Episodes
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Ragalele is the newest resource at Uketropolis.com. It was released about six weeks ago and the response has been amazing! New questions and conversations are happening every day as students begin to explore the 6000-year-old tradition of Indian classical music. Today we tackle one of these questions: how best to use Ragalele in a group context?
To learn more about Ragalele and to sample the music, go to: https://www.uketropolis.com/ragalele
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My guest today is Sayali Tank, my co-author on Ragalele, a new resource that brings the magic of Indian classical music to the ukulele. Go to www.ragalele.com for a free download and follow Sayali on YouTube and Instagram.
In this episode we talk about:
How Ragalele came to beThe healing power of musicWestern classical music vs. Indian classical musicHow cultural values are embedded in musical traditionsWhat to expect from Ragalele as a studentand much more! -
Episodes manquant?
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Arranging. It's the all-too-often-overlooked skill that brings music to life... or not. Over the years, there is one simple strategy I've relied on time and time again. It's so simple that it's easy to miss. Plus: why not singing is one of the most important techniques for us singers.
Uke Heads new single "Hearts On Fire": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hGrTIBBjnYMy online ukulele courses (some free, some paid): https://www.uketropolis.com -
Are you afraid of strings that go squeak in the night?
My latest educational project, Ragalele, brings the magic of Indian Ragas to the ukulele: https://www.ragalele.comUke Heads new single "Hearts On Fire": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hGrTIBBjnYMy online ukulele courses (some free, some paid): https://www.uketropolis.com -
Music theory is a form of understanding that comes after you play and experiment. A lot. At least that's my opinion. In this episode I make my case for playing first and asking questions later. Enjoy!
I'm on tour in Ontario and Quebec! Join me for an in-person ukulele workshop: https://www.jameshillmusic.com/tourUke Heads new single "Hearts On Fire": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hGrTIBBjnYMy online ukulele courses (some free, some paid): https://www.uketropolis.com -
Travis picking is named after Merle Travis, the Country-Music Hall-of-Famer who popularized the technique. If you're a bit bored with the same old strumming and picking techniques you've been using, well, it's Travis picking to the rescue! The thumb goes back-and-forth, the fingers dance on the melody. Simple, right? Not exactly. Like any physical skill, Travis picking takes time to acquire but it's well worth the effort!
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Learn ukulele with James: www.uketropolis.com
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My new album Uke Heads comes out tomorrow, February 16th, 2024! But it's not just my album, it's a project that has become a global community. How did an idea go from doodles on scrap paper to a full album with over 165 players from 15 countries? In this special episode, taped live at the Uke Heads Gathering in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Chris Parsons and I reflect on the two-year arc of the 10-song recording. You'll hear from a number of people who played and sang on the album and get a preview the finished tracks.
Learn more about Uke Heads and join the band at www.ukeheads.comWatch our latest video single, "Lucky in Love" on YouTubeShop Uke Heads merch including apparel and CDs at www.ukeheads.com/shop -
"Angeline the Baker" (also known as "Angelina Baker") is one of the most well-known songs in the Old-time repertoire. It's appeal is a bit of a mystery: it only has two chords and its melody is pentatonic, meaning it doesn't even use all the notes of the major scale. And yet it contains multitudes. I continually return to this melody for its simple beauty and flowing rhythms. In this episode we examine a very specific moment in "Angeline the Baker" and I hope it inspires you to learn the rest of the piece. You won't regret it!
Watch Scott's arrangement of "Angeline the Baker": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t835kgnG3U
Learn more about James' Americana Ukulele online course: https://www.uketropolis.com/americana--
Learn ukulele with James: www.uketropolis.com
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Is it legal to use a pick on the ukulele? Yes! Once and for all, YES! In fact, it's a gateway to some really interesting sounds. Specifically, it brings a level of agility to your melodies that is unlike anything else and it opens the door to tremolo flatpicking which can bring a new kind of lyricism to your playing. So, shine up your flatpicks and let's play!
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Learn ukulele with James: www.uketropolis.com
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Can't do the Vulcan salute? No problem! Stretching your fingers apart (think "live long and prosper") isn't the only way to play challenging chords. In this episode, we explore the difference between stretching for the notes in a chord and reaching for the notes in a chord. Although posture is a huge topic that we can't possibly cover in one episode, I'm going to share one simple thing that you can do to improve your chances with challenging chord shapes.
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Learn ukulele with James: www.uketropolis.com
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The triple strum: it's one of my favourite ukulele topics... ever! I've been fascinated by this technique since I was a kid. Today, we get to dig into the magic of the triple strum and discover how left-hand muting takes this already-great strum to a new level.
If you're looking for a bucket-list ukulele experience, check out the Ukulele Hideaway in Sicily, a retreat with Yours Truly (and friends) taking place August 5-9, 2024. For more information, click here. I hope to see you there!
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Learn ukulele with James: www.uketropolis.com
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Welcome back! I took a bit of time off to do a tour and release a new album but I'm back now and I have several episodes lined up for the coming weeks. This week I'll show you a simple strategy you can use in your practice to figure out which left-hand fingerings will work best. It's a simple thing but it can make a huge difference!
Reminder: next ukuLOUDLY rehearsal is January 19th at noon Pacific (3pm Eastern). You're invited! Go to www.ukuloudly.com to sign up for this global ukulele orchestra. It's free... and big fun!
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Learn ukulele with James: www.uketropolis.com
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This week, two topics: 1) How can you have a chord with no root? 2) Ideas for managing stage fright through creative pre-concert prep.
Learn ukulele with James: www.uketropolis.com
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A short, bite-sized bonus episode for ukulele teachers. Here's a technique you can use in the classroom RIGHT NOW: turn any one-chord song (e.g. Row Your Boat, Frere Jacques, Every Night, etc.) into a soulful rocker. It's easy and fun. Definitely something you want to have in your bag of tricks as a classroom teacher, private instructor or community leader.
JHUI Teacher Certification Program: https://www.uketropolis.com/jhui
Free and premium teacher resources: https://www.uketropolis.com/teach -
Welcome to Season 4 of the Uketropolis Podcast! To kick things off, a question from Uketropolis student Doug leads us to explore the relationship between speed and style in music. Specifically, we take a page from jazz saxophone technique in an attempt to have it all: speed and style.
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In this final episode of Season 3, we tackle a thorny musical question: how can your ukulele be in tune and still play out of tune? It's a question that will take us on a fascinating listening journey. Ultimately, you'll discover why tuning to the song may be the only way around this tuning paradox.
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Jazz teaches us many things. Even if we're not playing jazz, we can apply the lessons learned to many areas of music-making. In this episode: how jazz teaches us to do more with less (e.g. easier ways to play the B-flat chord), and how jazz encourages us to find our own personal musical style (e.g. artfully re-writing a melody to fit within a smaller range of notes).
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There's an open question in the ukulele community: what to do when the tuning of the baritone doesn't mesh with the tuning of the other ukuleles in an ensemble? In this episode we explore this vexed question and as well as some possible solutions. BONUS: this episode includes a preview of my ukulele-orchestra arrangement of George Bizet's "Farandole." It's a banger.
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Wouldn't it be nice if there was a bridge between standard tuning and baritone tuning? Turns out, there is! In this episode: how to make the transposition between standard and baritone tuning in the most painless way possible.
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Are your hands too small for baritone ukulele? Probably not. That being said, there's one chord that might give you trouble: the diminished 7. In this episode: a workaround for the diminished 7 that works on all sizes of ukulele, not just baritone.
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