Live ‘Ukulele

Tabs are great, don’t get me wrong. But I think that some people are starting to think that the only way learn a song is to get the tab for it. It is not so! I think that when you learn a song note for note off a record you remember it better and you have more of a chance to “make it yours”. So, here are some ideas to make your tab-free times easier.

• Work on something simple if you are new to figuring stuff out by ear. For instance: Orange World by Jake Shimabukuro would be a bad way to start. Instead try something like E Ku’u Morning Dew.
• Start with the key. Noodle around with different scales until you find one that fits. Sometimes keys sound similar, so be sure to play all of the notes in the scale to make sure you don’t miss anything. Also, most of the time the first chord or note dictates the key.
• Once you get the key, it should be simple to figure out the melody. “Simple” is relative though. It might take a beginner 15 minutes to get the gist of the melody, but somebody more advanced may have it in 5.
• Next I would listen to and figure out the chords. Most of the time all the chords will be relative to the key and on a chart like this: http://www.ezfolk.com/uke/Tutorials/1four5/music-theory/key-chord-chart/key-chord-chart.html. Hawaiian music uses simple chords. Most of the time just 1, 4, 5.
• Now I would add the filler stuff - melody chords and articulations. Melody chords are just chords that use the melody note - usually as the highest note of the chord - and fit over the current chord in the progression (Fmaj7 would fit over F in a progression). These can range from major chords to 6/9 chords, so you are limited by how many chords you know. Articulations are just hammer-ons, slides, and anything else that is used to shape a note. Usually this can help make things smoother.
• Be sure to change things to how you like them. There is no rule saying that you have to play a song like Herb Ohta Jr. does. Herb is Herb, you are not Herb.

If I have missed anything or you have more ideas please drop me a comment.

~Hippie Guy

Herb and Daniel change things up a bit on their new album “2 to Three Feet”. This time they’ve gone for an upbeat approach. 7 of the 11 songs have surf related titles - hence the name of the album. Starting off with “Pahala We Go” Herb and Daniel groove their way through a catchy melody and some sweet bass runs only possible on a D-VI. This song was written during the period of the Kahumoku Music camp #1 which is located in Pahala, HI. The title song is next followed by a slowish song that you might hear in Paris: “Wave“. Herb and Daniel absolutely nail an original rendition of “Bodysurfing” - a song written by Ohta’s dad, Ohta-san. Then comes “Jazz the Glass” and “Surfing Walls” (Walls is a popular bodyboarding spot on Oahu). “Slack Tides” has a more - get this - slack-key guitar sound and more bass runs! Very pretty. The next song - “Nightsurfing” has the very distinct Herb Ohta Jr. and Daniel Ho stamp on it. “Alchemy Hour” is one of the more gentle songs on the CD. Wrapping it up is the fun “Laupahoehoe Hula” (a.k.a The Boy From Laupahoehoe) with more bass runs! It is awesome to watch someone dance (hula) this song ( - especialy if it was Herb or Daniel (laughs)). This album is mastered a bit differently then the other ‘Ukuleles in Paradise albums.

4 Stars