The Summerhouse Practice List

Update July 28th 2016

This is what I'm practising right now

Magic Ukulele Waltz
All chords up the neck for C F and G7
Some muting and fingerpicking patterns
Playing anything by ear - finding chords that fit and chord melody

Update April 7th 2016

Another year has passed and my practice schedule is still completely disorganised. Every couple of weeks it changes - but I'm still playing virtually every day - a day without a strum is rare.

Update March 30th 2015

I posted yesterday about the lessons I've started having from Phil Doleman. He's a fantastic player, well-known on the festivals, and a great teacher, I love having some real purposeful focus now, as muddling along on my own really has been like herding cats.

I have songs to practise more chords up the neck. Those chords need to be as familiar and as well-used as the common ones down the neck...

Working on.....
Shine On Harvest Moon
Fly Me to the Moon
Let Me Call You Sweetheart
My Melancholy Baby

Also activities around the Circle of Fifths and 4-finger (moveable) chord shapes.

I haven't opened up my summerhouse yet, it's still too chilly and too often wet - but it won't be long now!


Update March 31st 2014

This practice lark needs to go back to the drawing board! Some of the things I thought I had learned, I've forgotten - because they were not learned thoroughly enough.... food for thought there.... some things on this short list of 6 have hardly been touched, in terms of really trying to learn them... but Mr Sandman, through determination and practice, practice, practice, I can now play ok. Not brilliantly, but ok. See the blog post from earlier on today. I even risked a video!

I've redone my practice file, and I'll talk about that later. Off for a cup of tea....

Update May 2013

Time for an update. And yes, I have opened up the summerhouse and had a few gentle strumming sessions down there, it's lovely... but I recognise the need to be more focused now, to learn skills and learn more music by heart - so although I always enjoy opening up a file of songs and just strumming through them, I'm now trying to learn songs so I can play them anytime without the chords in front of me.

So - I'm working right now on six pieces. Two I nearly know, two I'm well into, and two right at the beginning. I've put them in a separate practice file so I won't go off-task!

I nearly know - Mr Sandman, lovely instrumental chord melody, tabs by ukulelezaza, Remco Houtman-Jannsen.
And - When You're Smiling. I've got it, but not totally rock solid - nerves would derail it but I'm virtually there.

Working on - Twilight Time. Beautiful song...
And - Whispering

Beginning - I'll See You in My Dreams - as played by the great Joe Brown. Not my version! Chords from kauairainbow.com
And - The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea... chords from Uke Hunt

Also working on learning chords and progressions up the neck.
(C6 C#dim Dm7 G7)

I'll update you on the progress in a month or two! Thanks for looking in and sharing the journey!

The summerhouse has been a no-go zone since the last update, as it's still winter, and temperatures hover around freezing. But in the garden plants are coming up, buds are swelling and with the sun on it, the summerhouse is beginning to look inviting - as soon as warmer days arrive, I'll be out there.... can't wait....and then this list will need revising...



May 2012
(List updated 21st October 2012)

The songs and instrumentals I play and practice just because I love them.

Wildwood Flower, (my youtube) Finlandia (my youtube) and Cherry Blossoms (my youtube) I can play now by heart now ... for the rest I need the chords or tabs in front of me.

TABS
Wildwood Flower - bluegrass, Ken Middleton's tab.
Finlandia - ukulelemike Mike Lynch's arrangement
Cherry Blossoms - Mike Lynch found in his Instrumentals Vol 1
Sakura Sakura
Worried Man Blues - bluegrass - Ken Middleton's arrangement
Going Home - ukulelemike Mike Lynch's arrangement

CHORD SONGS
Here Comes The Sun - Richard G's Ukulele Songbook
Mister Sandman
Til There Was You - Meredith Wilson
Just the Way You Look - Jerome Kern
Sunny Afternoon - The Kinks
My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes - Richard G's Ukulele Songbook
I Can't Give You Anything but Love - Jimmy McHugh & Dorothy Fields
Where or When - Rodgers & Hart
I'll See You in my Dreams
Taking a Chance on Love
April Showers - (my youtube)
Bye Bye Blues - (chord melody) - Matthew J Richards' arrangement
The Glory of Love