The major scale
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
This page will lead you through the major scale, what it should
sound like and how to play one
T
he major scale is one of the most popular scale types.
You might also see this referred to as the Ionian scale.
This scale produces music that has an essentially ‘happy’
sound. It comprises a specific sequence of eight notes
using tones (whole notes) and semitones (half notes). The major
scale will always follow this sequence; from the example of the C
major scale you can see the semitones will always fall between
the third and fourth notes, and the seventh and eighth notes.
Major scales can be used in many musical styles, including
the rock and pop. This page will show you how to play a major
scale. For this particular example, we’re going to be using the
A major scale.
Top tip
Know the
distance
One fret m
a ukulele ovement on
is
of a semit the distance
o
movemen ne and the
t
two frets between
is a tone.
C major scale
Tone
Tone
Semitone
Tone
0
Semitone
Tone
Tone
0
0
1
1
2
2
3
3
3
4
4
4
1
1
2
2
3
4
C
2
D
E
1
3
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3
4
4
F, G
A
B, C
01 C major, third
string
02 C major,
second note
03 C major,
04 C Major, notes
four and five
05 C Major, first
second string
string
06 Cmajor, final
two notes
To begin playing the
C major scale, play the
open third string which
will make the note C
with GCEA tuned ukes.
Place your middle
finger on the second
fret of the third string
to create the D note of
this scale.
Playing the open
second string on the
ukulele is the note E
which is the third note
in the sequence.
Your index finger on
fret one of the second
string is an F, and your
ring finger on fret 3 is
the G.
The next note to play
in the scale is an A, and
to play this you need
to pluck the open first
string of the uke.
Middle finger on fret 2
of the first string gives
the penultimate note B,
and ring finger on the
third fret makes C again.
Give it a try
C
E
F
G
0
1
3
A
B
C
0
2
3
4
4
Now it’s your turn to try
the major scale…
This example demonstrates the
C major scale. Both the tab and
standard notation are included.
Choose the form you are most
comfortable with and try playing
along to the audio.
D
T
A
B
4
4
0
2
Ukulele for Beginners 93
Reading music
The minor scale
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
Now we take a look at the minor scale, how it sounds and how
it is made up compared to the major scale
T
here are three different types of minor scales which
include the harmonic and melodic, but here we shall
be looking at the natural minor scale, or as it can be
referred to as the Aeolian Scale. Similar to the major
scale, it is made from a series of semitones (half notes) and tones
(whole notes), but you will see that the placement of these
Top ti
distances is noticeably different. The natural minor scale will
always use the following pattern. This time the semitone falls
between the second and third notes, and the fifth and sixth
notes. Minor scales can be used in a variety of different
musical styles but create a completely different mood. We
will now use A minor as our example for the scale.
p
Learn
It’s not ju sounds
st the
pattern o
tones and
f
makes sc semitones that
ales difere
nt, it’s
the soun
Major sca d of the scale.
les
‘happy’ so will produce a
und
minor a ‘s with the
ad
darker so ’ or
und.
A minor scale
Tone
Semitone
Tone
Tone
Semitone
Tone
Tone
0
1
2
2
1
5
2
6
3
3
4
4
A, B
3
1
2
7
6
9
7
10
4
8
9
8
C
D, E
02 First set frets
03 New fret
The first note of the A
minor scale is an A. This
is your open first string.
Your middle finger is
then placed on fret 3
for the B.
For the next note in
the scale, place your
little finger on the third
fret and play. This will
produce the third note
of C.
positions
04 Same as
before
Next, move down the
neck to frets 5-8. Your
index finger is on fret 5
for D and middle finger
on fret 7 for E.
As with frets 1-4, you
will need to place your
little finger on fret 8 to
produce the F note of
the scale.
Play through the
positions carefully
Now try to play the complete scale.
Listen to the audio sample and see
how it differs from the major scale.
Choose the notation you are most
comfortable with and try playing
along to the audio.
94 Ukulele for Beginners
2
11
11
12
12
13
F
01 First notes
Give it a try
10
4
G
A
05 Nearly there
06 Final Note
The penultimate note
of the sequence is
played in fret positions
9-12. Place your middle
finger on fret 10 for the
G of the scale.
We reach a full octave
in the scale by reaching
the A again. Your little
finger should be place
on fret 12 to play this
final note.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A
0
2
3
5
7
8
10
12
4
4
T
A
B
4
4
The major
pentatonic scale
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
Found in music all over the world and great for improvising
T
he pentatonic scale, as the title would suggest, is a scale made
up of five notes per octave instead of the usual seven as found in
heptatonic scales (such as either the major or minor scale). These
scales contain no semitones (half steps) and, as such, can be played
in any order without clashing. At first look, the major pentatonic scale can
C
G
D
A
look like an incomplete major scale. However, this scale is made up of the first
five consecutive pitches from the circle of fifths (a musical idea of showing
the relationship between the 12 notes of the chromatic scale and their key
signatures). By rearranging the pitches to contain themselves within an octave,
we end up with the major pentatonic scale.
E
C
D
E
G
A
C
Starting on C, these notes are a fifth apart
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
1
1
2
2
3
4
2
E
3
C
D
01 Play the third
string
02 Third string
second note
03 Second
string
04 Second string
second note
Start off by plucking an
open third string. This
will produce the note of
C, which is the first note
of this scale.
Your middle finger is
placed on the second
fret of the third string
giving you the D of the
pentatonic scale.
Another open string is
required for the next
note. By playing the
second string open, this
will give you an E.
Place your ring finger
on the third fret of
the second string
producing the G of the
sequence.
Give it a try
C
D
A
C
05 First string
Our final open string
is the first and highest
string. By playing this
string, it will give you
the penultimate note,
the A.
E
G
0
3
06 First string
second note
To finish, we return to
the opening note. This
is C, achieved with your
ring finger on the third
fret of the first string.
A
C
0
3
3
4
Play the C major scale with
these tips
Practise your finger positions slowly before
you attempt the complete scale. Remember
that the root of the scale is C, although with
the pentatonic scale this is less important
than in other scales. Use the knowledge
you’ve gained so far and give it a go!
G
3
T
A
B
3
4
0
2
Ukulele for Beginners 95
Reading music
The minor
pentatonic scale
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
Like the major pentatonic scale, the minor version is made
up of five notes, although its construction is very different
A
s mentioned in a previous section, minor scales can exist in
various forms; however, the minor pentatonic scale is loosely
based upon the natural minor scale. In the instance below, the
root note of the minor pentatonic scale is A (first note), with the rest
of the scale being made up of the third, fourth, fifth and seventh notes of the
A natural minor scale (ABCDEFG).
A
C
E
D
Closely compare this scale to the blues scale across the page and you will
notice that they are extremely similar, with the exception being the exclusion of
the sharpened fourth (or flattened fifth) featured in the blues scale, which in this
instance would instead be an F# (or Gb).
With this in mind, it is reasonable to assume that the minor pentatonic scale
is most commonly used in both blues and jazz music, and you’d be right –
although, like its major equivalent, it can also be effective in several types of folk
music and is also found in similar world scales.
In this section, we will show you how to play the A minor pentatonic scale in
great detail, and let you have a go at it yourself afterwards.
A
G
3
4
0
1
6
1
1
5
2
2
6
7
3
3
7
8
10
4
4
8
9
11
A
3
C
D
02 Moving up
03 Next frets
Start with the first string
on your ukulele, which
is the note A. This is
played as an open
string, with no fingers
on the frets.
To play the C of the
scale, place your ring
finger on the third fret
of the first string (the
same string that was
played in the first step).
Move down the neck to
frets 5-8, and place your
index finger on the fifth
fret on the first string
to produce the next
note, D.
Give it a try
9
10
2
11
4
12
G
A
04 Same
movement
05 Last set
of frets
06 Rounding
it off
As with the second
note, your ring finger
needs to be placed
onto fret seven for the
note E.
Your middle finger
will need to move
onto fret ten for the G
in the minor pentatonic
scale in A.
To bring the scale full
circle to the A again,
your little finger needs
to go onto fret 12 of the
first string.
A
C
D
E
G
A
0
3
5
7
10
12
3
4
Are you confident with
your finger positions?
96 Ukulele for Beginners
9
E
01 First note
The minor pentatonic scale is very
similar to the blues scale detailed
across the page and will become very
familiar to you very quickly. Follow the
tab or notation carefully to get the
correct notes.
3
8
T
A
B
3
4
The blues scale
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
The blues scale is very similar in sound to the minor pentatonic, but
with some interesting additional notes to give it a distinct sound
T
his scale is a hexatonic (six-note) scale made primarily of
the minor pentatonic scale. The difference between the
two scales is the use of so-called ‘blue notes’, which are
notes played at a slightly lower pitch, typically a semitone,
than their major equivalent.
Notice that the blue notes which are used in this example are the
C (flattened third), D# (sharpened fourth/flattened fifth), and the G
(flattened seventh). The blues scale is often used with the 12-bar
# #4
#4
Blue note
Blue note
Blue note
blues chord sequence and blues music in general, although
it is also often found in jazz music.
In addition, it can be heard in some conventional pop
music, so is a useful one to know for the ukulele. We will
now show you how you can play the A blues scale that
Progress gent
This scale is easy to lea ly
is shown here.
rn on
you have mastered the ce
minor pentatonic sca
le,
and a perfect place to
start
improvising a melod
y. Over
a typical blues chord
sequence, all of the no
tes
will sound ‘right’.
Top tip
“This scale is
made up primarily
of the minor
pentatonic scale”
0
3
1
1
5
1
7
2
2
6
2
8
10
3
3
7
9
11
11
4
4
8
10
12
12
3
9
9
2
10
4
A
C
D, D
E
G
A
01 Blues scale,
first note
02 Blues scale,
second note
03 Blues scale,
04 Blues scale,
note five
05 Blues scale,
note six
06 Final note of
the scale
To begin, leave the first
string open and play
as shown above to
produce the A note of
the blues scale.
Your ring finger should
then be placed on the
third fret and the string
played to make the
note C.
With your ring finger
placed on fret seven of
the first string, this will
produce the E note of
the scale.
The G note of the scale
is played by placing
your middle finger on
the tenth fret of the first
string and playing.
As with most of the
scales, the A is played
with the little finger
on the 12th fret of the
first string.
Give it a try
Your index finger needs
to be on fret five for
the D, and your middle
finger on six for the D#.
A
C
D
D
E
G
A
0
3
5
6
7
10
12
4
4
It’ll sound similar to the
minor pentatonic scale
As always, play through the scale
slowly at first to gain confidence.
Try this scale both ascending
and descending, to improve
your technique in preparation
for improvising.
notes three
and four
T
A
B
4
4
Ukulele for Beginners 97
Reading music
Play solos
Soloing on any instrument can be one of the most challenging things to do
in music, but performed well, is ultimately one of the most satisfying
Top tip
I
n essence, a solo is a short instrumental
break in a piece of music. This can either be
individual or shared between performers. It
can be planned in advance, or, as in most cases,
improvised, where the soloist ad libs and makes up
the melody on the spot.
In order to perform a good solo, there are a
number of things that you must be aware of.
You will need to know what key your piece of
music is in, the scale that will work well for your
performance, have a good sense of rhythm and
know how to emphasise certain notes. Try to think
of soloing like a story. It needs a good beginning,
some substance to the middle section, and a
conclusion at the end. Make sure you know when
the solo should finish; there is nothing more
frustrating for both a band and audience than a
seemingly endless solo! Remember that the solo is
meant to be a part of the song.
The solo itself will generally appear at the
moment where a song has been built up to the
pinnacle of its tension and expectation. The ukulele
solo is reminiscent of a guitar solo, emphasising
elements of the main melody while expanding
upon this through improvisatory techniques to
make it more interesting.
Not just the scale
So you have found the
that works for your so scale
trick is not to just pla lo. The
y thi
up and down, as a sca s scale
le is not
a solo. Make it intere
sting.
Move by steps, but
include some interv
al
jumps too.
Solo tips
Some pointers to help you
improve your solos
01 Choose the scale
There are many different types of scales that can
be used as solos, each working well with differing
keys and chords sequences. If your piece mainly
consists of major chords, then the major scale of
the opening chord will work well. Alternatively,
you could use the major pentatonic scale, which is
also effective over major sixth chords. The minor
pentatonic scale could be used for both blues and
rock songs. The key is to experiment.
02 Devise a riff
03 Rhythm and timing
04 Practice and experiment
A riff is just a short idea that is repeated, so don’t be
afraid of repeating ideas. Some of the best solos will
repeat a phrase several times, although not always
using the exact same notes. You can expand upon
your original riff by introducing additional notes.
Although a riff can be a good way of starting a solo,
make sure that you do not overuse it!
A good sense of rhythm and timing is vital in any
type of soloing. A contrast in rhythmic ideas is
just as important as performing the correct notes
and can make your solo much more interesting.
Make sure that you don’t repeat the same rhythm
throughout and remember, silence in music can be
just as powerful as a complex sequence of notes.
This may sound obvious, but practising is the most
effective way of improving the solos that you
produce. It does not matter if this is by yourself or
with your group, as both will have their benefits.
Experiment with different scales and modes in your
practice, using different style, to help make you a
more successful performer.
98 Ukulele for Beginners
Super solo
techniques
Learn your fretboard
A solo can be spoilt by a performer looking
continuously down at their instrument, making sure
that their fingers are in the right frets. Practise your
scales and modes so that your finger movements
become natural, eliminating the need to look down
Make use of these easy
methods to help improve
your improvising
Solo in different styles
Expand your repertoire and try
soloing in styles that you may be
unfamiliar with. This will enhance
not only your understanding of
that particular genre, but will give
you some additional ideas and
sequences to try in other styles
Start with something familiar
Before trying your own solos,
it may well be beneficial to try
an existing solo to help you
understand how an effective
solo should sound. Either find the
original track or a backing track and
play along in time, taking note of
some of the more interesting ideas
Use a metronome
So you have learnt to
play a solo. This can be
spoilt by a performance
that is out of time with
the group. Try practising
with a metronome to
help you recognise
where your solo should
fit. You should be able to
find metronomes either
online or as an app
Learn scales and modes
This is the key to effective
soloing on the ukulele.
Make sure that you learn
the intervals for not
only major and minor
scales but also other
modes, to make your
solos sound colourful.
Experimentation is key
Find a backing track
It is great to improvise by yourself, but it’s even more effective
if you can find a backing track to play along with. There are
many commercially available that will give you a rhythm
section with a sequence of chords to perform along to
Using modes to solo As you progress, employ modes to add interest to your solos
Another type of scale that can be used other
than the traditional major and minor variants is
a mode. There are seven modes in total, each
having its own uses for effective soloing. A table
Type Of Mode
Lydian
showing each of the modes based on the scale of
C is shown below.
