Ukulele in Color: A Pre-Reading Method and Coloring Book
Ukulele in Color: A Pre-Reading Method and Coloring Book,
by Tonya S Blum, MA, MT-BC, is a pre-reading method book for 4-7 years with adult guidance OR a self-study method book for 8 years and up.
This method book teaches rhythms, ukulele chords, and tab in a stepwise, fun manner. Children who are reading can use this method to teach themselves. Younger children can use this book with an adult, who reads ahead and guides their playing. The adult doesn’t have to know how to play - you can learn together!
Ukulele in Color uses colored strings and tablature to help young students “see” the music. The colors are based on the rainbow music scale found in Western elementary music classrooms. Ukulele string colors are: 1/A = Blue, 2/E = Yellow, 3/C = Red, 4/G = Green
Pre-reading refers to the skills needed before reading western musical notation. This book teaches rhythms, chords, and tab in a way that prepares students to read music after they've gotten to know their instrument, not while.
Pre-reading skills necessary for this method:
- Identifies letters (A-G), numbers (0-20), & colors
- Tracks left to right (for English, tab, and western music notation)
- Uses symbols to represent words/objects (Ù instead of “star”)
Tonya S. Blum is a Board-Certified Music Therapist, Early Childhood Music Educator, and the owner of Coyote Music Studio in Denton, Texas. She developed this method book during her work in music therapy groups, general music classes, and private lessons with young children of varying abilities and needs.