Nice reviews for my ukulele book

Well, my ukulele ebook, What Ukulele Players Really Want To Know has been for sale for some months now, and it has performed really well (usually maintaining its position in the top 100 music books, and at one point reaching number one!!) and has also received some very kind feedback.

Check out some of the nice reviews i've copied and pasted below.

excellent source!, March 7, 2011

By 

Ed Arlington -

This is an excellent resource for ukulele players from beginner to intermediate. A wealth of information is provided with help buying a ukulele and pretty much everything you would want to know about the instrument. Great read! FIVE STARS

A necessary read for the aspiring novice, 2 Sep 2011

By 

Corbow (Bucks) - 

This little book is a must get for the novice, gives much essential info on the uke, and also on purchasing the right one.Its also a must for any uke player, as it has a lot of common sense advice that gives great encouragement. Great read ! FIVE STARS

Uke Players Bible, 25 July 2011

By 

Clifford Canty - 

This is an excellent book well written by and expert in his field. Baz guides you through the different aspects of the ukulele in a very helpful way.I suggest anyone considering buying a ukulele buys this book first.Another plus point is that it fits in the storage pocket of my gig bag! FIVE STARS

S. Flanaghan "Flan" (Stoke) - 

Have just started playing the ukulele and saw this book advertised on a forum.
Its a great, compact little guide that has really helped me out as a beginner.
Good price, and highly recommended !! FIVE STARS


And on Smashwords


Review by: Mick Street on April 08, 2011 :     
Fantastic book, very helpful indeed. Gave me the confidence I needed to just have a go. Funny and informative, a good read.


Review by: WT Sharpe on March 04, 2011 :    
This is a wonderful book for beginners, and even more seasoned players can find some useful information. I thoroughly enjoyed and readily recommend it.


Review by: Joey Paul on Feb. 19, 2011 :     
As a beginner, this book was excellent and really helped me in making me into a good Ukulele player. The author is funny, and knows what he's talking about. It teaches you the things other teachers don't think about and you may feel wrong asking! I highly recommend it!


You can download the book in ebook format either on Amazon.com  Amazon.co.uk (or indeed the Amazon German store! and for those with Kindles on Smashwords


It can also be found on itunes, and if you prefer paperback, you can find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble etc


Thanks for all your support!

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The current ukulele collection

It struck me that new readers of this blog won't have seen the very earliest reviews and news about ukes in my household... And who the heck searches back over years of blog posting?

I did a tally and figured that there have been about 15 or 16 ukes in my possession over the last couple of years. Not all stayed with me and some have been sold or traded, but I thought I'd share with you the current crop from cheap to pricey.

First up in the cheap category is my uke of choice when recommending an instrument to a beginner with a limited budget - the Makala Dolphin Soprano. I actually gifted the red one in the review to my Nephew, but this purple one is technically my daughters, though I love playing it!





(above - Makala Dolphin Soprano)

With a proper setup and Aquila strings, I really don't think that these can be beaten (for the price). I've owned plenty of other ukes in the bargain price range, like a Mahalo and a Vintage though the least said about those the better! I did however own a Lanikai LU21 which I would also highly recommend to beginners.


Moving on, I got hold of a Flea Soprano from the Magic Fluke Company. These are unusual ukes in many ways, their shape, the plastic bowl back, the plastic fingerboard. What they do deliver though is great sound and zero issues with setup due to the nature of their construction. If you are fed up with instruments that buzz or have dodgy action I would highly recommend these.





(above, Flea Soprano in Purple)

I soon decided that I both wanted to move up a ukulele size and try a concert, but also wanted a solid wood uke. I had dabbled with my first solid wood uke which was a soprano by Brüko (highly recommended) but wanted a bigger size. This led me to the fabulous Mainlandbrand of ukes and I purchased an all solid mahogany concert model with a divine slotted headstock. Mainlands start their lives being put together in the far east to keep costs down, but are hand finished and setup by Mike in the USA. The sound is super sweet with a bell like chime and it has looks to die for. A google search or forum search for mainland ukes will show you that Mainland owners are a real community, and rightly so, they are marvellous instruments and in my opinion about as good as you can get for the price.





(above - Mainland Mahogany Concert)


I then took a diversion into a type of uke that I think every player should try at least once, a Banjo Uke, or 'Banjolele'. You can pay some serious money for a banjo uke but I wanted something cheap with a good reputation and went with the Ozark 2035. It's a no frills banjo uke but is very well made and has a great tone. I do, however find it uncomfortable to play due to it missing the more traditional wider resonator on the back and a tone ring, but it does sound good. I don't get to play it as much as I would like though as my friends play traditional ukes, and strumming this is overkill on the volume front!





(above - Ozark 2035 Banjolele)


My love for the Flea ukulele I mentioned above soon had me hankering after a big brother in the shape of the Fluke Tenor ukulele. I say tenor, and thats what it is billed as, but to me the size feels more like a halfway house between a concert and a tenor. The increase in size of this uke over the Flea really shows in the sound which is richer and warmer. It is on equal terms with the Flea in setup and playability, and that larger flat base makes this the perfect uke to always have on hand, standing up beside by sofa!





