What in the World is Suzukulele?
What in the world is Suzukulele? Developed by our own Richard Trumbo, Suzukulele is a program unique to Music House which applies the Suzuki method and repertoire to ukulele. Here at Music House, we are major proponents of the Suzuki method, which focuses on ear training and foundational skill building leading to finely developed technique and musicianship. Most ukulele classes focus on chords and strumming out of the gate, but we have found that adapting Suzuki techniques to the ukulele builds more well rounded and proficient musicians.
When Shinichi Suzuki developed his now world famous teaching method, he was drawing heavily on theories about how humans learn languages. We learn our native tongues as very young children through our environment- our parents and the people and things around us. The Suzuki method employs a system of exposure, repetition, and positive reinforcement to create a similar effect in the classroom. Suzuki believed that children with a “natural talent” were simply children who had already begun this process organically in their homes, and that these skills were accessible to anyone- an idea near and dear to the Music House teaching philosophy. Focusing on ear training initially as opposed to learning by musical notation builds an intuitive framework which makes sight reading easier down the line, much in the same way that most people learn to speak before they learn to read and write. Having a strong ear is a key musical skill and is something which can be developed in very young children!
Ukulele is often a bridge instrument, being more immediately accessible than guitar or violin for young students, and focusing on ear training and broader musical skill building prepares our students for their next instrument while building confidence. Our ukulele students often move on to guitar with key advantages: the ability to play by ear, strong fingers with good technique, and if they choose to pursue classical guitar, excellent rest strokes! Because ukulele is practically an easier instrument to play than violin (no pesky bow to worry about!), we have noticed our ukulele students tend to develop strong ears faster than violin students. In fact, our ukulele students end up with the best of both worlds- foundational music skills AND the fun of being able to play strum along with their favorite songs.
Check out our Ukulele Student Resources page for more information about:
Free Virtual Ensembles for Ukulele with Levi!
At-Home-Teacher Training virtual class for parents with Allison!
Suzukulele Recordings!
Try a Free Trial of a 30-minute Ukulele Private Lesson at one of our studios or online!
