Learn To Uke with me :)

Do you want to teach your students about fractions?  And rhythms?  Learn whole, half, quarter, eighth and sixteenth fractions, plus how to split the beat into 4 and also, handily using the word ‘ukulele’ to do so!

Here’s how:

Go to http://www.metronomeonline.com/and set the latidos por minute (bpm) to 60. You and your students should tap your foot a este ritmo, y mantener tapping to el ritmo throughout the whole of the exercise. Your foot hace que el ’beat’ and your boca y las manos will hacen the ‘rhythms’. Don’t confuse los dos!

• Now you have the beat with your foot, work your way through these rhythms: 
• Semibreve - hum for 4 beats (take a big deep breath first!)
• Minim - hum for 2 beats
• Crotchet - say ‘tea’ or clap every beat (every sound from the metronome)
• Quaver - say ‘coffee’ every beat (you’ll say ‘cof’ as you tap your foot, add ‘fee’ inbetween) and/or clap your hands to this rhythm
• Semiquaver - say ‘ukulele’ every beat (you’ll say ‘u’ as you tap your foot, ad ‘kulele’ inbetween)  and/or clap your hands to this rhythm

Click the title for the wall chart and see all of this written out as a diagram.

Do you want to teach your students about fractions?  And rhythms?  Learn whole, half, quarter, eighth and sixteenth fractions, plus how to split the beat into 4 and also, handily using the word ‘ukulele’ to do so!

Here’s how:

Go to http://www.metronomeonline.com/ and set the beats per minute (bpm) to 60.  You and your students should tap your foot to this beat, and keep it tapping to the beat throughout the whole of the exercise.  Your foot makes the ‘beat’ and your mouth and hands will make the ‘rhythms’.  Don’t confuse the two!

• Now you have the beat with your foot, work your way through these rhythms: 
• Semibreve - hum for 4 beats (take a big deep breath first!)
• Minim - hum for 2 beats
• Crotchet - say ‘tea’ or clap every beat (every sound from the metronome)
• Quaver - say ‘coffee’ every beat (you’ll say ‘cof’ as you tap your foot, add ‘fee’ inbetween) and/or clap your hands to this rhythm
• Semiquaver - say ‘ukulele’ every beat (you’ll say ‘u’ as you tap your foot, ad ‘kulele’ inbetween)  and/or clap your hands to this rhythm

Click the title for the wall chart and see all of this written out as a diagram.

Do you want to teach your students about fractions?  And rhythms?  Learn whole, half, quarter, eighth and sixteenth fractions, plus how to split the beat into 4 and also, handily using the word ‘ukulele’ to do so!

Here’s how:

Go to http://www.metronomeonline.com/ and set the beats per minute (bpm) to 60.  You and your students should tap your foot to this beat, and keep it tapping to the beat throughout the whole of the exercise.  Your foot makes the ‘beat’ and your mouth and hands will make the ‘rhythms’.  Don’t confuse the two!

• Now you have the beat with your foot, work your way through these rhythms: 
• Semibreve - hum for 4 beats (take a big deep breath first!)
• Minim - hum for 2 beats
• Crotchet - say ‘tea’ or clap every beat (every sound from the metronome)
• Quaver - say ‘coffee’ every beat (you’ll say ‘cof’ as you tap your foot, add ‘fee’ inbetween) and/or clap your hands to this rhythm
• Semiquaver - say ‘ukulele’ every beat (you’ll say ‘u’ as you tap your foot, ad ‘kulele’ inbetween)  and/or clap your hands to this rhythm

Click the title for the wall chart and see all of this written out as a diagram.

Do you want to teach your students about fractions?  And rhythms?  Learn whole, half, quarter, eighth and sixteenth fractions, plus how to split the beat into 4 and also, handily using the word ‘ukulele’ to do so!

Here’s how:

Go to http://www.metronomeonline.com/ and set the beats per minute (bpm) to 60.  You and your students should tap your foot to this beat, and keep it tapping to the beat throughout the whole of the exercise.  Your foot makes the ‘beat’ and your mouth and hands will make the ‘rhythms’.  Don’t confuse the two!

• Now you have the beat with your foot, work your way through these rhythms: 
• Semibreve - hum for 4 beats (take a big deep breath first!)
• Minim - hum for 2 beats
• Crotchet - say ‘tea’ or clap every beat (every sound from the metronome)
• Quaver - say ‘coffee’ every beat (you’ll say ‘cof’ as you tap your foot, add ‘fee’ inbetween) and/or clap your hands to this rhythm
• Semiquaver - say ‘ukulele’ every beat (you’ll say ‘u’ as you tap your foot, ad ‘kulele’ inbetween)  and/or clap your hands to this rhythm

Click the title for the wall chart and see all of this written out as a diagram.

On the day that my jam night Ukulele Wednesdays is 5 years old.  Yes!  5!  I thought it was time I should upload the chords to Happy Birthday.  You can play it tonight, or just play it to one of your friends.  Enjoy!

Happy Monday!

If you want to know more about music theory and are looking for a handy point of reference which shows you the relative minor, the key signature (handy if you’re learning to read music), and I, IV, V (more about this later) for each song, please find this attached.  Print, pop it in with your music and enjoy!

Strum with you soon!

Lorraine.

