en:didaktik:ukulele

The ukulele transcends matters of age, gender, wealth, style, and culture. Its strength comes from a versatility that not only makes it adaptable to many different kinds of music but different lifestyles and aptitudes as well.

Philip Tamberino1)

Musical Versatility

The ukulele in the general music classroom in the intermediate grades is practical because it can be used in conjunction with the major instrument, the voice. In this context, the ukulele can be employed to foster and enrich the vocal experience through its role as an accompanying tool. Other roles for the ukulele lie in solo, ensemble and large group playing of a purely instrumental nature. Because it has the capability of producing rhythm, melodies and harmonies the ukulele can assume the above functions.

Donna-Faye Madhosingh2)

In any educational setting the ukulele has benefits that, taken together, no other single instrument has: it is affordable, portable, gentle-sounding, well-suited for melody and harmony and rhythm, technically simple for beginners, able to be played while singing, and enjoyable as a solo or ensemble instrument.

Philip Tamberino3)

You can teach—I'm breaking it down into a simple form—melody, harmony, and rhythm [which are] three very important things that are outlined in a music education. So, if you teach a student to sing and to be able to play melody–which assumes scales and all things that go with that so that key is understood–and you teach them to play harmony—chords—and you can have it part of a bona fide music ensemble you can give children a major music education on the ukulele.

Chalmers Doane4)

Many of us involved in teaching school ukulele programs strongly believe that it is an excellent form of music education in an elementary school. Our students become immersed in the joy of making music. They learn to sing, learn music theory and harmony, play by ear, read music and prepare to carry all these skills to other musical endeavors throughout their lives.

Jamie „Mr. T.“ Thomas5)

At the end of the day, the ukulele is easy, portable—which is critical for kids—and it's set up in such a way that it allows for a clear understanding of how music works. The fact that it's chromatic, that it's got a system to it that allows the instrument to be used at a variety of levels from very simple to the very complex. … You don’t have to use it to play Bach or Beethoven but if you needed to you could. And if all you wanted to do was to create a very simple melody, you could do that, too.

Peter Luongo6)

Intellectual and Emotional Versatility

And when push comes to shove, I think it's a great „thinking tool.“ It allows for a level of cognitive exercise that makes it an ideal tool for people of all ages. … And last but not least, I can't think of a person who can play the ukulele and not be happy!

Peter Luongo7)

You know the beauty about the ukulele is that you can be having a „down“ day and even if you can just strum simple chords you can pick up your ukulele and you can walk into a private area like your bedroom or your bathroom and practise with it. You can take it outside on the grass and practise with it. It’s so very easy to take with you to an area where you’re comfortable. And when you play ukulele you release whatever tension you have.

Roy Sakuma8)

Child-Friendliness

An ukulele is covered with four strings, while the guitar has a tone volume of six strings. Thus, the range of the ukulele is narrower and lower in sound. It offers more limited music possibilities. However, these disadvantages have a positive effect on very young players. Four strings are easily manageable. You will find space on a relatively narrow fretboard, which can still be comfortably embraced by a child hand. Each string is easily accessible to little fingers and can be played within the frets with light pressure.
The distances of the strings to each other also allow the depression of two or three strings with one finger (bar).

Renate Egelhof9)

The humble ukulele … is simple to play, and its simplicity is the key to its educational value. It is enjoyed by young people whose pleasure can be guided into a new world of enjoyment when the uke is accepted and welcomed into the classroom.

Marjorie Pulley10)

It is the perfect size for small hands and has a volume suited to accompanying children's voices.

Tim Lewis11)


1)
Uke Can Do It! Developing Your School Ukulele Program. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield. 2014, 3
2)
Madhosingh, Donna-Faye: An Approach to Developing Comprehensive Musicianship in the Intermediate Grades Using the Voice and the Ukulele. Dissertation, University of British Columbia 1984, 59
3)
Uke Can Do It! Developing Your School Ukulele Program. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield. 2014, 6
4)
Ukulele Yes!, 1.3.2009
5)
„Mr. T's No-nonsense Guide To Starting A Ukulele Program“. In: Ukulele Yes!, 1.12.2008
6) , 7)
Ukulele Yes!, 1.6.2008
8)
Ukulele Yes!, 1.9.2008
9)
Egelhof, Renate: „Ich spiel' am liebsten auf der Ukulele … Erfahrungen mit einer Arbeitsgemeinschaft an der Grundschule.“ In: Musik und Bildung 18:2 (1986), 178
10)
Pulley, Marjorie: „The Ukulele Goes to College“. In: Music Educators Journal 1953:9, 80–82
11)
Lewis, Tim: School Ukulele Orchestra: Teacher. Suffolk: Kevin Mayhew. 2008, 8