In issue 23, George Bartle provided his arrangement of Habanera. This has two parts, so you can play either, or play both (with a friend). If you’re playing solo, you can listen to the mp3 of the second part (or first part, depending on what you’d like to play!), and duet with George. There’s also an audio file of both parts below, so that you can hear what it should sound like together.
A play through of Swansong from Issue 23 of UKE Magazine.
Your Nominations Needed!
The UKE Magazine Awards are back, and we need your input to decide on the favourite artists, brands and events in the ukulele world - as selected entirely by readers. The first stage is to draw up a shortlist for each category, to be voted on in the future. Note - Only UKE Magazine readers can nominate or vote to limit any influencing by social media. For this reason, the nomination form asks for your name and e-mail to ensure that only nominations from readers are counted. This information will only be used to verify that only readers can nominate and later, vote.
The categories in the awards area as follows:
If you would like to select someone or something in any of these categories, use the form below. You don’t have to suggest an answer in all categories, by any means! And you can suggest more than one in each category if you wish. These submissions will be counted and the most popular put forward to the final shortlists, which will be published in UKE Magazine Issue 24. Nominations need to be in by 1 November 2020.
You can nominate in any number of categories, just one, or any number in between. IF you want to add a short paragraph about why you made your choice, feel free - we’ll print a selection of those alongside the shortlist in the next issue (24), but that’s not a requirement!
UKE Magazine Issue 23 Competition
One reader will win a Kala ukulele from the sparkle series! To enter, complete the form below. There are four headstocks to identify - from Kala, Uluru, aNueNue and Millar. All you have to do is look at the picture of the headstocks (with logos obscured) and choose the right brand for each headstock. Entries need to be in by 1 November 2020. One lucky winner will be chosen from those who have answered correctly.
These are the four headstocks to identify. You have to select the correct brand for each image, A, B, C and D.
UKE Magazine Issue 23 has been dispatched to subscribers. Work is continuing on the online content from this magazine. Video lessons and competition forms should be in place by Monday 7 September.
Check back here then - it’s nearly there!
Eden Ukuleles, a World of Ukes brand, have been a popular choice for customers in recent years - with a lot of specification for your money. They feature solid cedar tops, a gloss finish, fluorocarbon strings and a hard case, at a price of £189 (tenor) and £169 (cedar).
I am considering re-ordering a new run of these ukuleles, but… as I have to order in large quantities in order to make those prices viable, I would like to get a list of anyone interested in acquiring one, so I can gauge interest and inform people (with no obligation) when they are completed.
Please note these models have been and gone and are discontinued.
Got a Ukulele independent review of the Eden Origin.
Complete your details below for an update on the aNueNue Moon Bird Ukuleles - they’re in high demand, so do this if you’d like to be informed when they are back in stock. It will just be an e-mail, so no obligation!
The Uma fan-fret ukulele range
UMA FAN FRET UKULELES
These unusual looking instruments from Uma are new to the UK for July 2020. They feature fanned frets, which look unusual, yes, but have a practical purpose too. They allow the low G (fitted as standard) to have a higher tension, making it ring out with greater resonance and sustain. In the same way that a soprano uke suits a low G less than a tenor does, because of the tension, these instruments give you a nice zip to the low G without overwhelming the crisp trebles.
In terms of playability, they are remarkably easy for a regular uke player to adjust to. In fact, if anything, the angled frets make barre chords cleaner and easier. What looks like a mind-boggling set up is in fact, perfectly playable. Seriously, you just pick it up and play and it feels perfectly natural. I understand that people will have doubts about that - I certainly did - but I need not have worried as they’re really easy to get on with.
The Uma range, with fanned frets includes four different models, two all solid acacia ukes in concert and tenor, and another concert and tenor with solid spruce top and solid walnut back and sides.
The concert acacia model, the KC, you can read more about here
The tenor acacia model, designated the KT, is here.
The spruce and walnut concert, the SC, can be found here.
Finally, the tenor in spruce and walnut, the ST, is here
In June 2020’s UKE Magazine, you’ll find details of our competition to win a Laka VUT-90 solid top tenor ukulele, fitted with the Graphtech Ratio Tune-a-lele tuners - the world’s lightest machine heads.
