# Flamenco on the Ukulele

Category: Jam Session

## Post 1 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Wednesday, 22-Jan-2014 9:48:44

The topic says it all: Have you tried this?
There is a guitar method book on NLS which was recorded in the 60s and 70s and part of it has Flamenco in it.
The hardest part I am finding right now is using my thumb to do most the work with the top three strings. This is because I'd been taught the P.i.M.A. method in college on guitar where each string has a designated finger, on the guitar that would be the bottom four strings.
Anyway I have always loved the sound of that style and got the book because someone told me the guy describes it well, especially for us who cannot see the videos.
The book is: Guitar Method for The Blind
The author is Donald Hoffer.
All you do with his chords is use the same shapes but you get a fourth up on the tenor or higher ukes. So the e major on the guitar is the a major on the uke, same with what he calls e sharp major, which is sort of a suspended ... that would be a sharp major, and so on.
Anyway curious if anyone else has tried this.

## Post 2 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Friday, 24-Jan-2014 14:07:04

So I'm finding one of the hardest things is learning how to do those fast strums. Not a lot of people describe this very well. I'm up for the challenge, I'm merely surprised. It may be if I'd been a guitarist, I would have had an easier time understanding this. The scale patterns and chord shapes I do understand, though of course scales always need work, at least in my case.

## Post 3 by Dolce Eleganza (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Friday, 24-Jan-2014 14:21:27

Leo, I suggest you practice with a metronome. You could start slow, and increase so that the faster parts come naturally to you. I studdied classical guitar, and it was too hard for me. Besides, I felt I didn't like the way my fingers turned out. I have a ukulele, which I haven't taken out in ages. I don't know if it's tennor or otherwise, lol! Maybe I should try it again. Just for fun. I'll take a read on that book.

## Post 4 by Dolce Eleganza (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Friday, 24-Jan-2014 14:25:36

Oh yeah, the ukulele is much different. I'm telling you, I tried it when I began studying classical guitar. So my fingers could get used to strumming. Anyhow, I'll read that book and try the chords and scales too, see if I can give you a better prospective than my ramblings.

## Post 5 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Friday, 24-Jan-2014 14:52:40

Thanks for the advice. I'm familiar with using a metronome, and I may get one or an app. But right now I'm not so much losing timing as I'm having issues with the form, where you strum by opening your hand one finger at a time and such.
Your ukulele is tuned a 4th up from the guitar, with one exception: If you have what's called reentrant tuning, the "my dog has fleas" tuning, the top string is a high g not a low g. So your chord shapes are like the bottom 4 strings of the guitar, only a 4th up.
So to get a g major, you use the same chord shape as you would a d major on guitar.
By top and bottom strings, I mean bottom is closest to the floor, and that high A string is string 1. This is how the method books describe it. I know how to read Braille music, but the very important string symbols are still. Confusing me: all I've ever read before was keyboards and piano, and when I was a bass player, I just transcribed notation for myself on paper using bass cleff piano notation. I know Braille music doesn't say cleff, but that is standard nomanclature, and since I haven't known another blind person who does this, I don't know the Braille music words for it.
But you know what I mean: the octave symbols to the left of the notes. And the odd thing is, they put the top string on the guitar at Octave 3 which on a piano it would be 2 but that is something to remain aware of.
I am also trying to do as much from Youtube as possible, though I have been transposing the Flamenco passages from the guitar book up a forth and redoing parts that use the two top strings we do not have. It's a bit slow work on the Brailler and I'm glad I am the only one reading it since it is far from legal copy, but still.
I do wish for a live human critic though. Most people just seem to respond with "Oh, you can actually do that kind of stuff on the ukulele?" Guess even players just think Tiny Tim or something with the uke, it's not like finding a fellow blues player on guitar or something.

## Post 6 by Dolce Eleganza (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Friday, 24-Jan-2014 15:06:43

Leo, I think that the ukulele has lots of room for variaty and expression. I'm not familiar with braille string notation, as I read piano/wind notation, which isn't much different. I'll have to take mine out, tune it and try it again. it's much different than the guitar, with the forth octive above. lol! Anyhow, I wasn't suggesting the metronome because of timing difficulties, but because you can exercise strumming with the fingers that you have trouble slowly and once you've got the technique under the belt you can gradually increase the speed. You can do this methodicly, though I know you're quite familiar with that. I know it sounds obvious, but I think if you take the time to exercise strumming with your thumb on the three strings using a metronome you wouldn't only master the ppiece, but enhance your technique and make it naturally easier. :)

## Post 7 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Friday, 24-Jan-2014 19:26:27

Thanks. I got a free metronome app and you're right. Also, and this probably sounds weird, but doing arpeggios on strings 4, 3 and 2 with and without alternating on string 1 with the index finger, string 3 is usually late. That's an odd problem I'll have to find a way to isolate and fix. You're right about the strumming patterns, especially the I m a rasqueados and the p I m a pattern where I and a strike together and p goes both directions. I know they say these are the basic Flamenco fundamental patterns, but I can see they take quite a while to master.

## Post 8 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Sunday, 26-Jan-2014 17:58:25

Dolce, I've started doing Flmenco posts on Audioboo. Look for GuardianLeo on there. I'm hoping this won't be 1-way, but doing sessions on how to and stuff.

## Post 9 by Dolce Eleganza (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Sunday, 26-Jan-2014 18:02:36

So how do I use it. Is it an app?

## Post 10 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Sunday, 26-Jan-2014 19:50:56

It's an app and a website.

## Post 11 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Tuesday, 28-Jan-2014 17:51:32

Oh and I just put a Yamaha G1 Guitalele pronounced git a lay lay like Ukulele and Guitar together.
So bottom up, first 4 strings are the uke strings, followed by a low d and a low a, in other words, like putting a capo on the fifth fret of a guitar.
Bought some medium tension Deodario classical guitar strings I will fit to it, this is highly recommended. The scale length is 17" which is about the size of a tenor ukulele, so.
Anyway looking forward to adding that to the uke. Those two bass strings will really add a lot.

## Post 12 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Wednesday, 29-Jan-2014 13:41:30

It's coming to me on Monday the 3rd. Just got word from Amazon. Then, when I have the time where I can give the undivided attention, I will restring with the new strings. Factory strings are often glorified rubber anyway so I'll be glad to put the Deodarios on. Dolce, if you don't know how to do classical guitar strings write me privately I hope I can do something akin to an ok job of describing how. It's that knot under the tie rod at the bridge that will hang you up sometimes. Some people are real uber about that stuff, but my attitude is, if it's good and tight, and you tuck the knot's tail in or trim it down real good, you'll be fine. I never brings strings to full tension on any instrument until I have got them all on. Maybe that is having been a bass player in another life, where you really have to watch it with the tension or you'll have a really bad neck situation on your hands, especially the hollow bodied ones, but still. I'm pretty antsy about stability when I'm putting strings on. One reason I wind by hand and don't use a winder. I've seen guys snap strings using those battery winders.

## Post 13 by Dolce Eleganza (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Wednesday, 29-Jan-2014 14:07:25

ooo you have to let me know how it sounds! I bet it'll be wonderful! Cool stuff! I'll download the app and look for you there.