Fort Erie Ukes - Jam Sesh and Open Mic #60 - November 23, 2023

Elaine, I am having a bit of trouble relating to Let It Be in the key of G after all those years of hearing it in C. It makes the singing of it quite different as well.

I have given this a lot of thought, and it has to do with the fact that when a song goes into my memory, it goes in with a definite key attached to it. It causes me some discomfort to attempt to learn what is on a songsheet that has a key in conflict with the remembered music, and in this case the song is one of the most familiar of all. To play the uke sheet I have to overcome a nagging background feeling that everyrthing is wrong. It dosn't help that the official guitar sheet music for this song is much plainer and simpler than what is on the uke sheet, and contains nothing like the Cm7 chord in the second line of the verses.

Hello Tom and Elaine

I think we can all agree that music is VERY subjective and not just limited to a person’s preferred genre(s). There is also the matter of what key, tempo etc. that a song may contain. For example: Feeling Groovy. The published key is MUCH too high for me but if I am not leading the song then I simply do not sing and just play. The chords may or may not present a personal challenge to me.

However, I agree with the basic premise of what I will call “The Official Group Songbook”. This “standard” allows everyone (regardless of skill level) to literally “play from the same page”.

As the founder and host of the Ridgeway Beachcombers Music Sessions, I created what I believe to be a possible solution to accommodate the “arrangement (key + verses etc.)” to any particular song. When a new song is introduced/sponsored by an individual….and accepted by the group….it could be published (and labeled) as that arrangement. Subsequent replaying of the song at future sessions should then be led by the sponsoring individual. Should that individual not be present someone else may be able to lead in that key.

I have attended the last two sessions and thoroughly enjoyed the song selection and the camaraderie of the FTE UKES. The addition of the BASS player is a nice and much appreciated touch.

My current challenge after more than 50 years of playing only guitar is learning the finger positions of the chords. That will get easier (I hope) in time.

This is my “two cents” on the subject and I hope it will prove helpful. Now you must excuse me…I want to get my back to my soprano uke.