my ukulele progress
- Thread starter ripock
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ripock
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I stumbled across the Double Harmonic Major scale. I certainly am aware of the minor version. It is the same as my favorite Phygian Dominant except you move pinky once and get the other scale.
It sounds fairly cool with its flat 2 and flat 6. I have certainly played its 4th mode, the Hungarian Minor a bit. It has three notes in common with the Major Pentatonic and three notes for the Minor Pentatonic. So it may work with those. I'll give it a shot. Perhaps the exoticness of the Double Harmonic won't dovetail with the rather ubiquitous pentatonics. We'll see.
It sounds fairly cool with its flat 2 and flat 6. I have certainly played its 4th mode, the Hungarian Minor a bit. It has three notes in common with the Major Pentatonic and three notes for the Minor Pentatonic. So it may work with those. I'll give it a shot. Perhaps the exoticness of the Double Harmonic won't dovetail with the rather ubiquitous pentatonics. We'll see.
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ripock
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I watched a video on Welsh rarebit and learnt it is more than just cheese on toast, which is how I've experienced it at a gentrified "Irish" pub.
In essence it is a Mornay sauce (although it wasn't couched in that term) with some added beer and spices such as cayenne and mustard. You merely put the sauce on toasted bread and broil it 'til it is crispy brown. It was interesting although probably not in my future as I tend not to keep bread or dairy on hand.
Plus, it seemed like too much work for what it is. Nowadays I am much more geared toward fast and easy. For example, I bought some boiled eggs which I'll chop up and add some of my mustard and dill. That'll be 5 minutes to prepare and eat. I can use the saved time for more ukulele.
I am still processing the new Double Harmonic Major. It really has some delicious half steps that are promising.
In essence it is a Mornay sauce (although it wasn't couched in that term) with some added beer and spices such as cayenne and mustard. You merely put the sauce on toasted bread and broil it 'til it is crispy brown. It was interesting although probably not in my future as I tend not to keep bread or dairy on hand.
Plus, it seemed like too much work for what it is. Nowadays I am much more geared toward fast and easy. For example, I bought some boiled eggs which I'll chop up and add some of my mustard and dill. That'll be 5 minutes to prepare and eat. I can use the saved time for more ukulele.
I am still processing the new Double Harmonic Major. It really has some delicious half steps that are promising.
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ripock
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In my lifetime of reading Greek, kosmos means well-ordered. It is usually applied to people. A well-ordered person in practical terms is someone in whom all the parts are working correctly and that manifests itself in taking care of your family, taking care of your community, paying your taxes, fulfilling your duties, et c. In short a kosmos person is a good person. I wonder why that has thrust itself onto my mind lately. I offer no answers but I think I'll just return to my corner and try to stay motivated to move forward. Then I'll go to one of my two jobs because custom ukes don't pay for themselves.
There’s a lot to be said for a classical education. Wish I had one. If I could live my life over again, I would know Latin and Greek.
I took two years of Latin in high school because I had to take one year (mandatory at my school) and the second year because I figured it would be helpful in sciences (specifically biology). And it is! There are some GREAT terms from Latin roots in biology (especially botany). I'm a little sad I've forgotten most of it.
Jan D
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I took Latin in high school too (in N.S.), so maybe it’s a Canadian thing, Amie. It wasn’t a mandatory subject, but my options were either Latin or Chemistry so, as an avid reader, the choice was an easy one to make. 
Like you, much of what I learned has disappeared over the years. But I’m constantly surprised at just how often I manage to find useful what little Latin I did retain. Who knew …
Like you, much of what I learned has disappeared over the years. But I’m constantly surprised at just how often I manage to find useful what little Latin I did retain. Who knew …
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ripock
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Yeah, Latin has been a blast. I don't have time to expatiate. I have to go to work early today and need to scrape my straight razor athwart my chin because there is no better way to meet the challenges of the day than with a well-knotted tie or a smooth chin.
I will mention that I did eat some Jaipur vegetables which I bought at the store for a treat which I combined with some mung beans I made. Well, I didn't make them; god made them. I merely pressure cooked them. I also added some lime, shallots, and a drop of my favorite scorpion pepper sauce.
I will mention that I did eat some Jaipur vegetables which I bought at the store for a treat which I combined with some mung beans I made. Well, I didn't make them; god made them. I merely pressure cooked them. I also added some lime, shallots, and a drop of my favorite scorpion pepper sauce.
