Tonight you belong to me - ukulele tutorial

Here is a quick tutorial of the classic "Tonight you belong to me".

It's catchy, it gets stuck in your head, and then you have to learn how to play it. I hope this helps! I enjoyed learning it, and equally as much playing it!

How to play Rhythm of Love - Plain White T's

I am a big fan of Plain White T's really enjoyed learning this song: Rhythm of Love. It's fun, it's easy to play, and it's just all around a good time. Here is a walk through of the song, followed by the chords I use to play a simple version of it.

http://youtu.be/ZzhiJrw-Th8 

INTRO: 

|G---|--D-|
|G---|--D-|

VERSE 

G                                      D
My head is stuck in the clouds

G                                   D

She begs me to come down

         Em         D       C           D

Says, "Boy, quit foolin' around"

D                G                                      D
I told her, "I love the view from up here

G                                          D

Warm sun and wind in my ear

        Em         D              C

We'll watch the world from above

         D               G  

As it turns to the rhythm of love"

CHORUS:

               Em   C       G
We may only have tonight

               Em        C              G

But till the morning sun, you're mine

B7  Em

All mine

            D       C

Play the music low

      D                             G

And sway to the rhythm of love

VERSE 2
G                            D

My heart beats like a drum
   G                         D

A guitar string to the strum
   Em         D            C           

A beautiful song to be sung

D            G                              D

She's got blue eyes deep like the sea
G                                             D

That roll back when she's laughing at me
      Em   D              C

She rises up like the tide

      D                             G

The moment her lips meet mine

CHORUS

            Em   C      G

We may only have tonight
              Em          C             G

But till the morning sun, you're mine
B7  Em

All mine

            D       C

Play the music low
       C              D            G

And sway to the rhythm of love

BRIDGE
B7            C           G        D

When the moon is low
B7            C           G        D - A

We can dance in slow motion

C                D

And all your tears will subside

C             D             G
All your tears will dry

VERSE 3
G                  D
Ba ba (ba ba ba ba) 

Em             D               C

Dum da da dum da da dum.

G                              D

And long after I've gone
G                              D

You'll still be humming along
Em                 D             C

And I will keep you in my mind
       D                            G

The way you make love so fine

CHORUS

            Em   C      G

We may only have tonight
              Em          C             G

But till the morning sun, you're mine
B7  Em

All mine

            D       C

Play the music low
       C              D            G

And sway to the rhythm of love

            D        C

Play the music low

      C               D            G

And sway to the rhythm of love

          C                   D              G
Yeah, sway to the rhythm of love

G   D   G

Ukulele Tutorial - "Wagon Wheel" by Old Crow Medicine Show

Here is a quick tutorial of "Wagon Wheel " by Old Crow Medicine Show. A great song for beginners, and a fantastic song for an acoustic instrument. And though it isn't the world we live in, I always like to encourage folks to support your artists and buy their music. Okay that's all.

If you want to play consistently with the song, you'll need a capo on the second fret. However, I don't think it's that necessary.

Should you prefer to sing in a different key, you can use the progression C, G, A minor, F

Lyrics/Chords

G                        D
Headed down south to the land of the pines
        Em                   C
And I'm thumbin' my way into North Caroline
G
Starin' up the road
            D         C
And pray to God I see headlights

  G                         D
I made it down the coast in seventeen hours
Em                      C
Pickin' me a bouquet of dogwood flowers
          G
And I'm a hopin' for Raleigh
      D             C
I can see my baby tonight

   G                   D
So rock me mama like a wagon wheel
Em              C
Rock me mama anyway you feel
G   D     C
Hey, mama rock me
G                     D
Rock me mama like the wind and the rain
Em                  C
Rock me mama like a south-bound train
G   D     C
Hey, mama rock me

G, D, Em, C
G, D, C

G                     D
Runnin' from the cold up in New England
      Em                         C
I was born to be a fiddler in an old-time stringband
   G
My baby plays the guitar
D              C
I pick a banjo now

        G                            D
Oh, the North country winters keep a gettin' me now
        Em                       C
Lost my money playin' poker so I had to up and leave
      G
But I ain't a turnin' back
   D                    C
To livin' that old life no more

   G                   D
So rock me mama like a wagon wheel
Em              C
Rock me mama anyway you feel
G   D     C
Hey, mama rock me
G                     D
Rock me mama like the wind and the rain
Em                  C
Rock me mama like a south-bound train
G   D     C
Hey, mama rock me

