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  #1  
Old 09-26-2017, 12:40 AM
JohnnySmash JohnnySmash is offline
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Default Classical Training for Ukulele ??

Is there such a thing as classical training on ukulele as in piano or guitar? If so, what books line of training should one take? All advise welcome. Thank you.
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  #2  
Old 09-27-2017, 01:48 PM
Guitar Slim II Guitar Slim II is offline
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Interesting question. There certainly are wizard virtuoso uke players out there, and they do play fingerstyle. I've messed around with fingerstyle on uke myself, but I'm a classical guitar player, so it's just natural for me.

I guess first question is, do you read music on the uke? (Gotta read music if you want to train classical). Most method books - Hal Leonard for sure - teach how to read conventional, classical music notation as well as teaching chords. It's a place to start, if you're not already reading music: an old-fashioned, conventional method book.

If you're beyond that stage already there are books out there with solo instrumental arrangements -- not just chord accompaniment for a song. Sorry, I can't recommend a particular one, but focusing on instrumentals and solos might be another good jumping off point, even if they're not all "classical compositions" per se.

Actually, some of the solo books claim to be classical, but I'd be careful. Most seem to be arrangements of famous classical themes, but aren't really about playing serious classical music in a classical style. There may be exceptions...

Just thought of something else...ukuleles are similar to the Baroque guitar, which has an extra high string on the bass side and is a lot smaller than a modern guitar. I wonder if there's any Baroque guitar music that could transfer easily to the uke?

So there's another thing to try: arranging or transcribing a few simple classical guitar pieces on your own.

But it might just be a path you need to blaze for yourself! Maybe one day YOU will be the first to publish a book an playing classical on ukulele.

Let us know what you've discovered, and how you're approaching this. As a fingerstyle guitarist and sometime uke teacher, I'd be very interested to know..

Last edited by Guitar Slim II; 09-27-2017 at 02:17 PM.
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  #3  
Old 09-28-2017, 04:26 AM
JohnnySmash JohnnySmash is offline
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Guitar Slim II, thank you for your response. Yes, I am beyond learning to read music. I am a piano player and read music well. I know almost every chord there is in all inversions and apply them on the fly as I play keeping the melody on top. Left hand patterns in mostly 8th notes. Not classical or professional. I just enjoy music. I can play my guitar, strumming only. The same on ukulele. First day I could play all chords clearly and change almost smoothly on all chords except, F and B chords. Single note melodies are no problem on either instruments. My problem areas are lack of knowledge of what else to do since I do not just hear it as some do. Wished I could. My other problem is sore thumb, sometimes sore pinkies. The soreness is what brought me to ukulele. I always thought they were just toys. I got a real surprise when I started looking into it. Also I had never before heard of a tenor guitar. Ha, my next love after ukulele. LOL.

I love fingerpicking in standard,open G, and DADGAD. I have Doug Youngs book on DADGAD and Akins books on fingerpicking. I was thinking I could maybe draw some from that for ukulele and try to add parts of the chord below the melody line as I do now for piano. I also plan to check out your recommendations and those of Fran Guidry.

On the soreness. The only reason I can still play, even with some pain, is what I found on the internet about alternate tuning. Drop 3 Tuning is the best. Easiest on the fingers and a capo on fret 3 puts one back in standard tuning.
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  #4  
Old 09-28-2017, 10:14 AM
Ceabeceabe Ceabeceabe is offline
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Check out John king's songbook "the classical ukulele" and for a bit of theory/approach Herb Ohta jr. and Daniel Ho's book "exploring the ukulele"
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  #5  
Old 09-28-2017, 12:55 PM
Fran Guidry Fran Guidry is offline
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Flea Market Music / Jumpin Jim has a ton of uke books by a lot of different authors. They include several fingerstyle and classical items: https://www.fleamarketmusic.com/stor...?idCategory=24

These are song books rather than method books but they do deliver plenty of musical ideas. There's even one specifically for baritones.

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  #6  
Old 10-12-2017, 12:18 AM
icuker icuker is offline
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Does this help?

http://osos.sweb.cz/preview-ukulele.pdf

and

http://www.ukulele-arts.com/?lang=en

and one more that has music geared for Baritone Uke

https://pdfminstrel.wordpress.com/

Rus
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