I’ve been practicing ukulele since last month, singing while strumming accompanying chords. I love traditional Hawaiian music, in which men frequently use their falsetto voice – I totally love doing that, singing up high. One of my favorite songs is Over the Rainbow, arranged by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, where I use my falsetto, and then I’m also practicing Unchained Melody, which stays entirely in my baritone range – a nice contrast to my high voice. I’ve already begun performing these songs for various friends’ celebrations.
Lately, I’ve been particularly inspired by the famous men’s group, Chanticleer, and was lucky to attend their Denver concert a few weeks back. Many of the guys sing alto and even soprano – and I mean, absolutely as high as a female voice; it’s incredible and so beautiful… I have lots of their CD’s, but nothing beats hearing Chanticleer live. http://www.chanticleer.org/#about-chanticleer
Another fun exploration is the jaw-harp, which I’ve messed with since childhood. So I finally decided to get a professional one, and it was sent to me all the way from St. Petersburg in Russia! It has a hand-carved case made of larch wood, and I love the sounds I can make with it. Here’s a cool YouTube video of jaw-harp virtuosity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JCfCKHcaZQ
