How to Play Ukulele: Calypso Strum
Thu, 07/07/2016 - 2:57pm
Topics: sarah maisel, ukulele
When you think of ukulele, there's a certain strumming pattern that we often associate with sandy beaches and tropical islands. This is what we call the "Calypso Strum" - although it's often been called the "island strum", or sometimes the "rock strum". Whatever you know it as, once you learn to recognize calypso strumming, you'll notice it’s a very popular pattern for playing ukulele. For a classic example, check out "Jamaica Farewell" from Harry Belafonte:
Throughout the song we can hear the calypso strumming pattern, and it immediately gets us in the mood for a cool drink somewhere in the island sun. It has a great warm sound, and if you play ukulele you'd be wise to learn this classic technique since it can be used on so many great songs.
Sarah Maisel demonstrates how to play this classic strumming pattern in the video below. This just a sample from the ukulele lessons at ArtistWorks (which you can find more info about here):
Ukulele Tuning & the Different Sizes
Wed, 04/20/2016 - 4:59pm
Topics: sarah maisel, ukulele
Welcome to the wonderful world of ukulele. This tiny instrument has a fascinating history. Although most commonly associated with Hawaii, it was actually first invented in Madeira, a tropical island in the Atlantic southeast near Portugal. It later spread to Hawaii when many Madeirans came there to work in the late 1800s. The name itself comes from the Hawaiian words ‘uku, which means flea, and lele, which means jumping. To the locals, that’s what it looked like when they played: fingers moving like jumping fleas over the strings.
Ukulele Lessons: Now Available
Thu, 03/24/2016 - 3:19pm
“We’ve found the perfect people to record a massive ukulele lesson library that everyone will enjoy and can use to learn to play their favorite songs. Ukulele has finally arrived at ArtistWorks." - Patricia Butler, ArtistWorks CEO
The big day is finally here! Please join us in welcoming the latest additions to the ArtistWorks Music Faculty, Online Ukulele with Craig Chee & Sarah Maisel!
Learn ukulele online with Craig Chee & Sarah Maisel at http://artistworks.com/ukulele
Related Ukulele Blogs:
Welcome!
Wed, 03/23/2016 - 10:40pm
Aloha Everyone!
Craig and I are thrilled that you are joining us here at ArtistWorks! It is so exciting to have all of these lessons and materials all in ONE place. It's been a wonderful journey for us and we are thrilled to share it all with you. Please make sure you use ALL of the site. The video exchanges are invaluable, so please don't forget to submit your videos. We also encourage you to use the Forum and Shout Box! Those are great places for finding other ukers, listing events, and asking questions. Craig and I will try to check these on a regular basis, so please don't hesitate! ALSO in the Forums, you can ask us questions directly and we will answer them as soon as possible.
We also want to let you know that we will be leaving near April 12th to head up to the Reno 'Ukulele Festival!!! Hopefully we'll see some of you there! After the Fest we will be doing a mini tour heading back home to San Diego, CA. This being said, PLEASE get your videos in before the 10th of April, to be sure we answer them before we go. If you submit a video after the date, don't worry- we will still try to answer a few while we are on the road, if we have a good enough internet connection.
Here are the other stops along the way, just incase you are in the area!
- April 14-17 - Reno 'Ukulele Festival - Sparks, NV
- April 19 - 7:30PM - $20 - DaSilva Ukulele Co - 2547 8th Street Berkeley, CA, 94710 - CONCERT ONLY
- April 20 - 7:30PM - $15/$5 18 and under - Homestead Highschool - 21370 Homestead Rd Cupertino, CA 95014 - CONCERT ONLY
- April 22 & 23 - 7PM & 4:30PM - $20 for each day OR $30 for BOTH - The Strum Shop - 408 Roseville Square Roseville, CA, 95678 - WORKSHOP & CONCERT
- April 24 - 4PM - U_Space - 244 South San Pedro Street Los Angeles, CA, 90012 - WORKSHOP & CONCERT
Again- THANK YOU so much for being a part of our Online 'Ukulele School. This is going to be a wonderful adventure and we can't wait to see you online!
Aloha,
Sarah & Craig
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