5 WAYS to make the same song sound different - Uke Tutorial

[@janepaddon2211]

Amazing.

[@KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks

[@ukecvicimrad1764]

great

[@KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks.

[@kathypack6239]

Thank you, Ken, for this very informative, very conversational one-on-one music lesson - at least, that’s what it felt like to me! This is the 1st KZbin video of yours I’ve listened to; you just popped up in one of My Facebook groups Of course, I have Liked the video and Subscribed to your channel, and I look forward to your further enlightening me in your easy, cheerful, knowledgeable way.

[@KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thank you, Kathy. If you benefitted from this video, there are, at present, 5 other videos in the series. Check out the playlist.

[@crgwllms]

Couple of small errors: At 23:20 your entire comment isn't actually correct about the Jeff Buckley version of Hallelujah... the melody he sings is exactly the SAME, relatively, as Leonard Cohen's. The line doesn't drop down an octave, it's simply all sung in a low register and softly. At 25:55 you say 'Leonard Cohen' when obviously you meant 'John Lennon'.

[@KenMiddletonUkulele]

I can't agree, Craig. I am certain about Hallelujah. Cohen sings the verse at a very low pitch and the chorus is higher, relative to the verse. In everyone else's version, including Jake's, it is reversed: the verse is higher and the chorus starts at a lower pitch. You should listen again. The other error, about John Lennon, I spotted straight away and acknowledged it in the blurb, before the video even went online.

[@crgwllms]

@@KenMiddletonUkulele Righto, sorry, I understand what you were trying to say now... it's just that your example wasn't very indicative of what you were trying to say. (In your example, you sing "I heard there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased the Lord but you don't really care for music do ya.'... and then you go straight into the chorus as if 'Hallelujah' follows - but of course there is more verse and chord modulation (the 4th, the 5th etc) before you get to that part where Jeff Buckley sings down the octave and Leonard sings up. I thought you were implying the next line after 'care for music do ya' dropped an octave (which it doesn't; Buckley follows Cohen's melody there). You're correct that most people sing akin to Buckley... but that's more to do with the range of the song and most people's vocal ranges. To sing like Leonard you have to put it in the key where you can sing the verse as low as possible, so you have room to be able to sing the chorus up the octave. Most people don't sing it that low to start with, so they all do what everybody does when a song climbs out of their range, they sing down the octave. And hey, I've watched all your other videos, and I really like your approach, especially about dynamics and achieving different 'feels' in songs (including not being a slave to strum patterns!). I haven't really seen anyone take this approach, and I shared it to the uke & guitar players that come to a jam I run. Cheers!

[@KenMiddletonUkulele]

Thanks for all your comments, Craig. I really do appreciate it.

[@pwrouzaud]

Hi Ken, I really like the song 'Wayfaring Stranger.' I've wanted to make it more interesting, but I can't pick. I like this vid because it has given me options. You mention 'adding chords.' Is this accomplished through just experimentation or is there a more accurate method I'm missing (like circle of 5ths or something)?

[@KenMiddletonUkulele]

The chords have to be appropriate. If you are in the key of C, for instance, and the song usually uses a chord of C for a passage in the song, you can change that chord. If the melody uses primarily the note C, you could use a chord of Am for part of the passage, or F. Both of these chords can be found in the key of C.

[@pwrouzaud]

@@KenMiddletonUkulele Got it. Very helpful. Thanks.

[@FerrisFareMusic]

Ken, have you ever heard the Blind Boys of Alabama sing Amazing Grace using the melody for House of the Rising Sun? It works a treat!

[@KenMiddletonUkulele]

No, I haven't Kate. Hope all is well with you and Fred.

[@FerrisFareMusic]

@@KenMiddletonUkulele We're muddling about just fine, Ken. All the best to you and your family, too.