(above - Fluke Tenor)


I write so much about ukes that it wasn't long before I came to the scary realisation that I really needed to own a hand made Hawaiian ukulele, known as the K Brand Ukes. I also figured I didn't own a traditional tenor scale instrument so settled on a Kanile'a K1 tenor uke. Oh boy. Oh boy oh boy. It's buying a uke of this quality that really shows where that extra money goes. The sound and looks are out of this world, it really is so beautiful. This has become my go to ukulele for fingerpicking.





(above - Kanile'a K1 Tenor, satin finish uke)


The Hawaiian bug bit and this was soon followed by a purchase of a K brand soprano in the shape of a Koaloha Pikake soprano. I wanted a bright, loud, traditional sounding soprano and this uke has it in spades. I remain to be amazed at the volume from this tiny thing (easily the loudest of all my ukes) and it's my choice of uke now for gigging with friends as it provides a sharp clear sound that cuts through our mix of instruments perfectly.





(above - Koaloha Pikake Soprano)


The latest uke in the house is not actually mine, but it's worthy of a mention. Fairly recently my wife decided to start playing uke and her progress was astounding. She is now playing with us live and as an anniversary present / a 'well done', I bought her her own ukulele as she had been playing my Mainland. I think I made a good choice in the Pono MHC Pro Classic mahogany concert. This is one pretty instrument, impeccably made and with a fantastic sound.





(above- Pono MHC Pro Classic Concert)


So there you have it, a snapshot. There will be more I am sure, and perhaps some of those above will be sold or traded (though I doubt I'll ever be saying goodbye to the Hawaiian ukes), but that is part of the fun in playing uke - the addiction to buying them!





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Price Tag - Jessie J ukulele chords

This isn't normally a song that is my cup of tea, and certainly not something I had played on ukulele before. But then a couple of things crossed by inbox.

Firstly, a month or two ago, the people of UkeJam, the ever growing uke club in Godalming, UK, got an acoustic spot at the Guilfest festival in Guildford. Penny, one of the organisers of UkeJam shared with me a video clip which you can view Here courtesy of Ian Wright who filmed it. Now if that isn't a sight of ukulele players having the most fun together I don't know what is!

I pondered on this for a while and decided to put the chords up. I got in touch with Penny for a reminder of a link to the video and on the very same day my pal Rae Carter uploaded a vid of him singing the same tune (video link at the end of this post!)

Anyway, they are two examples in very different styles, and that's one of the things i like about the uke - it's easy to move around the styles to make what YOU prefer, fit.

Anyway, on with the chords. It's a simple rolling riff throughout an I've provided it below in the standard chord version you can play along to the track with. If you want to try it in UkeJam style (and why not) they have the chords transposed to a more amenable key for a wide variety of voices. If you want to play along in their style, substitute the chords below, in order with C, Em, Am, F.

Ps, I've included the rap section, but you can avoid it.... I would!




PRICE TAG - JESSIE J for UKULELE

(lyrics are provided purely for educational purposes!)


Intro (F)(Am)(Dm)(Bb)

Verse

(F)Seems like everybodys got a (Am)price,
I wonder how they sleep at (Dm)night.
When the sale comes first,
And the(Bb) truth comes second,
Just stop, for a minute and
(F)Smile

Why is everybody so (Am)serious!
Acting so damn (Dm)mysterious
You got your shades on your eyes
And your (Bb)heels so high
That you can’t even have a good
(F)Time.


Chorus

Everybody look to their (Am)left (yeah)
Everybody look to their (Dm)right (ha)
Can you feel that (yeah)
Well (Bb)pay them with love tonight…

It’s not about the (F)money, money, money
We don’t need your (Am)money, money, money
We just wanna make the (Dm)world dance,
Forget about the (Bb)Price Tag.

Ain’t about the (F)(ha) Ka-Ching Ka-Ching.
Aint about the (Am)(yeah) Ba-Bling Ba-Bling
Wanna make the (Dm)world dance,
Forget about the (Bb)Price Tag.


Verse

(F)We need to take it back in (Am)time,
When music made us all U-(Dm)nite
And it wasn’t low blows and (Bb)video Hoes,
Am I the only one gettin…

(F)tired?
Why is everybody so ob-(Am)sessed?
Money can’t buy us (Dm)happiness.
If we all slow down and (Bb)enjoy right now
Gurantee we’ll be feelin

All-(F)right.


Chorus

Everybody look to their (Am)left (yeah)
Everybody look to their (Dm)right (ha)
Can you feel that (yeah)
Well (Bb)pay them with love tonight…


It’s not about the (F)money, money, money
We don’t need your (Am)money, money, money
We just wanna make the (Dm)world dance,
Forget about the (Bb)Price Tag.

Ain’t about the (F)(ha) Ka-Ching Ka-Ching.
Aint about the (Am)(yeah) Ba-Bling Ba-Bling
Wanna make the (Dm)world dance,
Forget about the (Bb))Price Tag.

