Hey, gang, it's time for more ukelele music! But different !

[d halfnote]

I never played one myself---other than the timbral diff from gtr, I don't see (hear?) the point.

I do know the words pronounced "oo-kelele_ not "youk.."

 

I have recently been exposed to some nice uses of the instrument, besides old folk songs & the perenial copies of "Over The Rainbow" by people tryina cop (& usually failing) some of that "Izzy" vibe.

That's a well known version, of course, but imitated to the point of annoyance. I just wanted to remind how clean his orig interpretation was.

 

There are some who are following his actual inspiration rather than just aping that one tune & taking the instrument into new territory; allow me to offer these for yer entertainmental (that is, entertainment that makes you think ) enjoyment:

 

This one's been seen before but stunning no matter how many times I've listened.

Dig the cat's technical & dynamic touch...you will not miss the drama of the orig version !

 

& over in this corner, we got

. (I've left off the title to enhance the surprise.)

Now consider the thought process that led to that !

Little Brit can get funky, too. Here's a Stevie Wonder tune .

 

To finish, here's an unknown but ardent practitioner of ukeleleness.

To paraphrase Jimi,

[Guitarzan]

[video:youtube]

 

cool vids d. check this one out.

[SEHpicker]

Jake Shimbukuro is awesome. That's one of the coolest versions of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" I have ever heard...

Excellent d !

 

SEHpicker

[Scott Fraser]

Jake Shimbukuro is awesome.

SEHpicker

 

Yes, & not just because of his playing chops. He's a really great arranger, especially considering he has only 4 strings to voice his chords with.

 

Scott Fraser

[d halfnote]

Jake Shimbukuro is awesome. That's one of the coolest versions of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" I have ever heard...

Excellent d !

 

SEHpicker

Thanks goes out to forumite LarryZ for bringing that to our attention here a while back.

 

Scott's absolutely [http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-laughing014.gif]correct abt Shimbukuro's arranging skill...but his control of dynamics is phenomenal, too.

 

Check out The Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain

Noe such great players but well off on the trail of surprising rearrangements.

[Eric VB]

a really great arranger

That's pretty much the secret ingredient for any solo musician, right? Doesn't matter what musical interface (instrument) you're working with, does it?

 

Arranging still has its place with loopers, but in general the looper allows more intricate counters by allowing more simply arranged tracks.

[Eric VB]

I never played one myself---other than the timbral diff from gtr, I don't see (hear?) the point.

I think the point is either (a) people listen with their eyes or (b) it gives you a different user interface to the music you want to perform.

 

I must admit that the only time I was ever tempted to buy a uke was after watching Iz vids. (Tiny Tim didn't do it for me. )

 

Now, in a live music venue, how can you share Iz with others? The most immediate way, of course, is to buy a uke and cover his Beautiful/Rainbow medley. You could make your own arrangement for guitar, of course, but most people watching you probably wouldn't get that you're doing Iz.

 

Why bother with a mandolin? Just capo your 12-string guitar, right? (Tune to 5ths if you feel the need.) Nowadays you can stick to 6 and just run a 12-string patch.

 

Again, in a live music setting, would people really get that you're doing REM if you cover the mandolin part with the 12-string neck of your Gibson "Jimmy Page" double-neck guitar?

 

Violin? Yep, I've seen guys use a guitar and a patch to cover those, too. Not quite as magical as a real violin, though, is it?

 

Sure, there are plenty of alternate guitar tunings and effects that allow you to explore different music interfaces without moving too far away from the one you're already used to. Sometimes, though, it's nice to hop on a piano -- or a uke -- for a fresh perspective.

[d halfnote]

Now, in a live music venue, how can you share Iz with others? The most immediate way, of course, is to buy a uke and cover his Beautiful/Rainbow medley. You could make your own arrangement for guitar, of course, but most people watching you probably wouldn't get that you're doing Iz.

 

To digress from the main point & address this, I don't think simply playing an exact copy of that (much less the weaker copies I've heard) shares the music of the person you're copying as much as rides their back, unless you make it clear who created the arrangement & even then it's better just hipping them to your inspiration.