A simple way to understand modes is to start
on a note within the desired scale and play to the
No. of
/
1
Ionian (Major)
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
Mixolydian
1
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
Dorian
2
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
Aeolian (Natural Minor)
3
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
Phrygian
4
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
Locrian
5
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
same note an octave higher without or . For
example, C to C would be the Ionian mode, D to D
the Dorian, E to E to Phrygian, and so on.
Each mode is based upon a diatonic scale,
comprising eight notes, starting and ending on
the note with the same name. You should notice
that the Ionian mode is based on the major scale,
with the Aeolian on the natural minor.
So why use modes instead of standard scales in
your soloing? One major benefit would be if you
were to land on a note that would sound incorrect
in a major or minor scale – if you are clever
enough, you could adapt it to suit a mode. For
instance, landing on a B would suit the Mixolydian
mode; an F would be the Lydian mode. When
you have learnt the intervals between each mode,
they are quickly adaptable to different keys,
making soloing easier. If presented with a series
of chords, it is simple to associate a mode for it to
add colour to your solo repertoire.
Ukulele for Beginners 99
Reading music
Ukulele
improvisation
Contrary to popular belief, improvising isn’t simply a
case of making it up on the spot…
W
hen the lyrics of a song you are
playing pause for an instrumental
break, you will get the perfect
opportunity to test (and show off)
your ukulele virtuosity with a good solo. The
next two pages are going to deal with soloing and
improvising to help you fine-tune your skills.
Picking up your ukulele and making something
up on the spot may sound quite daunting at this
stage, but improvised solos usually follow some
form of preparation.
Improvisation is about the practice of inventing,
which could mean riffing in front of an audience and
seeing where it takes you, or preparing something
off the cuff prior to a concert so that you still have
guidelines to follow.
A mode is key term when improvising, and refers
to a sequence of notes that fit into a recognisable
pattern depending on how far apart they are. This
is unlike scales, which are a sequence of notes
that progress at set intervals according to the key.
Modes work on melodies, so can often be learned
by instinct and having or perfecting a good musical
ear rather than off the page. Another way to create a
solo is to build it around scales. Using specific scales
will ensure that all the chords you play will sound
good together.
Start off by selecting your notes from the major
pentatonic scale, which is usually used in bright,
happy-sounding songs (usually pop and country
music), and the minor pentatonic scale, for dark,
bluesy ones (which are often heard in rock).
“Improvisation is about the practice
of inventing”
Top tip
Superb solos
Limber up
Try keeping your ing
ers
and limber by exercisin strong
g
with a spring grip, an them
d make
sure they are not too
you’ll be slow and sta cold or
rt ma
mistakes. And whate king
ver
you do, don’t crack
your knuckles!
Four essential tips to this method
01 Know your chords
If you’re going to be improvising based on the
chords being played, it stands to reason that a
decent knowledge of these figures is going to
help. Try to learn variations on the basic chords like
minors, sevenths and suspended chords. It’s worth
the effort, as you’ll then be able to focus more on
inventing solos than worrying about where your
fretting fingers should be while trying to build
certain chords.
02 Know your modes
You will often find yourself playing within a mode
just by feeling, but learning them is very useful too.
The main modes are Ionian (major scale), Dorian,
Mixolydian, Phrygian, Aeolian and Locrian. Don’t be
scared by the Harry Potter-esque names; it’s just a
reminder that they are based in Greek traditional
music. Learn the modes that fit to the chords and
which work best with different styles of music.
03 Get that feeling
As mentioned, modes can be learned through
feeling alone and you’ll often stumble across
them without even meaning to. Play along to
instrumental music and focus on the spaces you
100 Ukulele for Beginners
feel are necessary in between the notes you are
playing, making a note of what intervals these
are. As you develop your ear, you will start to
instinctively know how many frets up or down you
need to travel to get the note you want. As always,
practising regularly will help in the long run.
04 Amp it up
Most ukulele players favour an acoustic ukulele
over an electric one, especially when they are first
starting out. But once you get the hang of following
chord charts on an acoustic, soloing on an electric
ukulele can sound brilliant, and be heaps of fun.
Improv
practice tips
Use these easy methods
to help improve your
improvising
Don’t look now
If you’re feeling especially brave,
why not try it blind? It’s easy to see
the notes you’re playing, but when
improvising you’ll be going on sound,
not sight. Try and see where the notes
come to you from instinct and sound
Improvise to other styles
Conversely, try improvising to music you hate. It will
open up whole new phrases on the ukulele that
you may not have found before, and being outside
of your comfort zone is a good learning tool
Free playing
A strange but good trick is to zone
out and play ukulele while watching
the TV or a film. You’ll find that when
you’re not concentrating, the notes
come to you. Almost like free writing,
but with music instead of words
Play along
To get a feel for vertical
improvising, why not
practise to the music you
love? It will feel familiar
because you know and
enjoy it, and you are relaxed
in your comfort zone
Try dance music
Dance music may be repetitive, but it’s a good way
of focusing on improvising over minimal chord
changes instead of something more complex
Stay in time
Keeping in time is just as
important when you’re
improvising as it is when
you’re following chords.
Continue counting in
your head if it helps
Ukulele for Beginners 101
102 Ukulele for Beginners
Play in
the style of…
Discover how your favourite artists produce
their distinct sound, and learn how to make it
on your own ukulele
Give it a try
Look out for this logo on
each page, as it means
that an audio file is
available online to help
you master a certain
ukulele technique.
104 Traditional Hawaiian
106 One Direction
108 Green Day
110 Mumford and Sons
112 Amy Winehouse
114 Ed Sheeran
116 Bruno Mars
118 Nile Rodgers
120 Foo Fighters
122 Kanye West
124 Taylor Swift
126 The Smiths
128 Bob Marley
130 Elvis Presley
“Originally called the machete, it
was renamed ukulele, which in
Hawaii translates as ‘flea jumping’,
inspired by the high-pitched sound”
Ukulele for Beginners 103
Play in the style of . . .
Traditional
Hawaiian
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
T
he ukulele was only introduced to
Hawaii at the close of the 19th century.
A small guitar-like instrument was
introduced by the Portuguese and it very
quickly became popular within Hawaiian culture.
Originally called the ‘machete’, it was renamed
ukulele, which in Hawaii translates to ‘flea (uku)
jumping (lele)’. This was because the high-pitched
strings gave the impression of a jumping flea. The
majority of songs performed in Hawaii during this
time would then be accompanied by a ukulele.
Traditional Hawaiian ukulele music is recognised
by its combination of both simple and elaborate
strumming patterns, interspersed with fingerpicking. They may not be household names, but
© Charles Haynes
In this section, we explore the sound of traditional Hawaiian ukulele music,
looking at key artists who moulded the sound into its distinctive style
two of the most renowned Hawaiian ukulele
performers are Eddie Kamae and Herb Ohta Sr.
Eddie Kamae is widely thought of as one of the
greatest ukulele players of all time. Together with
Shoi Ikemi, he formed the Ukulele Rascals, the first
known professional all-ukulele group. Just one of
his inventive methods included plucking all four
strings simultaneously, which gave the group
a unique sound. Herb Otha met Eddie Kamae
when he was just 12, and become his student,
learning all he could from the ukulele legend.
He has since become known as one of the most
versatile ukulele players, and records music across
various genres including jazz, pop and traditional
Hawaiian songs.
Inspirational works
© Janine from Mililani
Different stylings from two ukulele pioneers
Song For Anna
Yesterday and Today
Artist: Herb Ohta Sr
Year: 1973 Label: A&M Records
Artist: Eddie Kamae
Year: 2009 Label: Hawaii Sons Inc
This album of classic Hawaiian
music has sold more than 6 million
copies across the globe since it was
released in 1973. It blends together
the traditional combination of ukulele
and voice with the more romantic
aspects of orchestration.
Some of the first recordings since
the 1980s, this album incorporates
both traditional and pop aspects
of Hawaiian music. His now slightly
deeper vocals work well with the
compositions. He shows fondness for
the history and style used in them.
104 Ukulele for Beginners
How should you play?
The sound of traditional Hawaiian music has evolved a great deal over the
years and it now incorporates more popular styles from a host of genres.
In its most traditional sense, Hawaiian music on the ukulele would involve
virtuosic playing from the performer, combining complex strumming
patterns with finger-picking. You can incorporate this into your own
playing with practice and by experimenting with strumming rhythms.
Sliding between the notes and/or chords is also very common. Rather than
carrying the full weight of the tune, the ukulele is usually an accompanying
instrument for songs sung with authentic lyrics in Hawaiian.
Give it a try
Play in that authentic Hawaiian style
“Originally called the ‘machete’, it was renamed ukulele, which in
Hawaii translates to ‘flea (uku) jumping (lele)’. This was because the
high-pitched strings gave the impression of a jumping flea”
Ukulele for Beginners 105
Play in the style of . . .
One Direction
Give it a try
Audio files
Pop music first materialised in the 1950s and 1960s, often borrowing elements from
other styles. Here we look at the boy band influence on this genre
O
ne Direction, more commonly known
as 1D, are a British-based pop boy
band, originally comprising five
members. They initially auditioned
on The X Factor as separate solo artists, but after
failing to reach the boot-camp stage, it was
suggested that they continue as a group. They
finished in third position but shortly after were
signed to Simon Cowell’s Syco Records for a
reported £2 million contract. Their debut single
was released in September 2011 and reached
number one in the charts. It was the most preordered single in Sony Music Entertainment
history. Their first album Up All Night was released
globally in 2012 and topped the charts in 16
countries including the US – making them the first
British band to do so with their debut album.
To date, a total of four albums have been
released by One Direction, with their concert DVD
and Blu-ray This Is Us beating Michael Jackson’s
UK sales record by shipping 270,000 copies in
just three days. In 2012, an American band filed a
lawsuit claiming they had already registered the
‘One Direction’ name. The outcome eventually
saw the American band changing theirs to
Uncharted Shores. On 25 March 2015 it was
confirmed that Zayn Malik would leave the band,
although it was made clear that they would still
continue making music as a four-piece.
One Direction are one of British music’s real
success stories, with fans across the world. They
have perhaps the biggest and most enthusiastic
fan base since the Beatles, and although they
don’t tend to use ukuleles, you can play along in
their style with ease.
©Alamy
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
“One Direction are one of British music’s real
success stories, with fans across the world”
Inspirational works
©Fiona McKinlay
Some other major vocal boy bands
Nobody Else
Millennium
Artist: Take That
Year: 1995 Label: BMG/Arista
Artist: Backstreet Boys
Year: 1999 Label: Jive
Their last album before the group
disbanded in 1996, this features
the track ‘Back For Good’, which
remains their most successful song
to date. The album has gone double
platinum in the UK, and the band
continue to release new material.
This is the Backstreet Boys’ third
album. It contains their most
commercially successful song, ‘I Want
It That Way’, which some would
consider their signature song. It was
nominated for five Grammys and had
four top 40 singles in the US charts.
106 Ukulele for Beginners
How should you play?
One Direction’s sound is mainly characterised in their first album, Up All
Night, which has influences from a wide range of musical sub-genres,
including electro-pop, dance pop and pop rock. Their most widely
recognisable (and first successful) song, ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ draws on
pop-rock influences with its heavy use of powerful guitar-based chords and
riffs. When playing this type of chord, it’s a good idea to experiment with
using a pick for a stronger sound. There are soft felt picks that are specifically
designed with use for ukulele, but experiment and find a type that suits you.
To master the style, strum with confidence!
Play in the style
One Direction
Although the chords used within the performance may well be simple, some of the
strumming patterns can be complex in nature but add to the overall effect of the
piece. The opening idea contains a ‘chunk’ within the strumming pattern and switches
between an off-beat idea in bar 2 to changing the chord to the on-beat in bar 4. It is
suggested that the opening four-bar strumming pattern should be as follows :
| ¶µ chnk ¶µ chnk | ¶¶¶¶ | ¶µ chnk | ¶¶¶¶ |
At bar 9, the pattern changes to a simple repeated | ¶¶¶| and continues
by adding a ‘chunk’ in the second beat from bar 13, remembering that it becomes
syncopated (off beat) in bar 14. The crotchet (ƈ) triplets before the last chord can be
played as down beats.
Give it a try
Wow your fans with this one
Top tip
Keep it simple
The pop genre does
no
overcomplicate itself t
wi
challenging chord seq th
uences.
Basic chords such as
C,
G have been the fou F and
ndations
of many of the most
popu
songs, from the Beatl lar
es
to Bruno Mars.
Ukulele for Beginners 107
Play in the style of . . .
Green Day
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
F
American pop punk band who brought edgy yet
popular punk to the masses in the late 90s
ormed in 1986, Green Day has become
one of the most successful punk bands
in history. Starting out in high school and
honing their sound over nearly a decade
before their first major label release, Dookie, it’s
fair to say they inspired a generation of young
listeners. Dookie is an album full of chunky, punky,
riffs and rhythmically infectious vocal lines. The
line up consists of Tré Cool on the drums, Mike
Dirnt on the bass, Jason White (who became a
regular member of the band in 2012) on rhythm
guitar and Billie Joe Armstrong on both lead
guitar and vocals.
Their later work moved away slightly from their
bratty brand of punk, and started to play more on
pop sensibilities and tracks like ‘Good Riddance
(Time Of Your Life)’ and ‘Wake Me Up When
September Ends’ (from the rock opera album
American Idiot) quickly became international
anthems and remain memorable standout tracks.
On these tracks, Billie Joe took to his acoustic
guitar, still with bursts of powerful strumming, but
now also delving into more sensitive picked parts,
which captured the imagination of even more
listeners among the mainstream public.
The ukulele doesn’t feature within their small
line up of instruments. However, the percussive
and melodic nature of their music, especially on
those more ballad-style tracks, means their tunes
are welcome in any ukulele strum-along. The
pop-punk ballad style is also a great starting point
for any budding ukulele song writer. With gentle
picking patterns and confident strumming it has
everything a ukulele player could possibly want.
Read on to learn how you can copy Green Day’s
unique sound on your very own ukulele.
“The pop-punk ballad style is also a great starting
point for any budding ukulele song writer”
Inspirational works
The key to Green Day’s powerful punk sound
Ramones Greatest Hits
Artist: Ramones
Year: 2006 Label: Rhino Entertainment
You can hear the inspiration for Green
Day’s stylistic powerful and chunky
riffs here. Of course, the Ramones
did it first, but you won’t find the
more delicate ballad style tunes that
Green Day became known for on this
energetic album.
108 Ukulele for Beginners
(What’s the Story)
Morning Glory?
Artist: Oasis
Year: 1995 Label: Creation Records
Billie Joe allegedly joked he’d ripped
off ‘Wonderwall’ for one of their
more poppy songs. The similarities
between Oasis and Green Day are
minimal, but you can hear their
influence in Green Day’s ballad tunes.
