Tag: #featured

Clever monkey! Manitoba Hal Newcastle Workshop – Mailchimp Newsletter!

Lizzie2 Comments

Gmail can get very sniffy about sending out an email to a bunch of people at the same time.  . . . “Are you a spammer?” . . . NO!  . . . “Well we think you are! Petition us, you wretch, plea for mercy, or we will continue to block you . . . and maybe worse!”

Mailchimp, clever monkey, speaks no such evil!

So now I can send an email update “newsletter” to the folks who have booked on the Manitoba Hal Blues Uke Workshop in Newcastle on 4 June:

Manitoba Hal Workshop Updates - Newcastle 4 June 2014 New edition of Hal's Ukulele Blues Method Book. Book updated for Hal's UK Blues Uke Workshop Tour! Manitoba Hal's Ukulele Blues Method Edition 2, Spring 2014 Hal has updated his Ukulele Blues Method book for the UK Tour. Cost: £10 There will be copies on sale on 4 June immediately after the Workshop - to anyone who wants one, not just workshop participants. The digital version costs £4.99 - for download from Hal's Store on Etsy There will be no workshop handouts. (I think I know why, now!) I must admit that I am rather tempted to by the digital version, to get in a bit of practice before the workshop! If you bought tickets on behalf of others, please do forward this email to your friends in case they have not already received it. Further updates for Workshop Participants to follow as and when I get details (there will be free UK Tour badges, CD's for sale, etc.) Lizzie

The 1st email update has already gone out to everyone who has reserved tickets for the workshop and the Newsletter is on the web is here: http://eepurl.com/UWZSj

UPDATE 30 MAY: ALL TICKETS NOW SOLD for  Manitoba Hal’s Newcastle Blues Uke Workshop and Performance, Newcastle upon Tyne, 4 June 2014!

Ukes4Fun Songbook 9! Another ten songs for ten singers!

LizzieLeave a comment

Ukes4FunSongbookCover-09

Songbook 9

You can download Songbook 9 by selecting the image above or by going to main “Songsheets” page (there is lots of other info about the Songbooks on that page, so have a look if you haven’t visited it before).

As with Songbook 8, I am trying to share out the uke-lurve by including as many different singers as possible in each song book.  Apologies to those who have not yet been included in Songbooks 8 or 9 – your time will come as soon as you have sent or approved the song files.

  • 1. Ain’t That a Shame – Megs
  • 2. At The Hop – Jazzy
  • 3. Blackpool Belle, The – Denis
  • 4. Heart and Soul – Lizzie
  • 5. Hello Mary Lou (F) – Brian
  • 6. He’s Got You – Keith
  • 7. King of the Road – Charlie
  • 8. Stupid Cupid – Terri
  • 9. Sweet Honey in the Rock – Andy
  • 10. Teenager In Love – Karl

Many thanks to Andy, Brian, Denis and Jazzy for providing copies of some of these arrangements – it makes my job much easier!

If you spot any typo’s or errors, eg. in terms of deviating from the way we play these songs, they will be of my doing – and please do let me know so that I can correct them.

Songsheets Alphabetical Index

This is the updated alphabetical index of Songbooks 1 – 9 (pdf download)

This next bit is almost the same as in the post about Songbook 8:

Continue reading “Ukes4Fun Songbook 9! Another ten songs for ten singers!” →

Free and easy online tools to make song sheets with automatic chord grids | Jim Carey website | @ukegeeks | ukulizer |

Lizzie15 Comments

All the Ukes4Fun Songbooks are in “Landscape” format.  If you prefer “Portrait” format, here are a couple of free, easy online tools to make song sheets for printing in portrait format:

  • both tools produce chord grids automatically
  • neither of them require you to start with “ChordPro” formatted text
  • but to make Ukes4Fun song sheets, please use these “ChordPro” files: Ukes4Fun Songsheet txt files,

Update: January 2017

Jim Carey’s Ukulele Songs Site

Check out Jim Carey’s website. He has nearly 4,000 songs (as of Sept 2023) with ukulele chords. You can download these as a complete songbook or as individual sheets.

Jim has incorporated the Ukegeeks Song-A-Matic Online Editor into the site (see below) and made many improvements to the original version.

This means that you can “tweak” any of these songs before printing, e.g. transpose the key, edit the lyrics, change the chords, move the chords and so on.

If you Register on Jim’s site then there are extra functions you can access when you Log In.

This should be your first one-stop-shop for ukulele song sheets!

http://ozbcoz.com/Songs/index.php

Original post:

Continue reading “Free and easy online tools to make song sheets with automatic chord grids | Jim Carey website | @ukegeeks | ukulizer |” →

Ukes4Fun Songbook 8! Ten songs for ten singers!

