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marzullo
`Olu`olu
USA
923 Posts |
 Posted - 11/04/2004 : 4:52:18 PM
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aloha e kaua,
our university started encouraging us to offer one-credit courses for freshmen with the idea of increasing the breadth of their experience. so, after checking with the music department, i volunteered to teach a one-credit course on beginning ukulele.
the immediate problem i'm facing is, i'm a little bit older than the students  i want to start off with some simple 2-chord songs that they can sing to, but i don't know which songs they'd know. any parents out there - or 18 year-old taro patchers - have any suggestions?
aloha,
keith
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1four5
Aloha
8 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2004 : 8:50:22 PM
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| How about the roots of rock and roll? Generic 1-4-5 12 bar blues? |
ukeblue.com |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2004 : 5:26:09 PM
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quote:
i'm a little bit older than the students
Yeah, I see from Jesse's article just how old that is! 
Of course, look whose talking |
Dusty |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2004 : 5:28:36 PM
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| Seriously, it sounds like great fun. Check out some of Jim Beloff's books. We have quite a few of them. You are welcome to borrow them if you like. |
Dusty |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2004 : 7:07:14 PM
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Keith, why not teach them Hawaiian songs and show them how they can apply what they learn to any song? The Hawaiian material crosses generations and you don't run the risk of having them find out you're bluffing with the new material!
Also, try getting in touch with Zach (member name Chango)...he's a student at Texas A&M and a ukulele newbie, but learning modern songs. He might have some good ideas. |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
Edited by - cpatch on 11/05/2004 7:11:41 PM |
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marzullo
`Olu`olu
USA
923 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2004 : 9:05:01 PM
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yeah, i was applying for faculty jobs when this group were being born.
i'm worried about what songs they know. jimmy buffet and the beatles were popular more than ten years before they were born. what songs fill the spots in their brains where "surfin' USA" and "26 miles across the sea" reside in mine?
aloha,
keith |
Edited by - marzullo on 11/05/2004 9:05:34 PM |
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Lowell
Aloha
USA
13 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2004 : 3:14:24 PM
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Great Topic. I faced the same issues 2 years ago when I offered to teach beginning uke for my wife's halau (she's the kumu). I played standard guitar at the time (no slack yet) and had never really played uke myself. But I had a great interest, and a basic understanding of chords, and basic playing. So we started with a group of about 30 folks all the way in age from my daughter who was twelve at the time with a slew of her hula sisters, to kapuna's who were in their 70's. And everyone in between! Some could play, some had to be told you don't plug the things in!
My biggest question at the time was how to get them all involved at the same level. So we started with all of us learning the major and major seventh chords and then a few minors for about a month. I thought I was going to lose em, but they all hung in there. After we got something that was close to believable, I found the most common musicians known to mankind. God Bless Jimmy Buffet and Van Morrison. Easy songs, most people have heard them, and whatyaknow, the chords worked out pretty easily. Everyone loved it. Once they learned my 2 songs, and got decent with other chords, I had them each bring in one song that they wanted to share with the group. Now that was fun! It went from No Doubt to Makaha Sons. But they were all involved at some level and really supported each other as well. I even snuck in Louis Prima and Brian Setzer!
We still have about 20 students each week. We have a great time, and the kid's are absolutely smokin'!!! Best of luck my friend.
Aloha, Lowell |
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Curtis Takahashi
Akahai
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 07:39:54 AM
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Great question: I started teaching a Kupuna class around 5 years ago. Thankfully, it was for my halau. I started out with standard Hawaiian tunes and then worked on some more "mainland" stuff. Many of the groups around here still stick with the old standards like "streets of laredo" and other cowboy tunes, a lot of younger folk know them, even if they don't know the names. Since it's approaching christmas, you might want to just use christmas carols. I don't think there's anyone in the world who doesn't at least know "jingle bells". I recently starte teaching 4th hrough 12th grade students at my church. They've been working on things like, island style, green rose hula, pearly shells, "sukiyaki" (it's a Buddhist church) and a few others. I find if the tune is catchy enough, they'll learn it.
Good luck!
