Hello UU team,

Here is Hamsini’s response to challenge #21. Harini improvising a backing on her digital piano.

Thanks
Aswin

• This reply was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by Aswin Sai Narain S.

Songwriting Challenge #22

Guideline:
Write a song for the song title, “Jubilant October Afternoon”

Bonuses:
Lyrics
Disco or Funk (Earth Wind and Fire)
3/4 Time
Use a 9th chord (add9)

UU Team Due Date: October 15th
UU Member’s Due Date: October 22nd

• This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by kahai.

Hello all: Here is Hamsini’s composition for challenge #22. A festive song for October is the season of festivals here in India:

Thanks,
Aswin

Nice job, everyone! I need some inspiration to write a new song! Aswin, I assume those two are twins. Where are you in India? I have a former neuropsychology student in Chennai who recently finished her Ph.D.

Hi Robb: Yes. Harini and Hamsini are twins. Covid-19 has ensured that schools are shut; they have some online lessons a couple of days a week and they find these lessons fairly easy. This has given them a lot of time to focus on music (Harini is learning the piano from Hugh Sung at ArtistWorks and Hamsini, of course, her uke from Aldrine; Hamsini has also started learning to play the guitar with a nice local teacher here who also helps Harini fiddle around with an electronic keyboard).

We live in Bangalore now, but both my wife and I are from Chennai and the twins were also born there. A coincidence: I am a biologist with a PhD and I train PhD students as a faculty at the National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bangalore. I do bioinformatics, which is a blessing at this time when working from home is not such an impediment to getting things done.

Aswin

Very interesting, Aswin. Amzaing what can be doneon the Internet. How old are the two girls? I wish I had applied myself like that when I was their age. I think the brain is much more malleable for music when you are young. If you want, email me directly at rmapou@gmail.com or find me on Facebook so we don’t take up space here.
Robb

Songwriting Challenge #23

Guideline:
Write a song for “Thankful Jive Turkey”. Incorporate it as Lyrics or use it as inspiration. You can use any combination of words.

Bonuses:
Also include a reference to Lilikoi
Funk or Reggie (Reggae)
Include a minor 4th chord

Suggested Chord Progressions (not mandatory):
I vi IV V

Example Chords using Progression:
C Am F G
G Em C D
F Dm Bb C

Songwriting Challenge #24

Guideline:
Write a song for “Delightful Moon Gazing”. Incorporate it as Lyrics or use it as inspiration. You can use any combination of the words.

Bonuses:
Minor Chord Substitution
Jazz
Freestyle
or Freestyle Jazz
Classic Country

Suggested Chord Progression (not mandatory):
I V IV V

UU Team Due Date: December 17th
UU Members Due Date: January 7th

• This reply was modified 2 years ago by kahai.

Hello all

Here is Hamsini’s solo in response to challenge #24. She has played this on her brand new low-G Pono ATD (and the Uke logic strings) that arrived at home all the way from Hawaii’s The Ukulele Site on New Year’s Day.

She says this is a rough draft and she is working on articulation while I try and figure out how to record nicely with the mic and mixer.

Thanks,
Aswin

Nice job Hamsini. Your chord choices are very interesting. We always look forward to your new songs each month.

Hey UU+, it’s been awhile since I did a songwriting challenge. Because I suggested it, here’s my take on classic country about Delightful Moon Gazing.. Still not great at strumming and singing but getting better.

Delightful Moon Gazing (by Kevin Baye)

Another Friday night, All alone at the bar, Drinking that liquid courage, Never seems to get me far

I see her from across the room, She stands out from the crowd, She bends over that jukebox, Country music playing loud

Delightful, delightful moon gazing, It’s perfect in every way, Delightful, delightful moon gazing,
Can’t take my eyes away

I jump down off my barstool, Begin to make my way, As I approach, I see the ring, And start backing away

Delightful, delightful moon gazing, It’s perfect in every way, Delightful, delightful moon gazing, Can’t take my eyes away

It’s the story of my life, Back alone at the bar, Washing down my sorrows, Watching her get in his car

Delightful, delightful moon gazing, It’s perfect in every way, Delightful, delightful moon gazing, Can’t take my eyes away

Delightful, delightful moon gazing, It’s perfect in every way, Delightful, delightful moon gazing, Can’t take my eyes away, Can’t take my eyes away, No, I can’t take my eyes away

• This reply was modified 2 years ago by Kevin Baye.

Nice job, everyone! I thought there was one more in the group, but i guess that was sent directly.

Thanks Chris. I will pass your wishes over to Hamsini. I don’t think she can name any chord except may be the 1-chords. She basically makes the melody Indian style and then tries to fit chords in. For her any combination of notes from the scale (sometime with off-scale notes) is fine as a chord as long as it is playable and sounds OK to her.

Best,
Aswin

That’s really impressive, Aswin. You know, there are a lot of very talented musicians who cannot read music. Thanks for helping Porselvi. Small world!