Worked for 30 minutes on Come and Get your Love. There are a few transitions in strumming where I get lost. I began working on the picking part as well.

Spent an hour looking at a couple other songs I can begin working. The two suggested were “Wonderful Tonight’ And ‘Knocking on Heavens Door” I’m struggling with strumming patterns on both songs. I also looked at Yellow Bird which appears to be an easy picking tune that I can play with.

Spent 30 minutes on beginner strumming lessons.

Grew my fingernails today. 😉

Strummed come and get your love several times continuing to perfect the strumming and chunking pattern there

Began learning “Wonderful Tonight” practiced it for about an hour. Struggling a bit with the strumming pattern.

I’m building a callus now on the outside of my right thumb from chunking. Is this suppose to happen?

completed Bruce Shimabokuru series “improving your ukulele sound” series – lessons 1-4

Completed Matt’s 12 bar Ukulele Blues Part 2. I have no issue getting through the 12 bars and am able to improvise a little on my own.

Got home in time today to watch UU+Q+A Live Lesson. I really appreciated that someone else is struggling to put rhythem and singing together. Listening to Aldrine’s encouragement helps me stick with it.

Was able to stick around long enough to watch part of the live on-line coaching. i had no questions today for UU but it helps me to see what others are seeking help with and listening to the coaching that is given to them. I would have loved to show my new chunking ability to demonstrate a weeks progress but I had to leave.

Starting playing around with Yellow Bird this evening. I’ve been looking for my first picking tune to tackle. Listened to lesson, downloaded the tab and practiced for about an hour on this tune. I’m having a bit of trouble making a clean slide from the F/C to the G1/A2 back to the F/C in the first 3 notes of the song. I’ll keep practicing.

Took another look at Margaritaville. Because I can do the strumming pattern and because it’s an easy song to sing I am using it to learn to sing and strum at the same time. Worked on this for about an hour. I can stay in rhythm doing one or the other but not both.

Got in on the last three songs of the jam session today. what fun!

Growing nails but stopped by local music store today to buy thumb and index finger picks. I like to support local brick and mortar business instead of amazon. Tried a couple ibanez concert ukuleles while there. Nice chunk sound! Strings were black. What were those?

Practiced Yellow Bird off an on all day. maybe 90 minutes all total.

I have 5 grands 13 years to 9 months. 3 oldest are interested in the ukulele. Tried to teach the F chord to the 5 year old this evening. She knows 4 1 finger chords.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by cwaggon.

Spent 1 hour on Yellow Bird today. I can get through the song without looking at the tabs. Will now begin to try to speed it up.

Spent 1 hour working on singing and playing Margritaville. Watched the lesson on singing and playing. Trying to simplify the strumming pattern to sing the song.

I’m making slow progress on both songs. 🙂

Hi Chris,

I just joined UU with an annual subscription today and really enjoyed ready your posts. Keep up the good work mate, I’m looking forward to my progress and can’t help but feel we’re in the right place ?

Thanks Dayne. Improvement is slow but I’m slowly improving. 😉 Cheers

And on Sunday Papa Chris took practice somewhat easy.

Did a couple runs through Yellow Bird. I getting parts one and two in my head. Getting there on part 3. Was able to go faster today then yesterday.

Played some songs out of my songbook using the techniques I’ve learned so far. Picked “All of Me” by Willie Nelson. I was surprised how much better I did than the last time I tried it.

The singing and strumming to Margritaville at the same time still has me stumped.

30 minutes today picking yellow bird
30 minutes today strumming and singing Margarittaville. Sang and strum it to my wife. Got through 1st verse and chorus without a mistake.
30 minutes today picking All of Me
30 minutes today applying techniques to songs in my song book

I am noticing that I don’t improve during a practice session. however, when I come back the next day its as if my unconscious mind improved me a tad wee bit over night.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by cwaggon.

Hmmmmm … I seem to have lost yesterdays post. 🙁

Another 3-4 hours on Margaritaville over the last two days. I just went through the entire song with only a few minor mistakes. I think I’m getting this damn song down.

I need a Margarita served in a coconut!

avatar test

1st attempt at Margaritaville today: strum and sang the entire song through without breaking tempo. Yes I made a mistake or two but recovered in tempo each time. That’s a huge progression. 🙂 I may be ready for open mic.

2nd and 3rd attempt not so well. Reminds me of the old Bull Duram movie where Kevin Costner has the rookie pitcher wear garters to keep his mind of pitching. If I just pick it up and play I get through it. If I over think it while playing I interrupt myself 😛

• This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by cwaggon.

Played Margarittaville 3 times straight through as suggested in Matt’s video on how to prepare for a performance. Made me recognize the following:

1. I can strum and sing most of the song.
2. I don’t have the phrasing and timing down yet on the last line of the chorus. When this happens I stop strumming but keep tempo singing then pick up strumming tempo on the 1st measure of the next line.
3. Somewhere in the song I get lost on the down chuck up up down up pattern but it comes back somehow without loss of tempo

Aldrine was right about over practicing. I’m a little burned out on practicing today. I may take tomorrow off.

3 times through on Margarittaville. 1st one of the day is always the best one..