Resonate September 2019

Lots of things with 'y' in them, high tide and patronage

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Kazookeylele
Oh don't you just need one of these? It was developed by Stuart David Crout, one half of Scottish ukulele duo Pockets.
Here he is playing The Final Countdown. It was posted in 2008 so hopefully he's come to his senses by now, but with more than 8 million views...maybe not!

Bega Valley Hootenanny
Bermagui on the NSW south coast is holding a ukulele hootenanny in October to raise funds for Can Assist , an organisation which ensures that rural residents have access to cancer treatment and care. Hootenanny is defined as 'an informal gathering with folk music' and the organisers are asking for ukers to join the ranks if you're anywhere nearby or feel like a trip - it's a lovely part of the world!

Kind of like a lap steel - but wooden and on a table
A young Canadian boy, Hayden Cardinal, who has autism and limited vision has taken to ukulele and a host of other instruments like a duck to water. This interview was a little disturbing as the interviewer is asking Hayden's parents questions as if Hayden isn't there and yet he clearly doesn't have any issues understanding what's being said and responding. The way he plays uke is fascinating, though. Hayden's first instrument was the piano, and that is almost how he plays the uke - flat on a surface with his fingers pressing strings onto the fretboard from above. Maybe he just needs something grippy on the back to stop it slipping around.

The Ukulele Butterly project is a UK initiative begun by two innovative musicians that helps school children make ukuleles out of (empty) butter containers, learn to play them and perform in concerts. As of March this year 25,790 have been made so it is no flash in the pan. Have a look at some of the instruments, it's quite an ingenious design.

Brain Training
Glad that a doctor and a neurologist have held a Ukulele and the Brain talk (same name as the workshop I've held) at this year's Ukulele Hooley Festival southeast of Dublin in mid-August. I'm willing to bet, though, they didn't do dance steps whilst playing and singing Uke Scootin' Baby... might be a fun tutorial for next month!

The Anti-Ukulele Anthem

Amanda Palmer (American writer, performer, social commentarian) and Andrew O'Neill (British comedian, writer and musician) put together this absolute beauty late last year.

It is not a cry against the uke as such, but a one-minute-eight-second rant against the use of ukulele in marketing campaigns by corporate behemoths which imply the companies are caring and community minded, when the reality is quite the opposite.

Language warning!

Best ways Not to break your ukulele while travelling
This article gives some excellent tips on travelling with guitars and ukuleles - on planes, trains and automobiles – so that they arrive in one piece. With large contingents of travellers descending on the 50th anniversary Hawaiian ukulele Festival next year, these tips could come in very handy. The airlines referred to are all from the US, so make sure you check your carrier's requirements if travelling by air.

SNIPPETS

Is Losing Your Keys a Signature Move?
Sorry for that pun, but amplifier manufacturer Marshall has released a key holder - the well-named jack rack. Just attach the supplied keyrings which have a standard 3.5mm TS jack and stay in key... or key in stay...

Count Us In
This annual choral music event in Australia involves hundreds of thousands of students (700,000 this year) simultaneously performing a piece that has been written for each event. The piece is currently being rehearsed for a performance in early November and all the teachers resources are available free from a link on this page, even if you're not involved in the event.

How Music Works
ABC Radio National, one arm of the Australian Government-funded broadcaster, has an excellent resource called 'How Music Works'. There isn't anything on ukulele yet, but there is an interview with a professor on the neural benefits of singing, information about strings, tuning and playing techniques and new articles added periodically. Make sure you press the load more button to see them all.

Making Ukulele Festivals Work

I recently played at a popular ukulele festival which has been going for eight years but which has moved to a single venue for the past couple. Whilst the venue itself is good, on the day I attended there was one obvious logistical problem which detracted from both the performances and the socialisation – only one main space for both.

Socialisation is a huge part of these events, but so is performing and attending performances. If these activites are impinging on each other, i.e. too much noise for either to be truly effective, no-one wins.