Rap bit

(Bb)Yeah yeah
(F)Well, keep the price tag/
And take the cash back
(Am)Just give me six strings/ and a half stack
(Dm)And you can keep the cars
Leave me the garage
(Bb)And all I..
Yes all I need are keys and guitars
(F)And guess what, in 30 seconds I’m leaving to Mars
(Am)Yea we leaving across these undefeatable odds
(Dm)Its like this man, you can’t put a price on life
(Bb)We do this for the love so we fight and sacrifice (F)everynight
So we aint gon stumble and fall never
(Am)Waiting to see, a sign of defeat uh uh
(Dm)So we gon keep everyone moving there feet
(Bb)So bring back the beat and everybody sing
It’s not about…

Chorus

It’s ain’t about the (F)money, money, money
We don’t need your (Am)money, money, money
We just wanna make the (Dm)world,
world, world, world, world (Bb)world dance,
Oooooooh! Yeah!

(F)Ba-Bling Ba-Bling
Aint abouth the uh. (Am)Cha-Ching Cha-Ching
Wanna make the (Dm)world dance,
Forget about the (Bb)Price Tag.


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UkeJam to support Hayseed Dixie

Yes, you know, that Hayseed Dixie. As in 'Hayseed Dixie'. The real Hayseed Dixie! Supported by the ukulele gang at UkeJam!

The guys in the fabulous Godalming uke club UkeJam (my interview with them on that link!) are supporting the massive Hayseed Dixie tomorrow night at the Boileroom in Guildford!





UkeJam take to the stage at 8.30pm, and as if that wasn't enough, Adam and his band, The Charley Farley Sunday Four are supporting too!

Massive! More details Here

Best of luck guys and gals!


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Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots - Flaming Lips for Ukulele

I am a big fan of the Flaming Lips, and think this tune works just brilliantly on the ukulele. Just get your strum to match that opening guitar strum on the original and you are away.

YOSHIMI for ukulele


Intro (played in choppy rhythm in time with vocal line)

[C] [Emin] [Dm] [F] [G]

Verse 1:

[C]Her name is Yo[Em]shimi
[Dm]She's a black belt in ka[G]rate
[C]Working for the [Em]city
[Dm]She has to discipline her [G]body

'Cause she [F]knows that
It's de[G]manding
To de[C]feat those evil ma[F]chines
I know she can [G]beat them

Oh Yo[C]shimi, they don't be[Em]lieve me
But [Dm]you won't let those [F]robots [G]eat me
Yo[C]shimi, they don't be[Em]lieve me
But [Dm]you won't let those [F]robots de[G]feat me

Verse 2:

[C]Those evil-natured [Em]robots
[Dm]They're programmed to des[G]troy us
[C]She's gotta be strong to [Em]fight them
[Dm]So she's taking lots of [G]vitamins


'Cause she [F]knows that
It'd be [G]tragic
If those [C]evil robots [F]win
I know she can [G]beat them

Oh Yo[C]shimi, they don't be[Em]lieve me
But [Dm]you won't let those [F]robots de[G]feat me
Yo[C]shimi, they don't be[Em]lieve me
But [Dm]you won't let those [F]robots [G]eat me

Repeat Intro, then..


'Cause she [F]knows that
It'd be [G]tragic
If those [C]evil robots [F]win
I know she can [G]beat them

Oh Yo[C]shimi, they don't be[Em]lieve me
But [Dm]you won't let those [F]robots de[G]feat me
Yo[C]shimi, they don't be[Em]lieve me
But [Dm]you won't let those [F]robots [G]eat me





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Spanish Harlem - Ben E King - Ukulele Chords

At our recent ukulele jam session, by request, we stumbled on this classic tune. Performed by Ben E King, but also many, many others, Spanish Harlem turns out to be a lovely song to slowly strum on the uke. Even better played with two or more people, with one uke doing some fingerpicking.

Only three basic chords too, that are easy enough to transpose up or down if the key isn't right for your voice ( example, instead of C, F and G, you could try D, G and A, or B, E and F.)

Give it a try, and try to give your strums a kind of lazy Latin bossanova feel to them!




SPANISH HARLEM for ukulele



Verse 1

(C)There is a rose in Spanish Harlem,

A red rose up in Spanish Harlem.


(F)It is a special one, it's never seen the sun,

It only comes out when the moon is on the run,

And all the stars are (C) gleaming.


(G)It's growing in the street,

Right up through the concrete...

But soft and (C)dreaming.



Verse 2

(C)There is a rose in Spanish Harlem,

A red rose up in Spanish Harlem,


(F)With eyes as black as coal,

That look down in my soul,

And start a fire, and then I lose control,

I have to beg your(C) pardon.


(G)I'm gonna pick that rose and watch her as she grows...

In my (C)garden.


REPEAT VERSE 2



OUTRO (G)I'm gonna pick that rose,

And watch her as she grows, in my (C) garden.

(C) There is a rose in Spanish Harlem.........

