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    Able Assembly Ukulele 2023 Basic Compressed

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    The document outlines Miles Wilcox's presentation on accessible ukulele exploration at the ABLE Assembly Conference 2023, including an introduction to Miles, learning targets, expectations for instrument handling, teaching the basics of ukulele playing and chord progressions, strategies for scaffolding instruction, techniques for making ukulele accessible, and resources for teaching.

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    Able Assembly Ukulele 2023 Basic Compressed

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    331 views68 pages
    The document outlines Miles Wilcox's presentation on accessible ukulele exploration at the ABLE Assembly Conference 2023, including an introduction to Miles, learning targets, expectations for instrument handling, teaching the basics of ukulele playing and chord progressions, strategies for scaffolding instruction, techniques for making ukulele accessible, and resources for teaching.

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    The document outlines Miles Wilcox's presentation on accessible ukulele exploration at the ABLE Assembly Conference 2023, including an introduction to Miles, learning targets, expectations for instrument handling, teaching the basics of ukulele playing and chord progressions, strategies for scaffolding instruction, techniques for making ukulele accessible, and resources for teaching.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    331 views68 pages

    Able Assembly Ukulele 2023 Basic Compressed

    Uploaded by

    api-231497121
    The document outlines Miles Wilcox's presentation on accessible ukulele exploration at the ABLE Assembly Conference 2023, including an introduction to Miles, learning targets, expectations for instrument handling, teaching the basics of ukulele playing and chord progressions, strategies for scaffolding instruction, techniques for making ukulele accessible, and resources for teaching.

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    GRAB THIS

    PRESENTATION
    bit.ly/ABLE2023
    ACCESSIBLE
    ‘UKULELE
    EXPLORATION
    WITH MILES WILCOX

    ABLE ASSEMBLY CONFERENCE 2023

    OUTLINE
    • Introduction
    • Setting Expectations
    • The Basics of Playing
    • Sequencing
    • Accessibility
    • BIAAE ‘Ukulele Ensemble
    • Helpful Resources
    • Questions

    INTRODUCTION
    ABOUT ME
    ➢  MR. MILES
    • BA in Music : Bard College at Simon’s Rock
    • Masters of Music in Music Education :
    Boston Conservatory at Berklee

    • Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts


    Education: Private Lessons, Music Class for
    Young Children, Rock Band, ‘Ukulele
    Ensemble (2015–)

    • Newton Public Schools : K-5 General Music


    including ‘ukulele, chorus, band, orchestra
    (2020–)

    LEARNING TARGETS
    ◎I can explain the basics of playing
    the ‘ukulele
    ◎I can name at least 3 best
    practices for teaching accessible
    ‘ukulele
    ◎I can identify next steps in my
    ‘ukulele learning & teaching journey

    There will be time at the end


    for questions— feel free to
    raise your hand at any point!
    Keep your eyes out
    for the menehune!
    That means it’s
    time to JAM!
    SETTING EXPECTATIONS
    SETTING EXPECTATIONS
    HOW DO WE TREAT OUR INSTRUMENTS?

    • Pre-practice of handling delicate instruments: the egg test


    • Establish Rest and Ready Positions irst
    • Attention Grabbers
    • Logical consequences
    • Allow students a chance to earn back an instrument that was taken away
    • Durable instruments: Kala Waterman, made of plastic but NOT a toy

    ATTENTION GRABBERS
    TO BE TAUGHT BEFORE STUDENTS HAVE AN INSTRUMENT IN THEIR HAND

    Rest Position: Ready Position:


    • Strings are quiet • Instrument in playing position,
    “body on belly”
    • Right hand covering sound hole
    • Left hand chord is set up
    • Strings face down on lap
    • Start in silence
    • Shave and a haircut, “two bits” = “tap
    tap” sound hole • “Are you ready?” “Aye aye, captain!”
    • “Instruments down in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1” • “Ho’omakaukau” - “‘Ae!”