You made them what they are today
Oldscruggsfan
Well-known member
As goes the old joke about the Scottish farmer’s response to a newcomer’s intended compliment of what beautiful land God had made:
“Aye, but it didna look nothin’ akin ta this back when the good Lord ‘ad it all ta hisself!”
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bbkobabe
Well-known member
Another poem:
Latin is a dead language, it's plain enough to see...
It finished off the Romans, now it's killing me.
When ever we study vocabulary in my middle school classroom, I point out the roots. And lots of people speak Spanish here so they can generally relate to the Latin roots!
Latin is a dead language, it's plain enough to see...
It finished off the Romans, now it's killing me.
When ever we study vocabulary in my middle school classroom, I point out the roots. And lots of people speak Spanish here so they can generally relate to the Latin roots!
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ripock
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I am starting to delve into this Double Harmonic Major. The first thing I did was map it out on the fretboard to get a bird's-eye view of it. I will attach the blank fretboard map that someone made for me. It is useful so that you can get an idea where your notes are.
It is a 19 fret map because that's how I roll. It is also useful if you choose an alternate tuning like an open D. Then you can write all the new notes. I also like to use a filled out map to see what chords suggest themselves.
For example in E Double Harmonic the thing that pops out is C+ and EΔ7.
What piques my interest more are the clusters of notes that are in the scale. I will definitely start playing geometrically within those clusters and see what kind of tasty things I can find.
It is a 19 fret map because that's how I roll. It is also useful if you choose an alternate tuning like an open D. Then you can write all the new notes. I also like to use a filled out map to see what chords suggest themselves.
For example in E Double Harmonic the thing that pops out is C+ and EΔ7.
What piques my interest more are the clusters of notes that are in the scale. I will definitely start playing geometrically within those clusters and see what kind of tasty things I can find.
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ripock
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I read recently that certain online experience was akin to a night in a pub. But what does that mean? I haven't gone to the local pub in a while because the hours of my job precludes that option. But the last time I went I remember getting two or three whiskies and reading a bit about the poet Kallimachos and his relationship to long non-subjective elegiac poetry. But I don't think that is what people were talking about. I find that my behavior at a pub is the same as it is on a street corner. I have no cause to complain that my freedom of speech is impeded.
in lieu of the pub, tonight I drank some whiskies and made some food. I made another batch of beans flavored with blackened onion and cilantro. The burnt onions are an infusion of flavor. You still get the onion flavor but the charred onion also gives a smoky tone.
in lieu of the pub, tonight I drank some whiskies and made some food. I made another batch of beans flavored with blackened onion and cilantro. The burnt onions are an infusion of flavor. You still get the onion flavor but the charred onion also gives a smoky tone.
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ripock
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Even though I can be rather solipsistic, as evidenced by this very thread, this evening wasn't all about me--much to my dismay. After all, I have note clusters with which I need to experiment.
However, my wife needed more porridge and emergency quiche. The porridge was easy. That is just putting the grains in the pressure cooker and then decanting the mixture into the container so that she can scoop it out later.
The quiche is more bothersome. It is a needful thing in the household because there are times when I'm not around and my wife doesn't have the will to make food. The quiche is easy to warm up in the oven.
The quiche has been a nettle in my saddle because of its composition. When you fork it the bottom half separates from the top, and that bugs me. Quiche is usually built in layers and to solve the issue of the separating of the layers I removed the layers.
1. I put the gorgonzola cheese in the cream to melt in a very gently heated sauce pan.
2. while that was transpiring, I cubed up some canadian bacon which I felt would be more cooperative than pancetta. I also deveined and chiffonaded a bunch of red chard, my wife's favorite green. I was at the end of my culinary patience because the leaves were small and it took forever.
3. I grated some canadian cheddar and vermont cheddar for the topping
4. In a mixing bowl, I put 5 eggs, herbs, butter salt, and garam marsala. I added the cooled gorgonzola/cream. I mixed and then I added the other ingredients.
5. I spooned out this primordial soup into the pastry. There is no way it can separate because it is one entity. Perhaps a French chef would say Mon Dieu! But the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. {that's a funny expression. I remember back in the day of my student teaching, I was observed by a Professor West who obviously didn't think what I was doing was according to best practices, but as he reluctantly admitted the proof of the pudding is in the eating}
6. I put the Vermont cheddar on top for visual reasons. If the Vermont cheddar separates from the primordial soup, then I'll either have to add into the soup or omit it altogether; I'm sure it isn't doing my wife any favors.