G, D, Em, C
G, D, C   2x

G                    D
Walkin' to the south out of Roanoke
           Em
I caught a trucker out of Philly
      C
Had a nice long toke
    G                           D
But he's a headed west from the Cumberland Gap
   C
To Johnson City, Tennessee

      G                   D
And I gotta get a move on fit for the sun
          Em
I hear my baby callin' my name
      C
And I know that she's the only one
    G
And if I die in Raleigh
   D                C
At least I will die free


   G                   D
So rock me mama like a wagon wheel
Em              C
Rock me mama anyway you feel
G   D     C
Hey, mama rock me
G                     D
Rock me mama like the wind and the rain
Em                  C
Rock me mama like a south-bound train
G   D     C           G
Hey, mama rock me

New year reso-uke-tions

I can't help the corny title. I'm a corny kind of guy. Speaking of, with the start of a new year, it is hard to not get caught up in reflecting on the past year, as well as think about things we want to accomplish in the coming one. Especially considering the apocalypse came and went without too much of an actual apocalypse, I'd say there's no better time to hone in on the things that will make us happy, inside and out.

Of course I'm leading up to playing the ukulele. If you want to take your aggression out on an instrument, maybe drums or a trombone will get you there. But if you want to find inner piece, and elevate your surroundings to the oasis in your mind, pick up a ukulele.

But what then? We all only know what we only know, so how do we break through the plateau we constantly find ourselves on when we are trying to learn something new. I for one feel like I can always improve, but I don't. I sit at the same playing level for a really long time, and then I get together with someone, learn something new, and my skill level jumps all of a sudden. So how do we propagate those jumps in skill level? I mean honestly, my inner circle of friends like music, but we rarely play music together. I don't go out and play for people, or attend meet-ups, or take any sort of action to socialize and improve my musical skills.

The answer is simple: get off your lazy duff and do those things listed. Meet people. Reach out to your surrounding community. Look online for ukulele jam sessions, open mic nights, etc. This will give you a flavor of other people's skill levels, it will help enhance your social skills, and push your own limits.

Meanwhile, when you're at home and wondering how to improve, search for lessons and tutorials online,  get a book (I personally like Ukulele For Dummies even though it makes me feel silly walking around with it, it's actually really helpful), listen to new music, and make sure you take time to practice playing the thing. I like to comment that the ukulele is highly portable, and therefore you don't have a good excuse not to carry it around everywhere you go.

These are my own personal thoughts, but I like to think that if I think this way, maybe there are folks out there in a similar train of thought. Happy new year to all! I hope to see you out strumming.

Ukulele tutorial - "1234" by Plain White T's

Here is a tutorial of a great song by the Plain White T's, a band I have a great respect for. The song: "1234". Fantastic. Click the link for a walkthrough of how to play it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oONQOFfKx5k

I always like to advocate for the artist in these cases. They are the ones who bring us the magic, and if you like what I've played, you'll much prefer what the Plain White T's have created. Buy their music!

Ukulele tutorial - "You and I" by Ingred Michaelson

I put together a tutorial for the song "You and I" by Ingred Michaelson. It has an easy verse progression, but is a little more challenging in the chorus, making it a slightly harder song for beginners. Give it a try though.

Have you not heard this song? You can get it here.

Ukulele Tutorial for "I Won't Give up" - Jason Mraz

This song is fantastic, and a great one to learn! I definitely stuck to a basic way of playing it (adjustments need to be made in order to play along with the actual song), but the chords are meant for a beginner player.

I also like that this song is a three count, which are not common amongst popular music. 

The third thing that stood out to me with this song is it has a chord hold until you start singing. That doesn't always happen. In other words, you can play the same chord until you start singing, and then the progression will begin. This is a fun thing to take note of because you can direct the song yourself, rather than have the progression push you through it. I dunno, it's hard to explain. 

Jingle Bells on ukulele for beginners

A quick little tutorial of how to play jingle bells on the ukulele. This is a beginner course. Have fun!

If you're feeling saucy, instead of a G, play a G7. It sounds more ukulele-ish. Okay, ready go!

