As we near the end of 2010 we can reflect on the things we have accomplished and perhaps the struggles we have survived. If you have played music throughout this year, even a little, you most likely grew musically. This may have been technically, or even just mentally by what we have heard and how that soaked into our mind and heart. In any case this growth is something to realize and appreciate. I say realize because it is not easy to see your own development, kind of like like gaining weight, lol. However, maturing musically and appreciating so can be a great source of motivation for the next year at hand.
New Kanilea Tenors – Hawaiian Beauties!
We just picked up some tenors from Kaneohe’s famous uke makers – Kanilea. The Kanilea company has been refining their design and articulations the last few years and they are surely at the top of their game. Joe Souza and Bill Griffen head a killer team of builders and finishers that are putting out a great value on a pro level ukulele.
Aaron gives a short fun lesson, and the NEW HMS Website!!
Here is a fairly easy one from Aaron. A bit of a Polka. I found it fun to play. Maybe you will too!Perfect for kids or beginners that can only hold one finger at a time, ….until that G7!! This weekend we are launching our new website! and having some really cool sales too! It is quite a resource because …
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Abe Lagrimas Jr. – The greatest Jazz Ukulele player – ever!
Abe’s tasteful yet exciting melodies move through bright and thoughtful lines into a flury of emotion and expression. The pure musical gift this young man has along with the fat tones of his tenor Ko’olau make this live performance a wonderful reminder of the infinite capabilities and applications of this small instrument. Abe maintains a warmth and fullness in the high register where guitar often gets thinner sounding. The tone Abe gets here is an ideal Jazz solo tone. Guitar players should recognize the advantages to the voicing of an ukulele!
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The Slack Key master at Higher Ground’s Ukulele Keaka
Growing up in Kalapana, on the Big Island, young Ledward learned how to play from his uncles who taught him the “Jus’ Press” method. Good advice for all of us. Just press down on the string and make sounds. It’s like the Taoist approach to guitar. Led’s use of chromatisism shows the fact that you are never more than one note away from a “right” note, or a note in any key. Led walks right up to that note with a playful resolve, having fun with a guitar or ukulele like a Harlem Globetrotter does with a basketball.
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Higher Ground Music Cafe and Kalei Gamiao…..
It was almost surreal at times,in a beautiful and tuned room with a great PA system and gifted sound man. Anyone could be on stage on Tuesday and Wednesday, for good or bad, it was its own community and we all had a common goal~ to enjoy life, responsibly of course.
Free Lessons! ~Chord Substitutions on the Ukulele~
After a few months of dodging my camera, I finally got Aaron while he wasn’t teaching or helping someone in the store, and specifically asked him to show us some chord substitutions. He replies, “oh, ok I’ll just give them the phone number”. I know Aaron already so, even though I didn’t know the phone number, I knew I was about to learn something cool.
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The first ukulele I built…
About 15 years ago I set out to make my first ukulele. The creative possibilities had me buzzing with thoughts and pictures in my mind. I knew I knew I had to build a “regular” ukulele before I could try weird shapes or bracing. Picasso painted real before surreal. So I set out to make a regular mahogany Tenor ukulele with three fan braces pointing to the neck, the Martin style. Some would argue this as the “wheel” of ukulele building. I would mostly agree, but you can always improve.
Corey serves up a Fingerpickin’ Lesson- 3 popular techniques for the uke
Corey Fujimoto from Hawaii Music Supply gives us a few fingerpicking patterns for the ukulele that we can pretty much spend the rest of our lives trying to master. These are the type of exercises you need to work through though, if you really want lasting musical prowess of the ukulele. If you want to play whats in your head you need technical skills.