However, my wife needed more porridge and emergency quiche. The porridge was easy. That is just putting the grains in the pressure cooker and then decanting the mixture into the container so that she can scoop it out later.
The quiche is more bothersome. It is a needful thing in the household because there are times when I'm not around and my wife doesn't have the will to make food. The quiche is easy to warm up in the oven.
The quiche has been a nettle in my saddle because of its composition. When you fork it the bottom half separates from the top, and that bugs me. Quiche is usually built in layers and to solve the issue of the separating of the layers I removed the layers.
1. I put the gorgonzola cheese in the cream to melt in a very gently heated sauce pan.
2. while that was transpiring, I cubed up some canadian bacon which I felt would be more cooperative than pancetta. I also deveined and chiffonaded a bunch of red chard, my wife's favorite green. I was at the end of my culinary patience because the leaves were small and it took forever.
3. I grated some canadian cheddar and vermont cheddar for the topping
4. In a mixing bowl, I put 5 eggs, herbs, butter salt, and garam marsala. I added the cooled gorgonzola/cream. I mixed and then I added the other ingredients.
5. I spooned out this primordial soup into the pastry. There is no way it can separate because it is one entity. Perhaps a French chef would say Mon Dieu! But the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. {that's a funny expression. I remember back in the day of my student teaching, I was observed by a Professor West who obviously didn't think what I was doing was according to best practices, but as he reluctantly admitted the proof of the pudding is in the eating}
6. I put the Vermont cheddar on top for visual reasons. If the Vermont cheddar separates from the primordial soup, then I'll either have to add into the soup or omit it altogether; I'm sure it isn't doing my wife any favors.
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ripock
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ugh. Things get worse and worse. I used the last of my wife's breakfast grains and had to buy another 25 pound bag. that's obviously a $50+ purchase. It lasts for quite a while but it is always a bit painful.
moreover, I had to cook more. I had a bag of lamb steaks for my wife's protein but she said she was intimidated by the lamb. What the hell does that even mean? Regardless, I braised her steaks in a lime/garlic sauce that was inspired by the local tradition of carne adovada. We use carne adovada to braise pork for inclusion in soups such as posole. I braised her lamb for her and pulled the meat off the bones. The bones I kept for my own devious devices. I know that sounds vaguely sexual but what I mean is that I saved the bones to make a white stock. Finally I think I am done cooking for a while because I now have a chewy grain (farro), turnip greens, and lamb meat. My wife should be all set up for meals for the next week--especially if you account for the emergency quiche that i also prepared. Now I can devote my time to some paperwork and some ukulele playing.
moreover, I had to cook more. I had a bag of lamb steaks for my wife's protein but she said she was intimidated by the lamb. What the hell does that even mean? Regardless, I braised her steaks in a lime/garlic sauce that was inspired by the local tradition of carne adovada. We use carne adovada to braise pork for inclusion in soups such as posole. I braised her lamb for her and pulled the meat off the bones. The bones I kept for my own devious devices. I know that sounds vaguely sexual but what I mean is that I saved the bones to make a white stock. Finally I think I am done cooking for a while because I now have a chewy grain (farro), turnip greens, and lamb meat. My wife should be all set up for meals for the next week--especially if you account for the emergency quiche that i also prepared. Now I can devote my time to some paperwork and some ukulele playing.
Being a thoughtful and caring spouse can be exhausting. You’re a good person, Ron.
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ripock
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Exhausting is right! When arrived home at midnight, my wife told me that she had made a vet appt. for one of the cats at 7 a.m. and I had to do the driving because she would be too tired (BTW I heard her going to bed at 4 a.m.).
I got up shortly thereafter with the intention of squeezing in some grading, but instead I made a farinata pizza. Farinata and pizza are connected...at least in Argentina where they put a little farinata on top of the pizza as an appetizer and they call it pizza a caballo--which I suppose would best be translated as piggy back pizza.
I merely made a regular farinata except I added an oregano blend to it. Then halfway through the cooking process, I tossed on some minced up kalamata olives and a few handfuls of cheese that I received as leftovers from my company's steak and potato lunch as a show of appreciation.
Now it is 5:30 and I suppose my wife will drag herself out of bed in half an hour.