Curtis Takahashi |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2004 : 09:01:00 AM
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Hey Keith -
All good suggestions, to which I'll add one: ask 'em. Chances are the discussion will surprise you - lot's of classic rock songs & Beatles may show up. Plus some stuff that simply cannot work due to the character of the song --- (insert name of rap artist here...).
At the very least, you'll have a wonderful oppotunity to discuss what exactly goes in to learning any kind of music. Lyrics and chords for most pop songs are findable on line, never mind the legal issues. And yeah, everybody loves a chestnut, so jump in there with Surfin' USA.
The thing is, if you can sing it, you can play it. If they learn that simple concept, they will have a lifetime of music ahead of them.
You are doing a great thing. Good luck!
Mark |
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Auntie Nancy
`Olu`olu
USA
593 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2004 : 09:14:04 AM
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I have Kui Lee's songbook w/ all the uke chords and words all in English if you're interested. They aren't absolute beginning songs, but your students will progress quickly with you teaching them.
Christmas carols are fun. When I couldn't get folks to sing, I used to start something like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and that embarrassed them into singing the other songs.
Sounds like you're having fun!
auntie |
nancy cook |
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SoCalHaole
Aloha
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2004 : 7:07:33 PM
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| I always start with Clementine. It is easy, having only two chords. |
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2004 : 8:34:12 PM
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In the old days you could at least get three units for a mick class. Guess that's why it takes five years to graduate these days. All kidding aside, way to go Keith. I know you'll have a great time and present a great class.
Dave |
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kahealani
Akahai
USA
64 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2004 : 07:45:39 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Auntie Nancy
I used to start something like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.....
When you're teaching beginning `ukulele, always start with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - because they know the song, it will be easy for them figure out (good wisdom from Roy Sakuma).
Also, when you're teaching, especially beginners, don't write everything on paper. Have them figure out some really easy songs or exercises, such as scales, by the "watch and learn" technique.
Don't forget to explain to them that they should not learn everything on paper. Once they have the song memorized, put the paper away and don't go back to it unless they forgot the song.
I've heard that, sometimes, people will study the paper and then later on, they can't play the song without the paper. Not good!
Hope this helps! |
Brittni Paiva
www.brittnipaiva.com
www.myspace.com/brittnipaiva |
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marzullo
`Olu`olu
USA
923 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2004 : 9:19:21 PM
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i hadn't checked this thread in a few days, and look at all the great advice! thanks, all!
mark, you're right - asking is a good idea. i've actually been talking with some students who i know pretty well - sophomores and juniors - and they've been helpful. i'm sooo happy none have ever heard of "tiptoe through the tulips".
clementine and twinkle twinkle are good ideas. brittni, you know roy? i got a great lesson from him a few years ago (and a good lesson from his niece). if you see him, say hi and thanks for me - he probably doesn't remember me though. anyway, i'm torn about the "watch and learn" versus tab and chord pictures. the good news is, i got a local store (giacolettis, for those who know the store) to give me a good price on lanikai ukes. i'll get a set, and let them take them home to practice. at the end, i'll give the student the option of buying it or not. it's nice to have something written down for homework, i'd think.
dave, are you admitting to taking micks? (i think that they're called "guts" now, but for some reason the students don't use words like that around us).
aloha,
keith |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2004 : 04:38:39 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by marzullo
anyway, i'm torn about the "watch and learn" versus tab and chord pictures.
Does it have to be black and white? A hybrid approach would probably be best, I think. I'd be inclined to go mostly "watch and learn" in class but accompanied by handouts to take home for further study. Of course, you'll probably pick up on how the majority of your class learns best and adjust accordingly. Not sure why I'm trying to give teaching advice to a professor but, hey, on the internet, anyone can say anything!  |
Andy |
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Auntie Nancy
`Olu`olu
USA
593 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2004 : 04:57:48 AM
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And keep in mind that different folks learn different ways.. and if it doesn't have pre-req's, you're going to have a wide variety of backgrounds coming into the class, some strong theoretical music, some just because they like it. And they'll all learn more if they're having fun... which is why they're lucky to have you as a professor.
auntie |
nancy cook |
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