A-Chording to Cynthia | August 2021 Patron Newsletter (Patreon)

{Patron-only post: please click through and heart this post so I know you've seen it, thank you!}

Aloha, Patrons!

Sending a warm welcome and breezy Hawai'i vibes to both long-time and new Patrons.  New Patrons, please see the resources later in this post for help getting started in our community.  We're so happy to have you here!

I'm still amazed that both U3 and the CL Global Uke Squad appeared at the Ukulele Festival Hawaii last month!  Watch our truly impressive Rainbow Flash Mob again.  After an event-filled July, I'm ready for a more laid-back August (reminder that I'm taking a break from my weekly 5@5 livestream during August - no change to Patreon lessons).  I read recently that the care you give yourself is the care you give to those around you.  So please remember to take care of yourself and show yourself kindness, and it will reflect in the community around you. 🌈🌴

Sneak preview - U3 music video shoots

In the whirlwind of the Ukulele Festival Hawaii, my trio U3 (me, Abe Lagrimas, Jr., and Ukulenny) joyously reunited and shot 2 music videos.  I can't wait to share them with you!  It will take a while to edit, but here's a first glimpse behind the scenes: 

I look forward to seeing you at our live events this month!  

xo cynthia 🌺

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Special note for new Patrons

If you are a new Patron, welcome!  Please introduce yourself in the comments below. I'd love to hear how long you've been playing, what kind of uke you play, if you have a group to play with, what songs you've been working on, or anything else you'd like to share.

I recommend all new Patrons check out our community WelcomeGuide/FAQ post.  Please be patient as you get familiar with the Patreon platform. I promise it will get easier to use if you take time to look around. If you have a question that the WelcomeGuide/FAQ post doesn't answer, please comment there to help us continue to update the FAQ.

To find a specific song or lesson, learn to use the updated Cynthia Lin Song Index.  Thank you to the Community Managers for creating and maintaining this helpful resource.

If you have more questions about Patreon, I encourage you to post your questions to one of our Community groups. Our community has tons of friendly folks who love sharing their uke experience. Our private Facebook group is particularly active, and we've streamlined the steps to join. Request to join right on the Facebook group page, and be sure to answer BOTH membership questions so Community Managers can verify your Patron status. Scroll to the Community Notes section at bottom of this post for more ways to join and post to our Community.

Seasoned Patrons, I always appreciate it when you help me answer any newbie questions in the comments of this or any post.  Thank you! Feel free to post your questions in the comments as well. 

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AUGUST 2021 PATRON EVENTS CALENDAR

See all Patron events on our Patron Google calendar. Access this calendar and get notifications for events on the Cynthia Lin Patron App, created by our Patron Community Manager, Rich!  Download: Android app | iOS app

• Thurs 8/5 @ 5:30 PM London Time - Bonus UK/EU Timezone Beginner Live Jam with Guest Instructor Jenny ($10+ Patrons)
• Thurs 8/12 @ 5:30PM Pacific Time - Beginner Live Jam ($10+ Patrons)
• Thurs 8/19 @ 5:30PM Pacific Time - Patron Monthly Live Lesson ($5+ Patrons)
• Thurs 8/26 @ 5:30PM Pacific Time - Intermediate Live Jam ($20+ Patrons)

Details for all Patrons events will be posted separately.  To edit your pledge level, visit https://www.patreon.com/join/cynthialin and select your desired reward tier.  (Patreon will only charge you for the difference in the upgrade).

As a reminder, my 5@5 livestream is on hiatus during August.

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Regional Squad Events that are open to Patrons

For those who may not have a local uke club gathering, or who just want a little more ukulele in your life, you can join these friendly folks on Zoom.

• Tues. August 10 @ 6-7PM EST -- 2nd Tuesday Zoom Play-Along Jam with NYC Squad leader Jenny - more info via FB event,
• Tues. August 17 @ 6-7PM London Time -- 3rd Tuesday Zoom Play-Along at a UK/Europe-friendly time with NYC Squad leader Jenny - more info via FB event.
• Saturday August 21 @ 8PM London Time -- Zoom Open Mic at a UK/Europe-friendly time with Amanda and Vanessa - for more info email Amanda.crossland@gmail.com.

Remember, if you are hosting a Zoom event and would like to invite Patrons to join, feel free to post the info in the comments of these newsletter posts.  You can also message me at the end of the month if you would like your event to be considered for the next month's newsletter.

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July 2021 Recap - News, Patron Events and new Videos:

• Community Manager Jenny led a bonus UK/EU-friendly timezone Beginner Live Jam  ($10+ Patrons). Watch the replay on Jenny's YouTube channel. 
• For our Beginner Live Jam ($10+ Patrons), I shared an arrangement of the “Save Your Tears” remix by The Weeknd and Ariana Grande.
• In the Patron Monthly Live Lesson ($5+ Patrons, now available to all), we worked on "Just the Two of Us".  Practice with a performance play-along that I just posted.
• For the Intermediate Live Jam ($20+ Patrons), we welcomed guest instructor Brian Liu, who taught a chord melody lesson using "Fly Me to the Moon." 
• My trio U3 performed live at the 51st Annual Ukulele Festival Hawaii. Catch us on the replay on YouTube!
• Also as part of the Festival, our Patron "flash mob" video for "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" premiered on YouTube, featuring over 119 participants from more than 10 countries! Watch it here. 
• Chef Carla Lalli Music and I traded lessons in a fun swap for Patreon. I taught her to play "Purple Rain" and she coached me through a fresh pasta recipe. I shared the links to both videos in this post. 

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COMMUNITY NOTES:

1. Join our private Facebook group: In the Facebook group, Patrons can share videos, advice, support, and encouragement!  Be sure to answer both membership questions so that Community Managers can verify your Patron status. If you wish to connect and are not on Facebook, you can share a post on the Community tab here on Patreon. If you have questions about Patreon or ukulele or otherwise, posting the question to our very helpful and active Community will generate the fastest answer.

2. More Facebook public groups - we're using Facebook as our community gathering place because it has the best community features. Find all the CL groups here, including the CL Uke Newbies group, an all-levels group, and several active regional groups (NYC / LA / the Pacific Northwest / Hawaii and more).  https://www.facebook.com/cynthialinmusic/groups

3. Learn to use the Cynthia Lin Song Index, created and maintained (and updated recently!) by the amazing CL Community Managers! The super helpful CL Song Index organizes all CL songs, Patreon posts, YouTube videos, and tutorials.

4. Download the Cynthia Lin Patron App, created by our Patron Community Manager, Rich! Android app | iOS app

5. Find all Patron events on our Patron Google Calendar

6. Find answers to many Frequently Asked Questions in our New Patron Guide/FAQ post.

7. To edit your pledge, visit https://www.patreon.com/join/cynthialin