LizzieLeave a comment

Ukes4FunSongbookCover-08

Songbook 8

You can download Songbook 8 by selecting the image above or by going to main “Songsheets” page.

This the first installment of a shortlist of over 30 current songs.  There are more on the “back burner”, where I am waiting to see if they take-off and then have staying power.

I am trying to share out the uke-lurve by including as many different singers as possible in each song book.  Apologies to those who have not been included in this Songbook – your time will come very soon!

  • 1. All My Loving – Andy
  • 2. East Virginia Blues – Keith
  • 3. I Still Miss Someone – Mick
  • 4. Rollin’ In My Sweet Baby’s Arms – Charlie
  • 5. Roseville Fair – Denis
  • 6. Run For Home – Denise
  • 7. Walking After Midnight – Terri
  • 8. Watching Scotty Grow – Jazzy
  • 9. Will The Circle Be Unbroken – Dot
  • 10. You Won’t See Me – Andy

Many thanks to Andy and Denis for providing copies of most of these arrangements – it makes my job much easier!

If you spot any typo’s or errors, eg. in terms of deviating from the way we play these songs, they will be of my doing – and please do let me know so that I can correct them.

Correction 1:  Apologies to Megs, who I had listed as leading “All My Loving”!  So that means that Andy has got in twice, it is really 10 songs for nine singers – and we both owe Megs a beer?

Songsheets Alphabetical Index

This is the updated alphabetical index of Songbooks 1 – 8 (pdf download)

Continue reading “Ukes4Fun Songbook 8! Ten songs for ten singers!” →

Starter for 20 – Some Great Uker YouTube Channels!

LizzieLeave a comment

There are so many fabulous ukers out there on You Tube!  A limitation of this list is that consists of YouTube Channels – not individual videos.  There are some great ukers, and whole genres, missing simply because I could not find a dedicated YT Channel, eg. no Del Ray, very little uke-blues.  The other reason is that I got a bit bored with making lists after the first twenty . . .

But – tell you what – my current favourite uke video is . . .  Brittni Paiva – “Tell U What”:

Comments and suggestions for additions are most welcome!  There is a comment box below . . .

. . . or visit the Ukes4Fun Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Ukes4Fun/posts/556624704376615

. . . or reply to this tweet: https://twitter.com/ukes4fun/status/345177335236018177

Fingers on buzzers! Starter for Twenty . . . 

List some great Uker YouTube Channels  in alphabetical order:

1) Al Wood (Uke Hunt’s “Woodshed”):
http://www.youtube.com/user/Woodshed1

2) Baroque Uke (Rob MacKillop):
http://www.youtube.com/user/baroqueuke

3) bsef77:
http://www.youtube.com/user/bsef77

4) Brittni Paiva:
http://www.youtube.com/user/UkuleleBrit

5) Colin Tribe:
http://www.youtube.com/user/colinrtribe

6) G.I.G.A.P.U.S. – Girls In Glasses And Playing Ukulele Society:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ukulelezo

7) GUGUG:
http://www.youtube.com/user/GUGUG

8) Herman Vandecauter:
http://www.youtube.com/user/01herman

9) Howlin’ Hobbit:
http://www.youtube.com/user/howlinhobbit

10) Ken Middleton:
http://www.youtube.com/user/KenMiddletonUkulele

11) Mark Occhionero:
http://www.youtube.com/user/markocchionero

12) Mr.B The Gentleman Rhymer:
http://www.youtube.com/user/sgtrock70

13) MsAutumnLeaf:
http://www.youtube.com/user/MsAutumnLeaf

14) Phil Rowell:
http://www.youtube.com/user/philxbx

15) Taimane Gardner:
http://www.youtube.com/Napolianboo

16) Uke Your Mind:
http://www.youtube.com/user/UKISOCIETY

17) Ukulele at its dorkiest (Ukulele Underground’s Aldrine):
http://www.youtube.com/ukuleleoversoul

18) UkuleleTim:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ukuleletim

19) UkeVal:
http://www.youtube.com/user/UkeVal

20) Wilfred Welti:
http://www.youtube.com/user/wwelti

Ukulele Chord Chart PocketMod

Lizzie7 Comments

The Ukulele-Tabs.com website has some fantastic free resources, including chord charts.

A “PocketMod” is a little 8 page booklet made from a single sheet of paper – A4 (UK) or Letter Size (USA).

I have made a “Ukulele Chord Chart PocketMod” with a program called PagePacker (Mac only).  I tried some other chord charts but the UkuTabs chart printed out much the clearest.

Jonas, who runs the UkuTabs website has very kindly given permission for me to post the sheets here for printing.