Add a little pop sparkle
The ballad style pop-punk songs are perfect for the ukulele. Simplistic
chords with very subtle variations are great to get you going, for example
taking a simple C chord and adding a finger to create a more pop-like
sparkle. Rhythm is key, you need lots of tied rhythms and power behind
them. Picking has a big part to play too; be sure to keep it rhythmic and
simplistic since even the most gentle picking can have a powerful sound.
Top tip
Play in the style
Green Day
This piece focuses on the more ballad-style approach found in songs such as ‘Good
Riddance (Time Of Your Life)’ and ‘Wake Me Up When September Ends’. It is split into two
sections: a rhythm part and a picking part. It uses a typical simplistic chord structure to
carry the chords and the addition of subtle changes to those chords. Don’t be alarmed
by their fancy names. To get the rhythm be sure to keep your wrist moving evenly up
and down, even when you’re not meant to make contact with the strings, and pay
attention to first bar where the strumming pattern is notated. The picking pattern is an
almost constant down and up motion, so keep it steady and listen to the audio to help.
Chord sequence
Fancy taking things
further to
craft your own punk
ballad? Try
forming a chord seq
uenc
the basic chords and e from
adding
another inger to cre
ate a new
chord, or even taking
a
inger away to revea
la
new note.
Give it a try
Add a little Dookie to your uke
Ukulele for Beginners 109
Play in the style of . . .
Mumford
and Sons
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
The indie folk genre is relatively new to Britain, with young musicians
demonstrating their own folk traditions together with an indie aesthetic
small and medium venues in both the UK and
US, with their first EP Love Your Ground and
other pieces forming their first album Sigh No
More. In 2012, the band released their second
album, Babel, which debuted at number one
in both UK and US album charts. Their third
album, Wilder Mind, demonstrated a change
of direction for the band, moving towards a
‘heavier’ sound, incorporating a fuller drum
kit and making far greater use of electric
guitars as opposed to the more traditional
folk instrumentation.
Folk lends itself perfectly to the portability
and ease of playing that the ukulele offers. It is
one of the best genres for beginners, as it is a
natural place for the ukulele to be musically.
© Ty Johnson
M
umford and Sons are a British folkrock band who formed in 2007
during what has been labelled as
the ‘West London Folk Scene’.
The band consists of four members, all
proficient musicians on both conventional rock
instruments as well as traditional folk ones such
as banjo, mandolin and resonator guitar. The
band name comes from the idea that Marcus
Mumford was the most visible member of the
group, while also invoking a sense of a family
business name.
In 2008, the band completed its first tour
of the UK and performed at the Glastonbury
Festival for the first time. Throughout 2008 and
2009, Mumford and Sons continued to play to
Inspirational works
© James Minchin III
Two bands with a similar sound to Mumford et al
Peaceful, The World
Lays Me Down
Artist: Noah and the Whale
Year: 2008 Label: Mercury/Vertigo
The band’s debut album reached
number five in the UK charts. It is
full of catchy melodic tunes and
beautifully emotive lyrics, and makes
great use of the instrumentation
within the band’s folk-pop repertoire.
110 Ukulele for Beginners
Remedy
Artist: Old Crow Medicine Show
Year: 2014 Label: ATO
This is the ninth album by the
legendary American folk band, and
also features collaboration with
folk pioneer Bob Dylan. It reached
number one on the US folk albums
billboard and won the 2015 Grammy
for best folk album.
How should you play?
The folk-rock sound first became prominent in the 1960s and was originally
pioneered by the American band The Byrds. It combines the sounds of folk
music, including some instrumentation, with the ideas of conventional rock
music. This is usually a mixture of simple chord accompaniments with a
clear and clever use of melody and chordal structure. Chords can either be
modestly strummed to accompany vocals and other lead instruments, or
more ambitious ukulele players can adopt complex finger-picking patterns
which could sound like the use of banjo, which is a common instrument
used in the genre.
Mumford and sons
Remember, the opening click beats are deceptively slower than the
rhythmic feel of the piece overall, as they are clicking the start of
every three-quaver pulse. You need to be prepared to move quickly
between the chords, so it may be necessary to change your chord
before the end of the phrase. The opening strumming pattern should
be as follows to allow ample time for the change:
The folk-pop genre do
es
have to be based solel not
y
conventional four-bea on
t rock
music. Try playing in
6/8,
which splits beats int
o two
lots of threes, as felt
within the piece
given here.
¶¶µ¶ µ ¶¶µ¶ µ
This continues throughout the opening and returns at the end. The finger-picking
is simple to perform: when the chord is first formed, pluck the top string with your
thumb, moving up through the next three strings in order and returning again
down to the thumb. You will find it easy to pick up your own strumming pattern
for the middle idea.
Give it a try
© Andrea Sartorati
Play in the style
Top tip
What is 6/8?
Play some folk on your ukulele
Ukulele for Beginners 111
Play in the style of . . .
Amy
Winehouse
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
Jazz encompasses a wide variety of styles, from the legends such as Duke Ellington and
Louis Armstrong to more contemporary artists like Paloma Faith and Amy Winehouse
Jazz Orchestra featured female singer in 2000 and
regularly sang at the Cobden Club. Her first album
was entitled Frank and was a nod to her upbringing
in jazz music, in particular the works of Frank Sinatra.
Bar two covers, Winehouse co-wrote every song
on the album. Her follow-up album Back to Black
was released in 2006 and was completed in just
five months. It was number one in the UK charts
and went on to win Amy international recognition.
During her career, she won numerous awards,
including five Grammys – making her the first British
female artist to achieve that accolade.
© Festival Eurockéennes, V. Gable
A
my Winehouse was an English singersongwriter best known for her deep
soul vocals. She has performed within a
number of genres, including soul and R&B,
as well as being heavily influenced by jazz music.
She died in 2011 due to alcohol poisoning. During
the early part of her life, Winehouse was exposed
to the sound of jazz through many of her paternal
uncles, who themselves were jazz musicians, and
her paternal grandmother. She bought her first
guitar aged 14 and started writing her own music
within a year. She became the National Youth
“Winehouse was exposed to the sound of jazz
through many of her paternal uncles”
© Napalm filled Tyres
Inspirational works
Sinatra and Vaughan both influenced Winehouse
Come Dance With Me
Artist: Frank Sinatra
Year: 1959 Label: Capitol
This was Frank Sinatra’s most
successful album and was in the
American Billboard charts for two
and a half years. In 1960, it won the
Grammy award for Album of the
Year, as well as the Grammy for Best
Vocal Performance.
112 Ukulele for Beginners
Sarah Vaughan with
Clifford Brown
Artist: Sarah Vaughan
Year: 1954 Label: EmArcy
One of Sarah Vaughan’s favourites
among her many works, this album
was inducted in the Grammy Hall of
Fame in 1999. It has been described
as being one of the most important
jazz vocal recordings.
How should you play?
Simple strumming patterns are evident in Amy Winehouse’s early album
Frank, although the chords themselves are constructed with some
complexity. As with most jazz music, there are elements of syncopation
within the chord patterns, where the notes themselves fall on the off-beat.
There is an indication of ‘vamping’ with the rhythm section, giving the
music an improvised edge, but keeping to a repeated chord sequence. It’s
important to ‘learn’ various rhythm patterns to enable you to vamp both
fluently and confidently. Check out the pages on soloing (page 98) for more
advice on how to play off the cuff.
Give it a try
Play some jazz on your ukulele
Ukulele for Beginners 113
Play in the style of . . .
Ed Sheeran
Give it a try
Audio files
Ed Sheeran has quickly become recognised as one of the most accomplished solo
artists in world music, expertly fusing numerous styles for a distinctive sound
E
d Sheeran is an English singer/songwriter
who rose to prominence during 2010.
He naturally blends acoustic genres of
pop, hip hop and folk to give his music the
characteristic sound that we associate with him.
He began writing music in 2005, releasing his first
album, The Orange Room. He moved to London
in 2008 to pursue his career further. His second
album was released in 2009, with his critically
acclaimed Loose Change album following in 2010.
This was to feature his debut single, ‘The A Team’.
Sheeran started along the road to fame by
playing open mic nights in Los Angeles after
flying out there, and was spotted performing
by the actor and musician Jamie Foxx who
offered him the use of his studio. His fan base
grew through thousands of people watching his
performances via YouTube.
Sheeran gained international recognition
in 2011 and released ‘The A Team’ as a digital
download in the UK. It became a top ten hit in
numerous countries, and began a string of hits
for Sheeran. He has co-written songs for a several
high-profile artists including One Direction and
Taylor Swift (who he is great friends with). He
has won various awards throughout his career,
including Best Solo Male Artist at the Brits in both
2012 and 2015.
His album + topped the UK albums chart in the
first week, selling 120,000 copies. It would then
go on to be certified triple platinum, selling over
900,000 copies.
“Sheeran started along
the road to fame by
playing open mic
nights in Los Angeles”
© Ben Watts
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
© Ben Watts
Inspirational works
Sheeran cites Rice and Dylan among his influences
O
Artist: Damien Rice
Year: 2002 Label: 14th Floor
This was the first solo album to be
released by acoustic artist Damien
Rice. He made the album without the
backing of a major recording label
and reaped the rewards. Several of
the songs have gone on to be used
in films and TV shows.
114 Ukulele for Beginners
Bringing It All Back
Home
Artist: Bob Dylan
Year: 1965 Label: Columbia
This was the fifth studio album by the
legendary folk artist Bob Dylan, and
is one of his most celebrated. It was
ranked at number 31 in Rolling Stone
magazine’s 500 greatest albums of
all time.
How should you play?
Ed Sheeran is very percussive in the way he plays guitar, with many of his
hip-hop tracks looping various hits of the guitar. Using the thumb, he gives
a mellow tone to his strumming, with the fingertips or nails providing an
accented chord. The pattern can be followed by palm-muting of strings or
additional ‘slaps’ on the body of your instrument. He demonstrates a very
loose feel to his performances, playing what feels right for the song.
Give it a try
Play along and pretend you’re Ed
Ukulele for Beginners 115
Play in the style of . . .
Bruno Mars
Give it a try
Audio files
B
R&B music has continued to develop over the years, using the technology
available at the time. Numerous popular artists are associated with this genre
runo Mars was born and raised in
Honolulu, Hawaii, and is one of six
children in a family of musicians. He
began performing on stage at a very
young age and was exposed to a diverse mix
of musical genres when he was growing up,
including R&B, hip hop and reggae, with Elvis
Presley also having an impact on his musical
persona and performance techniques.
Mars moved to Los Angeles at age 17 to
pursue his musical career, and was signed by
the legendary label Motown Records, which
subsequently dropped him a year later. In 2009,
he signed with Atlantic Records and became
recognised as a solo artist by lending his vocal
talents to tracks by B.o.B and Travie McCoy, for
whom he co-wrote the hooks to the songs.
His first studio album was released in 2010
entitled Doo-Wops & Hooligans, which contained
a number of hit singles including ‘The Lazy Song’
and ‘Grenade’. A second album, Unorthodox
Jukebox was released in 2012 and achieved
number-one status in the US album charts. Bruno
Mars is very popular both in the US and the UK,
and indeed across the world. His third album
includes collaborations with top producers Mark
Ronson and Jeff Bhasker. His single with Mark
Ronson, ‘Uptown Funk’ won a Brit award for
British single of the year and was number one in
the UK for 14 weeks. His funky pop style suits the
ukulele perfectly, and he has been known to play
a ukulele during live performances.
“He began performing
at a young age and
was exposed to a
diverse mix of genres”
© Brothers Le
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
Inspirational works
Two of the most influential artists for Bruno Mars
R.
Talking Book
Artist: R. Kelly
Year: 1998 Label: Jive
Artist: Stevie Wonder
Year: 1972 Label: Tamla
In his youth, Mars’ musical style
moved more towards R&B from
listening to the likes of R. Kelly and
Keith Sweat. This was R. Kelly’s
third album and contains the very
commercially successful single ‘I
Believe I Can Fly’.
Growing up, Bruno Mars would listen
to musicians who had high voices,
including Freddie Mercury and Stevie
Wonder, influencing his own singing
style. This is Wonder’s 15th album and
is part of his ‘classic period’, when you
can hear him using this style.
116 Ukulele for Beginners
How should you play?
R&B is a genre of music that incorporates numerous elements from other
musical styles, including soul music. With contemporary R&B, it is not
uncommon to find the music itself exceptionally polished by a record
producer, but will also incorporate a combination of synth backings,
including drum machines, with an occasional horn section (this incorporates
brass and saxophone instruments). During more recent times, R&B music
has continued to develop with the innovations of the time, including the
development of electronic music, but maintains its roots with smooth,
soulful vocal arrangements.
Bruno Mars
The opening strumming pattern is simple but effective, so long as you
practise playing the ‘chunk’ slowly at first before performing at the correct
tempo. Follow the opening pattern, which repeats up until the end of bar 16:
¶ chnk µ
¶ chnk µ
The chnk
This is a simple techn
ique for
producing a percussi
ve sound.
At the end of strummi
ng
chord, mute the string a
s to
obtain an instant cut-o
f
by quickly placing
your palm across all
of the strings.
© Brothers Le
Play in the style
Top tip
The second strumming pattern disposes of the chunk beat altogether, instead
throwing in a syncopated rhythm to change the feel. The pattern is as follows:
¶µ ¶µ
µ ¶µ
In keeping with much of Bruno Mars’s music, you will find that this piece only
contains three of the most basic chords for ukulele. These are the C, Dm and F
chords, making the strumming patterns all the more important.
Give it a try Play some contemporary R&B on your uke
Ukulele for Beginners 117
Play in the style of . . .
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
G
Nile Rodgers
The co-founding member and lead guitarist of Chic is a disco and funk
guitar master, and you can copy his sound
regory Rodgers, or Nile Rodgers as
he became known, is a bona fide
disco and funk rhythm machine. His
work with the legendary disco band
Chic essentially defined a genre of music. Chic
formed in 1976, and their tunes such as ‘Dance,
Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)’ (1977),
‘Everybody Dance’ (1977), ‘Le Freak’ (1978), ‘I Want
Your Love’ (1978), and ‘Good Times’ (1979), are
dance floor fillers to this day. These tracks are
driven by Nile’s infectious and surprisingly melodic
strumming style.
As disco fell out of fashion in the late Seventies,
Rodgers and the backing band continued to
contribute to influential music of the time, both
by playing and producing music. Nile Rodgers’
production work on Diana Ross’ ‘Upside Down’
is a great example of how successful he was
beyond Chic as a producer. Even with disco
out of fashion, his original Chic riffs were still
also being sampled by a new wave of hip-hop
artists too. More recently his collaborations have
become the centre of focus, in particular his
most recent work with Daft
Punk and Pharrel Williams.
The likes of ‘Get Lucky’
are again built around
Which hand?
