As Halesowen Ukulele Group Strummers has grown we have gained members who have experience and skills we are keen to learn so we decided to have a new section of the website to help and encourage our newer members. For our first article we could think of no one more suitable than Bernard who manages to find songs we know and give his intuitive arrangements to bring out the best of the ukulele. Bernard has set a very high standard for our first piece and we will endeavor to carry this feature on in the new year with a different HUGS member every few weeks, We hope you like it.
I took up the ukulele about four years, and was knocked out by the instrument. I never imagined by the year 2012 it would be so popular with both young and “ dare I say older folk”.
The ukulele being such a small instrument, has made such a big impact on so many, with ukulele clubs opening up in nearly every town around you are, where young and old can get together and have a great ukulele night.
Now believe me or not I have a problem remembering the names of chords, so I arrange a lot of the songs I play I have the chord boxes above the words and the chord title, and hopefully when I have practised over and over again I can sometime remember that particular song.
If you have a song that you like sing along with your “uke” slowly where you think appropriate. Timing is important. Music can be very technical. To start enjoy music and make it as easy as you want it and most of all ENJOY IT, and before you know it you will be on the stage showing others what you can do.
Variations in Positioning
Crazy by Willie Nelson is the example used
In C tuning Key F is the way I have arranged the chording is to try and make this beautiful song have all the melodic qualities of the ukulele. As you will see there are various positions to play the chords in turn to give you a different sound but I always like to show the chord box indicating positions with the appropriate chord identified.
Bernard ( Halesowen Ukulele Group Strummers )
