Practice making music beautiful on uke with Kate Power
KATE'S UKE BOOT CAMP DRILLS
String & Muscle
Crosspicking Exercise 1, Pick No. 1 - Pick drill #1 on all strings, eight times (down/up) on each string from string 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1. Notice your breathing, slow down to breathe in and out in time. Start with the breath and begin to play - 4 beats inhale, 4 beats exhale - until mastered slow, medium and fast.
DRILL #1
Boot Camp drills are based on crosspicking - no strum, no exceptions.
Drill #1 - Crosspicking
The first primary exercise starts with the RIGHT hand. The left hand frets the note. The right hand plays the string by alternating the thumb and first finger in place - on the same string - back and forth like a flatpick without the flatpick. -
DRILL #1 - Anchor RIGHT HAND ring finger/pinky gently on the soundboard with thumb resting on top of string 4 and fingers gently nested under strings 3, 2 and 1. Pick down with thumb on string 4 (G) and up-tick your index finger ON SAME STRING 4, down/up, down/up, down/up. Alternate back and forth, thumb and forefinger - on the one string (only). It's like rubbing your thumb and tip of your forefinger together but there's a string in between that's getting the rub!
Come into time with a down/up to the count of four, 1, 2, 3, 4 (each up & down is 1 beat) down/up, down/up, down/up, down/up. Practice to the count of four 1, 2, 3, 4 over and again. When you're ready, move to the next string 3 (C) and do the same thing, practice picking the one string back and forth to the count of four, then string 2 (E) and finally string 1 (A) - then turn it around in a connected thumb and forefinger motion and go the other way - until it feels smooth, even, and calibrated in both directions on the four strings. Breathe in sync as you play on strings 4, 3, 2 and 1. Tap the foot to count.
Drill #1 - Crosspicking
The first primary exercise starts with the RIGHT hand. The left hand frets the note. The right hand plays the string by alternating the thumb and first finger in place - on the same string - back and forth like a flatpick without the flatpick. -
DRILL #1 - Anchor RIGHT HAND ring finger/pinky gently on the soundboard with thumb resting on top of string 4 and fingers gently nested under strings 3, 2 and 1. Pick down with thumb on string 4 (G) and up-tick your index finger ON SAME STRING 4, down/up, down/up, down/up. Alternate back and forth, thumb and forefinger - on the one string (only). It's like rubbing your thumb and tip of your forefinger together but there's a string in between that's getting the rub!
Come into time with a down/up to the count of four, 1, 2, 3, 4 (each up & down is 1 beat) down/up, down/up, down/up, down/up. Practice to the count of four 1, 2, 3, 4 over and again. When you're ready, move to the next string 3 (C) and do the same thing, practice picking the one string back and forth to the count of four, then string 2 (E) and finally string 1 (A) - then turn it around in a connected thumb and forefinger motion and go the other way - until it feels smooth, even, and calibrated in both directions on the four strings. Breathe in sync as you play on strings 4, 3, 2 and 1. Tap the foot to count.

1_minute_reciprocal_pick.m4a |
C-scale first position, starting on the 3rd string, 2nd fret C-note using reciprocal pick. Here are a few scale exercises to practice.

c_scale_-_el_belle_1.pdf |

1_min_quick_c_scale_1_round_1.m4a |

boot_camp_1_-_c_scale_adv.m4a |
Pinch Picking for two strings in C-scale exercises...

pinch_picking.jpeg |

pinch_c_scale_intervals |

c_scale_interval_exercise |

c_intervals_str_2_4 |

c_maj_interval_stg_2_4_f_5 practise |
Follow the tablature for El Belle on the pdf, Once you've got it, play with variations of your own.

el_belle_practise_with_kate |

el_belle_pull_off_pinch |

f_intervals_on_2_4 |
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a_minor-e7_intervals |
Travis Pick
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C Harmonic Melody Suite - Parts to overlay harmonics in multiple compatible intervals on two strings
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crush.jpeg |