Nile’s characteristic
Focusing on just your
right hand
sound and technique.
for strumming is a co
mmon
Although Nile is
mistake. To create so
me
a guitarist, the
syncopation listen to serious
the
syncopated and
and practice squeezi track
ng the
chord (with the frettin
percussive nature of
g
ha
nd) in time with
his playing lends itself
the music.
to the ukulele, creating a
truly unique sound.
Top tip
“The syncopated and percussive nature of his
playing lends itself to the ukulele”
Inspirational works
Two albums that inspired Nile’s early career
Funkadelic
Roxy Music
Artist: Funkadelic
Year: 1970 Label: Westbound Records
Artist: Roxy Music
Year: 1972 Label: Island Records
In the early days Nile Rodgers was
cutting his teeth in the house band
at the Apollo theatre and backed
the likes of Funkadelic. They were a
clear influence to him and provided a
classic sound that has lasted through
the ages.
This album is a bit of a wild card, but
also essential in the Nile Rodgers
journey. He’s gone on record stating
how influential this band was.
Although not so ‘funky’ their whole
package obviously gave Nile some
food for thought.
118 Ukulele for Beginners
Relax, take it easy
Playing funk and disco on the ukulele is all about being natural. A relaxed
wrist is essential. To really master this style spend time working on
strumming evenly down and up, whilst keeping your wrist as relaxed as
possible. This will help lay a foundation for making things funky. Once you’ve
reached a point of total relaxation its time to introduce your fretting hand,
by experimenting with squeezing the chord and then relaxing to mute the
chord you can create some serious groove.
Play in the style
Nile Rodgers
This piece uses two chords, so familiarise yourself with these shapes first, then approach
the first two bars. These are based around the idea of ‘squeezing’ the chord to create
the rhythm. You will be playing all downstrokes, but to create the syncopation, ‘squeeze’
and release the chord to create the stabs. The later bars are more focused on the right
hand strumming pattern, so be sure to stick to it. You will notice the introduction of an
additional finger in each bar; this is typical of Rodgers’ approach. Note how the rhythm
doesn’t change but the addition of the extra note creates a sense of melody.
Give it a try
Get started with this funky little tune
Ukulele for Beginners 119
Play in the style of . . .
Foo Fighters
Give it a try
Audio files
T
With elements of grunge, the Foo Fighters’ brand of rock may not
bring to mind the uke, but you can play their style with practice
he Foo Fighters formed in Seattle, the
home of grunge, in 1994. The band’s
singer Dave Grohl first rose to fame as
the drummer in the iconic grunge band
Nirvana, the influence of which can still be heard
in his current band (and in lots of other bands, like
Green Day and Blink 182).
Grohl admits that the musical style of Nirvana’s
late vocalist Kurt Cobain has rubbed off on him in
a huge way, as Cobain taught him the importance
and beauty of music being stripped down to its
minimalistic core. Beyond the vocals, Nirvana’s
influence can also be heard when you analyse
the dynamics of Foo Fighters’ music. There are
quiet verses before bridges plunge suddenly into
deafeningly loud choruses. Of course, the latter is
difficult to achieve on a ukulele, which is probably
why the instrument has never featured in their
music. However, it is possible to get a feel for their
style on the instrument.
Foo Fighters use a lot of suspended and
seventh chords in their music, again giving a false
sense of relaxed security in their verses before
charging into a power-chord-fuelled chorus.
One of the techniques they use to accentuate
dynamics is palm-muting the strings; something
which can be done on a ukulele with practise.
The rhythmic strumming of Grohl’s guitar playing
is unsurprising, given that his first instrument is a
drum kit.
© Stig Nygaard
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
“Quiet verses and bridges plunge suddenly
into deafeningly loud choruses”
Inspirational works
Here are a few artists that have inspired this band
In Utero
Tenacious D
Artist: Nirvana
Year: 1993 Label: Geffen
Artist: Tenacious D
Year: 2001 Label: Sony
This album is arguably the most
influential to Foo Fighters, as it
contrasts greatly with Nirvana’s highly
polished previous release Nevermind
(1991). The raw recordings further
enhance the dynamics of the band’s
energetic, manic style.
Dave Grohl plays drums on every
studio release for Tenacious D.
Dynamics play a huge part in their
music; Kyle Gass plays acoustic guitar
so the comedic lyrics sung by Jack
Black (also a star of many movies) can
be easily heard.
120 Ukulele for Beginners
How should you play?
To play the ukulele in the style of the Foo Fighters isn’t that easy, but there
are a number of techniques that you can apply. To achieve the differing
dynamic values of the band’s style, try palm-muting the strings. Lightly rest
your hands on the strings with your strumming hand while forming the
chords with your other hand. Strum eight times for every bar in the chorus
and bridges, with emphasis on the first and sixth beat. When you reach the
chorus, release your hand from palm muting and play the chords openly.
Dave Grohl will sing the verse and bridge quietly but clearly and increase the
volume for the chorus.
Play in the style
Foo Fighters
The piece of music below has been written in the style of the Foo Fighters. This
means that the playing style and the lyrics are based entirely on their music. The
vocal melody and song title are all inspired by ‘Best of You’ from their album
In Your Honour (2005). The verses and bridges are made
up of suspended and sixth chords, which imitate the
expectant yet relaxed theme of the original song. The
song’s structure uses the basic verse-bridge-chorus
setup that the Foo Fighters use in most of their
Ramp itohup
d
music. Grohl is clearly inspired by bands like the
itating Gr l’s relaxe
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Aft
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his vocals melodic and flowing. The melody is
play the chorus enthu a deep
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Tak
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simple and clear, with lyrics that are easy to hear
ord
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go for
and understand. Channel Dave Grohl and the
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Foos by creating your own lyrics and playing the
it! You’ll be rocking ou t like
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deiance in no time,
chorus chords loudly!
k
the nicest man in roc
himself.
Give it a try
Start off gently, then rock out!
© Ryanw2313
Top tip
Ukulele for Beginners 121
Play in the style of . . .
Kanye West
Give it a try
Audio files
K
From dropout to graduate and self-proclaimed genius, love or hate him,
Kanye West’s music has left its mark on an era
anye first made a name for himself
as a producer for Roc-A-Fella records,
working with artists such as Jay-Z, Alicia
Keys and Ludacris. In 2004 he finally
fulfilled his dream of becoming a rapper with the
release of his debut album The College Dropout,
achieving instant critical and commercial success.
He also drew acclaim for breaking away from the
gangster persona dominating the industry at the
time, instead rapping about themes of family,
materialism and personal hardship.
Kanye’s early works make broad use of soul
samples as well as extensive collaboration
with contemporary artists, a trend he has
maintained throughout his career. Each new
album release has seen Kanye West evolve as
an artist, and whether it has been for good or ill,
it has maintained his position as a driving force
of hip-hop. Recent times have seen him move
away from rapping with the release of 808s &
Heartbreak, before returning from a hiatus to
produce what many consider to be his best work,
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, which builds
upon aspects of previous releases.
Many find it hard to separate the persona from
the artist, which has led to him becoming a very
polarising figure in the public eye. However, this
cannot diminish his place as one of the most
successful artists of all time, selling over 120 million
records worldwide.
© rodrigoferrari
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
“Each new album release has seen Kanye
West evolve as an artist”
© rodrigoferrari
Inspirational works
Sampling styles and bringing it together
The Blueprint
Wu-Tang Forever
Artist: Jay-Z
Year: 2001 Label: Roc-A-Fella
Artist: Wu-Tang Clan
Year: 1997 Label: Loud/RCA/BMG
Considered by many to be one of
the best hip-hop albums of all time,
it would be the record that made
Kanye West’s name as a producer,
and would begin one of the most
influential hip-hop partnerships of
recent times.
Repeatedly stating the impact
they’ve had on his style, Kanye
cites the Wu-Tang producer RZA
as one of his biggest influences,
drawing specifically on his methods
of extensive sampling and the
inclusion of skits.
122 Ukulele for Beginners
How should you play?
Hip-hop can vary greatly from artist to artist, whether it’s in the genres and
eras they decide to sample or the way they produce their songs. The one
thing that ties them together is the beats, so when you’re reproducing
the sound on a ukulele you should try to reflect this. You can emphasise
the kick of the beat by hitting just the C and E strings, and use full, strong
downstrokes for the snare, which will almost always fall on the second and
fourth beats of a bar. Listening to hip-hop and playing along with recordings
will help you to hear where the emphasis needs to be. However, lyrics are
often the focus, so adding your own vocals will help complete the sound.
Play in the style
Kanye West
Top tip
Change it up
Varia
tion and layering is
to making a hip-hop key
tra
interesting. On the uk ck
ulele
this is done by switc
hing up
strumming patterns
, mi
in a bar of picking or xing
a sh
rif, or even dropping ort
the
rhythm completely.
Give it a try
Get a hip-hop sound on your ukulele
© Kenny Sun
This piece draws upon Kanye’s earlier work and his style of
sampling jazz and soul records. Both seventh and major seventh
chords are used to create a loop with a jazzy feel, in a fashion
that demonstrates the possibilities to vary a beat within a simple
framework. The first line lays out the progression in its base form,
played with emphasis on the second and fourth beats of the bar. This is
then built upon in the second line, adding mutes and additional strums in a
way that feels more natural to play. The third line demonstrates a classic change
up, dropping the first beat of the opening bar; finally, the fourth line shows
syncopation, switching to the off-beat.
Ukulele for Beginners 123
Play in the style of . . .
Taylor Swift
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
T
aylor Swift was born in 1989 in
Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. At the age of
14, after moving to Nashville, Tennessee
she became the youngest ever artist
to be signed by Sony Music. So far in her career,
she has won a huge array of awards and has sold
over 40 million albums all over the world. She
also has a huge and loyal fan base, who refer to
themselves as ‘Swifties’.
Most of Taylor Swift’s lyrics are a narrative of
her own life experiences: breakups, friendship,
love and life as a young American woman. She
has many fans worldwide and her catchy songs
are enjoyed by millions. Even if you’re not a huge
fan of the country-pop genre, it’s hard to dislike
Swift due to her happy-go-lucky personality and
for the time she takes out of her busy schedule
to engage with her fans in any way she can. She
is incredibly positive and does a huge amount for
charities and good causes, which is a refreshing
sight to behold in the narcissistic world of the
entertainment industry. As Swift herself says,
“Haters gonna hate”!
Although the ukulele does not appear in any
of Swift’s music, her simple writing style and use
of mainly major chords suit the uke down to a
tee. Country music was traditionally written to
be played on acoustic instruments, and these
traditional songwriters are the artists who inspired
Swift as a child.
“Her simple writing style and use of mainly
major chords suit the uke down to a tee”
Inspirational works
© XDavid Brown
Swift was inspired by female country singers
Fly
Jolene
Artist: Dixie Chicks
Year: 1999 Label: Monument
Artist: Dolly Parton
Year: 1974 Label: RCA
Swift grew up listening to strong,
female country singers. Three-piece
country group Dixie Chicks are one of
her favourites. They formed in 1989
and are highly successful in America,
with this album alone selling over
10 million copies.
Dolly Parton is arguably the most
influential woman in country music
of all time. It’s no surprise that Swift
idolises this feisty, independent
woman. In her opinion, Swift believes
Parton “is an amazing example to
every female songwriter everywhere”.
124 Ukulele for Beginners
How should you play?
The ukulele, with its similarities to the sound of a banjo, is perfect for playing
country-style music. To play in the style of Taylor Swift, the key is to let the
ukulele do its thing and put lots of emphasis on your vocals. Play around
with vocal melodies and add your own embellishment. You can also use the
ukulele as a tool to try out new harmonies or alter lyrical phrasing. Strum the
chords with extra emphasis on the back beats to keep the pop feel. Swift’s
lyrics work as a narrative; she enjoys telling stories with her music, so try
adding your own personal touch to the tune by creating your own lyrics to
accompany the melody.
© taylorswift.com
Use your ukulele to get a country-pop sound from the
high-profile pop princess Taylor Swift
Play in the style
Taylor Swift
Top tip
Break it up
th only one
Play the irst verse wi
ch chord,
ea
of
rt
sta
strum at the
copated
syn
a
following on with
rest.
the
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ou
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ou
thr
rn
patte
ique
hn
tec
m
tru
e-s
Repeat the on
and
s,
oru
ch
in the second-to-last
last
the
in
r
we
po
l
ful
th
play wi
to
chorus. This will help
break up the song.
Give it a try
Tell your story in country style
© taylorswift.com
This original composition is a fun and easy song to play;
there is never any need to overcomplicate pop music.
Swift’s lyrics work as a narrative and she uses her music
to tell a story, so aim to add your own personal touches
wherever you can, whether that’s flourishes to the notes or
rhythm, or your own lyrics to fit the tune. You can even stray
from the original melody or altering the flow if the mood takes you.
The most important thing when channelling Taylor Swift is to have
fun and enjoy making music. She often works with talented friends such as Jack
Antonoff (from the US band Fun), who produced some of the tracks on her
album 1989, and stars like Ellie Goulding and Karlie Kloss for her videos. Channel
Swift and get your friends involved too!
Ukulele for Beginners 125
Play in the style of . . .
The Smiths
Give it a try
Audio files
T
One of the UK’s most important and influential Indie bands, The Smiths
can be translated into a great ukulele tune
he Smiths are a band who brilliantly
demonstrated the power of a
singer and guitarist writing team.
The partnership of singer Morrissey
and Guitarist Marr, helped shape an iconic
list of songs. Forming in 1982 in Manchester,
The Smiths, are a band that blend infectious
arpeggio guitar parts with emotive vocal lines.
Their debut album, simply titled The Smiths,
was released in 1984, and included the single
‘This Charming Man’ which reached number
two in the UK album charts. The same year
they released several non-album singles
including ‘How Soon is Now’ and ‘Heaven
Knows I’m Miserable Now’, which alongside
some public controversies inspired press
coverage and scandal in the media helped
take them to the masses.
These singles are to this day indie anthems
in their own right. The band split in 1987, due
to a relationship breakdown within the band,
although Morrissey and Marr have continued
to compose and perform separately. The
formative years of Marr and Morrissey working
together are still regarded as hugely important
in shaping the indie music landscape. Marr’s
style of blending lead and rhythm guitar
together by creating mesmerising arpeggios
that were both syncopated and melodic have
inspired a generation of guitarists, and can do
the same for a ukulele player.
“The partnership of
Morrissey and Marr
helped shape an
iconic list of songs”
Inspirational works
These albums were essential for The Smiths
New York Dolls
Turn!Turn!Turn!
Artist: New York Dolls
Year: 1973 Label: Mercury Records
Artist: The Byrds
Year: 1965 Label: Columbia Records
Morrissey had written a book on
the New York Dolls (released 1995),
and Marr was clearly a big fan. Their
mutual appreciation for the band
literally brought the band together.
Without the New York Dolls, would
we have The Smiths?
