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ongchua
Akahai
USA
92 Posts |
 Posted - 07/10/2003 : 12:34:39 AM
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I had read Pauline's similar topic but on uke books but decided to create my own since I'm probably behind her in skill.
Thanks to many of the folks here on TaroPatch (and Raymond in particular), I'm very much on my way as a slack-key student. Until providence gives me the wherewithal to acquire a half-decent travel guitar  , I've decided to toy around with our Hilo ukulele just to keep my hands busy and my ears tuned when I'm out on the road.
Can anyone suggest some good method books to start with? I had browsed a copy of U.H.'s How to Play the Hawaiian Ukulele but it didn't appeal to me. I haven't yet seen the insides of Jim Beloff's Ukulele Tips & Tunes or Jumpin' Jim Goes Hawaiian, although I think the latter is songbook rather than a method book. I'd probably prefer something that taught more fingerstyle over strumming. I could consider videotape and DVD methods as well.
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2003 : 02:26:52 AM
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Aloha Hans,
I don't remember any details on the earlier post, so I may be repetitious. I started with Heeday Kimura's How to Play Ukulele Solos by "Ear", Hawaiian Style, Beginners to Intermediate. It has a lot of good material and concepts. It's also flawed, IMO, by a method of indicating rhythm and notes that is utterly confusing if you already know how to read notation and tab, so I dropped it early on in favor of learning chords as they came up in music I took from the web. Later, I joined some informal group classes which helped, too.
On the forum that Jumpin' Jim hosts, members frequently praise his books and videos. Hmm. Just kidding, I think he probably deserves it. However, I haven't bought either. His website has videos and books for sale, http://www.ws123.com/ssl/flea/shopping/default.asp?ProductType=Ukemporium. I see he has the Ralph Shaw video, too. I've seen them both in workshops and to me Ralph Shaw has the more appealing stage personality, so that tips me toward his video. Valid criterion?
Auntie Maria posted that this outstanding site has a list of instructional materials, http://www.ukuleles.com/Collecting/manuals.html, and Auntie Maria knows music.
Oh, I almost forgot, be sure to visit this instruction site, http://www.st.rim.or.jp/~kunisige/eukulele_f.html, the guy's insane, a riot, but follow his attitude and advice!
Ukes are so much fun. |
Pauline |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2003 : 02:40:39 AM
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Hans, Heeday Kimura also has a book called How to Play Slack Key Ukulele which teaches a method that is a combination of fingerpicking and strumming. It suffers from the same notation flaws that Pauline mentions for How to Play Ukulele Solos by "Ear", Hawaiian Style, however. (At least all the songs are actually Hawaiian, unlike the latter...unless you can convince me that La Cucaracha has Hawaiian roots.)
For strumming, I definitely recommend Teresa Bright's Beginning Ukulele video.
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Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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