A number of Resonate readers are highly experienced at running very successful festivals so I'm partly preaching to the converted, but this article by James Hill, who has probably attended more festivals than any of us combined, is a solid guide for getting it right content-wise, organisationally and financially.

The Tide is High

Jamaica in 1966 - 68 saw the rise and fall of 'Rocksteady', a style of music which borrowed from its predecessor, ska, and gave to its progeny, reggae.

The Tide is High was a rocksteady number recorded by Jamaican band The Paragons and written by members, Howard Barrett, John Holt and Tyrone Evans in 1967. Whilst popular, it was not a number 1 hit in the UK or US until 1980 when it was covered by pop band Blondie and again in 2002 when Atomic Kitten recorded it.

It is an excellent beginner song because it has only three chords which in this version are C F and G7 (the same as the Atomic Kitten version which is the least interesting one!). This songsheet also includes a riff based on the original, an instrumental based on Blondie's recoding and on a separate sheet, a U-bass part.

I've also included a special bonus Ukestration for group leaders or participants who want to introduce it to their group.

A Ukestration is what we 'round here call an arrangment for a ukulele group, made up of strumming, riffing and plucking parts, written so that they can be played by people with the wide range of skill levels you often find in a uke group.

The process was pioneered and is in daily practice by the folk at The Sum of the Parts (music) who used it as the initial basis for their unique community music business, which is also how lucky me learnt to do it!

Below are video tutorials of the strums, optional chords and instrumental, and the u-bass part. If you're a group leader or group participant, this link is to MP3 files of the ukestrated parts so you and/or group members can listen to how they go and practice along.

Uke chords, strums, main riff and instrumental tutorial

U-bass tutorial

Springing into Spring as a Songwriter, Poet and Performer

This is to let Resonate subscribers know that beginning now (1 September 2019), Danielle Scott (that's me) has a presence on Patreon, the online patronage platform.

Although originally planning a ukulele-based teaching page on Patreon, I have instead decided to go back to doing what I'd begun in earnest a decade ago, which is writing songs and poems which are comedic or satirically observational, and including them within stand-up musical comedy performances.

I understand you may not be the slightest bit interested in this as it is not related to ukulele teaching. I also apologise for building up an expectation that it was going to be ukulele and u-bass related, because until a few weeks ago, it was. Some of the songs will feature ukulele and u-bass playing, but regardless, Ukulele Central will keep calmly carrying on!

I've put a number of public posts on the Patreon page so you can get an inkling of what I'll be producing. It is early days and I'm getting back into the swing of producing new material as well as initially including some not so recent pieces.

So what are the costs and benefits of becoming a Patron?

Unlike the traditional model of patronage by church, state or royalty, Patreon patronage begins at a very modest amount.

Many Patreon pages offer a range of tiers but I have decided on one tier only. This not only keeps it simple but democratises the accessibility. It is based on a set payment per creation, with an estimated 1 - 3 creations per month. You can limit the number of creations you support and, of course, pay more if you wish, but $1 per creation will also get you full access to Patron-only posts as listed below:
(Please note, amounts are in US dollars. To convert go to xe.com)

- Exclusive (or early) access to songs and poems which are mostly videos, with some MP3s or graphics.

- Patron-only posts - photos, videos, discussions, questions - and the opportunity to comment and contribute your ideas.

Go over to the page and have a look. I haven't added a great deal yet but there are six public posts and two patron-only poems, one of which was finished yesterday. I'll be adding 1 - 3 new songs or poems per month.

This is the start of a more professional approach to an area of music (and writing) that has been part of my life for a long time and which I hope, with help from some of you, I can turn into a sustainable career.

Bach Reinvented
Here's something you don't often hear - Bach adapted for ukulele and guitar.
Bach wrote fifteen 'Inventions' which were short, two-part clavier exercises for his students. This is Invention 1, in C major.

Thank you for your forbearance and Happy Spring (for the Southern Hemispherites)
Danielle

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