Project #Uke50ByHeart - First Update

When I updated my NOW page last week, I declared a new project to learn 50 songs on Ukulele and be able to play them from memory.  The tag for this was initially music and lyrics but I'm going to roll with #Uke50ByHeart.  

Breakdown of Tasks

The tasks involved include:

  • Adding songs to my candidates list.  These can come from anywhere.  I grabbed a song from hold music the other day.  And another one from the Bookface.  Many will come from Beloff's Daily Ukulele book.
  • Determining whether a suitable arrangement/key can be found that I am happy with, or rejecting candidate songs
  • Creating my own tab/lyric sheets such as the one I made for "Make You Feel My Love (Adele)" by Bob Dylan.  This acts as my long-term storage for any mods I make on the song and is especially needed if I transpose the key to one that works with my vocal range.
  • Learning the lyrics and then the instrumental.  Then figuring out how to merge these two, which is usually a bloody mess.

Lists and Accounting

I need to experiment with systems for ensuring sufficient practice and accountability for each song.  With that in mind, here is a quick sketch for what I will use to track progress.  The following stages will be identified for each song:

  • Stage 1 - Candidate
  • Stage 2 - Practice Components
  • Stage 3 - Integrated Practice (vocals over ukulele)
  • Stage 4 - Able to Play Through with Music Before Me
  • Stage 5 - Able to Play Without Aids

Each week, to ensure practice coverage, I will assemble practice lists for songs in Stage 2 and 3.  I'll use these during the week.  

And then on Sundays (play day), I'll toggle between playing with/without for Stage 4 songs.

TBD: I will assemble a page on francisluong.com to give myself a collection-point for all of my lists and song progress.

Complete with bed-head! <3

Complete with bed-head! <3

An incomplete glimpse of what's cookin'.

Stage 4

Stage 2