| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| salmonella |
Posted - 08/24/2011 : 05:44:48 AM
I am beginning to look into setting up some regular times to play at local assisted living or senior center facilities.
If anyone has any suggestions on instrumental slack key music selections (I dont sing) that work best for this sort of thing or any other ideas on how to make the best of this, I would appreciate the input.
thank you
Dave |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| basilking |
Posted - 09/08/2011 : 7:07:29 PM
Thx Retro - got it sorted. |
| Retro |
Posted - 09/03/2011 : 5:10:18 PM
quote:
Originally posted by basilking
dr. cookie - got yr e, sent again but bounced back twice. can you e me with another e addy to try?
Make sure there's a hyphen between dr and cookie; that omission sometimes messes up sending e-mail to Don. |
| basilking |
Posted - 09/03/2011 : 10:32:32 AM
dr. cookie - got yr e, sent again but bounced back twice. can you e me with another e addy to try? |
| Lawrence |
Posted - 09/02/2011 : 06:30:57 AM
This reminds me of that complaint written into song:
"Just play me some words I can dance to, or a melody that rhymes"
From "Banana Republics"
...written by the late great Steve Goodman (also covered by Jimmy Buffet).
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| neeej |
Posted - 09/02/2011 : 06:14:04 AM
Susy & I play at a couple of places, and get requests for "the songs we used to dance to." |
| basilking |
Posted - 09/01/2011 : 7:47:31 PM
Don - both sets [with & without chords] sent in Word. Let me know if any trouble opening 'em. Anyone else wants a set am happy to fwd.
Jim aka basilking
dakotared<at>speakeasy<DOT>net |
| dr. cookie |
Posted - 09/01/2011 : 5:47:04 PM
Basilking ~
I'd love to see a copy of your Christmas compilation (preferably in Word format) . . . and I love the idea of having "just lyrics" to pass around in addition to the lyrics + chords for the musicians. Would you mind sending the file(s) to me at dr-cookie (at) msn.com?
Thanks!
Don |
| thumbstruck |
Posted - 09/01/2011 : 5:43:09 PM
I play Oktoberfest at some facilities with Hans during the fall. We do mostly German stuff, but folks still want Country and familiar tunes. Slip (and I thru Slip) know a guy that makes the rounds of various care facilities with his guitar. Steve plays lots of old tunes and standards. He constantly amazes the staff when Alzheimer patients sing entire songs and request more. Music is therapy. |
| basilking |
Posted - 09/01/2011 : 12:50:05 PM
Thanks, Jack! Uncle Danny plays uke/sings "Dream A Little Dream..." /I've accompanied him. I've about 2/3 of a guitar instrumental ver worked out that I should dust off & finish learning. Or maybe I just oughta finally learn to sing it, I dunno. For the purposes we're talking about in this thread it feels like maybe a good thing to have both an intsr AND vocal version of songs, depending on audience, care coordinators' request, etc. |
| Doug Fitch |
Posted - 09/01/2011 : 09:39:06 AM
These are some of my favorite gigs! I'm so glad you all are talking about this. Sometimes the care coordinators have specified that they want up beat tunes because they don't want people falling asleep mid day. Just ask. Oldies are always appreciated as are originals. Aloha! |
| slipry1 |
Posted - 09/01/2011 : 07:58:44 AM
AS for standards, I heartily recommend "Dream a Little Dream of me". It's fun to play on the uke, in G, with the bridge in Eb. It's got a great message. Also "Our Love is Here to Stay". There are many others, but I can't think of them right now. |
| basilking |
Posted - 09/01/2011 : 07:36:23 AM
I started playing @ Asst'd Liv'g facility because of family there. We'd do Xmas carols each year [sis-in-law on uke, me on gtr, us/diverse other family helping the sing-along]. I eventually collated/distilled a mass of different Xmas song-compilations into my idea of "best" songs/arrangements/key/ etc. I have this in Word & Pdf form, 25 songs w/lyrics & chords, another ver just lyrics to hand around. Happy to share if anyone wants copies.
This expanded as family worked in 2 hopsitals. We'd carol there too. Eventually [again initially family-related] began some hospice playing, mostly nahenahe slack-key instrumentals.
Am looking into a program the offers a certification as a "Music Therapist". Unsure I "need" certification but still exploring options. Seems like a reasonable "retirement career" to prep now for: share music, get modest income for pocket-money.
I've had similar reactions to Hikabe's experience. Not many hapa-haole tunes in my repertoire [though I do sing], figure I'll try to learn a few more. I prefer songs like "Koke`e", Hi'lawe", etc myself but a few more could be good[have added both slack-key & vocal vers of "Honolulu I Am Coming Back Again" for ex, a more "uptempo" option].
Also thinking to add more "standards" to my repertoire too; I don't sing "Misty", "Paper Moon" & such - only comp along with one of the Uncles when they go there. Feels appropriate to try and expand repertoire to accomodate diverse audiences. This dovetails with bringing several guitars so the standard-tuned one[for "standards..."] could be the "pass-around" guitar as Dave notes.
Appreciate all insights offered here. |
| Bau |
Posted - 08/27/2011 : 12:33:27 PM
perhaps consider volentering and playing the nahenahe songs at a hospital, where need of the healing power of the music is especialy felt, than a senior center?
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| salmonella |
Posted - 08/26/2011 : 06:07:00 AM
Basilking
Good info on taking a less important guitar. Maybe what I would do is take a smaller body extra guitar along tuned to standard tuning and hand that to anyone that wanted to play since it is unlikely they would be able to deal with Taropatch or C wahine and it might frustrate them more than anything.
Dave |
| salmonella |
Posted - 08/26/2011 : 05:54:35 AM
thank you Bob for some more very interesting perspective.
Maybe this situation is like so many others in music, tastes and situations vary so widely that there are many good answers and a few not so good matches between artist and audience.
What I am thinking now is that I may need to talk to the management of these facilities and try to match my style and ability to a situation where the audience will be receptive of it.
I know I do not have the repertoire nor talent to change to fit the expectations of whatever audience I end up with.
Please keep the comments coming though, I think we are all getting good info here.
Dave |