Johnny Marr’s jangly guitar parts are
strongly reminiscent of the work of
The Byrds. This famous American
rock band focused more on
arpeggios instead of more traditional
strumming, and highlighted rhythm
and melody in equal measure.
126 Ukulele for Beginners
Learn to pick your arpeggios
To recreate Johnny Marr’s sound, you need to become comfortable with
picking arpeggios, or in simpler terms: picking individual notes within
chords. Using a plectrum or your fingers is fine. The tricky part is creating the
syncopation and groove that Marr does. The best way to achieve this is by
playing along with tracks, this will help you get the feel for things. Reading
notation can be really helpful, but syncopated rhythms can look very
daunting so don’t be afraid to rely on your musical ear.
© Alamy
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
The Smiths
Top tip
© Alamy
Play in the style
Create a system
Fo
r arpeggios it’s impo
The piece we’ve written out in the tabs below
establish a system, for rtant to
for you is reminiscent of The Smiths’ track ‘This
picking evenly up an example,
Charming Man’. Although we do stick to a two
d do
your plectrum or sticki wn with
chord pattern, there are another two basic
ng
same ingers for each to the
shapes in the characteristic intro and outro. The
str
This helps create conti ing.
nuity
E minor and G slightly change throughout the
and commit patterns
exercise. This is simply achieved by removing your
to memory.
finger from the A string when needed, helping to
create a sense of melody. Rhythmically, it will really help
you to listen to and play along to the track (which you can find
on filesilo.co.uk). Notice how the rhythm stays the same throughout the
main theme; it simply builds from five notes to eight notes to help you get
to grips with things. Take it very slow and listen carefully.
Give it a try
See if you can give The Smiths a run for their money
Ukulele for Beginners 127
Play in the style of . . .
Bob Marley
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
name synonymous with reggae,
Bob Marley was at the forefront
of spreading the musical style the
world over with its themes of social
commentary, love and spirituality. Born
in Jamaica, he grew up in the Trench Town
neighbourhood of Kingston. This area that would
become a hotbed of reggae talent and, later, civil
unrest that would greatly influence Bob Marley
during the latter stages of his life.
Born out of ska and rock-steady in the early
1960s, reggae brought in elements of rhythm
and blues and soul in a style that combines thick,
heavy bass lines, off-beat rhythms and iconic
tight snare-drum beats. In the early Seventies, Bob
Marley and the Wailers would start to make their
mark with the release of the albums Catch a Fire
and Burnin’.
The following years would see the original
Wailers line-up split due to a refusal of some
members to tour. Bob Marley’s new band made
its international breakthrough in 1975 with the
release of the single, ‘No Woman, No Cry’ along
with the album Rastaman Vibration in 1976.
The same year would see gunmen assault
Marley in his home, which would lead to his selfimposed exile in the UK and the eventual release
of Exodus, the album that would stand as his
legacy upon finally succumbing to cancer in 1981
at the age of 36.
“A style that combines heavy bass lines, offbeat rhythms and tight snare-drum beats”
Inspirational works
Marley was inspired by these reggae pioneers
Return of Django
In the Dark
Artist: The Upsetters
Year: 1969 Label: Trojan
Artist: Toots and the Maytals
Year: 1973 Label: Dragon
The in-house band of dub producer
Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, with whom the
Wailers would work to produce
their early albums before moving to
Island Records. The title track ‘Return
of Django’ is considered one of the
earliest examples of reggae.
Considered one of the most
influential bands in reggae, Toots and
the Maytals were one of the first to
achieve success outside Jamaica with
the single ‘54-46 That’s My Number’.
A vocal group, they combined ska
and rock-steady styles.
128 Ukulele for Beginners
How should you play?
Reggae is a great genre to play on ukulele as the higher-pitched sound pairs
very well with off-beat rhythms. The main defining aspect when playing
reggae is the rhythm that you use for strumming. The classic reggae rhythm
comes from strumming on the off-beat; playing in 4/4, you would strum
on the even beats, 2 and 4. Another key aspect is the way in which you
strum, dubbed the ska stroke (after the sub-genre of reggae music), which
is where you use a muted upstroke on the 1 beat, followed by a short, sharp
downstroke on the 2 beat to create a fun bouncing rhythm. Listen to bands
such as Madness and The Specials to hear this beat.
© Ueli Frey
A
A short life with a long legacy, defining both the music and
culture that made Jamaica known to the world
Palm muting is an ess
skill for performing ska ential
strokes
on open chords like
Am
Played using the off-beat strumming pattern, this piece also
This is achieved by res or C.
ting the
includes muted strums played on-beat, allowing you to keep a
side of your picking
hand on
the strings by the bri
constant rhythm when strumming up and down. An important
dge of
the ukulele to preve
thing to note is that the piece is played in triplet timing, whereby
nt
the strings ringing
the downstroke will be slightly longer, and the upstroke slightly
out.
shorter, than an eighth note. This is difficult to express in writing, so
listen and play along to the example and you’ll quickly pick up the timing
of this simple technique that’ll add that classic reggae bounciness to your
playing. To achieve the percussive muted strokes, simply relax your fingers
when playing the chord so that they rest atop the strings; for chords with
open strings, use palm muting instead to achieve this effect.
Bob Marley
© Eddie Mallin
Play in the style
Top tip
Mute chords
Give it a try
Start strumming in that reggae style
Ukulele for Beginners 129
Play in the style of . . .
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
Elvis Presley
A true American heartthrob, icon of a generation,
and the man who would become known as the King
A
legend of his time, Elvis Presley captivated
a generation in a career that personified
both the absolute highs and lows of
stardom, leaving a legacy as one of the
most iconic figures of the 20th century.
Born in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935, he rose to fame
during the rock and roll boom of 1950s America, with
his high-energy, sexually provocative performances
that would see him become the bestselling solo artist
of all time.
He captured the hearts of America with his charm,
charisma and good looks, yet also in his versatility as
a performer, garnering commercial success in a range
of genres, from pop to gospel and rockabilly to blues.
Whether singing the high-octane ‘Blue Suede Shoes’,
or the serenading ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’, Elvis
brought a glamour to his music that has been hard to
reproduce, though many have tried.
His eventual fall from grace would start with his
separation and divorce from his wife Priscilla in 1973,
an event from which he would never truly recover, as
epitomised in the classic song ‘Always On My Mind’.
In his troubled state of mind, Elvis became dependent
on sedatives, which, combined with his deteriorating
health and intensive touring, would lead to his tragic
death in 1977.
“He captured the hearts of America with his
charm, charisma and good looks, yet also in his
versatility as a performer”
Inspirational works
Gospel greats and blues legends inspired Elvis
The Statesmen
Quartet Sings with
Hovie Lister
Artist: The Statesmen Quartet
Year: 1958 Label: RCA Victor
Gospel music enraptured Elvis Presley
from a young age, and none more
than The Statesmen Quartet and
Hovie Lister, whose concerts he
would regularly attend.
130 Ukulele for Beginners
Gospel Train
Artist: Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Year: 1956 Label: Wing
Dubbed ‘the original soul
sister’, Tharpe’s combination of
gospel singing and early rock
accompaniment was instrumental
in developing rock and roll. With her
commanding stage presence, she
was an early influence on Elvis.
How should you play?
The beauty of the blues as a musical style is its simplicity and the freedom
that it gives you as a musician to improvise and express yourself. At a basic
level, blues progressions are based on the first, fourth and fifth chords of a
key; using the key of C as an example, this would be C, F and G. Learning
scales is fundamental for improvising around progressions, so have a go at
some of these to help improve your ability to play around with the blues.
The C blues scale is made up of C, Eb, F, Gb, G and Bb, with Gb being what is
known as the blue note. Turn to page 97 for more on the blues scale.
Elvis Presley
Known by many as ‘the King’, Elvis paved the way for the blues, bringing the genre into the public eye
and creating many of the popular songs known and loved in the 1950s, Sixties and Seventies, and many
that have even been covered by modern artists. His style has influenced so many artists that you should
have no trouble picking it up.
The piece is in the key of G, opening with a simple G D C G (1st 5th 4th 1st) blues progression played
in a slow arpeggio that is a lot like those found in Elvis’s ballads. Simple embellishments are used in the
fourth and eighth bars, though feel free to experiment with your own improvisations on the A string, as
playing it open, as well as on the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th fret will all fit with the song.
If you’re playing the strumming section, try to imitate the crescendos that are used in the choruses
of Elvis’s ballads, with the rhythm combining an alternating bassline with a slow-building chord
progression. Try to play the first downstroke of each bar so that each string rings out independently.
Give it a try
© “Elvis Presley 1970” by Ollie Atkins
Play in the style
Never felt more like playing the blues
Ukulele for Beginners 131
132 Ukulele for Beginners
Helpdesk
Some pointers and reference pieces to help you look back at what you’ve learned and
take your learning further, including burning questions and all the chords you need
“The important
thing is to stick with
it, even if you find
some parts difficult. It
is important to master
the basic techniques
before you move on to
the trickier things such as
solos, otherwise you
risk developing a
bad technique”
Give it a try
Look out for this logo on
each page, as it means
that an audio file is
available online to help
you master a certain
ukulele technique.
134 Your questions
answered
148 Your glossary
150 Chord charts
Ukulele for Beginners 133
Helpdesk
Your questions
answered
Getting started
So you’ve just bought a ukulele and want to know what to do
next? Well here we guide you through the basics
The learning timetable
I have no musical background and have recently
considered picking up a ukulele for the first time,
so I was wondering how long it would take me to
be able to play properly?
That all depends on how you define ‘properly’.
Some things can be learned quickly – such as the
ability to strum along to simple songs – but the
more complex stuff, such as the more dextrous
fretwork, will take much longer. After picking up a
ukulele for the first time you will be aiming to play
basic chords, not necessarily memorised but fretted
and strummed, after about a week. The next two
No pain, no gain
weeks will be spent mastering and memorising the
basic chords to the point where you can play one or
two songs without having to look at the fretboard
while you strum and switch between chords. After
two months you should have learned and mastered
the ability to play some of the more complex barre
chords, then in the next month mastered finger
picking – the ability to play individual strings.
Then, depending on how quickly you learn and
how much you practise, you’ll move onto riffs within
about four months and put everything you’ve
learned thus far together to be able to improvise riffs
and solos within a year.
People often say that the biggest problem when
learning stringed instruments is the pain in your
fingers. Is this true? Will my fingers hurt when I
first start learning to play ukulele?
If you’re completely new to ukulele and have never
fretted a string before there will undoubtedly be
some level of discomfort involved. During the first
week or so, the tips of your four fretting fingers
will feel tender and sore as you press down on
the strings, and your fingers may ache at being
contorted into positions they aren’t accustomed
to, but the discomfort will subside fairly quickly. By
playing for at least 30 minutes every day, you will
soon develop calluses on the tips of your fingers.
Though this may sound worrying, it essentially just
means that the skin is hardening up over time, and
once this string-playing evolution occurs, you’ll
find that you will be able to fret the strings with no
discomfort at all for the rest of your playing days.
Your fingers will
adapt to pressure
You could
be rocking solo
licks in under a year
134 Ukulele for Beginners
“One of the important things to remember
is that although it may look like one,
a ukulele is not a toy”
Ukulele choice
Other equipment
I was thinking of picking up a cheap ukulele for
myself and my child to learn on. What sort of
ukulele should I buy?
I’ve just bought my first ukulele, what other kit do
I need to go with it?
One of the most important things to remember
is that although it may look like one, a ukulele is
not a toy and should be treated like any other
instrument when you’re scouting for one to buy.
Make yourself aware of the various types of ukuleles
and the various price points offered by various
manufacturers and then weigh up how serious you
are about learning and this will perhaps dictate how
much you want to spend. Kala make a wide range
of ukuleles are various pricepoints (wwkalabrand.
com), as do other companies such as Lanikai, many
of which come in bright, cool designs that are
especially appealing to children.
Common problems
What are the common problems that new
learners encounter?
The most obvious one is a feeling of frustration
and a desire to pack it in! Whether this stems from
the discomfort newcomers feel in their hands
when adjusting to the demands of fretting strings
and forming chords, or the feeling that you aren’t
progressing as quickly as you’d like, the important
thing is to stick with it and know that you will get
the hang of it soon. It is important to master the
basics before moving on to trickier things such as
solos, otherwise you risk developing bad technique.
The great thing about ukuleles is that they’re
lightweight, fully portable instruments that you
can effortlessly take anywhere. Most will come
with some sort of bag, but you can upgrade
this to a padded gig bag or even a hard case if
you’re worried about damaging your instrument.
We would also recommend investing in a tuner.
Clip-on tuners are very handy for ensuring that
your instrument stays in tune and they’re good at
blocking out ambient noise to get the job done.
You can also pick up free or inexpensive tuning
apps for your smartphone – as long as you’ve got
something to hand to check the tuning prior to
playing, you’re sorted. Other bits of kit are optional.
For example, you could pick up a capo to change
the playing key of your ukulele to make it easier to
play and sing along to certain songs and you can
get yourself a pack of picks to make strumming
and finger-picking easier on your digits. You may
also want to invest in a book or two to help keep
your interest up. There are many guide books and
chord books available that make it easy to learn
something every time you pick up your instrument.
The more accomplished you get at playing the
ukulele, the more trained your ears will become at
telling if it is in tune or not. There are several ways
to tune the ukulele to itself, the adjacent string
method, as favoured by guitar players or the nonadjacent string method. We will talk you through
the second method here, but bear in mind that
you should only use this method if you don’t have
a conventional tuner and only intend to play alone.
This method refers to the standard GCEA tuning. For
this method to work the player must choose one
string to arbitrarily assign as being ‘in tune’, such as
the E string. Now, using the E string as reference,
hold this down at the third fret and it will give the
note G. Play the open G string and the E string at
the third fret and adjust the G string so that the
tone matches. Once the G string is in tune, move
on to the A string. The second fret of the G string
will produce the A pitch, so adjust the A string to
match this. Finally, the third fret on the A string will
produce the C note, so adjust the A string to match.
Use one reference
to tune all your
strings
Tuning up
I was recently given a second-hand ukulele as
a gift and I would like to start teaching myself
to play. How do I know if my instrument needs
tuning and how do I go about tuning it?
Ukulele for Beginners 135
Helpdesk
What is a metronome?
I have read about using a metronome while
practising. What is a metronome and how can it
help my playing?
A metronome is a device that counts time by
producing regular sounds. This is a useful tool when
you need to practise at a certain tempo or if you’re
trying to increase your speed on the ukulele. The
tempo of a metronome is measured in beats per
minute (BPM) and metronomes come in three forms
– mechanical, electrical and software. A traditional
metronome is a triangular device that holds a metal
ticker with a slider through which you can adjust
the speed.
