Members Stackabones Posted May 31, 2010 Members Share Posted May 31, 2010 I've been working up to it and finally decided to go for it at today's Potbelly gig. I used my Kala Archtop Tenor Uke and Lanikai O-8E (8-string uke). No mics, no amps, no guitars! Two-hour gig, no break, but I did stop and chat with a few folks. And I had to tune the 8er ever so often. In no particular order ... Ain't Misbehavin' Blue Skies Deed I Do Glory Of Love If I Only Had A Brain I'm Beginning To See the Light Norwegian Wood Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps (Quizas, Quizas, Quizas) Sweet Memory (Melody Gardot) Wonderful World (Sam Cooke) All Along The Watchtower Black Magic Woman Dancin' Days Good Lovin' Hotel California (with epic solo at end!) Ice Cream Man Key To The Highway Maggie Mae Man Smart Woman Smarter Mellow Down Easy (Little Walter) Mind Your Own Business One Way Out hecho a mano Wheels Mysterious Too Much Is Not Enough Sip de rum Starless Waitin' Rollin' Back Step By Step Not Afraid To Sing By my reckoning, 31 tunes. I still had a bunch of tunes I could have done: Roxanne, Rocky Mountain, Crazy, No Particular Place To Go, Hey Good Lookin', Makin' Whoopee, Route 66, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members masterbuilt Posted May 31, 2010 Members Share Posted May 31, 2010 Will there be a chance that you'll post Hotel California with that epic solo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted May 31, 2010 Author Members Share Posted May 31, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chicken Monkey Posted May 31, 2010 Members Share Posted May 31, 2010 What are the spaces in the set? Just page breaks? I've got a few 2-hour, no break sets coming up with my duo--any tips? I'm used to a few one-hours... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members masterbuilt Posted May 31, 2010 Members Share Posted May 31, 2010 I think you are short-changing yourself. I'd bet you'll pull it off nicely. I wouldn't, that's for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members poppytater Posted May 31, 2010 Members Share Posted May 31, 2010 I'd like to hear Black Magic Woman on a uke.....please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members masterbuilt Posted May 31, 2010 Members Share Posted May 31, 2010 I heard a gal slaughtering "Maggie Mae" on a uke recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members knockwood Posted May 31, 2010 Members Share Posted May 31, 2010 Congrats! That's quite a repertoire, yo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted May 31, 2010 Author Members Share Posted May 31, 2010 What are the spaces in the set? Just page breaks? I've got a few 2-hour, no break sets coming up with my duo--any tips? I'm used to a few one-hours... The spaces are sorta separating the standards from the pop from the handmade stuff. I didn't play the songs in that order. I keep a sheet of paper with my memorized song list on the stage floor, and it is loosely divided up into the above categories. I select randomly or according to what songs I've played and what mood I feel like I need to set. In my guitar sets, I have approx four hours. I think my uke-only set is around two-and-a-half to three hours. As far as tips ... if you don't have instrumental breaks within songs, then plan on at the very least 30 songs but 40 to be safe. With solos and whatnot, 30 songs can get you through -- of course, this all depends on so many various factors. I don't have any stage banter at these restaurant gigs, but today more folks than usual stopped by the bandstand to chat and ask about the ukes, etc. And that 8er's new strings are still settling in, so I did so much more tuning on stage than I ever do. On a regular day, I probably would have played 35-40 songs. My guitar sets don't need as many songs, for I'm a little better at taking solo breaks. I think the main other concern is singing. Watch the ranges of the songs and make sure you don't wear out your voice. If you can, warm-up beforehand (good advice for any gig). I only drink tap water at room temperature. Anything cold or fizzy or sweet creates havoc with my voice in sets. Since I've been doing four to five two-hour no-break sets a week since around spring or summer 2009 (with no mics/amps/PA), I think I'm finally starting to get the hang of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted May 31, 2010 Author Members Share Posted May 31, 2010 I heard a gal slaughtering "Maggie Mae" on a uke recently.That's one that I didn't quite pull off. A couple of a cappella moments and going uke scraper during some of the changes as well as a very imaginative substitution or two here and there. Sometimes the uke wires get crossed with the guitar wires and I get all cross-eyed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OldGuitarPlayer Posted May 31, 2010 Members Share Posted May 31, 2010 Well done man! You are my hero! I soooo want to incorporate ukulele in my set or even do what you are doing and going all uke. For solos I want to use a kazoo on a neck rack. So far I think I know maybe 10 songs on the uke...The other problem is I am GASing for a more "quality" tenor uke that will play and sound great in real live situations...not like my crappy $30 soprano... