Harry Potter – Hedwig’s Theme (Tab)
November 15, 2009
Harry Potter – Hedwigs Theme (Tab)
I’ve done a whole load of tabs of John Williams tunes (Star Wars, Cantina Band, Olympic Fanfare, Indiana Jones). Yet I wouldn’t be able to pick him out of a line up and I regularly get him mixed up with the guitarist of the same name.
This arrangement does miss out a lot of the original. If you can recreate all the swirling strings, you’re a way better player than me. But I have included the two main sections of the piece. The first is a slow waltz and the second a rapid 4/4. The other arrangements I’ve seen miss out the second part – not sure why since it’s much more fun to play. And it’s fairly straight forward – mostly just moving the minor chord shape up and down. The tricky part is the speed so start slowly until you’ve got it under your fingers then build up speed. To give it a bit of variation, I play the first half of this section strumming with my thumb and the second half with my fingers (all down strums in both cases).
Laurel and Hardy Theme (Tab)
November 8, 2009
Laurel and Hardy Theme (Dance of the Cuckoos) (Tab)
After Steve sent me this slightly worrying video, I decided this is perfect for the ukulele. It’s simple to play, works perfectly on the uke and I’ve been strumming it the whole time.
I’m using D-tuning in the video, but C-tuning will work fine. The D-tuning does add a bit of plinky-plonky to it though.
Kate Micucci & William H Macy – It’s Time to Get Laid (Chords)
August 23, 2009
Kate Micucci & William H Macy – It’s Time to Get Laid (Chords)
She might not have had the chance to jam with him when they were making the film, but junkets give you much more time for ukeing it up. Bart Got A Room looks like a damn funny film. It’s got people from Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Development and Scrubs in. How could it not be? I’m sure it’ll be out in the UK sometime in 2011.
The song is a pretty straight forward, 4 chord affair. So it shouldn’t present any problems.
Suggested strumming
Other than the single strums that crop up, the main strumming pattern is old faithful:
d -d u – u d -
Watch Bart Got A Room Trailers
Buy Kate Micucci’s music
Jungle Book – I Wanna Be Like You (Chords and Tab)
July 12, 2009
This one is a big favourite with ukulele groups (as ably demonstrated by the Hull Ukulele Group). But it could have been written for Hobbit to sing. It’s a perfect fit. Which is a whole lot more than you can say about the Jonas Brothers. I somehow find it hard to believe they spend anguished nights desperately wishing they could rid themselves of their wild instincts and join respectable society.
Although they do have a glint in their eyes which seems to say, “Teach me to destroy so I may be truly respected.”
Suggested Strumming Pattern
d – d u – u d u
Twice for each chord until you get to G7. Just one strum for that. Then the pattern twice for C and A7, once for D7, once for G7.
Next bit is a little tricky timing wise. Strum the pattern once for C. Then down once on C and down three times on G7.
Twiddly Bits
The intro goes like this:
Also on the C and A7 in the chorus Hobbit is switching between the chords and strumming all the strings open.
Buy the original.
Buy Snake Suspenderz stuff.
Guy Forsyth – Waking Life (Tab)
March 29, 2009
Guy Forsyth – Waking Life (Tab)
Guy Forsyth’s little ukulele monologue in Richard Linklater’s Waking Life was, fittingly enough, a nightmare to work out. The intro anyway. It’s full of jazzy discords. I’m a long way from certain that it’s right. So if you have any suggests throw them my way.
The chords under the chatting, on the other hand, are fairly simple. It’s just D and Bm with a few plucked notes in. Although he does throw a missed beat or two in there on occasions.
Judging by the film, he’s playing in ADF#B. But I’ve written it up in C tuning.
Requested by Minamin, Nic and Elizabeth.
Yiruma – River Flows In You (Edward/Bella’s Lullaby)
February 22, 2009
Yurima – River Flows in You (Tab)
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I’ve done plenty of TV, book and game themes but I think this is the first book theme I’ve done. There seems to be a fair bit of confusion about what constitutes Bella’s/Edward’s Lullaby which I got caught up in. When I was working it out, as a very cheap Christmas present for a friend, I thought I was working out the song from the film. But it turns out this version is in the film and Yiruma’s River Flows In You was decided to be the theme by a bunch of fans. And I think the fans got it right. River Flows in You has a very sweet catchy melody. And the official piece, well, it’s a bit shit.
James Bond Theme
October 26, 2008
Quantum of Solace? What of what?
I’m flabbergasted that Bond is still going. The whole idea is outdated and they ran out of ideas decades ago. The theme tune, on the other hand, still sounds fantastic.
I’ve been working on this arrangement for an age (I think Sean Connery was Bond when I started) and it’s tough to play – I cock it up a couple of times in the mp3. I’ve tried to cram as many parts of the original onto the uke and there’s a great deal of changing between picking and strumming.
Bar 2: Not a triplet, but I use a triplet strum in this bar: down, up with index, up with middle.
Bars 3 – 6: The bass line crops up on the G string played with the thumb along with strums (up, down, up) on the other three strings.
Bars 7 – 14: This is where it starts to get really tricky. You’ve still got the bass line on the G string and the strums on the E and A strings, but now you’ve got the guitar part on the C string as well. A good rule of thumb (and fingers) is to pluck the G string with your thumb when there are no other notes and strum when there are other notes. There are also quite a few rolls in this section.
Bars 19 – 26: Another step up in difficulty with the brass section. The bass line is still going, but this time it’s moving over the strings.
Bars 28 – 33: Finally a bit of a rest. You can just strum out this section.
Outro: My favourite part of the tune. I love the last chord: Cm6add9.