Repeat to end.


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Dave Matthews plays ukulele!

I'm a BIG fan of Dave Matthews so it's a double delight to see him playing ukulele!




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Uke Player Rae Carter gets a record deal!

I am delighted to be posting this on the blog. Ukulele player Rae Carter, who I am hooked up with on a variety of uke sites and social networks has got him self a recording contract with Quay West Studios in Gosport UK.

Rae has not actually been playing the uke that long (couple of years) but in time i've been following him, i've seen his talent grow and grow. He's got a great style with the uke and is now progressing to writing his own songs. In fact, he seems to be banging out songs at a hell of a rate so he's clearly got the knack!

I want to wish Rae the very best of luck and would urge you to check out his videos on his Facebook Page.

Watch this space for news on his recordings. In the meantime, you can read more about Quay West Studios below.

-----

Quay West studio,s now a popular name not only within Gosports musical community but reaching out further and wider across the south.

Originaly a small studio in the front room of WiLF? Drummer; Alex Long, he recorded notable local musician Nick Bowen Snr.

After a conversation between them both, they decided on what Gosport needs is a fresh new take on recording .

A year on after teaming up with well known local business man, Rod Callaby and bringing in a select group of enthusiastic music lovers who all share the same passion, forming the foundations of a central hub for musicians.

With many ideas brought to the table, Quay West studios have turned them into reality, not only do we offer Recording time and rehearsal space, there is an in-house Record Label, Booking agent and Band Management company offering support and an identity to bands and artists furthering them in their music career…But that’s still not everything!

We have been dubbed “Gosports musical hub” for the fact we are a central hub to musicians. We run various musical tuition courses, help and advice to bands, gear hire, merchandise for bands covering pretty much anything you can think of!...Anything!

We are proud of this title and wish to sustain it and we’re ever thinking of new ways to build on it. With foundations in music as strong as ours, you can be confident that we can build on up infinitely.

All the team at QW studios & records are dedicated in getting the scene alive, offering musicians/bands/artists the chance to showcase their music and various venues and promoters we have teamed up with.

It’s now an exciting time for all of us and now we have taken on Rae Carter our aim is to further him and aid him in the direction that he wants his music career to go, giving him a platform and a base within the music world.

www.quayweststudios.com

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Free Sample of my ukulele book!

I do like this widget from Amazon - whether you own a Kindle or not, you can check out a free sample of my book online! If you own a Kindle, you can order through the widget, but remember its available in paperback and non Kindle formats too!

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Ukulele brothers and sisters

You may have read my Ukulele History article which explains how the modern uke we know today was Introduced to Hawaii by Spanish and Portuguese settlers.

But of course, the uke is just another member of the chordophone family of plucked stringed instruments that date back to very old times, and instruments like lutes. Of course the ukulele is family member of the guitar which we all know very well, but are you aware of some other smaller stringed instruments with which the ukulele shares a family connection?



CUATRO - Venezuala and Puerto Rico

Both versions of this instrument are of a simple size to the uke. The Venezuelan Cuatro has four strings usually tuned A D F# B. It's often used in carnivals and festivals. The Puerto Rican version has ten strings in five duplicate courses (like a mandolin) tuned B E A D G. Both instruments were developments from the instruments introduced by the Portuguese. Below, Venezuelan Cuatro.







CAVAQUINHO - Portugal and Brazil

An instrument with four strings, very similar in appearance to a ukulele. It originated in Portugal and was introduced to Brazil where it is hugely popular and also known as the Cavaco, Machimbo, Machim and Machete amongst others. It comes in either steel strung or gut strung and is most commonly tuned D G B D. The Strumming of a Cavaquinho is an essential sound in Brazillian Samba. Below, traditional Brazillian Cavaquinhos.





TIMPLE - Lanzarote, Spain

The Timple (or Tiple) is found in a bewildering range of styles and string configurations all over the Spanish world in places like Puerto Rico, Colombia, Cuba and the Spanish Islands, but it is said to originate on the island of Lanzarote in the Canaries where it is strung with five strings, G C E A D. It is believed that it was a development of instruments brought to the islands from the nearby African continent. Generally speaking, the Timple's that are now played in Latin America have 10 or 12 strings either in two or four courses. Canarian Timple's are made by hand in the old capital Teguise where there is now a Museum dedicated to their history! Below, Canarian Timple.





CHARANGO - Peru and Bolivia

Another variation on the instruments brought to Latin America by the Spanish and Portuguese, the Charango has a distinctive bowl to the back of the body that was traditionally made from an Armadillo shell, but now usually made of shaped wood. It usually has 10 strings in five pairs tuned G C E A E. Below, Bolivian Charango.





And of course there are many more variants around the world in all corners, coming in all shapes and sizes. Next time you strum, give some thought to the history and common bond tied up in your little uke!


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Ukulele Ramblings - Portability

Without wishing to state the blindingly obvious, but ukuleles are small. Compared to many musical instruments in fact they are TINY. Not only does their size deliver their trademark sound, but it brings another benefit and thats convenience and portability.

