More than any site (yes, even this one) YouTube has been the place been have first encountered the ukulele and had an urge to pick one up. Here are the most popular ukulele videos on the site. Read the rest of this entry »
Tiki Farm Theme (Tabs)
I hate Facebook. I used to have a secret account and then people started finding me. I ended up shutting it down. But, to my shame, I had to set up a new secret secret account just to play Happy Island. I have to admit I’m completely addicted. When a game starts influencing your sleeping patterns, you need to take a good look at your priorities.
Despite being set on a Hawaii-like island, there are no ukes in its theme tune. But there are ukes aplenty in the tunes that back the Happy Island-a-like Tiki Resort and its sister game Tiki Farm. So, obviously, I had to get tabbing.
The tune is fairly straight-forward. It sounds like it’s being played with a pick, but you can just about get away with not using one.
Here’s my version of the tune:
Ukulele & accordion is fast becoming the new ukulele & kazoo. This week’s contribution to the combo comes from Les Poupées Gonflées (literal translation = The Swollen Dolls – that has to be a French euphemism).
Also this week, Seeso has moved all his covers to a new channel and has bravely reupped his cover of the Red Hot Chunky Puppies (it’s now illegal to use their name on the internet). Other performers in this week’s selection include gentle-folkie Anna Ash, noise-merchant Williwaw and The Polyjesters with a song about Mrs Nahasapeemapetilon.
Another new uke and another new wood for Kala with the Kala Butterfly. MGM refers to it being made from bicote. He might mean bocote – the heavy grain certainly looks a lot like bocote. Either way, I don’t think it’ll make its way on to my shopping list.
Two lovely vintage Favilla ukuleles: Favilla Teardrop and a Favilla Wimbrola modified into a four string ukulele.
My favourite uke of the week: Kamaka Tiple.
Ukulele Ventures tab book from Japan. I wonder if that’s what U900 used.
Ukulele in a canoe.
Diverting backside.
Check out the Stackridge podcast on Monday for a ukulele special including George from the UOGB co-present and tracks including Uke Hunt faves the Bobby McGee’s and Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer. And there’s a performance by Fairport Convention.
I’ll be heading off to Ukelear Meltdown this weekend. If you see me, say hi. I won’t bite.* Other festival possibilities include Wukulele (they’ve only announced one act, but that act is Bob Brozman), the Belper Ukulele Day and, of course, Donington. Let there be rock.
DFW have a series of posts on the uke starting here and taking in why people took up the ukulele.
Photos: Joe Strummer on ukulele (Thanks to Will who has many more famous ukers here), Ralph Shaw busking, Harold Walden, Herman gives Roger a ukulele and tells him that the only way to diffuse the Marshmallow Man’s anger is to play music.
tUnE-YaRdS 4AD session (via Bossarocker
Ukulala is back after a long break.
Michelle Blades is a synesthete.
Ukulollo shares his fancy video technique with Armelle.
MP3s: Blind Pilot did a ukulele version of 3 Rounds and a Sound for Daytrotter, Gorilla vs. Bear has White Hinterland’s highly effected uke.
* I might bite.
Nickel Creek – Anthony (Chords)
Sara Watkins has a few ukulele songs knocking around but this one – from Nickel Creek’s Why Should the Fire Die? – is the standout. The tuning she uses in this one is rather unusual. It’s like a low-G ukulele tuned down two frets (to F Bb D G). I worked out the tune using a baritone ukulele with a capo at the third fret.
I included the shapes for standard tuning in the chord chart. Here are the chords for her weird-ass tuning.
Twiddly Bits
Here’s the little riff she plays through most of the song:
If you’re using standard tuning, you can get away with playing it like this:
Suggested by Ashley and Frank
You may have noticed this is my seventh post in the space of six hours. It’s all part of the overhaul of the site that will be taking place soon.
With over 1,000 blog posts on Uke Hunt and a bunch more in the other sections, it’s getting impossible for people to find what they’re looking for. So these posts are designed to guide people towards the stuff that they’ll find most useful.
The first set of ‘lessons’ are divided by difficulty with a couple more focusing on styles (fingerpicking – which needs a bit of filling – and blues).