The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on the Open Fire)

A tough song to play, the Christmas Song has a jazzy feel to it. Listening to it isn't all that difficult, but it's definitely an "intermediate" song to learn. I heard the Mindy Gledhill version of this song the other day and decided that that was the version I would learn. If you're unfamiliar with that version, look it up. Or look here:





Here is a very quick tutorial of my take on this song. It is not 100% spot on, but it will get you far enough that few people will try to beat you with paper and bows if you play it.

Of course, if you run the risk of posting anything on Youtube or the internet in general, be prepared for people who think less of your abilities.

Hope this is helpful.

Learn to play you are my sunshine

A fun song to learn for a beginner: You are my sunshine.

I use the following chords: C, F and G. Other respective combinations include, but are not limited to:

G, C and D

E, A and B

A, D and E

D, G and A

I've been focusing on playing major chords. With this song, and many others, you can replace the last chord in the sequence with a major 7th. So for example, in the video I focus on playing C, F and G. You can replace the G with a G7. It sounds a little closer to the mark.

Okay, that's all.

Fun duet - It ain't me babe

For anyone aspiring to become a good ukulele player, the biggest piece of advice I can offer is play with others! You can only go so far by watching other people play songs on Youtube, or taking video lessons, etc. In my opinion which is based on personal experience, the best way to learn and improve is to sit down with someone else and play. You seriously don't know what you're missing until you do it, and then you'll know.

However, if you're like me and don't have someone to play with on a regular basis, your next best option is to play with yourself.

Crap, this is beginning to sound like something very different than a music lesson.

Since I've been wanting to play a duet lately, but don't have the "du", I've had to clone myself. Here's my imperfect version of "It ain't me babe", originally written by Bob Dylan. My version is closer to Johnny Cash's take on the song.

Now you're thinking, "I want to play that."

Step one of course is to get a ukulele: "Liana Soprano Ukulele LU132".

Step two - chords and lyrics: http://www.azchords.com/

G               C      G             D          G
Go 'way from my window leave at your own chosen speed
G                   C               G       D       G
I'm not the one you want, Babe, I'm not the one you need.
    Bm                 Am                Bm              Am
You say you're looking for someone never weak but always strong
      Bm             Am               Bm               Am
To protect you and defend you whether you are right or wrong
    C                          D
Someone to open each and every door
             G
But it ain't me, Babe,
C       D            G
No, no, no, it ain't me, Babe,
         C         D       G
It ain't me you're looking for, Babe. 


Go lightly from the ledge, Babe, go lightly on the ground,
I'm not the one you want, Babe, I will only let you down.
You say you're looking for someone 
who will promise never to part
Someone to close his eyes for you, someone to close his heart
Someone who will die for you and more 
But it ain't me, Babe,
No, no, no, it ain't me, Babe,
It ain't me you're looking for, Babe.


Go melt back in the night, Babe, 
everything inside is made of stone,
There's nothing in here moving and anyway I'm not alone
You say you're looking for someone 
Who'll pick you up each time you fall,
To gather flowers constantly and to come each time you call
A love of your life and nothing more 
But it ain't me, Babe,
No, no, no, it ain't me, Babe,
It ain't me you're looking for, Babe.

Twinkle twinkle, ABCs

I have a respectable number of young nieces and nephews, in addition to a very young daughter. 

Among the age group, I have found the most commonly requested song is "Twinkle, twinkle little star". It's a tough one (sarcasm).

A funny revelation I had was that twinkle twinkle sounds EXACTLY the same as the ABC song. It's like a Weird Al Yankovich thing. In case you were not aware of this, please take a moment to sing both of those songs. It should take less than 60 seconds, unless you're belting it out for the bleachers.

Here is a very quick tutorial of, as I like to call it, "Twinkle twinkle, ABCs".

The progression in C:

C - G - F - C - 

Twinkle twinkle little star

F - C - G - C

How I wonder what you are

C - F - C - G - 

Up above the world so high

C - F - C - G

Like a diamond in the sky

C - G - F - C - 

Twinkle twinkle little star

F - C - G - C

How I wonder what you are

If this is not the right pitch for you, try the progression in G:

G - D - C - G - 

C - G - D - G 

G - C - G - D

G - C - G - D

G - D - C - G - 

C - G - D - G 

For other pitches, just ask. Whatever your voice is willing to do, there is a pitch for that. 

I hope these songs successfully enter your home and get your kids bouncing around before bedtime! Enjoy.