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Ho`omaka E-Team
Aloha
34 Posts |
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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
 Posted - 06/02/2007 : 1:50:15 PM
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| They ought to do someting long distance with "Uncle Dave" tied to the publication of his slack key ukulele book. (Just a thought.) |
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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2007 : 1:57:58 PM
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How in the heck do you get this thing to play on your computer. Its some kind of PHP code,but it calls up my Video player instead of going to RealPlayer or Windows Media Player.
I'm confused. (Nothing new there.) |
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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2007 : 2:29:52 PM
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| Forget it. Got it to work. Realplayer's approach to associating file formats that are originally played by some other software with Realplayer isn't very logical. In fact, it was so casually accomplished that I didn't realize I'd done it. |
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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2007 : 5:06:09 PM
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I listened to the interview. Steven Espaniola does a lot of performing in between the questions. What a great talent! He has a new CD out. I wish I knew how he gets his 'ukulele to make all those unique sounds. (I'm still working on plucking the right strings.) I remember hearing some speak of "hammer on" and "hammer off" but I don't have any idea what that means. I understand there are other techniques for ukulele as well that are used with Hawaiian music, but they too are a mystery. They'll probably stay that way, as Indiana is not a ukulele hub. Too bad. That K.B. guitar book taught me a little about leaving your finger on the strings as you shift positions to produce shifting tones as "part of the music", but I have no idea what he meant by using "harmomics" over a certain range of frets when performing. (I was reading K.B.'s web site tonight.) I thought harmonics were a natural consequence of the resonant modes of the instrument and strings, and not something you "used" except simply as a result of the chords that you were playing. Any Hawaiian music tab sites out there discuss these techniques and include simple tablature that describes these traditional playing techniques and applies them, perhaps with some MP3's, so I know what effect I'm supposed to be striving for?
Note: You can listen to several back interviews with other ukulele players if you follow the links. Too bad you can't download them as MP3's. I'd love to play them at night on my MP3 player after I've shut the computer off and gotten what needs to be done accomplished. (I hate spending more time in front of this box than I have to.) |
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2007 : 5:44:10 PM
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The techniques you're talking about are called "slurs" in classical music. All the lucky, vocal sounding instruments have cool slurs available, and the guitar/uke have some juicy ones.
Hammer on - Play the C on the 3rd string, while that note sounds, tap and hold the D on the 2nd fret of that string. The note "jumps" from C to D without the sound of a pluck. It's also an easier way to play a triplet because it eliminates a pluck. You can hammer up four frets, 8 frets, 12 frets, and get cool falsetto/yodel effects.
Now fret the C on the first string, third fret. While holding that note, tap and hold the D on the 5th fret of that string, using your ring finger.
Practice your scales but play every other note by hammering on.
Pull off - Play the D on the 3rd string, second fret, with your index finger. Pull the fingertip downward until it releases the string, sounding the C. The opposite of a hammer on. Learn to snap the string with some force to make this an accent move.
Hold the C on the first string, 3rd fret. Play the D on the first string, 5th fret, fretting with the ring finger. Pull the fingertip downward until it releases the string, sounding the C.
Practice your scales but play every other note by pulling off.
Combine hammer on and pull off moves into fast triplet figures. Start on the A string and hammer and pull off up the C scale.
Slides - Pluck the C on the first string, while the note sounds slide up to the D. Slide down from the D to the C. Practice your scales sliding every other note up and down.
Slide into the important note from 1/2 step below.
Harmonics - also called "chimes," this effect isolates harmonics of string by lightly touching the string at a node, then plucking. The easiest nodes to use are at the 12th, 7th, and 5th frets on open strings.
Lightly rest the tip of your index finger on the A at the 12th fret of the first string. Pluck the string and in the next instant remove your index finger. With practice you will cause an ethereal, bell like, version of the A.
Practice playing the natural harmonics at the 12th, 7th, and 5th frets. Learn which notes they represent.
Learn a melody that uses a few harmonics instead of fretted notes.
Learn a melody that uses mostly harmonics instead of fretted notes.
Learn "Maui Chimes."
"Artificial" harmonics - it's convenient to play the "natural" harmonics at 12, 7, and 5, but it's quite liberating to play harmonics at any fret. The technique requires fretting with one hand while muting the node and plucking the string with the other. The development of a personal technique is left as an exercise.
Fran |
E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi
Slack Key Guitar in California - www.kaleponi.com
Slack Key on YouTube
Homebrewed Music Blog |
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Absolute
Lokahi
275 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2007 : 06:46:43 AM
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Wow! An on-line ukulele lesson! Yaaay!
(Take the "Thank you" below personally!) |
Thank you. |
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