Most modern metronomes are electronic,
but follow the same basic principle and use
electronics and quartz crystal to maintain the
beat. Metronomes are useful for practising scales
and increasing your speed. You may only be able
to play a scale at 90bpm at first, but by practising
with a metronome and increasing the tempo at
which you practise every day with, say 5bpm, you
will train your fingers and brain to play quicker. It
is also possible to get metronome apps for your
smartphone that work just as well as the more
traditional models.
Improve your speed with
the help of a metronome
“Metronomes are
useful for practising
and increasing speed”
Positioning your ukulele strap
I am just starting out with an electric ukulele and want to know how high I should set my strap?
Attach to the pin on the end of your ukulele if it
has one (as in the picture above). If not, you can
use a shoelace to attach the strap to the uke’s neck.
136 Ukulele for Beginners
You don’t want the ukulele set too high or you’ll
be tied up with tension trying to play appropriately
and it will hurt your hands, so adjust the length.
The opposite is also true – strap your ukulele too
low and you’ll have a hard time getting your hands
in the right positions to fret and pick.
Your ukulele
You’ll want to know all about your instrument as you learn to play it, so
here we examine different types of ukuleles and how to maintain them
Changing the strings
There are lots
of ukuleles to
choose from
How often should I change the strings of my
ukulele? I have heard conflicting answers but am
unsure as the strings on my ukulele have been
on there for a couple of years at least, so how do I
know if they need changing?
Ultimately, your ears will tell you when they need
replacing. Over time, dirt and oil from your hands
will build up on your strings, causing them to
become tarnished and start to sound dull and
lifeless. Washing your hands prior to playing will
help prolong the life of your strings, but other
factors, such as the natural stretching of the
string over time, will require you to change your
strings regularly. You will know if your strings need
changing if you have a harder time than usual
getting your ukulele in tune (and, in turn, keeping
it in tune), if the tone of your ukulele starts to
sound flat or if the strings begin to discolour. So,
if you play often, you may need to change the
strings every several months. There are also a few
common factors to take into account to determine
how regularly your strings need to be changed.
For example, players who sweat more will need
to change strings more often, people who smoke
or play in smoky venues will need to change their
strings more often, and folk who play aggressively
and dish out more punishment on their strings
will need to change them more regularly than
gentler players. When buying new strings, be aware
that they come in varying gauges (which is the
thickness) and you will find that the lighter-gauged
strings are much easier to fret.
Ukulele brand
What brand of ukulele do you recommend for
beginners and how do I know what to look for
when buying?
One of the best things about learning to play
ukulele is that it isn’t an expensive instrument to
learn. You can pick up a decent ukulele for around
£40/$50 – so even if you find that you don’t like it
(which is unlikely) then you won’t have paid out an
excessive amount of cash.
As you go up in price range, the overall quality of
the instrument will improve and you’ll be dealing
with ukuleles built with solid wood rather than
laminate wood or plastic. Different woods have
different tonal characteristics, some woods are rarer
and more prestigious than others, which could
also affect the price range and some of the more
expensive ukuleles may be handmade and feature
finer finishings, such as pearl inlays and better
tuners. Essentially, the more you pay, the better the
quality and craftsmanship involved.
In terms of brands to go for or avoid for
beginners, let the price points rather than the
manufacturer guide you, at least until you get to
a certain level of expertise where you’d want to
splash out on a more elaborate instrument. We
can, however, recommend the following ukuleles
for beginners; Makala Dolphin Soprano (a great allround instrument for a bargain price), Lanikai LU-21
Soprano (a laminated wood instrument that looks
the part), and the Kala KA-T Mahogany Tenor (ideal
for players with larger hands.
For a couple of reasons. Most new ukuleles leave
the factory strung with generic-type strings, which
are fine for tinkering with in the shop, but if you
want a clearer, richer sound then you’ll be amazed
at how different a decent set of brand-name strings
will sound. After all, the existing strings could have
been on there for years and be worn out and
corroded – and just imagine how many other sets
of hands have had a good twang on them before
you! Ukulele strings lose quality gradually over time
the more they are played and tuned down and up
again, so if you want your ukulele to sound as good
as it possibly can, then a new set of strings will make
all the difference for your instrument.
Types of ukulele
What are the different types of ukulele available
and what sort should I go for an a beginner?
Ukuleles come in four sizes – soprano, concert,
tenor and baritone. A soprano ukulele is usually
about 21 inches in length and is generally the most
popular ukulele for beginners and is famous for
its jangly sound so often associated with ukuleles.
Concert ukes measure 23 inches in length and
produce a more fuller sound. The frets are also more
spaced out meaning it is better for large-handed
players. Tenor ukuleles measure 26 inches in length
and boast a much broader sound, largely thanks to
more frets, so you are able to reach higher notes on
the fretboard when playing it. Finally, the baritone
ukulele measures 30+ inches in length and is tuned
to DGBE, which is the equivalent to the tuning of
the bottom four strings on a guitar. The result is a
much deeper sound.
Why change the strings?
Replace your strings
regularly for the best sound
I have heard that it is a good idea to replace the
strings on a newly-purchased ukulele as soon as
you buy it. But if the whole thing is new then why
should I do this?
Choose the
highest quality
ukulele you can afford
Ukulele for Beginners 137
Helpdesk
“Your arm
should swing up
and down in a
steady motion,
never pausing”
Techniques
Once you’ve mastered the basics and grown accustomed to your
instrument, it’s time to develop your playing further
Improving your strumming
My sense of rhythm is appalling and, as such, my
basic strumming technique is all over the shop.
Do you have any good tips or tricks for bringing
new vibrancy to my strumming?
One of the main ways to bring new life and energy
to otherwise routine songs is using an interesting
strumming pattern. To practise your strumming,
form a G7 chord on your fretting hand and then
strum down and up on the strings while counting
out loud, “one and two and three and four” – the
numbers being a downward stroke and the “and”
being upward. This will help you keep to a steady
time. Also it is wise not to strum too hard as this
will cause the strings to rattle. Think of your elbow
as being the top of a pendulum – your arm should
swing up and down from it in a steady motion,
never pausing at any time.
138 Ukulele for Beginners
I’ve heard of artificial
harmonics – what are they?
I have heard of a technique called artificial
harmonics. Is there such a thing as natural
harmonics, and how do I produce the artificial
kind on my ukulele?
Natural harmonics are created when your finger is
directly above the desired fret and you are barely
touching the string. Immediately after picking the
string, come away from it and it should ring quite
a bit higher than normal. Artificial harmonics are
when you strike the string with the picking hand’s
thumb as you cross the string with your hand. This
is usually done in a downward motion and depends
on where you are picking. To do this, grip the tip
of your pick so that when you strike the string it
catches your thumb and you will hear a harmonic
generated over the initial note. This technique
sounds best on an electric ukulele but can work on
an acoustic ukulele too. Take time to practise this
strumming technique and you’ll be able to added a
pleasing extra dimension to your playing that your
audience will really dig.
Bring out harmonics
for a twist on the
usual notation
Fingernail maintenance
What’s the best way to groom my fingernails for
ukulele playing?
It is important to keep
both hands limber
Ukulele players like to keep the nails on their fretting
hand short and those on their strumming hand
long. The reason for this is because the nail is 50 per
cent responsible for the tone and volume of their
instrument and also aids speed and accuracy while
playing the ukulele.
So while having long nails is by no means
essential, it can certainly help – and they don’t have
to be too long. The ideal length can be determined
by holding your hand flat in front of your face with
the palm facing inwards. If you can just see the nails
protruding over the top of your fingertips your nails
are the perfect length for easy finger picking.
Exercising both hands
Why is it important to develop the technique of
both hands for playing?
If you are concentrating purely on your fretwork, a
lot of the subtleties of playing the ukulele are lost.
Both hands are equally important and if you want to
become a more accomplished player you shouldn’t
ignore practising and developing techniques for
your strumming hand. As such, never rely on a pick
alone to strum the strings, make sure you use your
fingers to get a feel for them and work on a few
arpeggios to give your playing hand a thorough
work out at the start of each session.
Thumbs up?
I have heard plenty of conflicting views on the
correct position of the thumb on your fretting
hand while playing. So where exactly should it be?
Make sure your ukulele is
in good shape when you
play with others
Some think the thumb should be pressed against
the back of the neck and others say it’s fine to rest
the flat of the thumb on top of the neck. Either is
fine really – you should position your thumb in a
place that aids your playing. The latter method does
mean that the thumb can be used as a fretting tool.
What are ghost notes?
I have heard the term ghost notes. What are these
exactly and how would I go about playing them
on my electric ukulele?
Think of ghost notes as notes that are felt but
not heard. Ultimately, ghost notes are artificial
harmonics. These are harmonics that are generated
by picking a string with both your pick and your
thumb. This causes the note and a harmonic (an
octave above the note) to sound. This can be done
on any ukulele, electric or acoustic, although most
people are familiar with this technique through
playing an electric ukulele. Depending on your tone
settings, amp and effects, ghost notes can cause
quite an intense, eerie sound and are good for
fleshing out your compositions and adding more
depth to the sound.
In terms of your ukulele settings, the best way
to set things up is to plug your instrument into the
amp and sit as far away from it as your cable will
allow. Now, starting with one dial on your ukulele,
experiment by tweaking it a little and then playing
a chord. Take note of the sound and then move
the dial some more to get your preferred result.
Don’t forget to experiment with the dials on your
amp too. Small, subtle adjustments can make a
big difference to the sound that comes out and, if
you are a performing ukulele player, you’ll want to
ensure that your uke is set to the levels that make it
sound best prior to taking to the stage.
Ukulele for Beginners 139
Helpdesk
Stopping unwanted noise
I have started playing solos on my electric ukulele
and am having a hard time keeping all the lower
strings from ringing out while soloing on the
higher ones. How can I mute unwanted noise?
There are a couple of methods, the most popular
one being to try muting the other strings with
the palm of your picking hand. However, we have
discovered down the years that the most reliable
technique for muting unwanted noise if you
accidentally hit the other strings while soloing is to
use the thumb of your picking hand. Basically, the
thumb rests on all of the lower strings – lower down
than where the pick is. For example, if the pick is
currently playing a note on the E string, then the
thumb would be muting (touching) the C and G
strings. The A string would be muted by one of the
fingers on the fretting hand, usually the first finger.
Practising this thumb-muting technique can be
frustrating at times and may feel slightly unnatural
at first.
The biggest problem to overcome is the new
positioning of your picking hand. If you are used to
muting with the palm then it will undoubtedly feel
awkward to reposition your picking hand so that it
is more parallel with the strings. The best solution is
to stop trying to rest the palm on or near the bridge
of the ukulele. Yes it will feel strange and alien at first
but the more you practise using this technique, the
easier it will become. Ultimately, once your develop
this technique you will be able to play with more
confidence and it will greatly enrich your sound as
the intended strings will ring clearer.
“The biggest problem to overcome is the new
positioning of your picking hand”
Skilful soloing
I am struggling to improve my soloing skills and wondered if you had any tips to help?
We know that speed isn’t everything, but set a
metronome at a tempo you feel comfortable
with and practise some scale runs, triplets or
quadruplets. Increase the tempo gradually to push
your boundaries.
140 Ukulele for Beginners
Ensure you nail the accuracy. The only way to do
this is to go through the passage slowly playing
every note until you have them all correct and
ingrained into your visual and muscle memory. In
short, don’t rush.
A useful exercise is to pick four notes and play them
in a different sequence repeatedly to help improve
your speed and stretch your fingers. Often you can
find great melodic lines by just fooling around in
this way.
“The flexibility that
being able to read music
affords you shouldn’t be
underestimated”
Reading music
There is no law that says you have to be able to read music to play
ukulele, but it can definitely prove beneficial to your playing
Learning to read
I am a complete musical novice who has just
picked up a ukulele and I was wondering if I
should learn how to read music to help improve
my playing?
While learning to read music will undoubtedly stand
you in better stead moving forward and developing,
it is by no means essential – some of the greatest
players of all time can’t read a note. That said, it’s
really not hard, and by doing so you will be able to
learn new songs and develop much quicker. For
example, by reading music you aren’t just limiting
yourself to ukulele music, you can get some really
good ideas and arrangements from being able to
read piano music. One of the best things about
music is the way in which you can borrow certain
elements from different disciplines and adapt them
for your own purposes. This could be borrowing an
arrangement from piano sheet music or adapting
horn parts or fiddle tunes to use and reinterpret
in your own musical arrangements. The flexibility
that being able to read music affords you shouldn’t
be underestimated when you are considering the
benefits of putting in the time and effort. Ultimately,
though, whether you decide to learn to read music
or not, you should continue to enjoy playing ukulele
on whatever terms.
Terrifying terminology
I know nothing about ukulele terminology – can
you tell me what chords, scales, barre chords and
power chords are?
A ukulele chord is a collection of tones or notes
played together at once. By fretting (pressing down
on) the strings in certain places, ukulele chords are
formed and you play them by strumming all the
strings at once. For example, if you press down on
a string and pluck it, the sound that comes out is a
note. If you are pressing several strings down at once
and strumming them then the sound that is played
is a chord.
A scale is a collection of notes in ascending or
descending order. If you want to progress on to
playing solos and riffs, scales are the perfect place
to start because they strengthen your fingers,
develop picking technique and help co-ordination.
Barre chords require you to press down on multiple
strings with your index finger on a single fret. They
are more difficult to play since they require more
strength and effort from your fretting hand. A power
chord, in most cases, is nothing more than a barre
chord where you only play two or three strings
instead of strumming all of them together. Know
what you want to hear out of your ukulele and then
focus on that specific area of expertise.
Ukulele for Beginners 141
Helpdesk
Persevere for perfect
barre chords
Struggling with barres
I have been playing ukulele for a while and am
now starting to learn barre chords. However, I am
struggling to contort my hand into positions that
don’t feel natural, so is there an easy way to learn
barre chords?
In a word, no. Barre chords are notoriously hard, but
there are a couple of handy pointers you can take
note of. If you look at your index finger, it has a slight
bend in it, which leaves the middle of the barre hard
to press down. Rotate your finger slightly so that the
knuckle is facing the top of the ukulele and this will
flatten the finger, making it considerably easier to
barre the strings.
You will need to develop muscles that you have
probably never used before, so keep at it!
More tips for barre chords
How can I strengthen my fretting hand to better
prepare myself for playing barre chords?
One of the main issues with barre chords is that
they require quite stretchy fingers and so a good,
basic exercise to stretch your fingers is by simply
stretching them as far as you can for a few seconds.
Hold your hand out in front of you and stretch the
fingers out as far as they will go and then clench
your hand into a fist. Repeat this a few times
every day and you should definitely feel a marked
“When playing barre chords, be aware of what
the thumb on your fretting hand is doing”
improvement before too long. When playing barre
chords you should also be aware of what the thumb
of your fretting hand is doing. With the ukulele
(much more so than with guitar), you can place
your thumb wherever you want, even wrapping it
around the neck to aid in your fretting. But this is
not the case when playing barre chords. You will
need to place your thumb against the back of the
neck, allowing the possibility for your fretting fingers
to reach further around.
