Solo ukulele versions

famous beagle

Well-known member
Here are a few solo uke arrangements from my forthcoming book How to Play Solo Ukulele for Hal Leonard.

I can't do any re-recording at this point, but I can still tweak a bit if necessary. Would love to get some feedback and on anything -- recording, arrangements, performance, etc.

Thanks!
 

Attachments

  • HPSU - 125 - Space Oddity.mp3
    6.6 MB · Views: 32
  • HPSU - 121 - Blue Skies.mp3
    1.6 MB · Views: 12
  • HPSU - 124 - My Favorite Things.mp3
    2.3 MB · Views: 14
I was only able to listen to Space Oddity tonight. The feel is a bit "stiff" to my ear, especially during the first verse -- at times some notes feel early. I like the ornamentation during the chorus. After the chorus the song's feel/pulse improves as it loosens up a bit. Second chorus is even better.

The recordings and mix sound pristine.

Nice work, Beagle. I will try to get to the others tomorrow.
 
Very pretty playing! I have to assume this is targeted towards an intermediate-advanced level student?

Just a nit - I thought the reverb was a bit much for an instructional book. I'd try to keep the recording a little drier, to match what the student is hearing in their ear from their own uke.

And, just a suggestion on the numbers - maybe have slow versions with the click and uke panned hard right/left, with the click continuing through the entire song. The student could adjust balance to play along with more or less of either, at least until they're able to play the song at tempo. (Or just play chords along at a slower tempo to start.)

Hope it's a best seller!
 
First of all, your audio has changed my opinion concerning the uke. Your skills are SPECTACULAR! I heard some noise around the 9000hz to 12,000hz that ran through all three files. I use the noise suppression tool in Reaper as well as a multiband eq and did some ducking. It removed 99.9% of it. You may want to consider rendering at 320 instead of 192 since it will be used for commercial purposes.

See if you can tell the difference on this one.

View attachment 100701
 
Nola: Thanks for the listen. I was having to concentrate a good bit in the first verse of "Space Oddity" and probably didn't get to rehearse it as much I would have liked before recording it (gotta pay the bills!), so that's most likely the reason for the stiffness there.

keith.rogers: Thanks! Yes this is for intermediate players and above. There are two different levels of arrangements, and these are all in the more advanced group. Thanks for the tip on the reverb; I think you have a point there.

Mack Caster: Thanks for the kind words. I could notice a difference in the files. It's subtle, but I could hear it. I only posted mp3 files for the purpose of the clinic. I'll use the wav files for the actual book. Is the noise tool in Reaper you're talking about called ReaFir? I've used that program before with good results. I didn't think it was necessary here, but then again, your high-frequency hearing is probably better than mine! :)
 
Mack Caster: Thanks for the kind words. I could notice a difference in the files. It's subtle, but I could hear it. I only posted mp3 files for the purpose of the clinic. I'll use the wav files for the actual book. Is the noise tool in Reaper you're talking about called ReaFir? I've used that program before with good results. I didn't think it was necessary here, but then again, your high-frequency hearing is probably better than mine! :)

Cool, cool. Ya it was the ReaFir subtract tool. I love the fact that even after it captures the noise you can still move it to suite your needs. To be honest with you, I was sitting in a 1.8 mil dollar control room listening to your audio on a $60,000 set of Limpskie mons. I am back at the barn and I can still hear it using my $60.00 SMH HPs. I also ran it through my Bose SoundTouch Sound Bar and it really raised its ugly head on the high end.

5 years ago this would not even be an issue. In 2017, 10 year old kids now have better stereo/PC systems than what I bought in Germany when I was 28 years old, 28 years ago! :cursing::laughings:
 
Cool, cool. Ya it was the ReaFir subtract tool. I love the fact that even after it captures the noise you can still move it to suite your needs. To be honest with you, I was sitting in a 1.8 mil dollar control room listening to your audio on a $60,000 set of Limpskie mons. I am back at the barn and I can still hear it using my $60.00 SMH HPs. I also ran it through my Bose SoundTouch Sound Bar and it really raised its ugly head on the high end.

5 years ago this would not even be an issue. In 2017, 10 year old kids now have better stereo/PC systems than what I bought in Germany when I was 28 years old, 28 years ago! :cursing::laughings:

Yeah it's not the same as it once was, that's for sure!

Thanks for the info. Do you by chance still have the specs on what you did to remove the noise? It'd save me some time if you do. If not, no big deal.
 
Yeah it's not the same as it once was, that's for sure! Thanks for the info. Do you by chance still have the specs on what you did to remove the noise? It'd save me some time if you do. If not, no big deal.

I did not keep them but it was very easy to recreate it. I did a short vid, (3min 20 secs) to show what I did. In the vid I said I would delete it after you viewed it but, after thinking about the times I clicked on a link only to see the info deleted, I will give you the option on making that decision. Your Call. You can scrub to 30 sec to skip the intro.