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted May 31, 2010 Author Members Share Posted May 31, 2010 Hey, Tracy, do what I did. For the last month or so, I've been sneaking in the uke at sets. I'd do three git songs, and then a uke song. You'll start noticing that some songs adapt pretty easily, especially three chord tunes. IIRC you know a lot of blues & reggae tunes. Those should adapt very nicely. Another thing I did that helped out ... I started arranging songs on guitar with capo 5 and only using the top four strings. That really got me to make the quantum leap forward for getting my sets uke-ready. A good tenor uke is the Lanikai LU-21TE. Also look into Kala, for they usually have similar ukes. MGM at ebay has a bunch of Kalas and other great stuff that won't break the bank. Call him if you don't want to go through ebay. He's really great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members masterbuilt Posted May 31, 2010 Members Share Posted May 31, 2010 I like mixing in some Clapton Unplugged on the uke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chicken Monkey Posted May 31, 2010 Members Share Posted May 31, 2010 That's one that I didn't quite pull off. A couple of a cappella moments and going uke scraper during some of the changes as well as a very imaginative substitution or two here and there. Sometimes the uke wires get crossed with the guitar wires and I get all cross-eyed. Anytime my bass player mentions any chord in an upcoming song I play uke on, I completely derail and can't play the song. These upcoming gigs are also au natural, but I'm figuring that if I can make it through a 3-hr. practice, with very little small talk, I'll be fine to make it through a 2-hour set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted June 1, 2010 Members Share Posted June 1, 2010 Outstanding. I'd love to hear Dancing Days especially. My son brought up wanting a uke this weekend while playing his newly shredified strat. He's as weird as I. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted June 1, 2010 Members Share Posted June 1, 2010 Way to go, Stack. I'm trying to build my repertoire back up to do open mics and will be taking notes! Man Smart Woman Smarter Is that Harry Belafonte? I'd love to hear that one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted June 1, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 1, 2010 Is that Harry Belafonte? I'd love to hear that one!Yep. I learned it while playing in a Grateful Dead cover band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted June 1, 2010 Members Share Posted June 1, 2010 Ah - then do you know "Iko Iko?" That one would seem to fit your style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted June 1, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 1, 2010 Ah - then do you know "Iko Iko?" That one would seem to fit your style. Yep. That's one I usually play on git or uke, but it didn't get played on Mon. Other Grateful Dead tunes ... Friend Of The Devil (don't have a uke version yet) Not Fade Away/Going Down The Road Feeling Bad Deep Elum Blues And probably a few more. I used to play West LA Fadeaway and it was a blast, but for whatever reasons it fell out of my sets. Songs come and go, ya know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nightwatchman9270 Posted June 1, 2010 Members Share Posted June 1, 2010 FWIW....I was wondering about the painting in your avatar. I like it and may want to think about getting it copied at one of those Asian repro. places for my music room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tartanlad Posted June 1, 2010 Members Share Posted June 1, 2010 I heard a gal slaughtering "Maggie Mae" on a uke recently.Maggie May.. Rod Stewart no one beats me at that for sure ..well no at Karaokee anyhow I play it on guitar but find it harder singing when playing it with guitar somehowMy one reason as yet i aint took guitar out house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted June 1, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 1, 2010 FWIW....I was wondering about the painting in your avatar. I like it and may want to think about getting it copied at one of those Asian repro. places for my music room. That'd be great. I know the artist, and I'm pretty sure he'd be cool with it. PM sent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tartanlad Posted June 1, 2010 Members Share Posted June 1, 2010 That'd be great. I know the artist, and I'm pretty sure he'd be cool with it. PM sent.A thought it was a pic of u stacka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted June 1, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 1, 2010 A thought it was a pic of u stacka Yep! The original is an oil painting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tartanlad Posted June 1, 2010 Members Share Posted June 1, 2010 Yep! The original is an oil painting. Its like it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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