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Testing the Blogpress iPhone app

I like it. Easy and efficient.

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I received an EleUke for Christmas and have been trying to figure out how to best put a strap on it. If you have suggestions let me know.  Here are my thoughts so far…

It has the amplifier jack on the end which serves as a strap pin.  I bought strap pins to put on the fretboard end as I’ve done for other ukuleles but can’t figure out a good place to put it.  It is a cut out so I don’t want to interfere with reaching the highest frets.  The body is much flatter than an acoustic thus there is not a ‘perpendicular surface’ or flat area away from the body as there is on an acoustic.   I could put the pin behind the head below the gears but this is pretty thin.  Don’t want to do any damage to the uke.  I tried tying the strap on at the fret nut but the strap interferes with playing.  I’m considering tying it between the gears but I don’t like the idea or look. 

 Looking at other options via Googling I ran across recommendations for the Uke Leash.  I’m considering purchasing one of these.  The new “uke button strap adapter’ is useful.  Here is a demonstration video on using the adapter:

If you have suggestions or comments let me know.

Train’s ‘Hey, Soul Sister’ keeps a-rollin’ | cleveland.com:

When asked, “Any idea why ‘Hey, Soul Sister’ connected in such a big way?” frontman Pat Monahan responded
“Man, I don’t know. I always give credit to the ukulele, because I think the ukulele just makes people happy.”

I have to agree! It is a great sounding song made greater by the use of the ukulele. Apparently the advertising community agrees, too, as many commercials use a ukulele. Personally, I find so much satisfaction and peace in strumming and picking the ukulele. Maybe soon they’ll say, ‘ukulele every day keeps the doctor away’.

Read the rest of the article…http://www.cleveland.com/popmusic/index.ssf/2010/09/trains_hey_soul_sister_keeps_a.html

There are so many valuable resources available on Websites! One Website that I’ve really begun to appreciate is LiveUkulele.com. The Webmaster is doing a great job arranging the valuable information found there in a way that is user friendly. Be sure to both read the Blog entries to see what is new and hover over the tabs to see the other content.

One thing I discovered (via the Blog) was the ‘Blank Sheets’.
Blank Sheets (Chord Charts and Tab) | Live ‘Ukulele: “Blank Chord Chart (8 wide). It currently provides:

-Blank Chord Chart (12 wide – landscape)

-Blank Tab Sheet (for tabbing out your own songs)

-Fretboard Chart (circle all the notes of a chord and look for new shapes)

-Blank Fretboard Chart (write out scales of chords across the fretboard)

Here is an interview with eight-year-old ukulele prodigy Aidan La Prete Powell –

Here is his complete performance of ‘Soul Sister’. Play along with him –

The last two weeks I’ve been going to Senior Centers and playing and singing for the senior adults that attended their meeting. This was the first that I had performed for others outside of my own family so it was somewhat of a new challenge for me. It was a breeze and I had a great time. The seniors seemed to really enjoy it, too.
It was amazing how quickly my skills increased during that time. Of course, I was practicing more but I guess the adrenaline of playing in front of strangers helped. : )

This morning I read of another great idea for sharing our love of Ukes. LearnToUke.co.uk posted ‘Ukulele INSET for Primary School Teachers’. The idea is to provide workshops for primary or elementary school teachers so that they can use the ukulele in the classroom to supplement their curriculum. What a great idea!
Read more about it – http://www.learntouke.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=12:fun-ukulele-inset-for-primary-school-teachers&layout=blog&Itemid=10&layout=default

A Cincinnati-based company has given five ukuleles to children in the hospital through the hospital’s music therapist. This is a great idea and one that many of us might want to consider having a part in at our local hospitals or for another child related ‘social’ program. Read all about it – Ukuleles ease stay in children’s hospital | cincinnati.com | Cincinnati.Com

To obtain the songbook. Follow the instructions on this MySpace.com page – http://www.myspace.com/ukegottobekidding

Look for the section ‘About Ukulele Wednesdays – free London jam…’ and then these words:
‘It’s an open house, we’d love you to join us, before you come, you’ll need the songbook. You’ll find it by emailing…’ The songbook is a very large file (almost 25 mg). When you get the link, ‘Right Click’ on it, then choose ‘Save Link As’ THEN click ‘Open’.

Ralph Shaw, the ‘King of Ukulele’, has a good Website (and Newsletter). I just looked at the .pdf songs and there is some great stuff there! One song that I like is ‘Busy Line’. I’d heard it several times on ‘UkeFarm Radio‘ and have really enjoyed it. YOU can listen to it too on Mr. Shaw’s ‘Music Listen‘ page. ‘Cheek to Cheek’ is another great song on the ‘Song PDF’ page that you can also listen to. The songs are from two of his albums, ‘King of the Ukulele’ (‘finest songs from the golden songwriting era of the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s’) and ‘Table for Two’ (‘classic favorites and sparkling original songs’). Check out this great stuff – Ralph Shaw, Vancouver – Songs Galore! pdfs for download