Meant to post a couple days ago... So this week I decided to really focus on 1 song. I chose the ukulele arrangement for the Jeff Buckley song, "Hallelujah" posted in my previous week's post. While I like Vance Joy's Riptide it seems very repetitive and I was getting bored with it. I picked this song because:
1. I like it a lot .
2. It is a relatively easy beginner song with 5 chords (which means I'm learning more than just the 3 in the Vance Joy song).
3. It has a fairly simple and slow strumming pattern (which is great for practicing transitions between chords).
4. It has the ability to increase the difficulty with trying to use fingerpicking instead of strumming.
There is still an element of Yikes this doesn't sound great (yet), but it sounds ok and is sounding better as I continue. It is also a song I think I could sing along to, which is not going to happen on film or audio because I am not learning to do that (well). I've learned with some of the songs, without being played along with lyrics they just seemed so repetitive. This one doesn't seem quite that way.
My primary method for learning has been through Youtube. The video tutorials are great. While it could be good to get an actual lesson, I can't say that it is needed and might even be a waste of money. Although, it might help if I ever wanted to read music, as the videos model what it should sound like, what the strumming pattern is and show you the chords you should be playing. Scaffolding. Anyhow, I'm actually posting some audio here so be kind :) I'm putting myself out there. Here's me learning to play through play. It's been fun (more fun the better and better it sounds).
*Disclaimer - This audio is taken after playing for a while so my left hand was starting to get pretty tired and the transitions between chords were getting more and more difficult. There's one really tough spot (among others) that goes from G to E minor to A minor right before the chorus that you'll hear. I just can't seem to get right so that's my focus this week. I have mad respect for professional musicians.
Mahalo!
1. I like it a lot .
2. It is a relatively easy beginner song with 5 chords (which means I'm learning more than just the 3 in the Vance Joy song).
3. It has a fairly simple and slow strumming pattern (which is great for practicing transitions between chords).
4. It has the ability to increase the difficulty with trying to use fingerpicking instead of strumming.
There is still an element of Yikes this doesn't sound great (yet), but it sounds ok and is sounding better as I continue. It is also a song I think I could sing along to, which is not going to happen on film or audio because I am not learning to do that (well). I've learned with some of the songs, without being played along with lyrics they just seemed so repetitive. This one doesn't seem quite that way.
My primary method for learning has been through Youtube. The video tutorials are great. While it could be good to get an actual lesson, I can't say that it is needed and might even be a waste of money. Although, it might help if I ever wanted to read music, as the videos model what it should sound like, what the strumming pattern is and show you the chords you should be playing. Scaffolding. Anyhow, I'm actually posting some audio here so be kind :) I'm putting myself out there. Here's me learning to play through play. It's been fun (more fun the better and better it sounds).
*Disclaimer - This audio is taken after playing for a while so my left hand was starting to get pretty tired and the transitions between chords were getting more and more difficult. There's one really tough spot (among others) that goes from G to E minor to A minor right before the chorus that you'll hear. I just can't seem to get right so that's my focus this week. I have mad respect for professional musicians.
Mahalo!
hallelujah.m4a |