Here’s my answer coming from a Hawaiian music background and in the context of a Hawaiian vamp. Changing just one note can give you a new vamp. https://liveukulele.com/wp-content/uploads/vrp-20151225-142531.mp3, Vamp #5: https://liveukulele.com/wp-content/uploads/vrp-20151225-142847.mp3, Vamp #9: The roman numerals can also be just plain arabic numbers: 2, 5, 1. A vamp on the other hand is a specific progression used to connect two pieces of a song. As Live Ukulele suggests, many Hawaiian songs follow the same chord progression. This well known ukulele vamp is written in Nashville notation as II7, V7, I . Watch this beginner ukulele lesson of "Hanohano Hawaii" in the key of A. The song is called Spanish Melody. For a more contemporary feel, I like the “modern strum.” It can be very complex and is highly syncopated, so be sure to start slow and increase your speed as you feel more comfortable with the rhythm. The song was not recorded by the singer-pianist until October 1961, but quickly became a smash R&B hit, making Rolling Stone’s list of “the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” Although the popularity of Hit the Road, Jack is owed to Ray Charles, this song was written by his close friend Percy Mayfield in 1960. Ukulele Chord Finder - Discover ukulele chords in any key and numerous styles. Here are the II7, V7, I chords in every key. The only useful part of it … Five Foot Two Eyes of Blue is a fairly typical example of a string of 7th chords that lasts even longer than the Hawaiian vamp. Listen to almost any Hawaiian song and you will hear a signature riff connecting two parts. Normally it is 3 or 4 chords. This breaks up the content and … Like the classic strum, the dancer strum begins before the first downbeat—but this time on an upstroke. This instantly recognizable sound, called a Hawaiian vamp, is usually used to spread a song out and create separation between otherwise similar-sounding verses. The rest of the strumming vamps can be found here: Hawaiian Vamp Chords. Unusually Adjustable Ukulele from Riversong, Summer NAMM 2016, ‘Lake Lady’ Charise Sowells Evokes Old-School Soul On Her Ukulele, How to Play 3 Essential Hawaiian Ukulele Strums, Throwback Thursday: Watch Iz Kamakawiwo’ole Perform ‘White Sandy Beach of Hawaii’, Gods of Uke: The Wizardry of Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, Ukulele and Hula Competition Lights Up Las Vegas, Watch Iz Kamakawiwo’ole Perform ‘White Sandy Beach of Hawaii’, Your First Ukulele Lesson: A Beginner’s Guide to Playing Ukulele, How to Read Ukulele Music: Your Guide to Understanding Musical Notation, How to Play Earl Scruggs–Style Banjo Rolls on the Ukulele, Learn Samantha Muir’s Ukulele Arrangement of ‘Danse Paysanne,’ a Classical Guitar Staple. Maybe the verse of a song has a chord progression of C Am F G and the chorus has a chord progression of C F C G. You will also find songs that use the same progression throughout the entire song. If you were playing in the key of C, the “1” is C. That means the 2 and 5 can be found in their respective places in a C scale. But here I will try to convey these traditional methods in a more Westernized setting. The “ʻOlapa strum” is another strum that also goes by various names, including the “await for me” strum, since the strum sounds like the rhythm of those words. Another thing to keep in mind is that you might not have a two vamp turnaround to work with. For every melodious steel-guitar part, beautiful three-part vocal harmony, and foot-tapping upright bass line, there is a pulsating foundation of a solid ukulele strum at its core. https://liveukulele.com/wp-content/uploads/vrp-20151225-142622.mp3, Vamp #2: This gives the vamp more color and interest. Chord Progressions ROY SAKUMA UKULELE STUDIOS Key: C F G A D Am Dm Em F#m Bm F Bb C D G G7 C7 D7 E7 A7 Em Am Bm C#m F#m Dm7 Gm7 Am7 Bm7 Em7 All that changes are the lyrics in each verse. Here is a list of some songs that use these strumming techniques, as well as a Spotify playlist to hear the examples yourself. -UKULELE CHORDS PROGRESSIONS- UPHawaii FREE Ukulele Live Lesson. In a previous article we mentioned common chord progressions, and in jazz vamping is the same as the turnaround. More about me, About – Privacy Policy – Contact Just select the key and type of the chord to view different chord variations. Like the people that make up the diverse population of Hawaii, Hawaiian music is a melting pot of different world influences—from the songs of the Mexican vaqueros and na paniolo (cowboys) who first brought the acoustic guitar to the islands in the 1830s, to