I got up shortly thereafter with the intention of squeezing in some grading, but instead I made a farinata pizza. Farinata and pizza are connected...at least in Argentina where they put a little farinata on top of the pizza as an appetizer and they call it pizza a caballo--which I suppose would best be translated as piggy back pizza.
I merely made a regular farinata except I added an oregano blend to it. Then halfway through the cooking process, I tossed on some minced up kalamata olives and a few handfuls of cheese that I received as leftovers from my company's steak and potato lunch as a show of appreciation.
Now it is 5:30 and I suppose my wife will drag herself out of bed in half an hour.
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ripock
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I have been playing with some modes and found it to be quite an aufschlussreich.
I was starting with the first 4 triplets of "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring" just to get a motive going. I did transpose it to E because that's my key. But here is the Augenöffnungs Erlebnis part (I'm using German terms since I'm riffing off Bach), no matter what I did the tonal center seemed to be A instead of E.
I'm sure there is some answer in theory if I were clever enough to search for it. But I'm not and I am rather content just to luxuriate in the moment and go whither the melody roams.
And the A is no problem, really. It is super easy to go from A to B, and then from B to E with the famous if not ubiquitous V-I jump from Rhythm Changes amongst others...and then I am poised to re-enter the motive of Bach.
Just one example will suffice. Sometimes I will end the Bach on the B of the 2nd fret. Then I slide up to the C on the 3rd and then work through the C Ionian Augmented #2, which morphs into the A Hungarian Minor. And the A feels like home. At other times I will end the Bach on the E of the 7th fret. And whether I descend with the F Lydian #2#6 or ascend with the D# Lokrian bb3 bb7...it still feels good to stop on the A.
For the sake of variety, I did mix in some chords, all of which were constructed from chord tones of the E Double Harmonic. I used the E+, F7, Fm7, C+, and B13.
In reference to a recent thread to which I contributed pertaining to using the ukulele without using ukulele music, this is a good way of showing that you can have a lifetime's worth of fun doing your own thing.
In closing I wanted to point out that while I am touting my own thing, I am kind of diminishing traditional music such as that promulgated by Roy Smeck or Formby. I don't mean to do that. Getting proficient in those fan-strokes and such is quite a challenge. I think I could do it with practice but, alas, those things leave me cold. So I am not belittling them; I'm just saying they don't do it for me.
I was starting with the first 4 triplets of "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring" just to get a motive going. I did transpose it to E because that's my key. But here is the Augenöffnungs Erlebnis part (I'm using German terms since I'm riffing off Bach), no matter what I did the tonal center seemed to be A instead of E.
I'm sure there is some answer in theory if I were clever enough to search for it. But I'm not and I am rather content just to luxuriate in the moment and go whither the melody roams.
And the A is no problem, really. It is super easy to go from A to B, and then from B to E with the famous if not ubiquitous V-I jump from Rhythm Changes amongst others...and then I am poised to re-enter the motive of Bach.
Just one example will suffice. Sometimes I will end the Bach on the B of the 2nd fret. Then I slide up to the C on the 3rd and then work through the C Ionian Augmented #2, which morphs into the A Hungarian Minor. And the A feels like home. At other times I will end the Bach on the E of the 7th fret. And whether I descend with the F Lydian #2#6 or ascend with the D# Lokrian bb3 bb7...it still feels good to stop on the A.
For the sake of variety, I did mix in some chords, all of which were constructed from chord tones of the E Double Harmonic. I used the E+, F7, Fm7, C+, and B13.
In reference to a recent thread to which I contributed pertaining to using the ukulele without using ukulele music, this is a good way of showing that you can have a lifetime's worth of fun doing your own thing.
In closing I wanted to point out that while I am touting my own thing, I am kind of diminishing traditional music such as that promulgated by Roy Smeck or Formby. I don't mean to do that. Getting proficient in those fan-strokes and such is quite a challenge. I think I could do it with practice but, alas, those things leave me cold. So I am not belittling them; I'm just saying they don't do it for me.
Bill Sheehan
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Band name alert! "The Smokytones"
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ripock
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I like the Smokytones. I was driving on route 38 which connects mountain resorts like Big Bear Lake to the flatlands of Redlands. I drove through the city of Mentone and I saw a billboard for the Mentones which apparently was an a capella group probably doing gigs at places like the VFW or the Elks Lodge.
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