In this session we introduce new music symbols, audition an arpeggio pattern and tackle Cuckoo.
Kala Surf Riptide ʻUkulele | Photo courtesy Kala Brand Music Co.
Cuckoo Study Tips
Dotted Notes
A dot placed on the immediate right of a note head increases duration by fifty percent—half the original value of the note. Study the normal and dotted notes below (beat values for quarter note meters):
Only the dotted half note (3 beats) is used in Cuckoo.
Melody
Cuckoo uses both the first and second strings and has total of six notes. However, the B in Cuckoo, normally played on the second fret of the first string, is altered with a new symbol called a flat ().
Flats
The flat symbol is used to lower pitch by a half step: a shift of one fret lower (move towards the tuning keys). For example, the third note in the music example below is B-flat. Normally B natural is played on the second fret of the first string. The flat lowers the pitch and thus moves the note to the first fret.
Key Signature
When a flat symbol is placed at the beginning of a staff, rather than in front of an individual note, it is called a key signature. Read key signatures by observing the position of the flat on the staff's lines and spaces. The key signature below has a flat on the B line. Thus, notes with the letter name B are flatted or lowered by a half step.
The key signature with a single B-flat—the key of F major—is extremely common in 'ukulele music.
TAB Safety Net
If you forget what to do when you see a flat, peek at the numbers on the tablature. It's not cheating if you only do it once! Ironically, tablature readers never need worry about flats or key signatures.
Cuckoo Melody Demonstration | Professor Peter
Play the Melody Now!
Practice the melody of Cuckoo until smooth and aligned with the beat. Read the music—don't just copy the finger movements in the video. Play along with the audio track or video to help shore up your rhythm.
Once the melody of Cuckoo is flowing smoothly, work on playing the chords.
Cuckoo's Chords
Good news: you already know most of Cuckoo's chords from prior pieces. Practice the chords with Simple Strum 3/4: one thumb strum per measure on beat one: strum-2-3 | strum-2-3 | etc.
P-i-m-a-m-i Arpeggio
Once chord transitions are smooth, learn to play Cuckoo's chords with an arpeggio pattern. What's an arpeggio? An arpeggio is created when you play the notes of a chord one at a time. While chords may be arpeggiated in any song, arpeggios are especially effective for ballads and slower melodies like Cuckoo.
Arpeggio Position | Hand position for arpeggio playing.
We will learn an arpeggio pattern called P-i-m-a-m-i. Begin by playing it on the open strings of the ʻukulele (Am7 chord):
P-i-m-a-m-i Arpeggio | Practice on the open strings.
P-i-m-a-m-i Arpeggio Step by Step
For the p-i-m-a-m-i pattern, the thumb plucks the fourth string while the i-m-a fingers play the third, second and first strings respectively:
Thumb (p) plucks the fourth string
Index (i) plucks the third string
Middle (m) finger plucks the second string
Ring (a) plucks the first string
Middle (m) finger plucks the second string
Index (i) plucks the third string
Simply put, your left-hand holds the chords as if strumming, but your right-hand plucks the tones one note at a time in a repeating pattern.
Practice the arpeggio pattern slowly on the open strings until burned into your reflexes. Once the pattern is smooth, practice with Cuckoo's chords.
Here's what P-i-m-a-m-i looks and sounds like when applied to the chords in the first line of Cuckoo:
P-i-m-a-m-i Arpeggio | First line of Cuckoo (guilele)
The rhythm of P-i-m-a-m-i is a flow of even eighth notes: 1 & 2 & 3 &. P-i-m-a-m-i is played once in each measure of Cuckoo.
Cuckoo Arpeggio Demonstration | Professor Peter
If P-i-m-a-m-i is too difficult, stick to Simple Strum 3/4 during audio track practice. You have more chances to master P-i-m-a-m-i later in the course.
Study Question
How many beats does the dotted half note receive in measure 4 of Cuckoo? [answer below]
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Cuckoo Study Tips
Dotted Notes
Melody
).
Key Signature
TAB Safety Net
Play the Melody Now!
P-i-m-a-m-i Arpeggio 
Daily Review
Answer