1. Instructions for folding and cutting to create a PocketMod:

There is no easy way to describe this.  The official instructions are not necessarily the easiest to follow, so . . . Let Me Google That For You

2. Download pdf: UkuTabs PocketMod – logo on back (layout for pages to fan correctly)

The version with the logo on the back looks wrong but the pages fan correctly.

3. Download pdf: UkuTabs-all-PocketMod – logo on front

This version looks correct but the paging does not work quite right.

(Although these were the clearest chord diagrams that I tried, I still need my reading glasses to see these little charts.  All I need to do now is remember to pack a copy in my uke case along with my specs!  Some people have tried laminating PocketMods – I haven’t, so I don’t know how well that works.)

If you want to make your own PocketMods:

PocketMod was originally invented as a “low-tech PDA” (Personal Digital Assistant).  A quick internet search will reveal many other ideas for uses of PocketMods.  This one suggests a template for self-improvement http://hipsterhabitapp.com/ . . . maybe I will make a version for practicing Bb . . . or maybe I won’t . . .

As you can see from that example, you don’t necessarily need a computer and printer to make a PocketMod – just a piece of paper and something to write with.  There is an origami site that suggests you don’t even need a pair of scissors, as long as you can tear the paper cleanly.

Some “high-tech” PocketMod generators:

  • PocketMod Online and Windows PC versions at http://repocketmod.com/ (the original pocketmod.com site still exists but is not actively maintained so the materials are not up to date – so use repocketmod.com instead).  PLEASE NOTE: The option to print to A4 looks as if it is going to work with these tools but it does not – so you need to trim the page after printing.  Fold first and then you will see exactly how much you need to trim.
  • PocketMod Mac Version: PagePacker (the A4 option DOES work using this tool)

Ukers North East and Cumbria Facebook Group

LizzieLeave a comment

Many thanks to Brian Conaty for suggesting setting up a Facebook Group for uke fans across the North East to get together and share info online:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/UkersNorthEast/

Once you join the Group you can also participate by email to:

UkersNorthEast@groups.facebook.com

UPDATE: 26 May 2014

  • Over 120 members to date
  • Added daft cover photo today
  • The url remains the same but not long ago we added “and Cumbria” to the name of the Group – because there are members in Cumbria too.

 

Best wishes,

Lizzie

My first uke – what should I buy? What should I practice?

LizzieLeave a comment

Essential reading for all new ukers!

These two excellent articles include advice on what to buy as your first uke:

1. http://ukulelehunt.com/2010/02/24/beginner-ukulele-lessons/

2. http://www.gotaukulele.com/p/beginners-guides.html

Some more ideas:

I get regular emails via the website asking for advice about the “best first uke to buy”, advice for beginner lessons, etc. There are lots of websites with this sort of advice so I have started listing them here as and when I find them:

My UkeStuff Xmarks: http://share.xmarks.com/folder/bookmarks/k64Oupk0xi

(Xmarks link: sometimes that link goes to a blank page – if so, please leave a comment and I will fix it.)

I have copied extracts from a couple of emails and the replies I sent – see below – and hope this information helps others too.

Continue reading “My first uke – what should I buy? What should I practice?” →

Play Ukulele By Ear: UKE SCIENCE: The Eyes vs. The Ears

LizzieLeave a comment

Media_http4bpblogspot_vtter

See http://www.playukulelebyear.com/

Must stop being so lazy and learn to play by ear! Some wonderful illustrations on this site too.

Songsheet Generator v1.5.2 for Mac and Java released – fixes problem with chord definitions

LizzieLeave a comment

Good news – this means you can use version 1.5 for Mac and Java with the chord definitions supplied by Stewart Greenhill:

http://stewartgreenhill.com/blog/ukulele/

Info on Stewart’s blog:

Chordpro chord definitions for Ukulele

I prepare my ukulele arrangements in chordpro format, and create songbooks using Songsheet Generator. Recent versions of the software have a ukulele mode which allow four-string chords to be printed, rather than the usual six. To get this to work, check the “Ukulele mode” box under “Options -> Chords/Grids”. I put together a database of ukulele chords for use with the program. To install, just download the “chordrc” file to the same folder as the Songsheet Generator program.

On the Mac the file is named com.tenbyten.SG02.chordrc and it lives in your ~/Library/Preferences folder, where ~ is your home directory.

Quotes from www.tenbyten.com:

Songsheet Generator

A program for easily printing and displaying song sheets

Read more at www.tenbyten.com

Version 1.5 for Mac OS® X + the Java(TM) platform

Version 1.5.2; August 2010 Fixes and minor changes:

  • Fixed a problem with in-song chord definitions that appeared in version 1.5.1.

Copyright © 1995-2010,
Ten by Ten Software.
Note: the contents of this document apply only to the Mac OS X and Java platform versions of Songsheet Generator. For information about the Microsoft Windows® version, please see the Songsheet Generator web site.