If you’ve got a suggestion for a section or something that should be included in a section, let me know in the comments.
For Beginners
Learn:
– How to read chord charts.
– Songs using only basic chords.
– Strumming technique.
– Essential equipment.
Click here for beginner lessons.
For Improvers
Learn:
– Barre chords.
– Songs with more jazzy chords.
– How to get a good sound.
Click here for improver lessons.
For Intermediates
Learn:
– To read tab.
– Useful licks.
– Guitar riffs for ukulele.
– Scales.
Click here for intermediate lessons.
For Advanced Players
Learn:
– Advanced techniques.
– To combine single notes and accompaniment.
– How to make your own arrangements.
– Fingertwisting tunes.
Click here for advanced lessons.
Blues Lessons
Learn:
– Blues scales.
– Blues licks and riffs.
– Solo blues tunes.
Click here for blues ukulele lessons.
Fingerpicking Lessons
Learn:
– Basic fingerpicking technique.
– Fingerpicking tunes.
A few posts to help you get going with one of the most popular non-traditional ways to play the ukulele.
For this section you’ll need a good understand of ukulele tab.
Step 1: Basics
Blues Scales:
– Minor pentatonic scale
– Blues scale
How to Play Blues Ukulele – ebook covering blues licks, riffs and soloing.
Step 2: Blues Riffs
Mannish Boy
Cream – Sunshine of Your Love
Step 3: Robert Johnson
They’re Red Hot
Walkin’ Blues
Come On In My Kitchen
Step 4: Blues Tunes
Neal Paisley – Gossip
Mississippi Blues
Extra Credit: Bored of using your fingers? Check out How to Play Slide Ukulele for a new perspective.
Fingerpicking Basics
Easy Fingerpicking
Playing one note at a time.
Stephin Merritt – Smile
Earlyguard – Busy Bee
Silent Night
Oh Christmas Tree
Moderate Fingerpicking
Introducing chords and melody notes.
Hawaii Five-O
Indiana Jones
Super Mario Theme
Godfather Theme
Tricky Fingerpicking
Introduction to campanella playing
You can use the campanella technique to play tunes like these:
John King – Larry O’Gaff
Sigur Ros – Hoppipolla
Baby Elephant Walk
Davy Graham – Angi
Upstairs, Downstairs Theme
Avett Brothers – Murder in the City
Once you’ve got to grips with the tabs in the intermediate section, it’s time to move up to playing some full tunes.
Step 1: New Tabs and Techniques
Strum blocking
Fingering and repeats
Advanced strums and rhythms
Hammer-ons and pull-offs
Slides
Advanced repeats, accents and trills
Vibrato, grace notes and bends
String bending tips
Extra Credit: Harmonics on a ukulele
Step 2: Full Tune Tabs
Theme tunes to films, games and TV shows provide a great test for your tab playing abilities and give your something instantly recognisable to play for friends and family.
Indiana Jones
Super Mario Theme
Godfather Theme
Good the Bad and the Ugly
The Office
Extra Credit: Get more tab arrangements for more popular instrumentals in the ebooks How to Play National Anthems and How to Play Ukuleles for Peace.
Step 3: Make your own arrangements
Once you’ve got the hang of other people’s arrangements of tunes, have a go at making your own.
– Here’s my tutorial for While My Guitar Gently Weeps in the hopes that you’ll work up your own rather than apeing Jake’s.
– Combining melody and chords.
Extra Credit: Learn how to read sheet music to expand your repetoire.
Step 4: Finger Twisters
Tricky tabs:
Sigur Ros – Hoppipolla
Sailors’ Hornpipe
In the Mood
Penguin Cafe Orchestra – Music for a Found Harmonium
James Bond Theme (difficult version)
More tricky ukulele tabs
Nightmare tabs:
Iron and Wine – Naked As We Came
Nick Drake – Cello Song
Radiohead – Street Spirit
More Nightmare tabs
Extra Credit: Check out John King’s Classical Ukulele, Mark Nelson’s Fingerstyle Solos for ‘Ukulele and my ebook http://howtoplayukulele.com/how-to-play-classical-ukulele/ for some fingerpicking challenges.
