methods
Multimediality
Keep in mind that students depend on a variety of interrelated factors when learning and internalizing skills and repertoire; the kinesthetic (picking and strumming) reinforces the aural (singing) which, in turn, reinforces the visual (sight-reading) and the intellectual (theory and analysis). To varying degrees, all of these factors can be included in every lesson.
Echo Picking
In echo picking (also known as call and response game), the leader plays a sequence of tones that the practitioners should replay without the help of a score. The advantages of this notation-free music are:
- No need to provide scores.
- Nobody feels overwhelmed by reading music.
- The group learns to listen more carefully.
- The aspects important to the piece practiced can be better highlighted.
The following playful variants have proven useful:
Create two teams and provide alternating turns with teams playing for points. At the end of game, students can challenge the teacher with something they pick. This is an optional bonus round, of course. …
Students break into pairs and take turns creating a four or five note phrase and having their partner play it back. Keep score! Teacher can circulate to make sure things are going well (e.g. not using overly long phrases) and can also partner with a student if there are uneven numbers, although a group of three can work also. …
Suzanne Doane2)
Echo-pick short rhythmic figures using only the tonic note … Then have volunteers improvise rhythm solos using only the tonic note while you and the rest of the students lightly single-note picking the chords.
1. Play with simple down strum rhythms on one chord …
2. Children take it in turns to improvise their own strums and the rest of the group repeat what they played …
3. Play using up and down strums …
4. Vary the dynamic of strums used …
5. Using one chord, strum a steady rhythm 4/4 in time and ask the children to join in. After the rhythm has settled and everyone is playing together, count 4, after which everyone stops playing. Then strum one bar of a rhythm which the children repeat. Everyone then returns to the original strum.
6. As step 5, but call out a child's name and they then improvise the call for everyone else to repeat.
Tim Lewis4)
Singing the Strings
A method developed by J. Chalmers Doane to teach harmony in ukulele lessons and to create simple polyphonic arrangements. He divides it into four steps:5)
- The entire class plays all the chords of the song, but only the note on the first string. Thus, the entire piece can play with very few notes.
- Half of the class now plays the full chords, the other sings the melody and only plays the harmony note on the first string.
- The harmony note on the second string is added. This already results in a nice little arrangement for the piece. If the class is big enough, you can now form three groups and designate one player each in charge to make his group sing the right harmony.
In this way, singing the strings becomes
Live Arrangement
In live arrangement, the concrete arrangement of a musical performance takes place during the practice by the group. Instead of a defined arrangement, the group therefore initially receives only a lead sheet or a musical idea and develops from this an ad hoc arrangement, which is geared to the possibilities and desires of the group and its individual members. This can also be done in small group work, where the small groups present their results and the group decides in a feedback process on their further use.
Guideline of all action is that as possible at all times of the process of rehearsal and practice an appealing musical result resounds and at the same time the group makes music in an agreeable, even inspired mood …
Both the musical quality and the methodical effectiveness of a piece of music arranged live depend thus above all on the musical imagination and the pedagogic skill of the instructor.
Jürgen Terhag, Jörn Kalle Winter7)
Take advantage of the many creative opportunities that can be embedded into your ukulele lessons … creative activities such as:
„let's write a new verse for this song,“
„let's re-harmonize this scale“
„let's improvise a new melody for this song“
„can you create a harmony part?“
„can you create a dance to accompany this piece?“
and so on.
To prove that this is a legitimate set of skills that the students have acquired, I teach the kids a song that we've never done before. I stand in front of that audience, I stand with the kids and they are taught a song that they will perform in four-part harmony (vocally and instrumentally), that will have an introduction and an ending, that will have a solo in the middle, that will be accompanied by bass, and that will be presented so that the audience wouldn’t know—if they didn't know—that it was just learned.
Peter Luongo9)
Body Percussion
Body percussion refers to the use of appropriate body movements of the hands, fingers, feet or mouth (by clapping, tapping, snipping, pounding, clicking, etc.) to practice and accompany rhythms. This can be a drums mimicking. Often the bass drum is mimicked by pounding, the snare drum by clapping, and the hi-hat by sniping.
Guido Heistek10)
Vocussion
The artificial term vocussion (shortened from „vocal percussion“) describes the practice of rhythms through linguistic formulas. For example, for the Tresillo, the formula „Pa-na-ma-Pa-na-ma Cu-ba“. Vocussion can be supported by Body Percussion.
Silkroad: Vocussion (2016)
Warm Shower
Warm shower is a form of individual or group feedback after a performance or practice: Everyone in the group should name a positive aspect. The leader can pick this up and discuss it in the following with appropriate exercises or explanations. At the beginning of the next session, the leader summarizes the progress made recently. This is intended to reinforce positive developments. This method should be repeated regularly. In the case of individual criticism, care should be taken to ensure that all members of the group get their turn evenly. A possible occasion are tributes to celebrate the birthday.
Show and Tell
The show and tell method is a motivational technique. The teacher presents concrete examples of outstanding virtuosity and playing technique on the ukulele and explains what is special about it. He/she should also respond to questions from the learners. Ideally, the teacher performs himself. The teacher can also bring along a suitable guest or show a video or audio recording. The method can also be used as a sneak preview: a promotional reference to the skills that can be acquired from attending the lesson.
My bias is toward hands-on teaching and that was my goal. However, when that wasn't working I reverted to a more „show-and-tell“ style in order to keep students' attention. … Note to teachers in challenging learning environments: learn to play a few rock licks. There may be moments when it's the only leg you have to stand on. Do whatever it takes to inspire them to pick up the instrument and play. Once they're „into it,“ try to steer them gently toward your chosen curriculum.