I’ve been asked a couple questions about the way these incredible two guys play. Here’s what I saw at the workshop (and, at the end of the post I’ll explain their take on how to play the famous reggae-type strum IZ uses in “Wonderful World/Over the Rainbow”). Note: There’s a full account of these workshops on the earlier posting, just below this one.

Daniel said he is a classically-trained guitarist and I’d say his playing style reflects that. He used no pick, just his fingers. His right hand nails were not very long (just peeking over the top of his finger pads). He typically maintains a hand position for picking in which each finger is positioned over it’s “own” string. That way, he says, he doesn’t have to think about where to put the fingers, they’re already there, ready to play. He does not “brace” with his little finger on the soundboard. He uses a strap to hold his ukulele in place so he can roam up and down the fingerboard.

It was an afternoon of new strums, arpeggio patterns and plenty of learning when Herb Ohta, Jr. and Daniel Ho presented two ukulele workshops in Sacramento on January 21. The workshop, arranged by Hawaii’s Music Live (415/452-8720), drew folks from as far as the Bay Area and Grass Valley (as well as me, from two hours away in Paradise!).

The beginner course focused on the very basics of ukulele and quickly ramped up to a variety of more complex strums. The workshop’s song for the day was “Pineapple Mango” from the duo’s new CD, Ukuleles in Paradise 2. We played the chord progressions for that song, sampled its tablature (the first time some of the folks had ever *seen* tablature) and were the “back up” for Herb and Daniel as they played the song with improvising and flourishes.

It’s been a week since we returned from our 11-day trip to the Big Island and I’m still smiling as I recall all the great ukulele fun I was able to enjoy (and the smiles are still there in spite of coming back home to 41-degree weather and rain!).

If you’ve never had the chance to visit Hawaii and play ukulele with friends there, let this account clue you in to the great fun—and learning—that can be yours in the land of sun, surf, sand and GCEA tuning (if you’re not a “word” person and just want to skip to the pictures, go here):

Travel and lodging
We took Hawaiian Airlines from Sacramento to Kona Airport, via Honolulu. Definitely sign up for their frequent flyer program, Hawaiian Miles, even if you’re not one (yet) and don’t even have any trips planned at this time. Credits/miles can be transferred at no cost to/from friends and family members and with only 35,000 miles you can book a round-trip ticket from the West Coast to any Hawaiian island. Get the HA Visa credit card and you get one mile credit on your Hawaiian Miles account for each dollar charged—sweet!