That benefit wasn't the key reason why I chose to play the uke, but it was certainly part of the decision making process. Having an instrument so small makes it extremely easy to just grab wherever you are going. If I am away on business that requires me staying away a night, I can sling a uke in the back of my car. In fact I've been known to be sat in a parking lot waiting for an appointment strumming my uke in the drivers seat - try that with a guitar! They are easier to just grab when going to parties, to the pub, to the park. In fact they are so small there is really no reason not to take one with you everywhere. Think about it - what could be more fun on your holiday than strumming on a warm beach or round a campfire with friends? What could be more comforting when travelling alone than to have a uke with you? I have many pals who take their ukes to work every day in order to have a strum on their lunch break. I often cycle with mine tucked in a rear pannier. Yes, the uke is the perfect travel companion.

So what do you want to consider if you want to travel more seriously with a uke. Well I suppose it depends on destination and means of travel. A standard soprano ukulele can easily be taken on an aircraft as hand luggage (though respectfully ask the chap you are sat next to before you start strumming mid flight!). A small soprano can also easily be strapped to, or inside, a rucksack if you are backpacking or camping.

If you are considering a more serious travel expedition, in particular, going somewhere more inhospitable (for that read hot / wet / muddy / sandy) you may want to consider leaving your solid Koa uke at home and taking along something tougher. An obvious choice for me would be the plastic backed Makala Dolphin which is not only tough as old boots, but inexpensive enough that you won't mourn it too much if broken or stolen. A more serious uke alternative would be the Flea Ukulele from the Magic Fluke Company. These ukes really are bombproof, yet give a professional tone. Please dont try to test my theory, but I did once see mine tumble down a flight of stairs to sustain no damage apart from a slight ding on the headstock. More impressively, it was still in tune when I rescued it!

If you are doing any serious travelling, then ukes are bound to pick up knocks and scratches and the tougher ukes will cope with these much better.

A quick word about the ukes at are marketed as 'travel ukes'. These are made by some of the key uke makers and generally mean ukes with thinner bodies. I've never really understood these ukes. Don't get me wrong, I've played the Bruko and Kala models and they sound great, but being a half inch thinner seems to me like solving a problem that didn't exist. I don't find my existing ukes too bulky for travel, and the only benefit I can see to a thin uke is being able to slip it in a suitcase. No thank you, that to me seems a first class way of ensuring the uke is crushed. And there is my gripe, whilst these ukes are thin, they are not tougher than any other wooden instrument. As such, for real travel, I'd prefer the tougher instruments I mentioned earlier.

So, if you are travelling what should you be careful of? Well, several things. If your uke gets wet make sure you wipe it down thoroughly and let it air dry. Don't put it in a case wet, and never try to force it to dry by putting it somewhere hot. Talking of hot places, hot plus ukulele = bad news! Never leave your uke in a hot car or a hot tent or it will, frankly, break or fall apart! In some hot environments you may also find the humidity is extremely low. If that is the case and you have an instrument with any solid wood, you might want to think about Humidity too. You will find that travelling far to different climates and pressures will affect your tuning too - perfectly normal, but don't forget to pack the tuner!

Last but by no means least, you need to think about protection in the form of a Ukulele case? These come in a variety of forms and you need to consider the appropriate trade off between weight / bulk and the level of protection you need. For some, a padded gig bag is enough, but if you are throwing a uke in and out of cars or holds on buses, you might want a hard case. A quick note again on flying - if you want to put your ukulele in the aircraft hold, a hard case is a minimum requirement, but be careful here too. Many hard cases are just plywood and whilst they withstand knocks well, will not stand up being under a pile of suitcases, dropped from any height or thrown about by baggage handlers. If you are going this route I would strongly recommend getting a high quality, ABS moulded case from a top brand like Hiscox or Calton. They are expensive but they work.

So what excuse is there NOT to travel with your uke companion? Give it a try and take that uke with you everywhere - it's portability wins the day!

Ps - don't forget - always carry a spare set of strings. How heartbreaking it would be to take a uke halfway round the world to a remote location, only to ping a string on day one!


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Train - Hey Soul Sister - ukulele chords

Another example of a popular modern tune that has been a huge hit in the ukulele world - Hey Soul Sister by Train.

Bonkers lyrics (in my opinion) and to play along with the record means some difficult chords including the dreaded E chord. That C#m chord is fingered either 1444, or try a barre with the forefinger at the 4th fret with the middle finger on the G string at the 6th. To avoid problems with the E chord, simply barre at the 4th and don't play the A string. Playing at way with the C#m at the fourth also makes that transition easier.

Lyrics provided for educational purposes only!


