chord
G7 Chord Exercises
84
In recent years, the uke has come to be a symbol for musicians who are a little different, who don’t travel the well-worn path. The uke has snuck into punk clubs, songwriter listening rooms, and major pop hits like “Hey, Soul Sister” by Train. Nowhere has the uke blossomed more than on Internet video sites like YouTube. It fits easily in a Webcam close-up, sounds okay through a cheap computer mic and speakers, and is simple enough to allow just about anyone to share their own song with the whole world. This section will help you learn some new strums and chords so you can join the new pop ukulele revolution.
tHE SyncoPAtEd StruMSyncopation means to shift the emphasis to the offbeat. To show syncopation in written music, dotted rhythms, rests, and ties are sometimes used.
The strum shown below is the Swiss Army knife of strum patterns. It is the universal folk-rock-alternative-swing-funk-punk-campfire strum. This one is good at any speed, fast or slow, swinging or straight. Note the tie that connects the “&” of beat 2 to beat 3, creating a syncopation. Be sure to tap your foot and count out loud.
If you find this rhythm a little confusing, break it down into one- or two-beat segments:
Count:Tap:
1 2 && 3 & 4 &
44 ..Û≥ Û≥- hold -
Û≤ Û Û≤ Û≥ Û≤C
rockinG oUt the Uke
142
Using our 12-bar blues progression in C from page 130, we’ll play a sample solo based on the minor pentatonic scale. Also, remember the syncopated rhythms using triplets that we covered on page 126? We’ll use one of them to create the melodic idea. When we get to the V chord, we vary the original melodic idea by moving it up a whole step. Finally, we end with one of the turnarounds in C that we covered on page 132. Recycle and reuse!
&
TAB
44
–
‰ Jœ3
œ œb œ Jœ.œ
8 8 67
6 8
3 3 1 2 1 3
C
‰jœ# .œ œn œb œ
9 10 8 68
3 3 3 1 3
S
˙ œ œb œ œ
8 8 67
6
1 2 1
( ) ( )
w
6
C7
( )
&
TAB
5
œ œ3
œ œb œ Jœ.œ
8 8 8 67
6 8
3 3 3 1 2 1 3
F
‰ Jœb œ œ œb œ œb œ
9 9 8 68 6 8
4 4 3 1 3 1 3
˙ œ œb œ œ
8 8 67
8
1 2 3
C
( ) ( )
w
8( )
&
TAB
–
9 œ œ3
œ œ œ Jœb .œ
10 10 10 87 10 7
4 4 4 2 1 4 1
G7
‰jœ# œ
Jœn œ œb œ
9 10 8 8 68
4 4 3 1 3
F
( )S
œ3
œ œn œ3
œb œb œ3
œ œ œ
87
77 6
66 5
55
2 3 2 2 3 2 2 3 2
C
( )
œœœn œœœ œœœ ˙˙˙
334
535
535
535
112
313
313
G7
( )( )( )
&
TAB
44
–
‰ Jœ3
œ œb œ Jœ.œ
8 8 67
6 8
3 3 1 2 1 3
C
‰jœ# .œ œn œb œ
9 10 8 68
3 3 3 1 3
S
˙ œ œb œ œ
8 8 67
6
1 2 1
( ) ( )
w
6
C7
( )
&
TAB
5
œ œ3
œ œb œ Jœ.œ
8 8 8 67
6 8
3 3 3 1 2 1 3
F
‰ Jœb œ œ œb œ œb œ
9 9 8 68 6 8
4 4 3 1 3 1 3
˙ œ œb œ œ
8 8 67
8
1 2 3
C
( ) ( )
w
8( )
&
TAB
–
9 œ œ3
œ œ œ Jœb .œ
10 10 10 87 10 7
4 4 4 2 1 4 1
G7
‰jœ# œ
Jœn œ œb œ
9 10 8 8 68
4 4 3 1 3
F
( )S
œ3
œ œn œ3
œb œb œ3
œ œ œ
87
77 6
66 5
55
2 3 2 2 3 2 2 3 2
C
( )
œœœn œœœ œœœ ˙˙˙
334
535
535
535
112
313
313
G7
( )( )( )
&
TAB
44
–
‰ Jœ3
œ œb œ Jœ.œ
8 8 67
6 8
3 3 1 2 1 3
C
‰jœ# .œ œn œb œ
9 10 8 68
3 3 3 1 3
S
˙ œ œb œ œ
8 8 67
6
1 2 1
( ) ( )
w
6
C7
( )
&
TAB
5
œ œ3
œ œb œ Jœ.œ
8 8 8 67
6 8
3 3 3 1 2 1 3
F
‰ Jœb œ œ œb œ œb œ
9 9 8 68 6 8
4 4 3 1 3 1 3
˙ œ œb œ œ
8 8 67
8
1 2 3
C
( ) ( )
w
8( )
&
TAB
–
9 œ œ3
œ œ œ Jœb .œ
10 10 10 87 10 7
4 4 4 2 1 4 1
G7
‰jœ# œ
Jœn œ œb œ
9 10 8 8 68
4 4 3 1 3
F
( )S
œ3
œ œn œ3
œb œb œ3
œ œ œ
87
77 6
66 5
55
2 3 2 2 3 2 2 3 2
C
( )
œœœn œœœ œœœ ˙˙˙
334
535
535
535
112
313
313
G7
( )( )( )
soloing Using the minor pentatoniC
164
a few things yoU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MUSIC BIZ
getting wHat’S coMing to youHow to coPyrigHt a Song you’ve writtenOnce you have written a song and recorded it on tape, you automatically own the copyright to that song. This means that you alone have the right to make copies of the song and sell them. In order to protect that right, it is a good idea to have your song registered with the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress. Once your song is registered, you can prove in court that the song is yours (should anyone try to steal it).
To have your song registered, you’ll need to visit this Website:
http://www.copyright.gov/
Navigate to “Forms” and download the forms, or go to “Electronic Copyright Office” (eCO), where you can register online.
The Copyright Office contact information, as of this writing, is as follows:
U.S. Copyright Office
101 Independence Ave. S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20559-6000
(202) 707-3000
There is a charge each time you register, but, you can register more than one song at a time. If you register more than one song at a time, the recording you send in will need to have a name, such as “Collection of Songs.”
How you get PaiD wHen your SonggetS PlayeD on tHe raDioTechnically, each time your song is played on the radio, on TV or anywhere else considered to be in public, you should be paid a fee. Because it would be impossible for you to keep track of each time your song is played and to collect the fee, there are agencies that do this for you. These agencies are called “performing rights collecting organizations.” Their job is to monitor radio stations, TV stations and other places where songs are played for the public and pay you the fee for each time your song is played. The size of this fee depends on where your song is played. A hit song played all over the country can make the writer rich on performance royalties alone. The two main performing rights collecting organizations are ASCAP, which stands for the “American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers” and BMI, which stands for “Broadcast Music Incorporated.” To join either ASCAP or BMI, go to their Websites, or write them a letter requesting an application.
To contact ASCAP, write to: ASCAP, 1 Lincoln Plaza, New York, NY 10023 or see
www.ascap.com.
To contact BMI, write to: BMI, 320 West 57th Street New York, NY 10019 or see
www.bmi.com.
wHy you Don’t Have to Pay wHen your BanD PlayS anotHer BanD’S MuSic Club owners and promoters pay a “blanket fee” to the performing rights collecting organizations. This fee covers all of the performance royalties for the music performed in their venue.
