This week I learned how to
hold and strum a ukulele. I learned that you are supposed to hold a ukulele
against your chest. I play my ukulele in a right hand style. This means that I
hold the neck of the ukulele with my left hand. My right hand is then free to
strum the strings. My left hand will be used to form the chord on the neck of
the ukulele.
To strum a ukulele your
strumming hand should be in a loose fit. You use the nail of your index finger
and move your hand in upwards or downwards motions. This movement should be in
your wrist, not your whole arm.
This week I learned that when strumming it is
important to be consistent. Whatever strumming pattern you play you need to
play it at the same tempo when it is repeated. Tempo refers to the speed in
which you play a piece of music (Montgomery, 2002). Something that you can use
to ensure that you are staying at the same tempo is a metronome. A metronome is a tool that musicians
use to keep a steady beat to make sure they are playing the song at the same
tempo. There are many online resources you can use as a metronome to help stay
on the beat. I found these very helpful to improve my strumming ability and
help me to keep a steady beat.
This week I have learned that there are different strumming patterns for different songs. The strumming patterns relate to the rhythm patterns of the songs you are playing. Rhythm refers to a sequence of duration of notes and silences over a steady beat (Montgomery, 2002). The rhythm pattern often follows the lyrics of a song. I used this website to learn common patterns for easier songs. This website includes demonstrations for easy strumming patterns for beginners. I am finding the best way to learn how to play the ukulele is to watch a video. Seeing someone demonstrating playing the ukulele helped to clarify for me what kind of motions I should be making while playing the ukulele. When I watch the videos I use I will use this strategy when I move to learning how to play songs! Check out this resource!
This week I have learned that there are different strumming patterns for different songs. The strumming patterns relate to the rhythm patterns of the songs you are playing. Rhythm refers to a sequence of duration of notes and silences over a steady beat (Montgomery, 2002). The rhythm pattern often follows the lyrics of a song. I used this website to learn common patterns for easier songs. This website includes demonstrations for easy strumming patterns for beginners. I am finding the best way to learn how to play the ukulele is to watch a video. Seeing someone demonstrating playing the ukulele helped to clarify for me what kind of motions I should be making while playing the ukulele. When I watch the videos I use I will use this strategy when I move to learning how to play songs! Check out this resource!
References
Montgomery (2002). Teaching towards musical understanding: A
handbook for the elementary grades. Toronto, ON: Pearons Education Canada Inc.
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