Tag Archives: guitar

Of guitar quartets and ensemble playing

In January 2018, I started a new ukulele group and joined the Boston Guitar Orchestra. For the latter, I begged the conductor to translate the notated sheet music for guitar part four into tablature so that I could read it. … Continue reading

Posted in personal development, photos, review, sheet music, travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Of guitar quartets and ensemble playing

Happy Fourth of July! Invitations to concerts

Happy Fourth of July! So many FREE concerts in the Boston area next week. My latest ukulele mail-out below includes a NOT FREE concert of a non-traditional string quartet from the Bay Area and my Boston Guitar Orchestra rehearsals and concerts.

Posted in course, personal development, photos, travel, ukulele | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Happy Fourth of July! Invitations to concerts

Solstice at Eustis 2019

Just an idea. It rhymes. It catches on. How do we combine guitar and ukulele? One after another? Or together? At Derek Gripper’s African Music Workshop both instruments were welcomed in the same room. Everyone played together. It was one … Continue reading

Posted in photos, travel, website | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Solstice at Eustis 2019

The gift of a music education for yourself or Mother’s Day present

I am forever grateful to my parents for the gift of a music education. I remember my mother tirelessly driving a great distance to my piano teacher’s home off-base on Okinawa. In the hot and humid afternoon, she took a … Continue reading

Posted in Chinese, course, language, personal development, photos, self, ukulele | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The gift of a music education for yourself or Mother’s Day present

Getting the word out: website, blog, mailing list, twitter, Facebook, and ?

When you become aware that you are at the centre of those that want to know what’s going on and those who want others to know about their events, what do you do? There is a certain responsibility that comes … Continue reading

Posted in course, travel, ukulele, website | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Getting the word out: website, blog, mailing list, twitter, Facebook, and ?

Most commonly used chords for ʻukulele

The common chord progression assignment I gave to my beginning music theory class caused an uproar. It was the secret formula that explained the Pareto Rule of Pop Music: 80% of pop music used only 20% of the chords. “You mean, … Continue reading

Posted in course, sheet music, ukulele | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Most commonly used chords for ʻukulele

Chord shape thinking from guitar to ukulele

In my forthcoming paper on teaching yourself to play the ʻukulele, I venture into similarities between guitar and ʻukulele chords. If you already play the guitar, thinking in intervals and chord shapes will give you a head start to playing the … Continue reading

Posted in course, sheet music, ukulele | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Chord shape thinking from guitar to ukulele

A song for dad: diamonds and rust

My dad never hesitated to share titles of the songs he loved. In his last years, he took a liking to Youtube. One of his favorite singers was Joan Baez.

Posted in personal development, review, self, sheet music, travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment