Author Topic: 7 ukulele rehearsals to go (Read 3034 times)

Tom · « **on:** October 23, 2019, 08:57:16 AM »

Last evening 55 Delta Strummers practiced most of the numbers in our December 12 concert program. With only 7 rehearsals to go, the Maestro focused on the numbers we need most help with. Three weeks ago I told my band neighbor that we had so far go, but there was one guy who could get us there. I'm amazed at the progress we've made. Unfortunately, I was lip syncing again. Looks like I might be shooting video instead of performing.

DavidM · « **Reply #1 on:** October 23, 2019, 09:13:17 AM »

My son often comments about early rehearsals and how bad they sound, but more than often that last rehearsal and performance is the one they all rise to the occasion for.

I hope you find help and answers to your voice/singing issues!

Tom · « **Reply #2 on:** October 23, 2019, 09:24:36 AM »

Aye David. Our Maestro, a long time friend, listens when I whisper in his ear; More and more he teaches the song for those who don't know it (he's a good singer and, until recently, was Music Director of a local mixed chorus). He also does a good job of breaking each song down for the folks who aren't playing it well.

Thanks for the vocal comment. Unfortunately, the first appointment I could get with 'the expert' in the Bay area and on the West coast is mid January. The Christmas family singalong will be a little tough.

Tom · « **Reply #3 on:** October 24, 2019, 08:41:14 PM »

The poster for our Christmas concert has been published locally. Anyone interested can view the poster here (it's a link to the pdf file on our web server), or by clicking the link on the Home page of our web site ( http://www.deltastrummers.org ).

SeilerBird · « **Reply #4 on:** October 28, 2019, 10:05:57 AM »

You are lucky, I wish our group met more often and took things more seriously. I just got the music for two of the numbers we do in the Christmas parade. They are Jingle Bells and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. For some reason he keeps on changing the songs we do every year. This is the fifth year, my fourth. If it were me I would keep the same songs every year but I don't run the group thank heavens. On another note, I did want to start a whole new thing just for this, but this morning I doing my usual practicing on the drums when something hit me in the cheek. It was a tip of the drum stick. My very favorite pair. I wasn't hitting it any harder than usual and I wasn't doing a rim shot so it just broke from age and use. My alternate pair was about an inch longer and they felt like they were about a foot longer. I must order a new pair since my favorites had a rubber grip and any alternate doesn't have a grip so they slide around too much.

Tom · « **Reply #5 on:** October 28, 2019, 11:02:27 AM »

Sorry it happened with your favorite sticks. That broken tip might make a ukulele pick.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #6 on:** October 28, 2019, 11:03:59 AM »

Quote from: Tom on October 28, 2019, 11:02:27 AM

Sorry it happened with your favorite sticks. That broken tip might make a ukulele pick.

Good thought. I just ordered a new pair and in a year and a half they have gone up $2.00.

Tom · « **Reply #7 on:** October 28, 2019, 11:24:22 AM »

Quote

If it were me I would keep the same songs every year

We like to ring the ~~bells~~ changes; Typically, 50% of a concert program are new-to-us songs. That's a little more difficult with a Christmas program, but songs such as Leroy The Redneck Reindeer, Christmas Island, Christmas Twist, Marshmallow World, The Marvelous Toy, and Oh Hannukah helped the mix this time around; These and others came from our open mic' sessions. We're also performing Beautiful City (Gospel genre) that we first performed several years ago while performing with a local 80-voice choral group (having the same Music Director at the time helped).

Tom · « **Reply #8 on:** October 28, 2019, 11:29:17 AM »

Quote

I wish our group met more often and took things more seriously

Just curious, how many of them are part timers to the area? Reason I ask is that, when we were in Southern California one year, I hooked up with 3 ukulele groups. Most of their members were snowbirds, mainly from Canada. Organization and discipline were sadly lacking.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #9 on:** October 28, 2019, 11:37:33 AM »

Quote from: Tom on October 28, 2019, 11:29:17 AM

Just curious, how many of them are part timers to the area? Reason I ask is that, when we were in Southern California one year, I hooked up with 3 ukulele groups. Most of their members were snowbirds, mainly from Canada. Organization and discipline were sadly lacking.

Our group is usually about 25 to 30 people with about a fourth of them being new to the group. There are about 15 that are there every meeting. I have never asked how many were snowbirds. Interesting question, I will try and remember to ask next time. We have to keep the list short, like three songs in a medley so that we can make sure everyone knows them. Very few of the people are serious musicians.

Tom · « **Reply #10 on:** October 28, 2019, 01:02:33 PM »

Quote

... so that we can make sure everyone knows them. Very few of the people are serious musicians.

Many of our (band) members, including me, are not musicians either. There are few songs that I can play without a lead sheet; The few I can play took some focused effort - repeated strumming (uke or guitar) until my ears detected a clunker. Lyrics are never an issue for me; Current vocal challenges aside, I just start singing and the lyrics come out without me thinking about them. In most cases, I couldn't 'speak' the lyrics of songs I'm able to sing.

When we first performed Beautiful City and a couple of other songs, we couldn't use music stands because there were 180 or so people on the stage (including the chorus on risers). I was thinking about what Salvation Army horn players use - music is held on top of the horn. I thought of small lead sheets hanging down from a holder sticking out the front of a visor. One of the band members came up with something made from stiff paper that laid on the upper side of our ukes, and that worked.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #11 on:** October 28, 2019, 01:10:47 PM »

I know what you mean about not being able to speak a song you can sing. I have many songs that I know backwards and forwards for many years. However if I want to write the lyrics down I can't do it. I get the verses all mixed up and sometimes I come to a complete blank.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #12 on:** October 28, 2019, 01:59:38 PM »

I think the answer to your problem would be virtual reality headsets, like Google Glass. But that might be a bit pricey.

Tom · « **Reply #13 on:** October 28, 2019, 03:20:13 PM »

Quote

I think the answer to your problem would be virtual reality headsets

Can't see 70 band members spending that kind of money. I've thought of a ~~holistic~~ holographic projector (project the lead sheet into "space" above the audience).

SeilerBird · « **Reply #14 on:** October 28, 2019, 03:28:20 PM »

Quote from: Tom on October 28, 2019, 03:20:13 PM

Can't see 70 band members spending that kind of money. I've thought of a holistic projector (project the lead sheet into "space" above the audience).

Well maybe someday they will come down drastically in price.

I have been working on a piece of music for the last two weeks thinking it was going to be impossible for me play. But today I had a revelation that I could slow down the YouTube video to half speed. At half speed I was finally able to hear what he was playing. Now all I have to do is get it up to speed. That should take another week then I will video it and post it. I won't reveal just yet what it is but it is the most insane thing I have ever learned.

Tom · « **Reply #15 on:** October 28, 2019, 03:35:40 PM »

We eagerly await the video.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #16 on:** October 28, 2019, 03:39:39 PM »

Quote from: Tom on October 28, 2019, 03:35:40 PM

We eagerly await the video.

Well don't get too excited, it is not that spectacular and it is only 35 seconds long. Crazy to put this much work into 35 seconds. But I am crazy.

Tom · « **Reply #17 on:** October 28, 2019, 03:48:11 PM »

Quote

I am crazy

You, crazy

SeilerBird · « **Reply #18 on:** October 28, 2019, 04:08:57 PM »

Quote from: Tom on October 28, 2019, 03:48:11 PM

You, crazy

Certified.

Tom · « **Reply #19 on:** October 28, 2019, 05:28:08 PM »

That explains a lot

SeilerBird · « **Reply #20 on:** October 28, 2019, 05:32:10 PM »

You can ask anyone here, they will all agree.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #21 on:** October 29, 2019, 10:43:38 AM »

Tom - I made an amazing discovery while practicing the drums this morning. I have had trouble ever since I got this set doing fast single stroke rolls on the two high tom toms. I don't have that problem with my snare or my side tom and it dawned on me maybe I had the upper toms set wrong. They were at about a 45 degree angle cause the look cool that way. I changed them to being parallel to the floor like my snare and side tom and viola, I stopped having problems. Now I have to disassemble most of the set and redo everything to make it work better. I have all the wires velcroed to the frame and now they are too long or to short. But that sure makes me a happy man to figure that out, it was driving me crazy.

Tom · « **Reply #22 on:** October 29, 2019, 10:55:37 AM »

A mutual friend of our Music director is both a singer and drummer. He has his own "Sinatra" show, sings in the mixed choral group, and occasionally plays drums for them. Our MD mentioned that the drummer takes "a long time" to set up his drums the way he wants them before a performance.

Next time I'm in a Guitar Center salivating over a set of Roland drum pads, I'll play around with a regular drum set to have a better appreciation of what you just experienced.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #23 on:** October 29, 2019, 11:38:48 AM »

It is so weird that now it is so obvious what my problem was but it still took me a year and a half to figure it out. I may be old but I am slow.

Tom · « **Reply #24 on:** November 08, 2019, 09:30:36 PM »

We're down to 5 rehearsals, and the final playlist is locked down. Minor tweaks to the lead sheets (hopefully the last) published today.

Tom · « **Reply #25 on:** November 09, 2019, 04:37:52 PM »

With 5 weeks to go, this concert is sold out. Additional ticket requests have prompted consideration of a matinee performance earlier the same day.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #26 on:** November 11, 2019, 04:09:17 PM »

Well Tom here is the video I promised a while ago. I have finally decided I will never get it perfect or even close to perfect. The timing is too crazy. As a drummer I want everything to be on the beat and nothing is on the beat in this song. Love To You by the Beatles from Revolver. Actually it is not the Beatles, it is George and a bunch of his Indian friends. Lovely song. Impossible for me to play accurately. Have a good laugh. This is as close as I will get to owning a sitar.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/1Ua29QkXEpYEbVt6A

Tom · « **Reply #27 on:** November 11, 2019, 05:05:45 PM »

Thanks Tom. I see what you mean about nothing being on the beat.

Tom · « **Reply #28 on:** November 11, 2019, 05:07:46 PM »

Quote from: Tom

Additional ticket requests have prompted consideration of a matinee performance earlier the same day.

Matinee same day as concert is confirmed. Ticket requests just keep coming.

Tom · « **Reply #29 on:** November 12, 2019, 05:51:08 PM »

It's official, and Jolly Ukulele Christmas matinee tickets are on sale.

News:

Author Topic: 7 ukulele rehearsals to go (Read 3034 times)