HEY SOUL SISTER - TRAIN

Intro (sing the heyyyy yayyy) E B C#m A

Your (E)lipstick stains (B) on the front lobe of my (C#m)left side brains(A)
I knew I wouldn’t for(E)get you and so I went and (B)let you blow my (C#m)mind (A)(B)
Your (E)sweet moonbeam (B) the smell of you in every (C#m)single dream I (A)dream
I knew when we col(E)lided you’re the one I have de-(B)cided who’s one of my (C#m)kind (A)(B)

(A)Hey soul sister (B)ain’t that mister (E)mister (B)on the (A)radio stereo
The (B)way you move aint (E)fair you (B)know
(A)Hey soul sister (B)I don’t want to (E)miss a (B)single (A)thing you do(B)

To-(E)night Hey(B)ay, Hey-ayyyyy(C#m)ay, Hey-ayyyyy(A)ay
(E)Just in t(B)ime I’m so glad you have a (C#m)one track mind like (A)me
You gave my love dir(E)ection a game show love con(B)nection we can’t de(C#m)ny. (A)(B)

I’m (E)so obsessed (B) my heart is bound to beat right (C#m)outta my untrimmed (A)chest
I believe in (E)you like a virgin you’re Ma(B)donna and I’m always gonna (C#m)wanna
blow your (A)mind (B)

(A)Hey soul sister (B)ain’t that mister (E)mister (B)on the (A)radio stereo
The (B)way you move aint (E)fair you (B)know
(A)Hey soul sister (B)I don’t want to (E)miss a (B)single (A)thing you do(B)

To(E)night The way you can’t cut a rug
(B)Watching you’s the only drug I (C#m)need

You’re so gangster I’m so thug
You’re the (A)only one I’m dreaming of you (E)see
I can be myself now final(B)ly
In fact there’s nothing I can’t (C#m)be
I want the world to see you (A)be with (B) me

(A)Hey soul sister (B)ain’t that mister (E)mister (B)on the (A)radio stereo
The (B)way you move aint (E)fair you (B)know
(A)Hey soul sister (B)I don’t want to (E)miss a (B)single (A)thing you do to-(B)night(E)(B)
(A)Hey soul sister (B)I don’t want to (E)miss a (B)single (A)thing you do(B)

To(E)night Hey(B)ay, Hey-ayy(C#m)ay, Hey-ayyy(A)ay(B)
To(E)night Hey(B)ay, Hey-ay(C#m)ay, Hey-ay(A)ay(B)
To(E)night





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Noah And The Whale - Five Years Time Ukulele chords

A hugely popular tune this one, and possibly a big player in the UK ukulele boom in recent years.

It's also very simple and fun to play. My kids love me playing this too.

Now, I I'm going to get asked for the strum pattern, but if you listen to the record, you'll see it's just a simple repeat of the chords C F G F C over and over. Thats it! You will need a bit of muting/ chunking between some chords to get the right feel ( see Here). It's basically a kind of C C C mute F F F mute GGG mute F F F then back to C.

Lyrics provided below for educational purposes only!


Oh, well, in [C] five years [F]time [G]we could be [F]walking round the[C] zoo [F][G][F]Repeat that pattern!

With the sun shining down over me and you
And there will be love in the bodies of the elephants too
And I'll put my hands over your eyes but you'll peek through

And there will be sun sun sun all over our bodies
And sun sun sun all down our necks
And there will be sun sun sun all over our faces
And sun sun sun so what the heck

'Cos I'll be laughing at all your silly little jokes
And we'll be laughing about how we used to smoke
All those stupid little cigarettes and drink stupid wine
'Cos it's what we needed to have a good time

But it was fun fun fun when we were drinking
And it was fun fun fun when we were drunk
And it was fun fun fun when we were laughing
And it was fun fun fun, oh it was fun

Oh, well I'll look at you and say it's the happiest I've ever been
And I'll say I no longer feel, I have to be James Dean
And she'll say yeah well I feel oh pretty happy too
And I'm always pretty happy when I'm just kicking back with you

And it'll be love love love all through our bodies
And it'll be love love love all through our minds
And it'll be love love love all over her face
And love love love all over mine

And though really all these moments are just in my head
I'll be thinking about them as I'm lying in bed
And I know that really it might not even come true
But in my mind I'm having a pretty good time with you

Oh in 5 years time I might not know you
In 5 years time we might not speak
In 5 years time we might not get along
In 5 years time you might just prove me wrong

Oh there will be love love love wherever you go

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PONO MHC Pro Classic Series Concert Ukulele - REVIEW

It had to happen I suppose, but the ukulele bug has been biting my good lady wife over the last few weeks! She has been playing all the time and is really improving, so with a big (ish) anniversary coming this year I thought I would treat her to a ukulele of her own.

After much research, we settled on the Pono MHC Concert ukulele in Mahogany, complete with a hard case. Thanks again to the wonderful Southern Ukulele Store in the UK for supplying. This instrument is from their "Pro-Classic" line of Pono ukes, which represent the top end for the brand.  Pono ukuleles are made by the Ko'olau ukulele company of Hawaii, one of the leading K Brand ukes from those islands. The Pono ukes are however put together under Ko'olau control in the far east before shipping back to Hawaii for a final check over and setup. This allows costs to be kept lower, but Pono claim that they insist on the highest level of quality control and that the place of origin should not be obvious to the player. So how does it fare?

