For questions, suggestions or any other non-spam communication, use the contact form below.
-
Follow
Following
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
For questions, suggestions or any other non-spam communication, use the contact form below.
ukulelesecrets 
April 15th, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Ok, I just re-subscribed and I think my message might have gotten totally blanked out. I saw you the other night at Central Market, and you played Tito and the Trantulas song. I also asked you about Maleguena Salarosa and also Garanada is a cool song. Anyway, if you have any of the figured out and don’t mind sharing, I would be very grateful. BTW you are a bad ass ukulele player.
April 15th, 2011 at 6:02 pm
Sent you an email, Patrick.
Thanks!
August 11th, 2011 at 10:43 pm
Tim… I know it is hard to keep up with a blog, but you haven’t shared any secrets in about a month!
I am dying for another secret 🙂
August 12th, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Sorry, Dan!
I’m in the middle of some time consuming life at the moment.
More secrets to come… I promise
October 31st, 2011 at 7:36 am
Hi, Just wanted to say nice job on your blog and some very useful ukulele tips. Like your fingerstyle roll, used to play 5-string a bit and think we used to call that an alternate roll bluegrass banjo. If you get time it would be neat to have you add the second verse to Ring of Fire, it really sounds good.
Thanks,
Art
November 26th, 2011 at 8:45 pm
Art, second, same as the first!
November 26th, 2011 at 5:42 pm
I just happened to google about ukelele in Austin and I found your website. Do you give ukulele lessons? If you do, what is your fee for 30 minutes lesson and 60 minutes lesson?
Thank you,
Wanda
November 26th, 2011 at 8:45 pm
Wanda, I sent you an email.
November 29th, 2011 at 11:09 pm
Hey, I see in your Christmas videos you have an Anuenue Harp Uke in the background. How do you like it? I just bought one myself. Any video’s in the works? I’m gonna put some up on my site, but I’m still working out the kinks!
UkuleleStu
http://www.youtube.com/user/ukulelestu?feature=mhee
November 30th, 2011 at 12:12 am
UkuleleStu! I just got it a few hours ago. I already put a high G on it and am trying the diapason string a few different ways.
I will post a video when I get the hang of it, too. So glad to know someone has one. It’s a small club. I think you have to have the word ukulele in front of your name. =)
November 30th, 2011 at 12:31 am
Small club indeed… There’s only suppossed to be 12 total in the whole USofA. I bought two of them, gonna sell one and help pay for the one I’m keeping.. Where did you get yours, and if you don’t mind my asking, what did it cost you?
Stu
December 13th, 2011 at 10:08 am
Love your blog. I’m heading back home to Austin for the holidays and was wondering if you can recommend uke lessons or even a more experienced ukulele group to sit in and learn from. Am currently living in Hong Kong and most of the uke lessons out here are in Cantonese (needless to say, a bit hard to follow at times). Thanks!
May 10th, 2012 at 3:38 pm
Michael, if you come back to Austin let me know and we can get together for instruction.
January 7th, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Hi Tim
I was wondering if you had a link to the tabs for Blackberry Blossom handy? My friends and I are trying this one and yours will be perfect for us, Thanks!
May 10th, 2012 at 3:37 pm
JP, I don’t have that song tabbed although I might work that up now that you mention it. Sorry for the delayed response!
February 27th, 2017 at 3:16 am
Hi Tim, A devoted fan her. Thank you for all your help, that you do not even know you have given. Picked up the uke some three years ago, and quickly found your cite. Started on the arpeggio stoff, but have moved on to the clawhammer, and that’s pretty much my main interest now. I would love to see some more stuff on this, and would easily be willing to pay a bit for some ealborate tabs on pieces like the Balckberry Clawsome, La Musica della Nocturna (?) etc, or some other litle more Advanced stuff. Anyway. Thanks again. Cheers
JJ
February 5th, 2012 at 11:59 pm
Howdy!
My name is Sean and I just wanted to say thanks for putting in the time in making these helpful videos. I was wondering by any chance if you were planning on tabbing James Hill’s Assam/Like a bird in the near future? I’ve looked everywhere and have found no tabs for that song. Anyways, thanks again for putting your talent to good use! =)
-Sean
May 10th, 2012 at 3:36 pm
Sean. I have tabbed Like a Bird but not sure I will publish it yet unless I get James’ blessing. Sorry for the delayed response!
