Kiss: Ukulele

This arrangement captures the sensuality and rhythmic sophistication of Prince's original without requiring your ensemble to master complex production. Students immediately connect with the groovy pocket and the accessibility of ukulele voicings, making funk feel achievable and fun.

Smooth and confident, with a groove that sits in the pocket while never feeling stiff. The arrangement invites players to find the space in the rhythm section and deliver the melody with personality, echoing Prince's own approach to performance.

Ukulele students with solid rhythm reading who are ready to explore funk and pop arranging beyond traditional four-chord progressions. This works for solo performers aiming to expand their contemporary repertoire, or ensemble contexts where ukulele leads or features in chamber settings.

• Lock into the syncopated rhythms by counting subdivisions; Prince's phrasing often sits just off the beat, so precision with the click is essential.
• Shape the dynamics around the arrangement's busiest moments; pull back on verse passages to let the hook hit harder.
• Emphasize the chord color changes, particularly any extensions or altered voicings, to preserve the sensual quality of the original recording.

Pair this with other 1980s and 1990s funk-soul standards to build a themed concert or listening unit on groove and production. It also shines as a showcase piece for a strong ukulele soloist during a pops or contemporary music set.

• Syncopated rhythm reading and performance
• Funk and soul articulation and phrasing
• Voice leading and harmonic structure in pop arranging
• Groove awareness and pocket playing