Before we get into the detail, its worth a word or two as to where the Pono sits in the range of ukes available out there. This is NOT a handmade Hawaiian uke, and it's price reflects that (£379). That said, that price is considerably higher than other decent far eastern ukuleles such as Kala, Ohana and Mainland. As such, I see the Pono as aiming to sit between the more common brands and the K Brands. That would suggest they should be about as good as you can get without getting a luthier built uke or a K Brand. This review will  aim to look at whether that is true. I will use my Mainland uke as a point of reference.

The Pono is certainly a pretty instrument with some extremely pleasing finishing touches. It is of all solid mahogany construction in the body and neck, and finished in gloss. The shape is traditional with quite a wide lower bout to the body and a slightly arched back to assist with sound projection. The grain of the mahogany is quite, quite stunning to look at. I cannot take a photograph to show this properly, but there is a real flame in the grain that glimmers when it catches the light. The top and back are nicely bookmatched and the grain in the sides runs parallel to the top and back also, something you dont see on my Mainland uke. The top and back have an ebony binding bordered with a thin strip of white which is perfectly finished with no flaws whatsoever. Turning the uke over and there is a similar ebony strip down the back and on the base of the uke which adds a very classy touch to the look of the instrument. The sound hole is surrounded by a genuine abalone ring. I am not normally a fan of too much "bling" on instruments, but this is about as blingy as the Pono gets, and I think it looks just right.  The real bone saddle is housed in a small and delicate looking ebony tie bar bridge.

Moving on to the neck we have a three piece construction, something that differs from K Brand ukes which will tend to use a single piece of wood. The neck profile is comfortable and ends with a nicely finished headstock which is faced with a piece of piano shiny ebony in which the Pono name is inlaid in mother of pearl.  The fingerboard is in beautiful dark ebony also, although it looked a little dry and washed out when it arrived. A very thin application of Fret Doctor oil soon sorted that and it now looks beautiful.  There are 19 nickel frets, all dressed perfectly with NO sharp edges at all. The fret markers are small and circular made of mother of pearl, and are repeated on the top edge of the fingerboard. The edges of the fingerboard are also trimmed with an ebony strip to hide the fret edges

The ukulele tuners are geared and enclosed, and bear the Pono name on the back of each one - another nice touch though if I am honest, I would have preferred open geared tuners. That said, these are not heavy. They are finished in gold with very small ebony buttons which pleased me too - other uke makers take note - if you are putting geared tuners on your ukulele, please choose small buttons - otherwise the ukes look like Mickey Mouse!  These tuners are smooth and accurate and present no problems. The nut is also natural bone and is set and finished very neatly.

Looking inside the body, I see the top and back are secured with standard looking kerfling. The bracing too looks traditional and also very delicate - these are not rough chunks of wood, but nicely carved to size aiming for the minimal amount of wood whilst maintaining structural integrity, making for a more resonant ukulele.

So to summarise the cosmetics - the ukulele is absolutely flawless in every respect. The differences from, say, the Mainland ukulele, are clear in the little details. The arched back, the real mother of pearl and abalone, the dressed edges to the fingerboard, the use of ebony and oh, that wonderful grain pattern.  The gloss is applied perfectly, with no pooling or small bubbles in crevices as I see on the Mainland. There are no glue drops inside the body either, and the only smell coming from the soundhole is the smell of wood. This level of finish on a high end K Brand ukulele would easily push the cost of your instrument over £1000, so it's extremely pleasing to see that level of quality at this price.

But what does it feel like to play? Well it feels good in my hands, is light and nicely balanced. The fretboard is wonderfully finished allowing fast play, comfortably. Tuning and intonation all over the neck were spot on when I checked with an accurate tuner and as such I have zero issues in this respect. The finish is not "sticky" and the back of the neck is smooth to hold and move around on.

So, the biggie. Sound. Well its VERY nice. Sure, it doesnt have the absolute bang on clarity and sustain of a Hawaiian ukulele, but I never expected it to. Volume wise, its on a par with the Mainland but there is more harmony when strumming, more seperation between the notes and a much more chimey sound. It really does have a fizz to it when strumming, yet when picked it sounds really warm and full, meaning its a very verstatile instrument to my mind. This model has been fitted with Worth clear strings by the store as I am not a fan of the Ko'olau gold strings that Pono ship this uke with which will have some bearing on that. The sound is clear, and has good sustain. In comparison, the Mainland, whilst still a wonderful sounding ukulele sounds a little more "boxy" than the Pono, slightly more one dimensional. It's worth adding too that the Mainland I own is about two years old, so the wood will have opened up a little more. As such I can only expect the Pono to improve further with age.

How would I summarise? Well on sound alone I can't say there is a £200 uplift in sound over a Mainland ukulele, but that would be unfair on both instruments. Sound quality is subjective and does not improve pound for pound on a straight line graph.  A £1500 Hawaiian ukulele will not sound twice as nice as a £750 ukulele - that would be ridiculous. But pricing is about more than sound, but also looks and finish and in that respect, as pretty as I think the Mainland is, this uke is leagues above it in that respect. In fact it's easily the prettiest ukulele in our household now.  If you find the price a little steep, there are Pono ukes available with less "bling" and finish that I would expect to be nice sounding also, so would certainly suggest looking at those.