This is especially important because you want to
only fret the string you want to fret and not cause
other strings to buzz by touching them accidentally.
Like with all aspects of ukulele playing though,
practice makes perfect and then more you practice
and develop your barre chord fretting, the easier it
will undoubtedly become.
Beginning with barre chords
Which barre chord shape should I begin learning and how should I practise switching from chord to chord?
The first shape you should learn is A major because
it is one of the easiest. You can play the A chord by
fretting the G string at the second fret and the C
string at the first fret, however it is also possible to
play this barred.
142 Ukulele for Beginners
Stretch your index finger out across all four strings of
the second fret and press down tightly so that all of
the strings ring true, then fret the E string with your
middle finger at the third fret and the G string with
your ring finger at the fourth fret.
Barre chords can offer a variation in tones and can
make a piece of music more interesting. They can
also be moved easily along the neck whilst keeping
the same hand position. That way, similar chords
can be easily played.
Practising
Practice is vital if you want to progress as a ukulele player, so here we look
at ways that you could improve your playing over time
Practice makes perfect
I don’t seem to be getting any better; how much
time should I spend practising?
The obvious answer is however much time you can
spare, but we’d recommend at least half an hour a
day to condition your fingers and make sure you
don’t forget anything. If you know some chords
then you already know enough to strum quite a few
simple songs and play some simple riffs. You also
know enough to start writing and playing some
of your own songs, so there are plenty of avenues
open to you.
The important thing to remember is not to run
before you can walk. Familiarise yourself with a few
chord structures at a time and then work on making
the transition between them sound as seamless
as possible – getting good, clean contact on the
strings so that they don’t buzz and swift movement
without looking at what your fretting hand is doing.
As soon as you have mastered a decent array of
chords you’ll be able to start playing songs, which
is immensely satisfying because you have a clear
gauge on how far you will have progressed as a
player. Once you can play songs you can also start
improvising and adding little licks here and there to
flesh them out beyond the chords.
Basic songs
I would like to learn some songs. Could you
recommend some easy ones?
There are loads of easy songs to play on the ukulele
that only consist of a handful of chords. For example,
you could try ‘You Are My Sunshine’, by Jimmy Davis.
Using just the C, F and G chords you can instantly
strum out this recognisable classic. Or how about
‘I’m Yours’ by Jason Mraz? This song is made up of
four easy chords – C, G, Am and F. And the best
thing about it is that once you get used to this
chord progression you will be able to use it to play
many more songs as well. The strumming pattern
may take a little getting used to, but that is why
YouTube was invented, right? You will find a great
many tutorial videos that show you the basic chord
patterns and demonstrate the various strumming
techniques required to give the song its identity.
You should also make a point of visiting websites
such as Ultimate Guitar Tabs. The name suggests it
specialises in the guitar tabs and chords but it also
caters for ukulele players and virtually any song,
new or old can be found here along with detailed
instructions on how to play it. With a little scouting
around you can bolster your set list in no time.
“Don’t run before
you can walk.
Familiarise yourself
with a few chord
structures at a time”
Ukulele for Beginners 143
Helpdesk
Professional help
In your opinion, what is the best method for
learning ukulele? Do I need a tutor or can I get by
using books or DVDs?
You can get by quite happily using books or DVDs;
in fact, we would heartily recommend doing so to
begin with so that you can get accustomed to your
instrument and ascertain if you like playing and wish
to continue.
However, we have found that books and DVDs,
while beneficial for helping you learn chords and
strumming patterns, are no long-term substitute
for a professional tutor. A good teacher can further
your development quickly over a short space of time
and prevent you from developing bad technique,
which could hamper your playing further down the
line. So if you can afford it, book lessons with a tutor,
otherwise just continue enjoying your instrument, as
you no doubt have been.
What are arpeggios?
I have often heard of the term arpeggios being
used in relation to guitar playing as a good way
of warming up, but I don’t know what they are
or even how they should sound. Please can you
enlighten me?
Ukulele arpeggios are indeed a useful and
worthwhile limbering up exercise, but they can help
you in the long term, too, by giving your solos some
melodic and vivid parts.
“Arpeggios are built up as regular chords, but
instead of letting all strings sound at once, you
are hitting one string at a time”
Arpeggios are built up as regular ukulele chords,
but instead of letting all of the strings sound
simultaneously, as you would normally do with
chords, arpeggios are played by letting each note
sound one at a time. For example, if you fret a chord
– any chord – then a good, simple arpeggio can be
played by picking each string in succession. To warm
up your picking hand, fret a basic G chord and use
each finger of your picking hand to pluck a string.
So, your thumb would pluck the C string, then your
index finger would pick the E string and your middle
finger would pick the A string. Run through the
sequence of notes and then reverse your playing
back through it, and so on.
Repeat this sequence a couple of times and then
change the chord with your fretting hand while
continuing to play the sequence for a nice, smooth
transition. Not only is this a great way to loosen up
your fingers prior to a session, but it is also a useful
exercise to help you get accustomed to picking
individual strings. As you get more proficient at
finger picking arpeggios, the less you will have to
look down at your ukulele as you play.
Recording
Professional studio recording will be out of reach for most
beginners, but you can get great results by recording at home
Digital acoustic recording
I love playing my ukulele and I want to record
some tracks with it. However, I want to edit them
using a computer and obviously I can’t plug the
ukulele into my machine directly because there
are no pickups. How can I record acoustically on
the computer?
Apogee ONE is a great option for
acoustic and electric recording
144 Ukulele for Beginners
It really depends on your budget. The cheapest
option would be to buy a USB desktop mic and
plug it into your computer. Make sure you stick the
mic near the soundhole of the ukulele (but not so
close that your fingers get in the way) and record
what the mic hears into your favourite audio editor,
like GarageBand or Audacity. A decent desktop
mic can be picked up for around £25/$39, or your
computer may have one built in (but keep in mind
you won’t have much flexibility of movement if this
is the case).
Another option is to use a USB audio interface
with a built-in mic. If you use a Mac, the Apogee
ONE can be bought for around £120/$180 second
hand and comes recommended. The method of
recording your acoustic ukulele is the same, but
you will notice a great difference in the quality of
your recording. You can also record through the
microphone of your tablet or smartphone and then
export the recordings to your computer software.
Mix it up
What is mixing, and is it important?
After you’ve finished recording all your ukulele and
backing tracks, you will need to mix them together
to make it sound good, usually into a two-channel
stereo. The bad news is that entire books have been
written on this topic, so it’s not an easy matter to
get to grips with. To start with, you should edit the
volume of each individual track until you’re happy
with the sound they all make. Once you’ve got that,
you can start to pan your tracks to the left or right
speaker if you feel it adds to the mix.
Sounding different
I just nailed the perfect take on my ukulele, but it
sounds dreadful when I play it back – what am I
doing wrong?
The solution is usually a lot simpler than you may
think. If you’re recording through a microphone,
make sure it’s not too close to the soundhole or
amp, or you may get an unwanted distortion effect.
Also, be sure to check the volume of the track on
the computer – if it’s +10dB it probably won’t sound
quite right.
In many recording programs, you can opt to
monitor your ukulele through headphones as you
go. This way you can hear what your recording
will sound like. Also, this will mean you can listen
to a backing track without the mic picking it up. If
you don’t wear headphones, yet still monitor your
ukulele, you run the risk of creating cacophonous
feedback, which will be captured by the mic!
Tablet recording
Is recording using an iPad really a viable option
for a decent result?
It certainly is, but you will need your fair share of
apps and accessories for it to work, like the iRig that
we covered earlier in this book. Many popular artists
are using iOS’s diverse range of music apps to create
great sounds for their albums, but few are recording
their entire record on the tablet.
The iPad does have a few things going in its
favour, though. One is its portability, which means
it can be taken anywhere with your music still on it.
If you want to lay down a track in your lunch break
then there’s no better way of doing so, and iCloud
support means you can carry on where you left off
when you get home.
If your ukulele recording looks like this, you may want to adjust the position of your microphone
Backing tracks
My playing is improving and I feel I’m ready to
join a rock band and record for a bigger sound.
However, I’m struggling to join one, and I’m living
in a small apartment, so I have no room for other
instruments. Can I make a backing track for my
ukulele using a computer?
Most definitely! In fact, these days, it’s far easier and
cheaper to record synthesised instruments on a
computer. All you need are some instrument plugins, many of which can be freely downloaded from
the internet. If you’re on Windows, you will probably
want a VST; if you’re on Mac, you’ll want a VST or AU
(audio unit). How you install these plug-ins depends
on your audio editor, so search the program’s help
files for assistance.
When your plug-in is installed you can use a
MIDI keyboard to play what you’re looking for. If
you don’t have a MIDI keyboard, don’t worry, as
many editors enable you to control the VST with
your computer keyboard. It must be said,
however, that digital instruments are
in no way a substitute for the real
deal, but they do help those
of us with limited
resources.
Ukulele for Beginners 145
Helpdesk
Can I use effects pedals?
I am keen to expand my ukulele sound and
wanted to know if I could use effects pedals more
commonly associated with electric guitars on my
electric ukulele?
Effects pedals do indeed come in many varieties.
From neat little stomp boxes to full-on rackmounted effects pedals, there’s lots to choose from.
However, only some of these effect sounds are
practical for ukulele players who still want a relatively
traditional sound. The if you wish to experiment
with pedals then the good news is that some can
indeed be used to compliment the traditional
sound of your instrument, but not all – so let us give
you a few pointers on what we think works best.
Delay is probably the first effect that comes to
mind when using a ukulele. Many professional
players employ a little delay when performing or
recording and this effect essentially records the
notes that you play and then repeats them back
after a specified amount of time (rather like an echo).
Reverb is another type of ‘echoey’ effect but
instead of repeating back clear individual notes like
the delay pedal, the reverb unit creates a wash that
sounds like the notes being held longer. This is a
particularly good effect if you need a space filler
without over-populating your track with notes.
Then we come to EQ. An equalisation pedal is
perhaps less of an effect and more of a soundshaping tool that allows you to raise or lower the
level of individual frequencies. An EQ lends itself
particularly well to the ukulele as it can reduce harsh
treble frequencies or a muddy low-end to produce
more interesting sounds from your instrument.
EQ pedals are controlled with frequency bands,
which are operated with sliders to adjust how much
you cut or boost he frequency. Experimenting
with these sliders provides an exciting array of
parameters to play with and, thus, a varied tonal
palette for your ukulele that you will undoubtedly
have great fun playing around with.
Finally, a chorus pedal can work well, in
moderation, with a ukulele. It delays the notes you
are playing for a few milliseconds and de-tunes the
delay track, modulating the pitch that is detuned
and making for some interesting, fat, swirling
sounds. You can experiment with other effects but
be aware that they will probably take the sound of
your ukulele far away from the traditional sound.
Sharing
As you create music, you may wish to share it with others –
but how do you go about doing so?
Feedback needed
I’ve recorded a few basic riffs and played them
to my friends. They’re really into them, but I want
to get more feedback on them before I develop
the pieces into a full-length song. What’s the best
way to do this?
The internet makes it relatively easy to obtain
feedback on your work. You could upload the riff to
a forum that specialises in the genre of music you
play, but these are often frequented by advanced
amateurs and professionals, so their advice may
not be too helpful if you’re a beginner. A better bet
would be to find beginner-focused websites and
forums, as these will contain many like-minded
individuals willing to help out and provide feedback.
They’ll also be able to offer feedback on your
recording methods as well as your playing, so you
can improve in several key areas. If you receive
constructive negative feedback, make sure you use
it to improve your recordings.
If you own an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, a good
way of getting feedback is to use an app such as Riff
Raters. Riff Raters enables you to upload 20-second
riffs to the app, which can then be rated out of five
by members of the Riff Raters community. If your
146 Ukulele for Beginners
riff is rated highly enough, it will reach the feature
top 25, where it will gain you even more exposure
and feedback. The full version of Riff Raters costs
£1.49/$1.99, but you can see how it works with a free
Lite version. Although you won’t be able to record
and upload your riffs, you can see how the process
works and listen to the different riffs that others
have uploaded.
Upload your riffs to get a range of feedback
on your work
Upload a song
Are there any good websites to upload a song to?
I don’t want to spend anything in the process.
You’re in luck, as there are several! The one that
we would recommend is SoundCloud, which is a
fantastic website to share your music on. Although
it has many premium pricing options (from €29 to
€500 a year), the free service gives you two hours
of music to upload, so unless you’re a songwriting
maniac, you probably won’t run out any time soon!
You can either share your track to every social
networking service under the sun, or you can opt to
share it to a SoundCloud group. If you share it to a
group, make sure you pick one with interests similar
to your genre, as you’ll get far more listens and
more accurate feedback that way. Listeners can also
favourite and comment on your track.
A slightly more surprising option to get your
songs on the web for free is YouTube. You can
just upload audio to the site. Once your track is
uploaded, add it as a video response to a popular
track that’s similar to yours. This will ensure you get
some listens and likes. Many modern artists have
been discovered thanks to technology such as this,
so could you be the next?
Up for sale
How can I get my work up for sale on the big
digital distribution services like iTunes? I’m
working on writing a full album and I want to
know that when I’m done I can make some
money from it!
You’re best off looking at services like CD Baby
and TuneCore, which will upload your music to all
the major players in digital distribution, like iTunes,
Amazon MP3 and Spotify, as well as selling it on
their own site. Some services will charge a one-off
fee and take a cut from each sale, while others will
charge a yearly fee and let you keep all the profits.
However, once your music is on these services,
the real work begins. Because of their major
popularity, it’s highly unlikely that people will just
stumble upon your music. You’ll need to consider
using social networking services like Twitter and
Facebook to get the news out there.
Getting heard
I know internet radio is incredibly popular, so
how can I get my music on a station? I know I
won’t be able to get on national radio, but there
are so many stations out there and I’d love to be
played on one.
Instead of sending your demo into DJs like in the
old days, there are a few websites that enable to
you upload your music for the chance to be on
their radio. One such site is www.amazingtunes.
com. By uploading your music, you stand the
chance of being played on their very own Amazing
Radio, which is on digital radio. It doesn’t matter
what genre you play either, as they have DJs who
specialise in indie, ambient, folk and loads more
varied stuff in between.
You can use various
services to get your
music on iTunes
If you get selected to be played, you’ll receive
an email from the DJ telling you what show you’ll
be on – so be sure to tell everyone you know and
everyone they know to listen in! Besides those
people that you do tell, you’ll never know who else
might be listening.
A slightly less direct way of getting on the radio
is through www.slicethepie.com. At Slice The Pie
people can listen to and rate your music, and if they
really like it they can choose to invest. If you get
enough fans investing, you will be in with a chance
of being played, as well as having enough financial
backing to take a giant leap and record your first
album. As ukulele playing is still something of a
departure from more conventional guitar-based
music, you’ll have to work hard to create a truly
unique sound, but you can rest assured there are
like-minded people out there who will enjoy it.
