Doing a speech on the ukulele, Need Help!

Coleton33Music

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Hey UUers!

I'm doing a speech for english class on the ukulele and I can't decide what subtopic to talk about. I'm thinking history but that may bore my grade 8 class. Do any of you have any suggestions on what I could do? Or has anyone done this before and would like to share their experiences?

Thanks!
-Coleton
 
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The resurgence of the ukulele.
 
The resurgence of the ukulele.

Seeso read my mind. And add in something about the uke no longer being just a Hawaiian souvenir toy. Discuss the first wave, Arthur Godfrey and G Formby...the second wave with Tiny Tim ... And the third wave with Jake and James Hill and UU.

Then, at the end, dazzle them with a couple minutes of your prowess, C
 
Whenever I speak on the Ukulele I ALWAYS talk about it's history. I think it's very important. Sometimes I spend more time on it than others, depending on the group. But I think it's important to talk about the history.

Beyond that I'd look at who you are going to be speaking to, and then decide on what you want to speak about.
 
I would talk about vibrations! Demonstrate to the class the relationship between a vibrating set of strings, i.e. a strummed chord and how those resulting vibrations effect the listeners. You could play different interesting chords and ask the listeners to gauge their emotional response to the chord. Start simple with major and minor.
Then throw them a diminished chord! See how they feel about a +5 or a M6. You could also incorporate how interesting chords work in songs to elicit a mood. This could lead you to talk about how the chords are used in popular chord progressions like the I-V-vi-IV (C-G-Am-F) which is the chord progression du jour in popular music today. This type of presentation also involves the class as you are requesting their participation.
 
Hey UUers!

I'm doing a speech on the ukulele and I can't decide what subtopic to talk about. I'm thinking history but that may bore my class. Do any of you have any suggestions on what I could do? Or has anyone done this before and would like to share their experiences?

Thanks!
-Coleton

Let your ukulele do most of the talking for you. Play a few different genres of music to illustrate the versatility and charm of the instrument. Traditional Hawaiian, 20's and 30's stuff, jazzy style, something current. Don't stray into abstract musical discussions - even if this is for a music theory class in which case you don't have to explain theory - because you'll lose every classmate who knows nothing about music theory and couldn't care less. The first time I really listened to the ukulele it absolutely charmed me - you have an opportunity to do the same thing so play to your and the ukulele's strengths. Don't lose the attention of the audience.
 
What class is it for?
English Class, Grade 8.

Jimdville "I would talk about vibrations! Demonstrate to the class the relationship between a vibrating set of strings, i.e. a strummed chord and how those resulting vibrations effect the listeners. You could play different interesting chords and ask the listeners to gauge their emotional response to the chord. Start simple with major and minor.
Then throw them a diminished chord! See how they feel about a +5 or a M6. You could also incorporate how interesting chords work in songs to elicit a mood. This could lead you to talk about how the chords are used in popular chord progressions like the I-V-vi-IV (C-G-Am-F) which is the chord progression du jour in popular music today. This type of presentation also involves the class as you are requesting their participation."

That sounds cool! I might think about that. Thanks!

Bill Mc "Let your ukulele do most of the talking for you. Play a few different genres of music to illustrate the versatility and charm of the instrument. Traditional Hawaiian, 20's and 30's stuff, jazzy style, something current. Don't stray into abstract musical discussions - even if this is for a music theory class in which case you don't have to explain theory - because you'll lose every classmate who knows nothing about music theory and couldn't care less. The first time I really listened to the ukulele it absolutely charmed me - you have an opportunity to do the same thing so play to your and the ukulele's strengths. Don't lose the attention of the audience."

I would do that, but it's for english class. I HAVE to speak. But I might play.

I have to make note that I actually teach my class ukulele for music because my teacher is just learning how to play, just like them. So I play for them frequently.

Thanks everybody!
-Coleton
 
Print out wikipedia and read it verbatim ;)

Probably wouldn't be bad to follow the history of the ukulele, where it started (hawaii), where it came from (2 portuguese instruments), follow it geographically hawaii to mainland US, japan and britain. Toss out some names in rock music. Cover lull and then current resurgence, including the magic fluke company, digital tuners, the internet and youtube! May as well toss in Jake and Aldrine while you are at it.

There, just did your presentation for you, full of facts, references and 100% spot on historically :cool:
 
Resurgence of the ukulele in pop and rock music. (Eddie Vedders, Train, Taylor Swift, Beatles, etc. etc. etc. etc.
 
Probably wouldn't be bad to follow the history of the ukulele, where it started (hawaii), where it came from (2 portuguese instruments), follow it geographically hawaii to mainland US, japan and britain. Toss out some names in rock music. Cover lull and then current resurgence, including the magic fluke company, digital tuners, the internet and youtube! May as well toss in Jake and Aldrine while you are at it.

There, just did your presentation for you, full of facts, references and 100% spot on historically :cool:

Haha! That's what I had in mind but I only 3-5 minutes. :/
 
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Since you'll be speaking to an English class, it might be fun (although probably lots of work) to tell the history of the ukulele in the form of an epic poem (Come listen my children and you shall hear / Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere) or in iambic pentameter or as a series of sonnets or something.
 
Since you'll be speaking to an English class, it might be fun (although probably lots of work) to tell the history of the ukulele in the form of an epic poem (Come listen my children and you shall hear / Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere) or in iambic pentameter or as a series of sonnets or something.

It was many and many a song ago on an island in the sea,
That an instr'ment there lived whom you may know
By the name of uku-le-lee.
 
You might talk about the history of the 'ukulele focusing on the cultural diversity behind it (invented by Portugese in Hawai'i, for example, and touching on the variety of ethnicities in Hawai'i at the time). I'm just trying to think of what might be interesting to your classmates but also get you a good mark in an English class. You could interject snippets of different types of songs into your speech.

Good luck with it! We're all pulling for you and we know you'll be great.
 
I bet you could cover the main points of the resurgence in 3-5 minutes. The history piece would be great for a 30 minute presentation. I just got out of grad school a year ago, so the importance of timing it well and making only one point in a five-minute presentation is fresh on my mind!

You might also consider doing a talk about the different types of ukes available--sopranissimo, soprano, concert, tenor, bari, U-bass, banjos, fleas, flukes, flying v models, longnecks, simple designs vs. the artwork that is a Moore Bettah . . . ;)
 
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