All blog posts
339 posts
Kiskarácsony, nagykarácsony - Hungarian Christmas Song
Tamás GállAlthough it is only early October, I thought I would post this video in good time so that anyone who feels like it has plenty of opportunity to learn and practise this very sweet and popular Hungarian Christmas song. In December 2011, my arrangement of Silent Night was posted on the blog - perhaps a…
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The Guest from Portland II
Tamás GállA little late, perhaps, but I would like to report on another "cross-border" ukulele meeting we had at the end of August. Last year I had the pleasure of meeting Mike, Neal and Alex. We talked and played music together for a long time; they are the subject of the blog post "The Guest from Portland".…
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Republic — Szállj el, kismadár
Tamás GállI know there is no comma in the original title, but I put one in. Sorry. :) It needs one. We continue the Hungarian section with a popular song by Republic which appeared on their 1995 album Tüzet viszek. The chords in this song really are not difficult; it is built from basic shapes. If I wanted to…
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Most múlik pontosan
Tamás GállQuimby's unusually atmospheric song "Most múlik pontosan" was released in 2005 on the band's album Kilégzés. Many theories have been proposed about the circumstances in which the song was written, but I do not want to go into those here. I think the lyrics should mean whatever each listener wants to…
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Kala U-BASS
Tamás GállNot long ago I published a post called "Bass! That's Heavy!" about Kala's bass ukulele. Now I have had this interesting instrument for a few days so that I could try it myself. The U-BASS is essentially a bass guitar transplanted into a baritone-size ukulele body. It arrives in a very sturdy hard ca…
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Paul McCartney Live in Vienna - Concert Report
Tamás GállVienna, 27 June 2013. A historic day - for us, at least, without question. We travelled to Vienna a day early, full of excitement, anticipation and, of course, countless questions. That same day we went out to see the venue, Ernst Happel Stadium. Stone footballs - for giants Our tickets, which we ha…
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Lanikai LU-11 - The Perfect First Ukulele
Tamás GállLast year I made a short review of the Lanikai LU-21; now we have taken a look at its "little sibling". The phrase is in quotation marks because it is actually the same size - both models are sopranos - but the LU-11 is slightly cheaper and looks a little simpler. If you have not yet chosen an instr…
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Lanikai UkeSB
Tamás GállAt first I did not know what to make of this name when I saw it on the Lanikai website. Since "uke" is the common English abbreviation and nickname for ukulele, I assumed it must be some soprano, baritone or perhaps sub-bass :) device. Looking at the UkeSB logo makes the guessing a little easier: uk…
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How to Put a Lion to Sleep
Tamás GállArmed with a ukulele, we can bravely head out onto the savannah - provided we first learn The Lion Sleeps Tonight. Nothing beats an afternoon nap This charming and simple song - according to Wikipedia - was originally written in Zulu in the 1920s, but it only spread around the world a few decades la…
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Latin Tunes in the Forest
Tamás GállI love Latin music. I can listen to - and watch - its magical, emotion-filled songs and dances for hours. There are countless styles within it, and I think everyone can find a branch of Latin music that appeals to them. To whet your appetite, here is a video in which the guitarist plays some "Spanis…
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Twist and Shout
Tamás GállAlmost everyone identifies this song with the Beatles: aaaaah, aaaaaah, aaaaaaaaaah, head shaaaaking, shake it up, baby!!! It is a fantastic song bursting with endless energy. It drove girls wild in the 1960s, and I do not think there is anyone today who cannot enjoy the song written by Phil Medley…
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Mendelssohn - Wedding March
Tamás GállFelix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy was born in Hamburg in 1809. Despite his short life - he lived for only 38 years - he explored many musical genres and gave humanity a number of unforgettable melodies. Perhaps the best known is the Wedding March, composed as part of the incidental music for Shakespeare's…
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