Magic Uke Waltz

With a uke that is slowly getting a bit out of tune, I tried to play this old Winin' Boy favourite, the Roy Smeck original "Magic Uke Waltz", the way he played it on his very last record ("Wizard of the Strings" on the Blue Goose label). The camera seems to have spontaneously stopped filming half-way through. A digital camera with musical taste, imagine!

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[ukulelecrazy15]

I have the sheet music for this and I am attempting to play this song--it is actually coming along not too badly. But you play this perfectly!! (: I have a question: toward the middle of the song, you strum the chords in a way I've never seen before. How do you you do that?

[wininboy]

Thanks for the comment - It's been so long since I made this vid. There are dozens of great versions of this tune on this site, I didn't think anybody would still be watching 8^)

I strum those chords by closing my hand instead of opening it.

[gthrie20]

A fine renditioning of this lovely peice. Thank you. Beautifully played.

[wininboy]

Wow - thanks! After all these years and all the many great versions of this lovely tune people have posted on this site since, I didn't even realise somebody would still be watching this vid. Thanks again for the flattering compliment.

[Peter McMeel]

Thanks for your prompt reply! It remains to be seen whether I would have the resources to obtain an old Smeck recording. That piece has hit written all over it. Pretty much all my students love it, and they love studying how to play it. BTW Ukulelezaza told me he thought you were the foremost authority on Smeck.

[wininboy]

(The Kapp record sells for around $5 or $10 online usually, I guess? The BG is harder to come by, but isn't really a collector's item, either.)

Yessiree, this waltz is one of Smeck's best tunes, I think.

Thanks for ukuzaza's compliment too.

Although, to be fair, I'm not much of an "authority" on Smeck at all, really.

Unless owning a few of his records makes one an authority? 8^)

[Mitzi Maciel]

Where can I get the music sheet? Thanks.

[H Lugerth]

brilliant



[Peter McMeel]

Thanks Wininboy. Chasing those recordings up now.

[wininboy]

Cheers!

I think the best way to hear it, is to buy the old records. Smeck recorded this tune twice, as far as I know. One with lush arrangement on the Kapp lp "And his Magic Uke" and the second time on his last lp, on the Blue Goose label, where he added that third part. I do not think either of those made it onto cd yet?