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“Semi- Campanella” finger style Key of D - Yowling Tom generally prefers The Aristocats but he loves this scene. He sees the spaghetti noodle & thinks it’s yarn.

For a far longer span than I prefer to admit, aided by patient input and guidance from a very kind and talented UUF member, I’ve worked on a finger style version of Its Only A Paper Moon, first in the Key of F, then briefly in E and finally in G. Per my aforementioned UUF mentor, I settled back...

Yowling Tom and I are working through a couple tunes right now, so please cast your vote for which you’d rather hear YT belt out: A- That’s Amore’ (fast waltz, often credited to Dean Martin) B- Gimme Three Steps (Southen rock by Lynyrd Skynyrd)

You know the uke… covered in all those fascinating autographs, faithful copies of which are still sold by C.F. Martin today. It’s said that uke- playing “made Konter very popular among his peers”. Did I read that right? I haven’t experienced the same effect amongst my peers, but I digress. How...

Today’s post from @ripock recounting his recent road trip planted this idea in my little brain. What objects and concepts that often appear in song lyrics are unrecognizable/ completely unknown to music fans under age 25? EDIT: Rather than phone booths, I intended to say “pay phones”...

The Looney Tunes theme song has long been on my “must learn” list. I was able to locate the following chord sheet but even after listening to slower- tempo jazz versions on Spotify and multiple attempts to improvise the proper right hand shapes for the melody, I’ve repeatedly hit a wall...

This is audio-only because I originally intended it as an entry into Mikkel (@UkingViking)’s “For Your Ears Only” contest. Unfortinately. I didn’t pay sufficient attention to the host’s clearly stated rules😬. The great Hoagy Carmichael tune doesn’t qualify as a contest entry because it’s not in...

Generally, is personal preference the only goal in down- tuning a soprano uke, or should the floppier strings yield clearer notes when strumming? Because I was dissatisfied with the sound when strumming Georgia (On My Mind) before and since SOTU 626, I’ve tried down tuning one full step. I...

Fully recognizing that there is no such thing as “correct” tempo, when working through Jim Carrey’s Key of C arrangement of Georgia On My Mind the past couple days, I’ve been flummoxed by which waltz (3/4) beat to set on my Soundbrenner app. I’ve taken it down to the apparent tap+taptap “floor”...

Above is a still shot from Matt Stead’s really great video on uke setup (recently shared in a different thread by @badhabits). Matt goes on to explain how to use a needle file to deepen nut slots for lowering action at the nut. In lieu of deepening the nut slots, is it feasible/ workable to sand...

C at 0003, at 5433, and at 9787. Does that describe three inversions of the C chord, or is there more to it than just incorporating those different chord shapes into a tune, and paying attention to the root notes in the process? If this is the adequate explanation of “chord inversions”, this is...

Is there a general rule for the number of half- steps it takes to transpose a tune from its original key to fit your voice is improper, and will end up sounding ‘off’ even if you’re able to nail all the notes when singing the lyrics? I guess what I’m asking is whether there is a max number of...

This past weekend, my 85-y-o aunt stunned me during a short visit by placing a much- abused 4/4 size fiddle in my hand and stating “he (her late husband, my dad’s elder brother) always said he wanted you to have it when he died”. I was as greatly stunned by the act as by learning that the fiddle...

Of course, the 4th Thursday in November holds no significance to anyone outside the US. Regardless, kudos to The Band Director’s Marching Band and its stirring performance of “Simple Gifts” during today’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Here is Yowling Tom’s version of the same Shaker dance...

This one didn’t fit this week’s “November birthday” theme but I was already working on it anyway. I originally intended to sing but my vocal courage evaporated after listening to jaw-dropping covers by Pentatonix, Rhonda Vincent, Carrie Underwood, Dolly Parton, and the Kenny Rogers/ Wynonna Judd...

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Please forgive the silly, pedestrian nature of this question: If, for whatever reason, I need to tune up my reentrant soprano and don’t have an electronic tuner or pitch pipe on hand, or just hear the need to fine tune after relying on a tuner, does it make any difference whether I: (A) Start...

With the help of a chord progression downloaded from the San Jose Ukulele Club’s great webpage, I’ve worked out a Key of G soprano solo for “It’s Only A Paper Moon” and am happy with it. Problem that I encounter every time I try a tune with which I’m not all that familiar, I’m unsure of the...

My rehab of this 1990's Famous FU120-P remains incomplete but what's lacking (a retrofitted Brad Donaldson @BuzzBD bridge block) won't be seen. I intentionally painted the back much lighter than a pineapple ought to be because this is a Konter-style "signature" uke that will be a gift to my...

Early this morning, I rediscovered this “lost” video, shot months before setting up my YT channel and weeks before swapping out Yowling Tom’s original Martin strings for Fremont Blacklines. After replaying twice, I've strongly reconsidered Martin M600’s. First released on the great Mr...