These next nine months, after which I retire from teaching, will be filled with activity moving toward a goal: getting good on the ukulele, including clawhammer, classical and jazz styles. To this end, I'm upgrading from my thirty buck cheapie. Duh. Moving up a size, too, to Concert. I'm taking classes, hopefully one each term. This term, on right hand technique. Starts in Nov., 7 weeks. Also was a blues uke class ... hope it is offered winter or spring.
In June I want to be good enough to do something ambitious. No idea what. Possibilities: write a uke opera. Play on downtown street corner for coins. Same, performing original material about the news, ala Tom Lehrer. Put songs online. Instead of opera, a uke song cycle with narrative. Recite my poems at readings to uke music, ala minstrels. Join a uke club. A social life, what a concept.
No shortage of ideas. First things first. PRACTICE. Always the key in music. Watching football Sat., for example, I clawhammered scales, over and over. Too much, sore hands ha ha. Been a year or more since I played regularly.
Best, I like mellow sound of uke, esp in picking styles, and I think I can get good enough to do something in retirement with it, for sanity and distraction ... and FUN.
So! Now I suddenly am very busy. Today, student work to get online. And other school work.
In June I want to be good enough to do something ambitious. No idea what. Possibilities: write a uke opera. Play on downtown street corner for coins. Same, performing original material about the news, ala Tom Lehrer. Put songs online. Instead of opera, a uke song cycle with narrative. Recite my poems at readings to uke music, ala minstrels. Join a uke club. A social life, what a concept.
No shortage of ideas. First things first. PRACTICE. Always the key in music. Watching football Sat., for example, I clawhammered scales, over and over. Too much, sore hands ha ha. Been a year or more since I played regularly.
Best, I like mellow sound of uke, esp in picking styles, and I think I can get good enough to do something in retirement with it, for sanity and distraction ... and FUN.
So! Now I suddenly am very busy. Today, student work to get online. And other school work.