October 10th, 2012 at 11:00 am
I love this song and have already started to learn some sections. Tabs would be awesome. PLEASE ask James for his blessings !!
April 14th, 2012 at 2:56 pm
From an old man with stiff fingers who is trying to play alittle, you inspire me to do more. Thanks and keep up the great work.
May 6th, 2012 at 10:13 am
Tim
I started playing the uke after 40 years of being a poor guitar player. Any ideas on how to overcome following:
inability to play a whole arrangement through without finding at least one problem section
inability to grow nails and reluctance to use thumb pick as on guitar. I might have expected you to use a thumbpick but I bet your versatitlity would suffer.Would it ?
Possibly need a structured tuition book but does not appear to be one for your style of playing.
At least I have found your website and Im very impressed with your great playing. Thank you
John Hubbard (Sorry if I should not have entered this here)
May 7th, 2012 at 9:17 am
John, thanks for stopping by my site.
In response to your questions..
#1 If you are having a problem with a section in an arrangement that just shows you where you need to work. Don’t give up, rather focus on that part exclusively, slowly, repetitiously for a while until you smooth it out. Break it down into one or two measure pieces and don’t move on until you can play the small part. It does take effort, but that effort is rewarded.
#2a I have struggled with growing nails in my earlier years but I was playing on steel strings so it was hard to keep from breaking them all the time. I sometimes would go to nail salons and have acrylic nails applied so I could go play a gig. Unfortunately this made my own nails even weaker. Eventually I just garnered patience and kept trying to let them grow. Today my mnails are healthier but I still manage to break one every now and then and I have to just wait for it to grow back. I am sorry I don’t have better advice for that.
#2b I do not use a thumb pick. I have tried, even with the banjo, but it doesn’t feel natural to me. I like feeling the strings with my thumb and fingers. That being said, some people do use a thumb pick, even on the ukulele, most notably Brittni Paive. Try it and if it works go with it.
#3 I am thinking about writing a book for my style of playing. I need encouragement to take on the task.
Take care and good luck!
May 10th, 2012 at 2:54 pm
Tim
Thank you for the trouble you have taken in your reply. I look forward to your book you can count on me buying it enough said . your style is just great.
John
May 15th, 2012 at 10:10 pm
i am a new uk player and trying to learn “Ring of Fire”. I am experimenting with the “riff” but where is the rest of the song? i am looking for the chord progression…
May 15th, 2012 at 10:28 pm
Here is a link to the chords. http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/j/johnny_cash/ring_of_fire_crd.htm. You can strum them and sing or also play them using the Folksy Fingerstyle technique. Have fun!
July 8th, 2012 at 2:01 pm
Is there any chance you could possibly transcribe this piece of music tot he ukulele? I love it, and I think it would sound fantastic on the uke. I have an MP3 I could send you if it would help, my email is bat.jonesy@:btinternet.com
I don’t have the skill or knowledge to tanscribe this, but I would love to have the tab so I could play it. Rergards..
July 15th, 2012 at 11:43 pm
Mark.. I love this piece of music, too. And that is one of my favorite scenes from that movie. I have not considered arranging it for ukulele but I will put some thought into it.
February 27th, 2017 at 3:01 am
Hi, yes please do! My favorit movie, and the best Music theme in it! I would love to see you arrange that in clawhammer Tim, and would easily pay for a tab!
Cheers Jørgen K Bølling
September 22nd, 2012 at 6:34 pm
Hey Tim, I am not sure if this is the right way to correspond with you, but I have to say that I have listened to your and Jim’s Tico Tico Ukulele Duet over and over again, as I am trying to learn to play it. I think you are an awesome musician and in my spare free time I have been viewing your videos on youtube. Thank you for sharing your talent with the “masses”. I am sorry about your computer getting stolen. I printed the sheet music score and have been working on this song, but if you have any tips or tabs, please pass them on. Again, you are a fantastic musician!
Thank you, Mary in VA
September 25th, 2012 at 7:31 pm
Mary, thank you for the kind words! I really appreciate it. Tico Tico is an ambitious undertaking but I encourage you to keep at it. Perhaps in the future I will break down the various parts of my arrangement to make them easier to learn. Meanwhile feel free to ask me specific questions via email. My email address starts with “zenyogi” and is listed at the top of this page.
Take Care!