It may benefit someone else if they are having the same problem. So, if you want it deleted I will, I will edit this post and remove the link so others who expect to see the vid, only to see it has been deleted will not have to go through the same disappointment. Crap, my last statement sounded like I was a Lawyer doing a non disclosure agreement.
:cursing::eek: :spank:




 
Thanks very much for that! Above and beyond for sure.

I agree that it may prove helpful for others, so I have no problem with you leaving it here and on your YT channel and/or making it public.

Thanks again!
 
Thanks very much for that! Above and beyond for sure.

I agree that it may prove helpful for others, so I have no problem with you leaving it here and on your YT channel and/or making it public.

Thanks again!

Cool! I will keep it unlisted for this community. Please PM me when you get this project finalized as I would love to refer anyone interesting in gaining from your experience. I do not posse the ability that most of the Artists have concerning playing music. A person must realize their limitations. But, I do have 40 years of training my ear to the concept of music as well as what sounds good to me. When I said your are gifted Brother, it was not just a passing of words. It was a fact! I wish I could get you into a studio and truly showcase your talent.
 
Cool! I will keep it unlisted for this community. Please PM me when you get this project finalized as I would love to refer anyone interesting in gaining from your experience. I do not posse the ability that most of the Artists have concerning playing music. A person must realize their limitations. But, I do have 40 years of training my ear to the concept of music as well as what sounds good to me. When I said your are gifted Brother, it was not just a passing of words. It was a fact! I wish I could get you into a studio and truly showcase your talent.

Thanks again! I appreciate the kind words and especially the help with the noise!
 
Nola: Thanks for the listen. I was having to concentrate a good bit in the first verse of "Space Oddity" and probably didn't get to rehearse it as much I would have liked before recording it (gotta pay the bills!), so that's most likely the reason for the stiffness there.

It wasn't bad and many might not even notice it, but it just felt the changes were ahead of the beat and stiff until the first chorus.
I doubt beginner uke players will notice that so you're good, but you asked for any/all feedback and that's all I noticed as something that could improve.

I really liked those embellishments. I futz on the Uke and would be curious to hear how to do those. Can't quite grasp the fan strokes (where you flick all five fingers quickly) and such and can't find good videos on YT.
 
It wasn't bad and many might not even notice it, but it just felt the changes were ahead of the beat and stiff until the first chorus.
I doubt beginner uke players will notice that so you're good, but you asked for any/all feedback and that's all I noticed as something that could improve.

I really liked those embellishments. I futz on the Uke and would be curious to hear how to do those. Can't quite grasp the fan strokes (where you flick all five fingers quickly) and such and can't find good videos on YT.

That fan-stroke technique is really hard, and I certainly haven't mastered it. I also can't really do the flamenco-style rasguedo, which some people do on uke. But this is something physical for me, because my right-hand pinky doesn't extend that far at all when my other fingers are curled into a fist. It's really weird. On my left hand (fret hand), my pinky is pretty independent, and I can extend it just as far whether or not my other fingers are in a fist or extended. But on my right hand, my pinky's mobility is really tied to the ring finger, and it won't extend past the ring finger on its own. So if my ring finger is tucked as in a fist, my pinky will straighten but won't extend very far at all.

Anyway, this is all to say that I can't do the rasgeudo techinque very well at all --- at least not with all four of my fingers.
 
Can't quite grasp the fan strokes (where you flick all five fingers quickly) and such and can't find good videos on YT.

That is what sucked me in as well. It's like "how do you do that"? This is not my first rodeo and it is seldom that I am impressed. But as most have said how they are able to do this, practice, practice, practice! Dedication is often misused and underrated, in till you hear something like this!
 
I listened to space oddity.

The reverb kind of stuck out to me too. Seems unnecessary in an instructional recording. A version with click throughout might also be useful.

I also caught some breaths and clothes moving throughout. That may distract your students?
 
I listened to space oddity.

The reverb kind of stuck out to me too. Seems unnecessary in an instructional recording. A version with click throughout might also be useful.

I also caught some breaths and clothes moving throughout. That may distract your students?

Thanks for the listen. I can't re-record the songs, so unfortunately I can't do anything about the breaths/etc. But I can tame the reverb for sure! :)
 
dude....this is some awesome uke playing!!
especially the Bowie song. I have never heard a uke fingerpicked like that. I have only heard the traditional strumming. I love the song "my favorite things" (I actually love the entire "Sound of Music" soundtrack.)

As far as the recording, engineering, and mixing goes, I think it's all first rate and clear as a bell. I can't imagine it sounding any better.
nice work beagle and good luck with your book!
 
dude....this is some awesome uke playing!!
especially the Bowie song. I have never heard a uke fingerpicked like that. I have only heard the traditional strumming. I love the song "my favorite things" (I actually love the entire "Sound of Music" soundtrack.)

As far as the recording, engineering, and mixing goes, I think it's all first rate and clear as a bell. I can't imagine it sounding any better.
nice work beagle and good luck with your book!

Thanks much for the listen and the kind words!
 
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