Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World (Israel Kamakawiwo'ole) busking ukulele

Hydroman52
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Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:04 am

sabathiel wrote:
The percussive sound is from the strumming or a hit on the soundboard of the uke.
I listened again with a good set of headphones (previously listened with cheap tablet speakers). Through phones I hear the fingernails on the soundboard. Through tablet speakers it sounds just like the click of my metronome.

So, my apologies. I didn't realize it was part of the performance. I see it now. Lesson learned - listen with better equipment first (before inserting foot in mouth!).

On another note........

Once, a friend of mine told me that I was hitting the bridge too hard while doing the Neil Young string muting thing. It didn't sound bad to me while playing, but when I listened to a recording from the audience's point of view, it turned out to be quite an annoying thud. Since then, I have lightened up a bit. It's still there, but not "in your face" as much. I usually get a bit excited (zoned out?) while playing, and error on the side of putting too much energy into it.

Hydroman52


sabathiel
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Tue Apr 23, 2013 8:17 am

Hydroman52 wrote:
sabathiel wrote:
The percussive sound is from the strumming or a hit on the soundboard of the uke.

So, my apologies. I didn't realize it was part of the performance. I see it now. Lesson learned - listen with better equipment first (before inserting foot in mouth!).



Hydroman52
No I don't think that was part of the performance if it is annoying. It's just how it turned out for a beginner like me. I only started learning the ukulele a few months ago and the strumming on this a bit advanced. I try to modify the strumming without losing the feel of the original and that is how it turned out. Strumming the ukulele is a bit different from strumming the guitar. You only use the index finger while on this song the thumb plays the bass (coz I used a low G bassy string which is not the standard string on a ukulele). Yes there is supposed to be a muting of the strings on some part but even on the parts where there was no muting of the strings I can still hear my fingernails on the soundboard. I think one other reason is because of the hyper sensitivity of the condenser mic I was using which picks up the tiniest sound around. I guess this is an area for improvement in the future to avoid the fingernail hitting the top of the uke to loud.Better technique should help in the future. Thanks for your tips.


jayswett
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Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:48 pm

Nice job on a lovely song. Israel's voice seemed so delicate in comparison to his large frame. Such a great song.


jonkirby2012
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Mon Apr 29, 2013 10:06 am

funny i live here in hawaii from the mainland but been here 12 years and the remarks about being rushed from my propective while true is sort of the character of the poeple here in general. so this performance will seem natural to him because it is.
True slow down and enjoy leave the rushing for the mainlanders.


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