Elisabeth Pfeiffer’s research focuses on the ukulele as a contemporary instrument, with particular emphasis on the development, systematisation, and transmission of its playing techniques. As part of her PhD studies at the University of Surrey, she investigates historical and contemporary plucking-hand techniques as well as their cultural and stylistic origins.
A central outcome of this research is the Ukulele Technique Compendium – a freely accessible digital collection and systematic taxonomy of ukulele playing techniques. Videos, descriptions, motion studies, 3D animations, and other visual representations document the instrument’s diverse technical traditions and make them accessible for research, teaching, and musical practice.
Her academic work combines artistic research, historical source studies, interviews, and performance analysis. Elisabeth Pfeiffer presents her research at international conferences and through academic publications. Her findings also feed directly into her artistic practice, publications, arrangements, and educational projects.
At the heart of her research is an understanding of the ukulele not simply as a popular instrument, but as a distinct field of study with a diverse history, specific performance traditions, and a continuously evolving repertoire.