The competition prize
To win, entries need to be in by 1 August 2020, with the correct answer to the following question…
Here you can watch a video of the lesson explained in Issue 22 of UKE Magazine, in the technique zone section - looking at picking patterns.
Week 1 has been rescheduled to Friday at 7.15pm
Members of ukulele groups in the vicinity of World of Ukes can continue to enjoy group sessions led by Andy Webster, with a live stream YouTube video on Thursdays at 7.15pm.
You can join the playalong on YouTube by clicking here.
You can download the songbook by clicking on the picture of Ukes Akimbo below, or by clicking here.
Click the picture above to download the songbook for the session
If you can spare a few pounds for group subs, you can donate via the League of Ukulele Gentlemen site. (Look for the ‘donate button on the top right under Andy’s face - if you can stand to look at it ;) )
If don’t have a PayPal account and it is tricky to use the donate button, you can order the session subs in the League of Ukulele Gentlemen shop.
If successful, come back here early next week to get the new songbook for session 2.
In UKE Magazine Issue 21, there are a series of lessons in Technique zone, with accompanying videos.
Lesson One - Ukulele String Bending
This is a video tutorial explaining how you bend ukulele strings, to add colour to solos and instrumentals.
Lesson Two - Ukulele Harmonics
This is a video tutorial explaining how to play harmonics on your ukulele.
Lesson Three - Exploring the Neck
This is a video tutorial explaining a method to explore the upper reaches of the ukulele neck, without barre chords.
In March 2020’s issue 21, there’s a competition to win a Populele DIY ukulele kit, designed and made in Scotland. You can enter by completing the survey below - the results of which will be published in Issue 22, due out in June.
The UKE Magazine Issue 21 Prize - enter below
Accompanying the article from Paul Mansell and Tony Mizen in issue 21 of UKE Magazine is a tab to try at home, Allegretto.
Taken from the new book by the pair, 2kulele, it contains arrangements of pieces for ukulele duos, but includes a CD with the different parts on it so that you can duet with the recording if you don’t have another player handy.
Allegretto is just one of twenty two pieces that you can try in the book.
You can listen to two audiophiles below, the first is a digitally produced file so you can hear how the piece should sound. The second, is the second ukulele part of the arrangement only, so you can play along with the role of ukulele one. (Note - the CD included with the book is a real recording of Paul and Tony playing)
The book 2kulele, can be purchased from publisher Kevin Mayhew
There’s a video from the Ukulele Festival of Scotland of Take Heart - as described in UKE Magazine Issue 20
This video is on Facebook. If you’re not on Facebook you can still view it, just dismiss the pop up that will appear and say ‘not now’ to joining!
We’re always looking to improve UKE Magazine, and the best way we can think of to do this to ask readers what they want more (or less of). To be in with a chance of winning the prize, please complete the survey below by 1 February 2020.
The prizes - a Freshman UKSPRUCE concert electro ukulele and a deluxe leather strap from Uber Doofer
UKE Magazine Issue 20 - Tabs to Try
This is Take My Word, by Track Dogs, which you can learn to play in Issue 20 of UKE Magazine
You can win a Smiger tenor ukulele, with solid cedar top and Florentine cutaway by completing the form below. One lucky entrant will get their hands on the uke, if they answer the question by 4 November 2019. The competition is open to entrants worldwide.
You can find out the answer by visiting the website of our partners Enjoy Travel, with whom we are putting on Big Boat on the Danube, an exclusive cruise for ukulele players, in summer 2020.
The Prize!
The Cruise!
In September’s Issue 19, we have two songs to learn - and here are demonstrations of both.
Firstly, Lyle Ritz’s music and Jim Beloff’s lyrics for Old in New Mexico (performed here by Jim and his wife Liz)
And secondly, one of the songs entered in our UKE Magazine Song Contest, ‘Changing the world with my little ukulele’ (Music: Andreas Hellmayr (AT) Lyrics: Robert Hudson (USA), Juliana Steiger (AT))
Congratulations to Mark Stephenson, who was chosen by our panel as the winner of the UKE Magazine Song Contest, 2019. He wins a stompbox from Logjam.
Thanks to all entrants who put in some great songs to the competition, which were greatly enjoyed here at UKE Magazine HQ.
Here’s the winning entry.