Do I have any gripes - not really. I have mentioned the tuners, but that is just personal preference, and bear in mind that I paid extra for Worth strings as I am not convinced Ko'olau should ship these with their own strings. I suppose a single piece neck would have been expected for the money, but this is a factory built instrument and I understand the reasoning. Those are, however minor gripes - the instrument looks great, plays great and sounds great.

In summary, I would consider this uke to be in the range of "as good as you will get without going to something handmade". I'm extremely pleased with it and so is she!

As a final word - it is worth me mentioning the hard case. These ukes come supplied with a Ko'olau branded hard case of really nice quality. The case has distinctive red stitching around the lid and is clearly not a cheap case with quality fittings, interior and handle. I would suggest that such a case would probably cost around £40 to purchase, so that £379 ukulele is probably better considered a £339 instrument.

UKULELE PROS

Looks
Excellent build quality
Chiming tone

UKULELE CONS

Not many, would prefer different stock strings


UKULELE SCORES

Looks - 9.5
Fit and finish - 9.5
Sound - 8.5
Value for money - 8.5

OVERALL UKULELE SCORE - 9 out of 10

UKULELE VIDEO REVIEW



SOUND SAMPLE

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Ukulele milestone

A HUGE thank you to anyone who has picked up a copy of my ukulele beginners book, but it hit a new milestone this morning.

It became the number one book in the Amazon UK music reference charts! It's also number four in all Kindle music books which ain't too shabby either.




Support from readers and those who have spread the word has been pivotal in the books success, and I appreciate that greatly. I'm glad it's no nonsense style has found an audience.

You can grab a copy at

Amazon UK

Amazon.com

Smashwords


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Ukulele Ramblings - break through your barriers

Learning anything, whether it is a musical instrument or not requires dedication, effort and resolve. In learning you will always hit 'barriers' where you feel like you want to give up, that it's never going to work and that you have made a mistake. The ukulele is no different.

I repeatedly point out to beginners that the ukulele is an easy instrument to learn and I stand by that. In my opinion it has one of the shallowest learning curves of any instrument meaning most beginners can get something meaningful out of it in weeks, days, or even hours and minutes. But it takes a considerable period to become proficient and unless you are a total natural, you will hit walls that you think are impossible to break through. The trick is to stay dedicated and work through them!

The first barrier many people hit, particularly if they have never played strings before are the sore fingertips. This is extremely common and something that only eases with more playing as you need to build up harder skin in the form of callouses to overcome the pain. But it should be short lived and WILL improve. If you are struggling though, check out the advice Here.

Another cause of pain you may encounter will be aches and cramps. Again, perfectly normal. You are asking your fingers to move and stretch into unnatural positions and your muscles and tendons need to learn. In these cases, if you are in pain, don't play on regardless or you may cause some more serious damage. Take a break! Sure, only continued practice will stop the pain occurring, but you need to listen to your body's signals and know when to ease up. You may want to accompany your practice with finger stretching exercises you can find Here.

Moving on to the other hand, the next most common barrier is getting comfortable with strumming. For many, it is a real struggle to get your playing flowing naturally. The biggest mistake many make is to try to learn something far to complex before mastering more basic songs and patterns. Keep it simple when you are starting out - if you enjoy your uke you will be playing it for years. You have all the time in the world to learn that favourite song with 15 chords and a tempo of 100 miles per hour! The first strum you need to master is just some basic up and down in a steady rhythm. Consider investing in a metronome if you struggle to keep time. It may sound boring but if you don't master a basic rhythm, you will always struggle.

And putting all this together, you will continue to hit barriers, even when you become an accomplished player. I still hit them when trying a particularly complex strum, or chord change. The answer, as with even the most basic barriers is to keep at it. If it's not working for you, take a break and play something else, come back to it another day.

I hope this inspires and supports new players who are reading. You are not alone, and we all go through what you are going through, just keep pressing on and before you know it, you'll be playing freely and advising other new players how to break their own barriers!

Good luck as always, and enjoy it!




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Improved ukulele profile

You can't knock an article plugging the UOGB!

Improved ukulele profile - Leisure - West Sussex County Times

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Coming soon on Got A Ukulele

Still on summer break with my children, so blog posts are less frequent at present but got some cool posts to share with you in the coming weeks to satisfy your ukulele cravings! These include

- a review of a new uke in this household - a Pono Pro Classic, Mahogany Concert ukulele (picture below)





- more interviews, including a chat with a ukulele act very well known around the globe!

- I will be expanding on my recent string report on my Kanile'a and providing reviews of all the strings I use on various ukes in detail. I figure that string reviews are not the most common, yet it's something new players are keen to know about.

- more Ukulele A to Z and Beginners tips

Contributions to Got A Ukulele always welcomed.

See you soon!

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