Ukulele

This is a basic ukulele sequence gathered from Youtube and supplemented with additional songs and chords. Special thanks to everyone who has developed so many outstanding videos! Everything is organized here starting with songs that use just one chord and then progressing from there. Practice every day and trim your fingernails (at least on your left hand) for optimal enjoyment and skill development. The ability to play music grows with practice. It can be difficult at first, but don't give up! Along the way, you might also search for other videos on Youtube and additional lead sheets online. There certainly are many excellent tutorials and play-alongs that are similar to these as well as some that are much more difficult when you are ready. 

First, here's how to hold the ukulele.

This next video shows you the letter names and string numbers for the most popular ukulele tuning. Memorize the letter names and string numbers. 

This video explains how to read chord charts. The picture is as if you held your ukulele vertically out in front of you, looking at the strings. The strings are the vertical lines and the horizontal lines represent the frets. 

Now you should be ready to play your first chord. We'll start with C. Put your ring finger on the first string (A string), third fret. Push down with the tip of your finger with finger curved. Strum across with either your thumb or the back of your index finger. This video tutorial from the amazing ukulele teacher, Cynthia Lin, shows how to strum.

Here are two songs that you can play by strumming the C chord. Just keep the beat (down, down, down, down) or, if you want, you can get more creative with your strumming patterns. 

These two songs can also be played using a single chord. In this case, we will use and F chord (C would also work). For the F chord, put your pointer finger on the fourth string, second fret, and your middle finger on the second string, first fret. If you don't know the tunes, you can find them on Youtube. Be sure to curve your fingers (and clip those fingernails!). If you strum slowly across all strings, you should be able to hear each note clearly.

Are You Sleeping? 
Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?
Brother John. Brother John.
Morning bells are ringing. Morning bells are ringing.
Ding, ding, dong. Ding, ding, dong.
 
 Make New Friends
Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.
A circle is round; it has no end: That’s how long I want to be your friend.
On the land, across the sea; Friends forever we will always be.

---

Here's a song you can play with just an F chord and C7. The chord shape for C7 is just first string and first fret as pictured in the video.

You can also play the Lime and Coconut song with just a C7 all the way through. Try out some different strum patterns. You don't have to follow a formula; just play what sounds best to you. 

Here's a fun version of Singing in the Rain, using just an F chord and a C7 chord. Jim Pankey does some variations on there two chords. Notice that on the F chord his raises his middle finger up and puts it back down, while on the C7 chord he adds his middle finger on the third string, second fret, and then takes it off again. You can also, of course, just play the F and C7 as before, but Jim's version adds a bit more spice by altering the chord. 

He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands
                       C
He’s got the whole world in his hands,                                                                                    
                       G7    
He’s got the whole wide world in his hands,
                        C  
He’s got the whole world in his hands,
                       G7                             C  
He’s got the whole world in his hands.                                               
 
He’s got the wind and the rain...
He’s got the little bitty babies...
He’s got you and me brother...
He’s got and me sister...

Now that you know C, F, and G7, you can play a lot of songs. 

For this next song, you will need to add a G chord. Pause the video and practice the chord changes over and over. 

This song uses both G and G7 (along with F and C).

Add A minor into the mix, and you will be able to play even more songs. A minor is just like F, but without the pointer finger.

And finally, there are lots of songs out there on the internet that will require even more chords. But, that that you have the basics down, you should be able to pick them up without too much trouble.