Almost three months ago, I walked into a music store and bought a ukulele. I didn’t even know the frets on the ukulele (or guitar, for that matter) were raised; I thought they were just lines painted on the neck used as guidelines for finger positions. Ever since, it’s filled a void in me. A void I didn’t even know existed until I found myself feeling empty when I didn’t get a chance to play.
Famous Blue Raincoat is one of my favourite Leonard Cohen songs. I wish I could write letters like this.
I haven’t quite figured out what kind of style or genre I want to apply to the ukulele, but I think my singing ability (or lack thereof) will limit me to the soft Sam Beam folk sound unless I started taking singing lessons. Borrowed in my interpretation is a variation of the picking pattern Cohen uses in a lot of his earlier songs, such as Hey That’s No Way To Say Goodbye, adapted for the soprano ukulele.
While my brain picks out the mistakes and details I need to work on when I see myself play, I try to keep in mind the words of my Tai Chi teacher, “We’re never as bad as we fear nor as good as we would like”. I don’t think I’ll ever be satisfied with my musical ability unless I could commit a lot more time to it. Unfortunately, that would mean less time for another hobby, so I have to accept that this will probably be close to the limit of my ability. Hopefully, I’ll be able to clean things up in another few years. Patience will come from learning to be satisfied from the act of playing itself, and not the mastery of it. For now, this’ll serve as record of my progress.
Love this song too, and your version is also lovely. I used to lie on my belly on the carpet as a kid and sing along to the songs of Leonard Cohen sung by Jennifer Warnes and this brings back sweet memories.
I know what you mean, as I have the same association with music and memory. I discovered this song only a few years ago, so I suspect in many years I’ll also look back fondly as you do and think of this time in my life.
OMIGOD! he’s Doing it!! already! And very well! I’m really shocked: here you said you were struggling with chords and such, and you’re already fingerpicking and remembering all the chords, and singing in tune and remembering all the lyrics. HAA! Excellent.
This is a song I think pretty much anyone who hears it and even knows rudiments of playing a guitar immediately feels compelled to play. I’ve never heard it on ukelele — it’s very raindroppy. Nice work. Would love to play it with you someday.
You flatter me, but thanks anyway. :)
It’s funny when you mention all these things that are involved when playing, because in my head I’m mostly thinking, “GET THE B-MINOR CHORD CLEAN” cause it’s one of those fucking barre chords. I’d say that 80% of the time I spend practicing is just trying to get the b-minor to ring nicely without buzzing.
Yeah bar chords are a bitch any instrument you put them on. 12string guitar? Oh yah. Fun.
Holy crap…I have a hard enough time with four strings, I never even considered how hard it’d be with 12!
Yeah, try getting the B-Minor clean on a 12-string. Hey, it sounds a bit like a lute.
Great progress, I must say. Keep it up!
i found myself watching the veins under your skin and your fingers delicately playing the notes, rather than watching your mouth move from the words you remembered like most would do in search of a mistake.
very well played.
That’s interesting, I tend not to notice my veins, but now I probably will.
Wow — was just looking for the chords to play on my uke and found this. I love this song too and have childhood memories of Sunday afternoons with my family listening to Joan Baez & Jennifer Warnes. I too have filled a void with my new Aria ukulele and have been writing my own songs. If you are in Melbourne you should come along to open mike at Melbourne Ukulele Kolective once a month. I would also love to spend more time just playing…I do when I can. Thanks for sharing you music.