    THE BASICS
    First of all, what do I call it?
    THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HAWAIIAN
    AND AMERICAN PRONUNCIATIONS

    Hawaiian: spelled with an ‘okina

    ‘Ukulele : oo-koo-LEH-leh

    American: no ‘okina, diphthongs

    Ukulele : yoo-kuh-LAY-lee

    LEFT HAND
    THIS HAND IS IN CHARGE OF MELODY & HARMONY:
    CHANGING NOTES

    • Round ingers: make the letter C


    • Look for lines on ingertips after pressing
    • Touch only one string with each inger— no
    bar chords yet

    • Thumb sits at the back of the neck, does


    not wrap and touch strings

    • Fingers sit between frets “in the fret space”


    • Left hand ingers “squeeze the strings”
    f
    f

    RIGHT HAND
    THIS HAND IS IN CHARGE OF RHYTHM & STEADY BEAT

    • Plucking versus Strumming


    • Use the sideways thumb for ease, o er
    choice to use pointer inger

    • Gentle strums, follow through


    • Down beats (quarter notes) on Down strum,
    upbeats on the Up strum

    • Flexible wrist and elbow


    f

    ff
    BATMAN
    SONG

    In preparation of
    playing a C chord
    C7 CHORD First chord for easiest learning
    C MAJOR CHORD First chord with more than index inger

    f
    C CHORD RHYTHM PLAY ALONG
    SEQUENCING
    CHORD SEQUENCE
    WHAT ORDER DO YOU TEACH THE CHORDS IN? IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT YOUR GOALS ARE.

    EASIEST: EASY:
    1. C7 chord 1. C & C7 - Batman Song
    2. C chord 2. Am, F or Modi ied *F
    3. Modi ied *F, Am 3. G7
    ---------------------- ----------------------
    4. F chord 4. G, Dm, Em, D7, E7, …

    KEEP IT SIMPLE, SILLY!


    DON’T FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO TEACH LOTS OF CHORDS, OR A NEW CHORD EACH WEEK.

    For Easiest Learning: For Further Learning:


    Strumming & plucking open strings Songs in C major:
    Can detune A string down to G C - Am - F - G (or G7)
    For Easy Learning: Even Further Learning:
    Songs in C Major: C only Songs in G major:
    Songs in F major: F - C7 (or C) G - Em - C - D (or D7)

    SCAFFOLDING
    EVERY STEP HAS PRE-KNOWLEDGE, AND PRE-STEP ACTIONS

    • Consider musical prior knowledge (steady beat, high/low, harmonic


    awareness, etc)

    • Consider the physical actions involved in each step


    • For changing from C7 to *F, practice switching strings, going from “ground to
    chin”

    • Pre-teach isolated concepts: strumming/plucking separately from left hand


    skills

    • Pre-teach songs (melody, lyrics, even chord changes) before applying to


    instruments

    ONE CHORD (I) SONGS


    Students strum the tonic
    chord on a steady beat

    Ideal for simple songs

    MODIFIED
    F MAJOR CHORD
    TECHNICALLY AN FADD9

    ONLY ONE FINGER,


    EXACTLY ONE STRING
    AWAY FROM C7

    Thanks Maria Doreste!

    TWO CHORD (I V) SONGS


    Transpose to F Major (F &
    C7 or C) or C Major (C &
    G7 or G)
    Simplify songs to I V
    With pre-teaching,
    students can play chord
    changes by ear

    IKO IKO PLAY ALONG


    STRUMMING &
    RHYTHM
    READING
    CONNECTIONS
    A MINOR CHORD
    Teach after C or C7,
    after modi ied *F or
    before F
    Practice “bunny
    ingers” and 2nd
    inger reaching up
    to the sky (G string)
    f
    f

    F MAJOR CHORD
    For upper elementary students

    Teach after Am
    so you can say,
    “F is A minor
    plus irst inger
    on E”
    f
    f

    G7 CHORD
    Teach after F chord:
    1st inger stays in the
    same place
    “Triangle Chord”
    Teach before G
    (“Upside down
    triangle”)
    f

    MAKING IT ACCESSIBLE
    COLORED
    STICKERS

    OFF AMAZON - 6MM

    MARKING
    INDIVIDUAL CHORDS

    COLORED
    STICKERS
    C: red
    C7: pink
    F: green
    Am: yellow
    G7: blue

    COLORED
    STRINGS

    GUITAR CENTER:
    $7.99

    may not be inancially feasible


    for big groups, public schools,
    etc.

