Category Archives: Ukulele (Brio)

Dusk #Music #Meditation

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I wrote this instrumental piece on alto recorder, disguising itself as a Native-American style flute. I.e. playing only the A minor pentatonic scale. If you have no idea what that means, please feel free to ignore it! 🙂

Said recorder is accompanied by ukulele, bamboo/smokebush Harmony Rattle, and Egg of Creation shaker. The intro and ending are Zaphir Sunray/Summer and Koshi Aria/Air chimes.

I hope you enjoy this contemplative evening meditation!

If you haven’t heard it yet, you might like
Network of Stars,
which also features alto recorder played like a Native-American style flute.

“Faith of Our Fathers” #Music

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Today we celebrate Father’s Day in the United States. I wish all fathers and father figures a blessed, peaceful, and joyous day! And I pray each one of us feels the love of our Heavenly Father, today and every day!

“Faith of Our Fathers” is a beautiful Catholic hymn. Frederick William Faber wrote the text in 1849. The most common melody heard in the United States is “St. Catherine” by Henri F. Hemy.

I hope you enjoy this hymn, played on ukulele and viola, with accompanying shakers: A tiny rain stick, Little Spirit pear branch, Harmony Ball earth sphere, and Rhythm rock.

Happy Father’s Day!

“Blow the Man Down” #Music

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You probably know this tune, but did you know it’s an English sea shanty from the 1800s and possibly earlier? I heard it as a child and wanted to include it in my sea-themed pieces.

Here, the Ocean Drum plays its wave sound, as well as rhythm beats. Melody and harmony are both played on alto recorder, with ukulele accompaniment.

I hope this brings a smile to your face! ☺️

“Let the Lower Lights Be Burning” #Music

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Here’s another familiar hymn by Philip P. Bliss, “Let the Lower Lights Be Burning.” A further nod to my happy childhood days listening to record albums of songs I didn’t hear anywhere else, some of which I haven’t heard since, but have never forgotten.

Enjoy the Ocean Drum, one of Remo’s wonderful additions to the hand percussion world, and my Native-American-made deerskin drum as well. You’ll hear this soothing melody on lyre, then alto recorder accompanied by ukulele. I hope you enjoy this first of several sea-themed pieces I’ll be sharing in the coming days!

“To God Be the Glory” #Music

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Like
“Near the Cross,”
“To God Be the Glory” was written by Fanny Crosby and William Howard Doane. It was first published in 1875 and is still a popular hymn in many Christian denominations.

I hope you enjoy today’s arrangement with ukulele, viola, alto recorder, myrtlewood and pear branch shakers, and of course, double strung harp!

“‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” #Music

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“‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” is based on Isaiah 12:2, which reads:

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
–(KJV)

Louisa M. R. Stead wrote the lyrics, and William J. Kirkpatrick wrote the melody to this hymn, first published in 1882. Though it’s still popular, I don’t remember singing it in church as a child. I do, however, vividly recall listening to a record album that included this hymn. (Thanks, Pop-pop Clyde!) I played and replayed it, because I liked how the melody flowed. And that was long before I played any instruments myself!

Speaking of instruments, there’s quite a merry folk band today! You’re listening to ukulele, viola, 2 wooden shakers (one of myrtlewood and one from a pear branch) alto recorder, and double strung harp.

I hope you enjoy this arrangement!

“The Sweet By-and-by” #Music

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This hymn was first published in 1868, with lyrics by S. Fillmore Bennett and music by Joseph P. Webster. It is still a popular traditional Christian hymn that appears in many modern hymnals. I’ve always found it comforting and peaceful.

Today, enjoy ukulele and viola, then compare the sounds of double strung harp, lyre, harp again, and last but not least, zither. Though these instruments are similar, they have different sound qualities. You will hear some slight buzzing in the harp recording, because I misplaced the microphone. My apologies!

Did you know? There are 98 strings in this arrangement! The harp has 23 strings on each side, for a total of 46. The lyre and zither each have 22 strings. Ukulele and viola have 4 strings each. That’s a lot of strings to tune!

I do hope you enjoy this hymn!

“Las Estaciones” (The Seasons) #Music

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Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

I began studying Spanish during the 1997-98 school year, when I was 12. “Las Estaciones” (The Seasons) is the first song I ever wrote, in Spanish or otherwise. The original was on keyboard, with a salsa beat. It has lyrics, but a cold is keeping me from singing today. This arrangement on ukulele and alto recorder sounds more like bluegrass, but it’s a fun song. I hope you enjoy this blast from the past!

“At the Cross” #Music

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This hymn was written by Isaac Watts (1674 – 1748). It was first published in 1707 and is still popular today, especially for evangelism.

I hope you enjoy this arrangement, played on viola and alto recorder, with ukulele accompaniment!

“All Things Bright and Beautiful” #Music

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Here are 2 musical settings for the hymn, “All Things Bright and Beautiful.” If you live in the United States, you’re probably most familiar with the first one, composed by William Monk. If you live in the United Kingdom, you probably know “Royal Oak,” the traditional melody for the second setting.

I hope you enjoy hearing these tunes on Oriole (soprano) and alto recorder (which plays the verses of “Royal Oak”), with ukulele accompaniment!