The ukulele is one of the simplest instruments to learn how to play. With just four strings and a simple strumming motion, you can begin playing songs within minutes.
Ukulele groups provide an important social outlet for many. They’re deeply embedded in local communities and typically meet at easily accessible venues.
Beginner
The ukulele is an incredibly versatile instrument, capable of being played in numerous styles. As a four-stringed resonator instrument, it has become increasingly popular with students of all ages.
It’s an accessible and affordable instrument that is growing in popularity within music education circles as a means of introducing fretted instruments to students of all ages. Unlike guitar, which may be difficult for beginners to master, the ukulele offers beginners an accessible alternative due to its ease of learning and affordability.
Ukulele ensemble music is an enjoyable and effective way to learn a variety of tunes. Additionally, it helps you hone ensemble skills – essential if you wish to progress as a ukulele player.
Many ukulele groups perform a blend of songs, such as folk and country classics. Furthermore, other musical genres and styles that can be played on the ukulele include blues, rock, latin, swing and classical.
These arrangements can be performed as solo instrumentals, with 2 and 3 part vocal harmony, or with bass parts. All scores are 100% legal (royals go back to copyright holders) and offer a variety of rhythms and chord indications to accommodate different musical genres.
Each arrangement is presented in its own review and practice video with rhythmic audio backing that helps students develop timing and ensemble playing skills. Online content mirrors the Course Lesson Plans and Student Workbook, featuring non-lesson related videos on stringing or ukulele care as well as teacher community forums with helpful discussions about course related pedagogical ideas, repertoire and supplemental material.
This ukulele ensemble courseware is the first to bring the ukulele into an ensemble-based, blended learning class format. It incorporates group music learning, solo repertoire, and multi-part arrangements of original and traditional songs.
This course is designed to be taught over a semester and suitable for both beginning and experienced ukulele instructors. Each lesson is perfectly paced with online videos illustrating every exercise, solo, and performance piece.
Consonus Ukulele course is the first to offer video-based teacher training content that provides teachers with additional lesson content to get their students off on the right foot and progressing. This includes supplemental video on teaching ukulele classes in classroom settings, layered learning techniques for differentiated instruction, ensemble rehearsal techniques and more!
Intermediate
Ramona Community Library offers free ukulele classes to all ages and levels of expertise – the library staff even has some classes specifically for beginners! With so many talented players from age zero to 80+, there’s sure to be something that appeals to everyone’s taste in music! It can be tricky deciding which class to take though, as not everyone shares the same taste in music! Luckily, they have you covered!
Advanced
Are you seeking a challenge? Why not give playing in an ensemble a shot? Ukulele groups offer great opportunities to practice your favorite music, meet new people and learn songs. While they may seem intimidating at first, ukulele clubs provide excellent opportunities to keep skills sharp while having fun!
One of the greatest things about ukulele ensemble music is that you can find a lot of it for free. There are various free options to find arrangements of this instrument, plus you can even create your own tabs if you know how!
You have access to an extensive library of books, tablature and online resources for ukulele players of all levels. Some are tailored specifically towards beginners while others are more advanced and suitable for intermediate players. Many come with teaching or performance notes which can be beneficial both to students as well as group leaders.
Another option is to find a professional ukulele teacher and take lessons with them. These instructors can often be found through local community centres or libraries and usually offer helpful advice on which music genres beginners should start with, as well as encouraging players to try various styles of playing.
There are several ukulele ensemble music books that include parts written for multiple ukes and bass. These books have been tested with various groups, making them suitable for both beginner and intermediate ukulele players.
The ideal ones are written in standard notation and include chord grids as well. They cover everything from chromatic scales to arpeggios – even an introductory lesson on playing the ukulele correctly!
This book is an invaluable tool for teachers, parents and students. It includes classic songs from different cultures and time periods that are easy to play in an ensemble setting. The arrangements are well-paced with each song differentiated by part.
Special Interest
The ukulele has long been a beloved instrument in America, but it has seen an uptick in interest recently. For many, playing the ukulele serves as an outlet for self-expression through music and to spend quality time with friends. Groups like Southern New Hampshire Ukulele Group (SNHUUG) provide great opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals who share this joy of playing this instrument.
The instrument is frequently employed in hospitals, nursing homes and as part of music therapy. It can be beneficial to patients with disabilities or special needs as well as those suffering from mental health conditions like ADHD, autism and depression.
For instance, a student with ADHD could benefit from lessons on strumming and rhythms; similarly, someone suffering from depression may need to work through several musical pieces in order to understand how they sound together. Such tailored instruction is available through the Ukulele in the Classroom method, which offers differentiated strategies for teaching this instrument.
Students should ideally own their ukuleles and have access to them outside of class time. This will give them a sense of responsibility for their instrument and boost their skill level considerably.
If a student cannot afford their own instrument, the school should consider offering them a class set of ukes. This could be done through various methods such as having a sign-out system where students can take their instruments home for practice or a “buy back” program in which the school purchases second-hand ukes and sells them at greatly reduced prices to beginning players.
When selecting an instrument for your group of students, be sure to select a model that is appropriate for their size. Soprano, concert and tenor-sized instruments are ideal options.
When tuning a ukulele, two major tunings are C6 (G, C, E and A) or D6 (A, D, F# and B). The latter is more difficult to play on an ukulele due to its higher dexterity requirements; therefore it should only be used when you have advanced students in your group.