Hello,

I decided to go on a health-kick a few years ago, as I’d put a bit of weight and couldn’t run a few metres.  It bothered me.  If you’re in the same boat and want to do something about it, give this attached plan a go.  I might add that I have no association with the company who put it out, nor do I actually like their brand, but with this plan, I was able to go from not being able to run a few metres to the bus, to being able to do a 10k race in 6 weeks.  It’s a great thing, if you fancy it.  It works, but you have to follow the plan.  ;)

Enjoy.  :)

Lorraine x

We thought it was high time that we sent out an easy to read ukulele chord chart for absolute beginners.  We hope you like it.  :)

The numbers show you which fingers to use.  Thumb = 0, Index = 1, Middle = 2, Ring = 3, Little = 4.

We thought it was high time that we sent out an easy to read, left handed ukulele chord chart for absolute beginners.  We hope you like it.  :)

The numbers show you which fingers to use.  Thumb = 0, Index = 1, Middle = 2, Ring = 3, Little = 4.

I often get asked how I choose or arrange songs for children.  I found a handy, well written article by Debbie Cavalier to help you out:

“As a children’s musician I have the wonderful opportunity to share music with kids and their families. We sing, dance, laugh and have a great time making music together. The songs we sing are songs I wrote and before these songs see the light of day, I run them though a 10-point kid-tested checklist and do rewrites accordingly. The 10-point check list came from studying the music of wonderful children’s artists who came before such as Shari Lewis and Buffalo Bob Smith. Also from listening to and attending shows of today’s great children’s artists including Bob McGrath of Sesame-Street fame, Steve Songs, Ralph’s World, Dan Zanes, Vanessa Trien, and many others. The items in this 10-point checklist fall into two main categories: Child Development Considerations and also Music and Production Considerations.

10-Point Kid-tested Checklist

    1. Vocal Range and Melodic Intervals

    2. Tempo

    3. Age-appropriate Skills

    4. Language

    5. Message

    6. Active Participation

    7. Song Quality

    8. Recording Quality

    9. Arrangement

    10. Diversity in Style

Child Development Considerations

1. Vocal Range and Melodic Intervals: When writing music for children it’s important to remember that a natural, comfortable range for a young child’s voice is from middle C to G (a perfect fifth above). This range can be extended by a few notes on either end as a child goes from preschool into the primary grades.

In addition to the vocal range, the melodic intervals should be appropriate for the target audience. Does the melody move largely by step or by leap? Are the intervals natural for children to sing—such as the minor third—or unnatural such as a tritone. Of course, a tritone may have its place in a song, but it’s important to be mindful of the challenge and make the rest of the melodic intervals accessible whenever possible.

2. Tempo: A resting heartbeat for a young child is faster than that of an adult. The normal rate is 70 to 90 beats per minute in adults, and 90 to 120 in children. Therefore, songs that an adult would perceive as up tempo might feel more like medium tempo to a young child. This is an important consideration when developing music for a specific energy level.

3. Age-appropriate Skills: Five-year olds know the concept of opposites and can rhyme; two-year olds typically can’t, but they love to make the Itsy Bitsy Spider go up the waterspout with their fingers. Be sure to challenge and engage your audience with opportunities for active participation that address the appropriate skill level for the developing child. Child development publications are helpful resources for this information.

4. Language: Is the vocabulary appropriate for the age-range of the children?

5. Message: Is there a moral to the story or is it nonsensical (both have their place in children’s music). For songs with a value-based message, how will you set that up in the song and then reinforce the message?

6. Active Participation: Children’s music is all about actively engaging kids from start to finish. Are there singing and movement parts for them to do throughout the form? How will you keep them actively engaged in a meaningful way throughout each song for an entire set?

Music and Production Considerations

7. Song Quality: Kids songs should be comprised of the same high-quality standards expected from any other genre.

8. Recording Quality: Give the families who listen to your music the same production values in your recordings as you’d expect from your own favorite recording artists.

9. Arrangement: Do the song sections build? Is there an ebb and flow to the piece? Is the instrumentation interesting and appropriate? Are there hooks and surprises along the way? Where are the memorable moments in the song?

10. Diversity in Style: Stylistically, for a children’s music composer, the world is your oyster. You can write in whatever style is best suited for a given song. It’s not uncommon for a children’s CD to have pop, rock, swing, folk, show-style, and more. Experiment with style. Kids love it!

That’s it!

The true test, of course, is in the actual sharing of songs with children. If they don’t like it… you will know right away! Children are brutally and beautifully honest. If they do connect with your music… you’ll know that right away, too!

Rewriting is the name of the game with songwriting, especially when writing music for children. Keep refining your music to the 10-point checklist and test it out in live performance. When it’s “just right” you’ll know!”

Blue Suede Shoes MF Primary

The (usually largely ignored) missing verse from Five Foot Two. 

Wondering what ‘that’ tune is on the Sainsbury’s advert?  Yes, it’s a ukulele, and yes, it’s George Formby.  Check it out here:

ukehunt:

Graph of US ukulele sales in 2009/2010 (via SmallBiz in Hawaii Business Magazine | Subscribe for just $15/year.)

US ukulele sales graph for 09/10. :)

MF Primary covering Price Tag | Lorraine_Bow

My new sounds