It feels as if this is going to be my primary activity in this last term of teaching. I don't do things half way ha ha. At any rate, I have a course of study mapped out, that includes both formal classes and self-study. Actually I already am a "good beginner" player from my guitar and banjo background. I want to get better, maybe to the advanced intermediate stage.
To this end, I am working on both left and right hand techniques. Left involves knowing the fretboard like my neighborhood and learning advanced chords. Right involves strumming techniques but also advanced fingerpicking patterns. I already am a basic fingerpicker but can definitely improve. I already have clowhammer technique down as well, including double thumbling and drop thumbing.
So I bring some existing skills to the table. I think my biggest challenge will be the left hand, managing difficult chords with my short stubby fingers. This is a serious problem on the small soprano uke, which is why I bought a concert, the next size up. I originally was going to get a tenor, larger yet, but the more I read, the more the tenor sound was compared to guitar more than to uke ... I definitely want the uke sound. And I found a hell of a deal with a Cordova, a company that makes classical guitars mainly, solid (not veneered) wood, concert size. It should arrive in less than a week, maybe as early as tomorrow. Knock on my wooden head that it arrives safely.
It is being shipped from Florida and the music company gave me a courtesy call when it shipped. I thought that was very thoughtful and speaks well of the company, which is Sam Ash.
I think I can really get into this and make initial progress quickly. But I'll never get as good as the pro's, no time for that, but if I can find my way around the fretboard with ease, with clean chords and notes, at a reasonable, appropriate speed for the song ... well, that would be cool. I'd like to get there by the end of the academic year, only 8 months away. I plan to take a class each term: blues in winter if it is offered, and maybe an ensemble class in spring, to play with others.
I find this exciting and a good distraction from the decline of the planet. Going down playing.
