
“New Song” Cedar Park, 2020
I mentioned in a recent post that I am working on I Will by The Beatles, but I am also working on a song from 1973 called ひこうき雲 by Yumi Arai which was recently featured in the Miyazaki film The Wind Rises. I am switching back and forth between the two new songs, and seeing if it is more conducive to learning rather than just concentrating on one. At any rate, I think it’s more interesting.
Here’s the trailer for The Wind Rises, with the song. The tune sounds uplifting, but the lyrics are actually kind of tragic, and fit perfectly with the film.
I Will and ひこうき雲 each have one very high note/chord that requires using the 14th fret on the ukulele, which the soprano-sizes don’t have, so I will be practicing that part on my old concert-size ukulele. That concert ukulele is not good quality, and the fret markers are wonky, the upper frets are out of tune, the neck is uncomfortable and glossy (which I don’t like). But guess, what? A beautiful new concert ukulele is on the way, and I’m so excited!