Margie Landis, is a ukulele teacher in Brunswick. Sun Journal photo by Andree Kehn

Margie Landis was studying music therapy when she discovered the ukulele. She had finals the next day, but she blew off studying for them in favor of learning how to play the little guitar-like instrument.

She doesn’t regret it.

Today, Landis is a ukulele teacher whose love for the instrument knows no bounds. Interested? She’ll teach you to love it, too.

Just don’t call it a baby guitar.

Name: Margie Landis

Town: I live in Brunswick

Job: From 1986 to 2017, I taught instrumental music in MSAD 75, first at the elementary level, and from 1995 to 2017 at Mt. Ararat Middle School in Topsham. Currently, I am a substitute teacher for grades K-5 (all classes, including music) at the Williams/Cone and Woodside Elementary schools in Topsham, and the Coffin School in Brunswick. I also teach ukulele adult education at Merrymeeting Adult Ed in Topsham and Lewiston Adult Ed, and I have several private students that I teach at home.

The ukulele . . . that’s just, like, a baby guitar, right? Not exactly! Our roots are not the guitar, but little four-string guitar-like instruments that the Portuguese brought with them to Hawaii around 1879. The instruments were called machetes and the king of Hawaii truly loved them and all they could do, especially for people to accompany themselves on their songs with the ukulele. The rest is history.

How did you get interested in the ukulele? In 2008/2009, I took a one-year leave of absence from Mt. Ararat to study music therapy at Arizona State University in Tempe. We needed to use guitars as portable therapy instruments. On the very last day of classes, in May of 2009, someone came in to demonstrate the ukulele. I was hooked. I left class early and drove over to Milano’s Music in Mesa and bought my first ukulele. That night, instead of studying for final exams, I was up all night teaching myself to play the ukulele. A few days later, I was on the road heading home to Maine and EVERY night I would take the ukulele into the hotel and work on the ukulele. I taught myself for about a year and then began studying with Joel Eckhaus in South Portland. He is a gem, fantastic player, teacher, and luthier supreme. The rest is history.

What makes it unique as an instrument? With the ukulele, you can play any type of music: classical, Hawaiian, folk, jazz, rock, hip hop, punk, swing, whatever floats your boat. The unusual My Dog Has Fleas tuning has a distinct sound and it’s an important part of the plinky sound of the ukulele.

In your experience, are kids or adults more interested in learning to play the ukulele? I think that folks of all ages love to play the ukulele.

Is it hard? In a way, it’s like anything (it takes a lot of work to become truly good), but with the ukulele, it’s relatively easy to be able to play a few chords and be good to go.

Ukulele tips for beginners? Find someone that can help you. And in my humble opinion, it’s important to learn rhythms/notes, etc. as you begin your journey. Many people think it’s going to be easy and just want to play a few chords, but unless you understand the beat and rhythms, it will be very challenging.

Your favorite song for the ukulele? I love so much music and so many different songs, but currently, my favorite songs would be an old Hawaiian Song called “Pua Lilia” and two pieces by Roy Smeck (the wizard of the strings) called “The Magic Uke Waltz” and “The Music Box Waltz.” But there are about 10 or so songs that I can play by memory at the drop of a hat.

The most unlikely song you’ve ever heard played on one? In the wonderful documentary “The Mighty Uke,” I heard a guy playing hip hop on the ukulele.

Best pitch for choosing the ukulele over the guitar? They’re a lot cheaper than guitars, you can buy them by the dozen and you can carry them around on any sized airplane or car. Whenever you walk through an airport carrying a ukulele, people always smile. The ukulele, it makes you smile.