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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
 Posted - 01/11/2007 : 12:03:30 PM
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| Thank you for the recommendation. I think, for now, I'll take the advice I've been given and try to develop that basic facility with the ukulele. Mark's "Ahi Wela" MP3 has convinced me that there's a lot you can do with a ukulele in the "tight key" mode (if I can just figure out how to achieve those slides that he so expertly applies to create the Hawaiian ornamentation). (Perhaps someday I'll get some more plywood and build a sturdy, baritone uke with steel strings. For now, I've got two concert sized one's that I need to learn to play!) |
Thank you. |
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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
Posted - 01/12/2007 : 12:15:23 PM
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I came up with two more short pieces for beginner ukulele here:
http://ukulelenow.freeprohost.com/page14.html
and
here:
http://ukulelenow.freeprohost.com/page12.html
I attempted to create a "slack key" style piece for a ukulele in the second one, but it wound up sounding kind of classical to my ear. The top link is to "The Ukulele Jig", which is very basic and geared toward a beginner. I had hoped to juxtapose high and low notes to employ some of the repetitive low note effect of slack key music by building it into the jig. I suspect that although these pieces are in the range of a ukulele, they would sound better on an instrument with longer strings that are more capable of accomodating the high notes, and lower strings with longer sustain times. |
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Uncle Dave
Akahai
USA
58 Posts |
Posted - 01/15/2007 : 12:53:57 AM
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Absolute:
Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z2auFc8ObU
listen to the tune and send me your email. I will send you a PDF file for the elementary version in tablature. You want to try "slack key" on 'ukulele go right ahead. The tuning you are using is commonly known as taro patch tuning or open C or C major. Ki Ho'alu (slack key)is Hawaiian which means "loosened keys" and it is not an absolute that you need two bass strings to play slack key or even a guitar. guys can play slack key on the harp. Aunty Alice played DMaj7th (Wahine D) in many of her songs just using the 4th string (D) as the bass note. Just because some people don't play the guitar, or don't have enough fingers to play it anymore, does not mean they cannot have the pleasure of enjoying a reasonable slack key sounds-like tune on the 'ukulele. I have been playing 'ukulele with "loosened keys" since 1949 like every kid at that time because of Gabby's Hi'ilawe that got released two years before that. Go and play Hi'ilawe in DMaj7th slack and you will have the same level of enjoyment.
My email is david @ ukulele-uncle.com.
Uncle Dave
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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
Posted - 01/16/2007 : 12:34:42 PM
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I put links to everything I composed for beginners in the past week (or so) here:
http://ukulelenow.freeprohost.com/page12.html .
I hope to get myself to stop writing them long enough to learn how to play them well.
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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
Posted - 01/16/2007 : 1:04:22 PM
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Uncle Dave, you can e-mail me through the link at my profile. Thanks for the offer! I plan to visit someone I know with a high speed connection and take a look at your video.
Note: I'm a beginner myself, so anyone looking at that link will need to look elsewhere for slack key compositions. I don't have the knowledge to attain that yet. Hopefully, I can still listen and learn as much as possible. If you see a substantive error in any statement I make on my web site (or find a dead link), please point it out to me. Periodically I fix those and update it. |
Thank you. |
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Pua Kai
Ha`aha`a
USA
1007 Posts |
Posted - 01/16/2007 : 4:31:05 PM
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For the mongolian piece in particular, is there a musical version with someone singing the words so I could pick up the melody?
mahalo,
thank you,
(I don't know Mongolian)
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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
Posted - 01/16/2007 : 8:54:19 PM
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Sorry, no sung example for this one.
Mongolia is influenced by Buddhism. Buddhist chanting is a significant element of their traditional singing style. The first part of this little song, with the four syllable lyric lines, corresponds to the four strums of one of two chords. This is an element introduced to produce a monotonic "droning" effect consistent with elements of Mongolian traditional singing. (I understand this is partially the influence of Buddhist temple chanting on their culture.) There is no melody for this first part employing chords. It is intentionally monotonic (shifting between four strums of two chords), to produce a "droning" effect similar to chanting.
The three syllable lyric segments that follow rise and fall with the finger-picked notes, as written (A-E-G, A-E-G, A-E-G, A-E, which is very simple to play with a G-C-E-A tuned ukulele. You don't even need to use frets.) I thought it might be a nice starter song, particularly for young persons, but you're right. The overall structure of this piece is not typical of western singing styles in which a melody underlies every syllable. The first part (based on chords) is meant to provide a droning effect to mimic chanting. This is what rustic, traditional, Mongolian singing sounds like. The second part rises and falls with the A-E-G notes, in an effort to produce an oriental melodic effect, which, I admit, is a bit corny, but I wanted to keep the song simple for early beginners and provide an element of finger-style playing to encourage them to not focus only on chord style playing.
Hope this is helpful. It's as detailed as I can get. |
Thank you. |
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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
Posted - 01/17/2007 : 10:12:33 AM
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Uncle Dave,
That is a fantastic performance on You Tube (My Yellow Ginger Lei at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z2auFc8ObU ). I'd recommend it to anyone with doubts about slack key playing and ukuleles. (Of course, that looks like its a very special ukulele, in the hands of a very talented musician!) Someday maybe I'll get those complex rhythms into my head. (Getting them back out of my fingers seems very unlikely!) Of course, I have to learn to find all the notes first! Thanks for referring me to your video! |
Thank you. |
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Pua Kai
Ha`aha`a
USA
1007 Posts |
Posted - 01/17/2007 : 11:30:20 AM
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Thanks, that is very helpful. I was drawn to the song because I like the words. I'm not partial to chanting however... But it should be fun. And actually should be fine for a 6yr old who wants to learn how to play but has no attention span.
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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
Posted - 01/17/2007 : 3:51:53 PM
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| You're welcome! By sticking with one of two chords, it should be easy for an early beginner to sing "The Wind is Blowing" by merely keeping the same tone for each, four syllable segment. The monotonic chanting was just the inspiration that caused me to keep it in one chord for each of the four syllable lyric segments. The lyrics were meant to be sung, not chanted, but without rising or fallng notes. Should be a great way to get early students to sing nice and loud with less need for vocal control! |
Thank you. |
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