the choral himeni (hymns) of the Christian missionaries, to the many European and South Pacific rhythmic influences and our own ancient mele and oli (melodies and chants). Ukulele players all over the world have direct access to UkuTabs its large and completely free song archive which is constantly being updated with new songs. How to Strum a Hawaiian Vamp Strumming Vamp Chords: The chord progression (the order and length of the chords) of a Hawaiian vamp goes: II7, V7, I (or “two-seven, five-seven, one”). Chord Progressions for Ukulele . You can find many Hawaiian songs which have three to four basic chords. The normal D7 G7 C vamp would become: D9 G9 C. The second part of a Hawaiian vamp can be layered on by picking single notes. In this chunk there can be many things going on, but the main two are picking and strumming variations. For many more options, shapes, and chord tricks, check out my eBook: Difference between “vamp” and “progression”, https://liveukulele.com/wp-content/uploads/vrp-20151225-142622.mp3, https://liveukulele.com/wp-content/uploads/vrp-20151225-142459.mp3, https://liveukulele.com/wp-content/uploads/vrp-20151225-142519.mp3, https://liveukulele.com/wp-content/uploads/vrp-20151225-142531.mp3, https://liveukulele.com/wp-content/uploads/vrp-20151225-142545.mp3, https://liveukulele.com/wp-content/uploads/vrp-20151225-142603.mp3, https://liveukulele.com/wp-content/uploads/vrp-20151225-142642.mp3, https://liveukulele.com/wp-content/uploads/vrp-20151225-142847.mp3, https://liveukulele.com/wp-content/uploads/vrp-20151225-143144.mp3, https://liveukulele.com/wp-content/uploads/vrp-20151225-143324.mp3. To establish a solid rhythm, first put your ukulele down, listen to some of the examples listed for each strum, and then count out the time in your head for a few measures before you start, to get a good sense of the time. This versatile strum, which is also sometimes known as “swing” or “double swing,” is useful in Hawaiian music as well as rock, pop, and folk. Because of this repetitive structure, a Hawaiian vamp is added between each verse. A Dm Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright A7 Dm G7 the sun will shine by day and all the stars by night C C7 A7 Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way Dm G7 to say "Merry Christmas" Dm G7 a very Merry Christmas Dm G7 C Dm, G7, C a very very Merry Christmas to You :Charted by Bustopher the Busker - bustopher@bigpond.com These notes work around the chords to push the sound along. We will attempt to understand it by unraveling some of the mysteries surrounding a few different common strumming rhythms. Try now. Used as a turnaround at the end of a verse or chorus, the Hawaiian Vamp is one of the most recognizable "Hawaiian-sounding" chord progressions, usually consisting of three chords. But the highlight of the progression is the use of Bb9 and Eb9. “Maori Brown Eyes,” by Palolo. You can find all 'Hawaiian' ukulele songs on UkuTabs right here on this page, ordered by popularity.UkuTabs is your true source to find chords and tabs for all of your favorite songs. It’s important to note that our Hawaiian culture’s history is an oral one. You can play a progression over and over, and it will sound good. Eventually you would come back to where you started after visiting all twelve 7th chords (something to try out sometime – *hint, hint*). From a musical perspective, a chord consists of two or more notes played together. Copyright © 2021 Live ʻUkulele Journey, The Beatles, Jason Mraz, Train, Taylor Swift… seriously if you want to write a hit song… use the Axis of Awesome. Made in Honokaʻa, HI. Another chord progression using drones. Each chord is distanced from the one below it … Just replace each 7th chord in the vamp with a 9th. So in this week's episode of Uke Minutes, we introduce the most basic component of many traditional Hawaiian songs played on the ukulele - the Hawaiian Vamp. There are many to learn, but here are some more basic ones to get you started. About the author: Also notice that the downbeat right before the third beat is emphasized, which adds to the syncopation. Picking vamps can add a lot to a song. In the third measure is the connector lick that runs into the next vamp of your choice (I put a simple one in to give you an idea). I learned this lick from Uncle Sonny many years ago. For every melodious steel-guitar part, beautiful three-part vocal harmony, and foot-tapping upright bass line, there is a pulsating foundation of a solid ukulele strum at its core. F is a great key. 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