Here is my review and notes from The Ukulele Toolbox DVD 1 released by Homespun Video.

General observations: Over 2hrs of instruction from the late Bob Brozman. The video has a stream of consciousness, conversational tone. The presentation jumps quickly from concept to concept. Be prepared to pause and run back. If I was just starting out, and new little about music, this video would probably overwhelm me. As an intermediate player, I found much that was interesting for me to work on. One of the nice bonuses you should be aware of is that the DVD has a PDF with all the exercises and concepts Bob introduces for you to print off.

Notes

Tuning the Ukulele (GCEA) and issues

• Guitar tuning issues are magnified because of the smaller scale of the uke.
• Use an electronic tuner, but double check the instrument against itself.
• Practical information on adjusting the nut.
• Fine tune “1 to 1 ratio” peg head tuners with a “Pinto Bean Fine Tuner.”

Right Hand Rhythm

• Brain runs many different ‘software programs’ at the same time, so divide and conquer.
• Whole arm stroke . . . down with thumb and up with first finger.
• Swung rhythm vs Straight rhythm.
• Cutting off notes (muting): professional controls where the notes end. Mute with the fleshy side of the palm.
• Strums with thumb and index, index alone and middle finger alone.
• Triplet: down middle, up index, up middle.
• Practice slow and deliberately at first, but as you speed up be lighter with less effort.
• Use the fingerboard as a landing pad for strumming.
• Trying triplets on various beats of the measure.
• All about cutting, pasting and reassembling these little ideas.
• Four finger roll and four finger roll followed by the thumb (calls it a scroll).
• Arranging the landscape of your songs: aggressive, soft, etc.
• Triplet 2 (whole arm triplet): DOWN up down UP down up DOWN up down UP down up.
• 4 2 3 1 (string numbers) fingerpicking with the thumb and index.
• Fingerpicking partial chords with triplet accents.
• Left hand finger placement for partial chords (6ths).
• Blues turnaround.
• Importance of getting variety, cutting and pasting.
• Pinching strings 4 & 2 and 3 & 1.
• Strumming across different parts of the strings changes tone and accent.
• Use the first part of your practice to focus on right hand rhythm and challenge yourself to come up with interesting variations.

The Key of C

• String science, the Greeks, harmonics and home base.
• Scales all made up of combinations of whole steps and half steps.
• The C scale.
• C and G7 chords.
• Think ahead on chord changes.
• Incorporating melodies into chord positions.
• Cadential G7 (0535).
• Alternate F (2013).
• Fingerpicking 4 2 1 3 2 1 3 2
• Fingerpicking 4 2 1 3 2 1
• Many songs use just C, G7 and F.
• Chapter 15: Putting together a blues progression. C, C7, F (and F7), and G7 plus closing turnaround.
• Embellished turnarounds and alternate chord voicings.
• Playing C, G7 and F with the 2-4^th fingers to prepare for barre chords.
• Getting more leverage for barre chords.
• Relationships of chords (1, 4, 5) vs. Names of chords (C, F, G7).
• Partial chords can suggest the chord you intend.
• Some chord theory on 9ths, etc.
• Basic ‘Slants’ (partial chords) on middle strings: 00 21 43 55 77 98, etc.

The Key of G

• 1, 4 & 5 = G, C & D7.
• Alternate C voicing.
• Short and long slants in the key of G on strings 1 & 2.
• Key of F = F, Bb & C7.
• Cycle of Fifths (Circle of Fifths) and dominant chords as questions: D7, G7, C7, F.
• Practicing more difficult chord shapes.
• Chord progression Bb, Bbm, F, D7, G7, C7, F. Ending Bb, Bbm, F.

Adding Minors

• Taking that chord progression back to C: F, Fm, C, A7, D7, G7, C.
• Major keys and their relative minors.
• A minor: Am, Dm, E7.
• Adding slaps to your strum patterns.
• 4 inversions for most chords.
• D minor: Dm, Gm, A7 (A dim).
• Chapter 31: 16 bar Calypso in Am: Am, Am, E7, Am, repeat, A7, Dm, G7, C, A7, Dm, E7, Am.
• Relative major Calypso progression.
• Sliding fully closed chords from underneath by one fret for swingtime numbers.
• 32 Bar Form: AABA. Examples with two kinds of bridges.

I Love a Ukulele

• Song tutorial.

Post filed under All UkulelePlay! Blog Posts, Ukulele Learning Material Reviews.