In The Solo Ukulele Instrumentals . . . fingerpicking collection 2013 enhanced edition . . .”PARIS NOCTURNE” travels ’round the world. . . Reflections from the composer . . . by UKULELE MIKE LYNCH (Solo Ukulele Instrumentals now reduced to just $20.00)

For many many years I’ve been a great fan of the music of the French composer Erik Satie.  When I was in High School and studying classical piano my music teacher introduced me to the 3 Gymnopedies by Satie.  So beautiful and yet so incredibly simple and complex all at the same time.  It’s not so much the notes but how one phrases the notes in their slow melodic fashion that speaks from the heart.  Other pieces have spoken to me in the very same way.  I would include Traumerie and Clair de Lune in that category.  Also Sibelius’ FINLANDIA which I’ve also done a ukulele arrangement of.

About two years ago I made a visit to the beach near my home on Puget Sound.  I was struck by the balmy summer air and the beautiful sight of the Olympic Mountains in the west.  The people quietly lingering around the promenade as the ferry boat filled up with passengers eager to head off to the Olympic Peninsula.  I had my uke in hand and started to casually run my fingers up and down the first string to create a simple melody.  I liked what I heard and began to work on it a bit.  Once the melody was pretty much in hand I began to include other notes of harmony within a simple repetive arpeggio finger picking pattern.  Without knowing it I was being influenced by those French composers that I was introduced to in my youth: Satie, Debussy, Ravel and many others. . . Definitely a very impressionistic sound began to speak from my little ukulele and I was pleased.  I must have sat there for over an hour playing my little piece over and over again. Nearly every time I played yet another new idea came to mind and in time it was firmly planted in my brain and my fingers.  I surely didn’t want to lose this one!  When I got home and sat down and proceded to lay out the notes in my Finale notation program on my computer to make extra sure I would not lose this piece.  Once I had it all entered into the computer then I felt a sigh of relief. . . I didn’t come back to it again for several days.  At that time my mind was fresh. . . I am now prepared to play it and ready to receive fresh ideas.  Lo and behold some fresh ideas did come forth  but they were minor . . . Indeed the main work had already been done. . . In subsequent months after that I purposely sat down to compose 2 companion pieces: Cherry Blossoms and River Of Dreams. . . The three became what I call THE DREAMSCAPE TRILOGY. This set of pieces are very attainable for fairly elementary ukulele players as the main melody simply plays off the first string with LOTS of open strings to fill out the accompaniment. . . . All three are found in my SOLO INSTRUMENTALS FOR THE UKULELE Volume 1 . . . It sells for $20.00 and can be purchased thru the paypal donate button on my website: www.ukulelemikelynch.com

Below are a number of tremendous video responses from other You Tube subscribers. . . Beginning at that warm summer day at the beach this simple peace has literally gone ’round the world. . . “HAPPY STRUMMING

Besides this primarily fingerpicking style collection, I also have a full library of Chord/Melody collections which can be purchased individually or all THREE for a discount.

Here is a link that explains the Chord/Melody Series

https://allthingsukulele.com/2016/02/17/the-recognized-leading-chord-melody-ukulele-library-ukulele-mike-chordmelody-series-ebooks-one-two-three-now-available-as-a-combo-package-at-a-discount/

For information regarding any Ukulele resource please email:

TheUkuleleMan2012@hotmail.com