Getting a steady rhythm is one of those hurdles everyone must cross.  A metronome can be very helpful.  They come in all sorts of styles - the electronic ones that flash or click or ping are very small and affordable.

Get any sort of metronome and use it to get the feel of a steady beat.  Set it to a pace that is not too fast and then strum along.  This may sound strange, but I find it helpful to play standing up so I can sway or stomp or tap to the beat.

Regarding picks or fingers - I'll let somebody else open that can of worms . . .
James

Hi ILuvJefferyNeroHardy and welcome to chordie!

For some people, high school is their glory days.  For others, high school is a miserable and lonely place.  Please realize that your peers are just as confused (if not moreso) as you are - don't put much stock in their criticisms.

For me high school was mostly miserable and lonely.  I wasn't a jock or a socialite or a stoner or whatever the various tribal groups are called nowadays.  I guess I was mostly just a nerd of some sort - but I didn't even fit in with the other nerdish types.

In retrospect I now understand that I didn't fit in because high school was a miserably dysfunctional and totally fabricated little society.  There was no place good for me there because I just didn't fit within any of the typical little tribes.  It was a very good thing to finish high school and get on with my life and become comfortable with my individuality.

It has all worked out just dandy for me - I now teach at a university, I have a wide variety of interests that keep me going, I am happily married, and we have a son and a daughter (plus 6 dogs, but that's another story).

Being uncomfortable as an adolescent is not unusual - however, if your inner turmoil is affecting your ability to function then you need to start talking to somebody about it.  Talking in and of itself is not a cure - but learning how to express your feelings to another person can help you gain some perspective.

My wife is a Guidance Counselor in our local high school.  I can attest to the fact that she is very interested in (and capable of) helping students achieve their fullest potential.  Perhaps there is somebody just as capable in your school?

It  is good you can talk to your mother.  It is better to be open with your parents than to try and pretend they don't exist or that they don't care or that they can't understand.

What do you do for fun?  What makes you smile and laugh and chuckle?
James

Hi billiesgirl & welcome to chordie!

Any song can be played with a ukulele - one great feature of chordie is that you can set your preference to display ukulele chords (or banjo or mandolin, etc) with all the songs.

Here is how to do that:
Log in and go to the 'Resources' page (between 'My Songbook' and 'Forum').
Now, go to 'Your Account' and click on 'Change Settings (instrument/tunings)'.
Select your preference, and now all your songs will automatically show ukulele chord charts.

Here's a couple of cool sites that have great resources and other links just for ukes:
Ukulele Boogaloo
http://www.alligatorboogaloo.com/uke/index.html
Ukulele Beatles Fun!
http://beatlesite.info/index.html

Hope this is helpful, James

Hi wmcdrum - This is a dandy lyric - rather cryptic at first but then the meaning becomes readily apparent. Well done and I look forward to getting to know you.  James

Hi marcalan - As I am hopelessly behind in keeping up with all the stuff on the Songwriting forum, it took me a while to listen to this one.

Great song! Love the idea and what you did with it.  Your recordings are clear and your playing is superb - have sent a MySpace friend request and I am so glad you have joined out little merry band of music makers.  James

Thanks for listening, folks!  This song sat in pieces in my notebook for about 4 months.  I finally just had to finish it so that I could move on to other ideas.

Roger, I guess this melody does go lower and higher than usual . . . it certainly gets louder! I didn't intend for it to be such a howler - but that's the way it turned out.  I am certainly over my mic shyness now.

daddycool, this is excellent.  We have lots of little things that are sentimental treasures - sometimes it seems like clutter, but all this stuff is what helps makes a house a home.

Hi gitaardocphil,
I have never understood the mentality of people who create viruses - it is a sick mindset. Since I use a Macintosh, viruses are not as much of a problem but I still have defenses installed.

Regarding MySpace and all the bottom feeders that dwell there - you can eliminate much of that junk by changing your privacy settings.

Here is how: Log in, go to 'My Account' (upper right corner of your home page), and then go to 'Privacy'. You will find several options there that make it much harder for spammers and other lowlife.

When I started my MySpace page I had lots of unwanted junk until I activated the privacy tools. Now that those privacy options are in effect, I have not had any trouble.
James

I have just posted a raw & flawed recording of "Something to Hold" to my 'Songs for Human and Autoharp' page at MySpace Music.

http://www.myspace.com/r200james

Please give it a listen.  Thanks, James

I'm 51 going on 10. Have never lost touch with my inner 9-year old.

This is the rock&roll song that first really blew my mind back in 1970:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EBMo8xHGNs

That's right, the Ides of March are still rockin' it after all these years!

Hi jsprankle & welcome to chordie!

Try this version listed under Kenny Loggins.  It has some tabs in the middle, but I'm not certain it is what you seek:
http://www.chordie.com/chord.pere/www.b … nt=4015641

(In the future, please start a new topic for a new request rather than adding onto an existing thread.  I almost didn't see your request.  James)