    UKULELE
    PICKS
    NOT the same as guitar picks
    material should be softer than the strings

    purchase: felt picks

    homemade: fold an index card into a


    triangle and cover in masking tape

    FINGER
    PROTECTORS
    Made of silicon

    Get short ones to allow ingers to


    bend

    f
    DETUNING TO
    OPEN
    C TUNING
    TUNE A STRING DOWN ONE WHOLE STEP TO G

    G-C-E-G

    NO LEFT HAND

    ADAPTIVE
    PLAYING
    POSITIONS
    allow for lap playing

    using a strap

    thumb strums down

    hands should still be mobile


    CHORD
    BUDDY
    - A LAST RESORT -

    works better on some sizes/models


    of ‘ukuleles better than others
    BIAAE
    OUR ENSEMBLE
    •Ages 7-12+

    •Started online July 2020

    •Met & performed May 2022

    •Experienced multi-instrumentalists
    plus absolute beginners joining each
    semester

    •Diagnoses including ASD & ADHD


    DIFFERENTIATION:
    When I teach an ‘ukulele ensemble of various levels

    Level 1: Strumming on One Reggae Vibes


    Chord/Note
    Level 2: Strumming Chord
    Progression
    Level 3: Plucking Melody

    MR. GRAY’S MUSIC CLASSROOM


    Reggae Vibes
    FOCUS ON ABILITY
    WHAT SKILLS ARE STUDENTS ALREADY CAPABLE OF?

    • Steady Beat
    - Tap on strings
    - Strum open C tuning
    - “Chuck” with left hand muting strings
    • Plucking or strumming
    • Left or right hand dominance
    • Aural, visual, kinesthetic preference

    ADVANCED LEARNING
    WHEN STUDENTS ARE READY FOR MORE:

    • Melodies
    • Passing notes between chords
    • Trickier strumming patterns, syncopation
    • Add ingerpicking techniques
    • Improvisation
    f

    Always have students leave a


    lesson or class feeling a sense
    of ACCOMPLISHMENT.
    TEACHING TIPS
    TEACHING TIPS
    • Ensure students master a chord before moving on to the next chord
    • Backwards-plan to decide what chords to teach irst
    • Be prepared to demonstrate “mirrored”
    • Use “Match Me” games to pre-teach physical movements such as
    left/right, strumming, changing chords

    • Students can tap strings with palm for unknown chords in a song
    • Only teach “Lefty” when there is a LH disability & RH dominance
    HELPFUL
    RESOURCES

    KALA
    BRAND
    MY PREFERRED BRAND OF ‘UKULELE

    Waterman Model is plastic but NOT


    a toy
    Look at their Education Portal for
    discounts

    MR. GRAY’S
    CLASSROOM
    PLAY-ALONG VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE
    UKULALIENS
    PLAY-ALONG VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE
    UKE
    PLAY
    ALONG
    PLAY-ALONG VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE

    UKUTABS
    CHORDS AND TABS FOR POPULAR SONGS
    EASY SHEET
    MUSIC PDF |
    FREE
    POPULAR
    MELODIES CAPOTASTIC
    FREE EASY TAB MELODIES

    FOR
    BEGINNERS
    YOUTUBE IS A VAST
    RESOURCE, HERE ARE SOME
    PRE-SORTED PLAYLISTS:
    EASIEST
    MORE
    EASY
    ALWAYS PRE-TEACH
    PROGRESSION AND
    STRUMMING PATTERN
    Ho Hey by The Lumineers
    QUESTIONS?
    GET IN TOUCH!

    MILES WILCOX
    mwilcox2@berklee.edu
    mileswilcox.weebly.com

    LINKS
    Play Alongs and Resources:

    Kala Ukuleles - https://kalabrand.com/

    Ukulaliens Play Along Videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZjDV_1UEbVsAQA_q9tyTWw

    Uke Play Along Videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6jZYLoYuV1CxY4Stzm6mgg

    UkuTabs - Ukulele Tabs and Chords: https://ukutabs.com/

    Easy Tablature Melodies: https://www.capotastomusic.com/ukulele-sheet-music/tabs.htm

    Music with Mr. Gray - Ukulele playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLn3HdYkrH7Jf26h_hBjiF4A5nl3X56V08

    Diverse Music Learners: https://diversemusiclearners.com/

    Mr. Miles created playlists:

    Easiest (C7, C, F, Am) : https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-2wj0W87IXoMZhdu10TTfoxtkhbXhAAG

    Easy (C, C7, F, Am, G, G7) : https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-2wj0W87IXqpKA6G3Y5JLaLgmvnFGF9L

    More (+ Dm, D7, Em, E7) : https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-2wj0W87IXpZbgJSn0WV1EAz8pZ7_fSI

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