Video Podcast & Timestamps: https://ukuleleunderground.com/2024/04/fusing-ukulele-jazz-big-bands-tuup114/ What happens when you rearrange a Western Ukulele Instrumental Concept Album for Jazz Big Band? This Week Aldrine and Mike are sharing their experience playing and planning for the KCC Jazz Festival. We start off with a relatively quick conversation about Double Flats/Sharps, Reading the Youtube Comments, and Aldrine’s T-Shirt, then we dive into Aldrine and Mike recounting the Jazz Festival. Aldrine explains what it was like collaborating with KCC Music Director, Sarah Tochiki to rearr ..read more

Video Podcast and Timestamps: https://ukuleleunderground.com/2024/04/essential-festival-items-tuup113/ What are Essential Items you bring to a Festival? Do you even need to bring an Ukulele to a Festival, and should you bring your most “Expensive Ukulele” or should you bring a “Beater”? The team tries to help a viewer define a group of notes, and explain why they aren’t pentatonic, and why you don’t necessarily need to name them. Aldrine explains the advantages and disadvantages of different Ukulele Bridge Types. The podcast is topped of with recounting the Kauai Ukulele Festival and giving a ..read more

Video Podcast and Show Notes: https://ukuleleunderground.com/2024/04/tapping-in-two-minutes-tuup111/ Learn how to Tap in 2 Minutes! This week, the guys are challenging Aldrine to teach a Tapping Riff as fast as he can. After Aldrine’s Tapping Speedrun, he explains the theory behind Tapping. The Team discuss learning Party Trick Riffs vs learning to apply the same Flashy Techniques. As an Example of Elegant Application of Tapping, the guys geek out about the genius of Jake’s Album and Song, Dragon. This leads to an appreciative analysis of Ernie Cruz Jr. and the rest of the Cruz family. A Songw ..read more

Show Notes and Timestamps: https://ukuleleunderground.com/2024/03/building-confidence-through-little-oopsies-tuup110/ What does Pirate Ships, Sister Act and Building Confidence have in common? Answer: This Week’s Ukulele Underground Podcast. The guys start off the Podcast by playing their Song Submissions for the Songwriting Challenge, and making plans to get their own Pirate Ship. A member ask Aldrine if there are specific Thumb Picks for Ukulele, and if he has recommendations? The team discuss how you can Build Your Confidence even if you make little “Oopsies” or play a wrong note? The podca ..read more

Show Notes and Timestamps: https://ukuleleunderground.com/2024/03/scrappy-youth-vs-mature-musician-tuup109/ What is the difference between a Scrappy, Up and Coming Musician VS a Mature Musician who has been around the block? What are the traits of Inexperienced Players and what are the qualities of  Tasteful Players? What Jamming Faux Pas should you avoid, and what can you do to Mature as a Musician? Find the answers to these questions plus our thoughts on High Humidity, Jazz, and Metal on today’s podcast ..read more

Show Notes and Timestamp: https://ukuleleunderground.com/2024/03/harsh-truth-among-impostors-tuup108/ What was a Harsh Truth Aldrine needed to face in order to improve as an Ukulele Player? Aldrine shares the precise moment when someone gave him a “Harsh Truth” that pushed him to being a better player. We also hear how Aldrine learned to grow from these criticisms and how he changed his goals to better reflect himself. The guys discuss Wound, Unwound and Flatwound Low G Strings and what they prefer. A new Songwriting Challenge is set before Aldrine gets introspective on where his own Impostor ..read more

Show Notes and Timestamps: https://ukuleleunderground.com/2024/03/warm-ups-that-make-you-swole-tuup107/ Learn these Secret Warm-Ups that will maximize your (Finger) Muscles, and get you SWOLE! Before Aldrine reveals his secrets to the perfect Warm-Ups, he talks about his busy Weekend spent going to an awesome concert, and hanging out with Ukulele Heavy Hitters. The guys answer the questions of will sanding and repainting an ukulele change the sound, and how do you turn a Melody into a Fingerstyle Song? Aldrine explains his recommended Warm-Ups and how focusing on Form is mo ..read more

Show Notes and Timestamps: https://ukuleleunderground.com/2024/02/first-gig-fumbles-tuup106/ We’re taking a retrospective look back at Aldrine’s first unpaid Gig vs his first paid Gig. Aldrine also reveals the source of his Stage Anxiety, and if he regrets making mistakes while on stage. The guys give suggestions for playing odd time signatures before Aldrine talks about his impostor syndrome. The UU team reveal their humble working conditions while also teasing some future plans ..read more

Show Notes and Timestamps: https://ukuleleunderground.com/2024/02/entering-the-flow-state-tuup105/ Today, the guys are joined by Mike "INSERT NICKNAME HERE" Odo to help explain what the "Flow State" is, and how musicians find themselves in that state. Before the guys dive into this topic, you know that they have to take a couple of detours talking about Disney+ and the Rock.  Back on topic, the UU team discuss what the "Flow State" feels like, experiencing Flow in a band, and what songs can put them into that state. They also list songs that get them Hyped before performances. The guys an ..read more

Show Notes and Timestamps: https://ukuleleunderground.com/2024/02/the-first-roadblock-tuup104/ What was the first Roadblock Aldrine experienced? Aldrine explains the first situational Roadblock he ran in to on his uke journey, then he tells what song and technique he faced as a Roadblock. The guys also discuss the importance of figuring out music by ear, playing with others, and being In the Zone. Aldrine demonstrates Bending, and how to incorporate different techniques into your strumming. At the end of the podcast, the team talks about Practice vs Playing, and how limiting your practice time ..read more