Salem String Jam

Welcome to Salem String Jam!

Instructor: Melissa Graham

Contact Email: stringjam237@gmail.com

Welcome to the String Jam website! This website is for all of my elementary String Jam students. It contains information on how to purchase a ukulele, how to tune, how to strum, how to play basic chords, and some fun play alongs.

String Jam Is Relaxed, Fun, and Makes You Happy.

String Jam is a really engaging ukulele club. When students arrive, they tune up their ukuleles and warm up with a favorite song. Then, we learn a new skill and try it out with a new song. After the initial lesson of the day, students are encouraged to choose the songs that they prefer from the String Jam music folder. When we play songs we like, we sing more loudly and play with more enthusiasm. Over time, students learn to listen to one another, stay in time and develop muscle memory. We have one big rule though: All String Jammers need to be kind and supportive to one another.

Instructional Information for String Jam Intro

The String jam Intro lessons will teach students how to hold a ukulele and strum. They will also learn to play the first seven chords, F, G, G7, C, A, D, Am and read chord diagrams. These chord diagrams are posted to the left. Once students know the first seven chords, they will be able to play all of the songs in our beginning music folder (link below). Students will learn additional chords in the second String Jam class. Then, they will have access to the larger String Jam music folder, made up of over 60 songs, most of which are student requested songs.

String Jam students will be learning to strum the ukulele with their fingers, and not a pick. This is the traditional way of playing, and it gives you more options for strumming in the future. Also, if you have a soprano ukulele, using a pick makes a clicking sound that is usually louder than the small ukulele.

Click on the link below to access the beginner music folder.

Salem String Jam Beginner Music

Instructional Information for String Jam

String Jam is structured in a fun jam session format where we play songs we like together, while learning new chords, strumming patterns, and other ukulele skills, based on students' interests. Development in String Jam will be more student-centered and will foster community and confidence building. Since all students who have taken String Jam Intro will be able to take the following String Jam class as many times as they would like, students will be encouraged to share their ukulele skills and knowledge with other students, helping everyone learn from one another. In order to keep our String Jam music book fun and new, students are encouraged to suggest their favorite songs for future jam sessions. However, they need to be appropriate for all ages.

String Jam students will learn a variety of songs, gradually creating a set of songs that they can perform well. When possible, String Jam will be given opportunities to perform in parks and at events around the Salem area. String Jam is an ongoing club that allows students to register repeatedly and just keep playing ukulele!

Practicing

I do strongly suggest that String Jam kids play ukulele during the week. If students just play for 5-10 minutes a day, they will make faster progress. The best way to practice ukulele is to play with a friend though. If students only play ukulele at String Jam, they will find it much more difficult to learn the chords and transitions required to play the songs.

Ukulele Information

All students need a ukulele. I recommend that all students have a wooden acoustic ukulele. There are three recommended sizes, soprano (smallest), concert (medium), and tenor (bigger). Soprano ukuleles, also called standard, are a good fit for any student.