Facebook fans
How can I get my band and music on Facebook? I want fans not friends!
Rather than sign up as a person by using the text
fields, click Create a Page for a Celebrity, Band or
Business below them.
Click Artist, Band or Public Figure, select Musician/
Band, name yourself, then agree to the terms and
conditions and click Get Started.
Now link it to your personal Facebook account if
you so wish, and you’ll have the chance to start
adding fans and promoting your music!
Ukulele for Beginners 147
Glossary
Glossary
A
B
E
F
Bridge
Fingerboard
The bridge is found towards the base of your
ukulele. It supports the strings, allowing them to
vibrate and produce a pitch.
The fingerboard tops the neck of the ukulele and is
divided up into notes. The size will differ depending
on the type of ukulele.
C
Chords
A chord is group of notes that are played together
simultaneously, working either in harmony
or with dissonance. These can be strummed
or plucked.
t#BSSFDIPSE
A barre chord is a chord where a finger, usually
your index finger, is used to press down multiple
strings at the same time.
Finger-picking
Finger-picking is when you use the fingers of your
strumming hand to pick individual strings of the
ukulele, rather than strumming all of them at the
same time.
Fret
Frets are the gaps left on the fingerboards that are
separated by strips of metal. These vary in size to
allow you to play different pitches.
G
H
t#BTJDDIPSET
These will be the first chords that you will learn
on ukulele and will consist of mainly open
strings or easy fret positions. They will be major
or minor.
t$IPSEQSPHSFTTJPO
A chord progression is a series of chords that
relate to each other, requiring you to move from
one to the next. This gives a piece of music its
harmonic movement.
Chnk
A chnk is where you have strummed a chord on
your ukulele and immediately dampen with the
side of your thumb.
D
Harmonics
A harmonic is achieved when a note is played, but
not fretted, at various parts of the ukulele string.
Headstock
The headstock is at the very top of the ukulele. Its
main purpose is to house the tuning pegs, holding
the strings in place at the head of the instrument.
I
J
K
This headstock of
the ukulele is where you
will find the tuning pegs
Key signature
A key signature is found at the beginning of a piece
of music. This will tell you which notes of the music
will be played as sharps and flats.
L
M
Major
This is a term that can be applied to either a key
signature or chord that will make the resulting idea
sound ‘happy’.
Minor
The opposite of major, it will make the key signature
or chord being performed sound ‘sad’.
N
Nut
The nut is a small piece of hard material (usually
plastic) that supports the strings at the end closest
to the headstock.
O
Octave
“Finger-picking is when you use the
fingers of your strumming hand to
pick individual strings of the ukulele”
148 Ukulele for Beginners
This is the distance of one note to the next of the
same name. It is 12 semitones apart, or a note 12
frets higher on your ukulele.
P
Plectrum
A plectrum is a small, usually triangular device,
which is used to strum the strings of the ukulele. It
can either be made of felt or plastic.
Q
R
S
Scale
A scale is an organised set of notes and can be
played in an ascending or descending sequence.
The two most popular types are the major and
minor scales, with the sequence always remaining
the same regardless of the note you start on.
Slide
A slide is a technique where you move your fretting
hand up or down from one note to the next
without plucking or strumming again.
Strumming
Strumming is the technique of using the nonfretting hand to strike all of the ukulele strings at
the same time to play a chord. This can either be a
downstroke or upstroke.
:PVDBOFJUIFS
TUSVNUIFTUSJOHT
UPHFUIFSPSGJOHFSQJDL
Syncopation
t%PXOTUSPLF
A downstroke is the strumming technique where
the non-fretting hand moves from the string
closest to your face to the one furthest away.
Syncopation is where the rhythms being strummed
are being played off the beat, or filling in the gaps
of the pulse.
T
t6QTUSPLF
An upstroke is created when you strum from the
furthest string up to the one closest to your face.
t4XFQUTUSVN
A swept strum is very similar to a downstroke
except the finger ‘digs in’ a little to the string,
especially at the start of the stroke. It is shown by a
vertical wiggly line.
:PVDBOTFUUIFUFNQP
POBNFUSPOPNF
Tablature
piece of music. It will tell you how many beats there
are in a bar, and what type of beat it is.
Tremolo
Tremolo strumming is where you rapidly repeat a
single note or notes in quick succession.
Tuning
Tablature, or tabs, is a form of notation for ukulele
players that uses numbers and letters. It requires no
previous knowledge of formal musical notation.
Tuning is making sure that each string is pitched
to the correct note for the type of instrument.
Standard soprano ukuleles use C6 tuning, which is
the notes G C E A.
Tempo
Tuning peg
Tempos are indicated at the beginning of a piece of
music to tell you how fast to play. It can either be a
number (BPM) or, commonly, an Italian term.
A tuning peg is a device that is used to hold the
string in place at the headstock. It can be loosened
or tightened to change the pitch up or down.
t"OEBOUF
This is a moderately slow tempo, with an English
definition of ‘walking pace’. It is usually around 100
beats per minute.
t"MMFHSP
Allegro is a fast Italian tempo term meaning quick
or lively. It is around 120-140 beats per minute.
t"EBHJP
This is a slow tempo indicator, but not as slow as
largo. It is around 60-70 beats per minute.
Time Signature
A time signature is found at the beginning of a
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Ukulele for Beginners 149
Chord list
Major chords
Get a happy sound with these shapes
Basic major chords are incredibly popular in Western music, probably because many of them are easy to play and they give
your songs a happy feel. These chords contain the first, third and fifth notes in the corresponding major scale. It’s worth
noting that the ‘major’ isn’t often referred to when you see these chords written down.
Key
1 Index 2 Middle 3 Ring 4 Little X: Don’t strum this string
A
G
A#/B
E
A
1
1
2
C
G
C
A
1 1
1
2
B
E
2
2
G
3
4
4
4
5
5
5
C#/D
1
C
1 1
2
3
A
1 1 1
G
C
G
A
1 1 1
G
C
E
E
A
1
3
3
4
4
4
5
5
5
E
1
1
2
C
2
A
G
C
3 4
1
1
1
2
2
3
A
G
C
3
A
G
1
2
E
A
3
2
3
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
3
C
1
3
150 Ukulele for Beginners
2 3 4
G#/A
E
1
2
A
1
G
E
E
2
F#/G
F
G
C
1
3
5
2
G
2
4
1
5
2
4
A
4
1
1
E
2
D#/E
E
C
3
3
D
E
A
1
2
3
C
E
1
3
G
C
1
3
1
2
3
Minor chords
The best way to get a sad sound
A basic minor chord will give you a much sadder sound than a major chord. This is because the third note in the major
scale is ‘flattened’ in pitch by one semitone. For example, ‘E’ is the third note in the C major scale (CDEFGAB), and this is
flattened by a semitone to E to give a C minor chord its distinct melancholy sound.
Key
1 Index 2 Middle 3 Ring 4 Little X: Don’t strum this string
Am
G
C
A#/B m
E
A
1
2
G
E
Bm
A
1 1 1
1
2
C
2
G
3
3
4
4
4
5
5
5
C#/D m
G
C
E
1 1 1
4
5
6
G
1 1 1
3
3
C
G
A
3
5
G
C
E
Em
A
1
2
2
G
3 4
4
4
4
8
5
5
5
F#/G m
1
1
E
A
2
2
4
C
E
1
1
2
3
G
2
G
C
2
3
3
G#/A m
E
2
A
1
1
3
A
1
Gm
A
E
2
7
C
C
1
3
Fm
A
4
3
G
E
1 1 1
3
1
2 3
C
2
D#/E m
E
1
1
2
A
1
Dm
A
Cm
E
1
2
3
C
2
G
C
E
1
1
2
4
A
3
3
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
2
3
3
4
Ukulele for Beginners 151
Chord list
Dominant seventh chords
Improve your progressions with seventh chords
The chords we have seen so far consist of the first, third and fifth notes of a scale, so the next step is the seventh.
A dominant seventh chord (shown simply as ‘7’) is formed with the first, third, fifth, and flattened seventh notes
of a scale. ‘B’ is the seventh note in the C major scale (CDEFGAB), so C7 can contain C, E, G, and B .
Key
1 Index 2 Middle 3 Ring 4 Little X: Don’t strum this string
A7
G
C
A#/B 7
E
A
1
1
G
1
C
1
E
B7
A
1 1
2
G
C
C7
E
A
1
1
1 1
2
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
C#/D 7
1
C
E
1 1 1
G
C
A
2
1 1 1
2
G
4
5
5
5
1
1
2
3
3
1 1 1
2
A
G
C
3
4
4
5
5
152 Ukulele for Beginners
G
2
2
3
4
E
A
2
3
4
5
C
G#/A 7
E
A
1
1
1
C
1
G7
A
1
2
3
E
G
3
2
F#/G 7
E
E7
A
2
4
F7
E
2
4
C
3
1
3
G
C
A
2
1
3
E
1
D#/E 7
E
1
2
2
2
D7
A
C
1
2
G
2
G
2
G
1
3
C
3
4
4
5
5
A
1
2
2
3
E
3
4
Major seventh chords
Tricky to achieve, but they’re worth the effort
Major seventh chords (maj7), are similar to dominant seventh chords, but they include the natural seventh note in the major
scale, rather than a flattened one. For example, Cmaj7 would feature C, E, G, and B, rather than the B from the dominant, as
B is the seventh note in the C major scale. Using a major seventh chord will give your tunes a warm, happy feel.
Key
1 Index 2 Middle 3 Ring 4 Little X: Don’t strum this string
Amaj7
G
1
C
E
A#/B maj7
A
1 2
G
C
E
Bmaj7
A
1 1
1
2 3
G
C
E
Cmaj7
A
1
G
1 1
2
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
C#/D maj7
1
C
E
1 1 1
G
2
2
4
5
5
Fmaj7
C
E
G
2
2
3
3
4
3
2
C
E
E
2
5
1 1 1
E
A
1 1 1
3
7
3
8
Gmaj7
G
C
E
G#/A maj7
A
1
2
C
6
4
A
1 1 1
3
G
4
5
C
Emaj7
A
1
3
A
1
2
D#/E maj7
A
1 1 1
G
1
2 3
2 3
F#/G maj7
A
1
5
E
3
4
G
C
1
2
3
2
Dmaj7
A
E
1
2
G
C
G
1
1 1 1
C
E
A
1
2
3
3
4
4
4
5
5
5
3 3 3
Ukulele for Beginners 153
Chord list
Minor seventh chords
Jazz your songs up with some m7 chords
Minor seventh chords (m7) use the flattened seventh note seen in dominant seventh chords as well as a flattened
third note found in basic minor chords. So Cm7 would contain C, E , G, and B . E and B are the third and seventh notes
respectively of the C major scale, and they are both flattened here to create the m7 chord.
Key
1 Index 2 Middle 3 Ring 4 Little X: Don’t strum this string
Am7
G
C
A#/B m7
E
A
G
C
E
Bm7
A
1 1 1 1
G
C
Cm7
E
A
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
C#/D m7
G
C
E
G
1
2
2
3
3
1 1 1 1
5
1
C
1
A
G
2 3
4
3
4
5
5
2
G
4
4
2
5
5
3
E
1 1 1 1
Em7
A
1
G
4
E
A
2
3
3
4
4
5
G
2
C
2
2 3
C
G#/A m7
E
A
1 1
1
1
A
2
Gm7
A
3
4
154 Ukulele for Beginners
E
1
2
3
C
E
1
2
4
A
C
1
F#/G m7
E
2
3
1 1 1 1
D#/E m7
E
1
Fm7
G
C
C
1
Dm7
A
1
4
1
G
2
G
1
C
3
4
4
5
5
A
1
2 2
2
3
E
3
Suspended chords
Add subtle variations with suspended shapes
So far, all the chords we’ve looked at have featured the third note of their corresponding major or minor scale. Suspended
chords (sus) don’t, usually replacing it with either a second (sus2) or a fourth (sus4). So Csus4 would feature an F (the fourth
note in the C major scale) instead of the E found in a major chord. Here’s a list of sus4 chords.
Key
1 Index 2 Middle 3 Ring 4 Little X: Don’t strum this string
Asus4
G
C
A#/B sus4
E
A
1
2
G
C
Bsus4
A
1 1
1
2 3
E
2
G
3
4
4
4
5
5
5
C#/D sus4
1
C
E
1 1
G
2
3
4
5
1 2
C
5
G
E
4
5
5
3
3
4
E
Esus4
A
G
4
C
E
A
1
2
3
3
4
4
2 3
5
G
2
3
4
C
C
E
G#/A sus4
A
1
2
2
2
Gsus4
A
1
1
4
C
A
4
1
3
5
A
2
3
G
4
E
5
F#/G sus4
E
1
1
3 4
2
4
C
1
D#/E sus4
A
4
Fsus4
G
E
G
3
1
3
4
3
C
1
2
2
1 1
3
Dsus4
A
A
1
2
3 4
Csus4
E
1
3
G
C
G
1
1
C
E
A
1
2
3 4
3
4
4
5
5
2
3 4
Ukulele for Beginners 155
Chord list
Sixth chords
Increase your repertoire with these next-level chords
Sixth chords ten to consist of a major triad with the interval of a sixth added. They have a root tone, then a third, then a
fifth, and finally a sixth to finish it off. These chords often have a jazzy sound and as such are often used to round off jazz
performances. The major sixth is the most common form, consisting of a major triad with a major sixth.
Key
1 Index 2 Middle 3 Ring 4 Little X: Don’t strum this string
A6
G
A#/B 6
E
A
1
1
2
C
2
G
C
B6
A
1 1
1
3
E
2
2
G
1
C
C6
E
A
1
2 2
2
3
3
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
1
C
E
1 1 1 1
G
C
E
A
1
1 1 1 1
G
C
E
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
2
E
A
1
1
1 1 1 1
F#/G 6
F6
C
E
4
3
4
5
5
G
1
2
2 3
4
E
A
3
1 1 1 1
G#/A 6
G6
A
C
E
A
1
2
4
156 Ukulele for Beginners
C
1
2 3
3
G
C
E6
A
2
G
G
A
3
D#/E 6
D6
A
E
2
3
C#/D 6
C
1
3
G
G
G
1
1
2
C
E
A
2
1
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
3
4
Ninth chords
Build your skills and work out those fingers with more chords
These chords often involve barring and are more complex than other chords, so shouldn’t be attempted until after
you’ve mastered the basics. Here, the chord encompasses the interval of a ninth when they are arranged in close
position with the root in the bass. These chords typically include a major seventh and a triad.
Key
1 Index 2 Middle 3 Ring 4 Little X: Don’t strum this string
A9
G
C
A#/B 9
E
A
1
1
G
1
3
2
C
E
B9
A
1
1
2
3
3
3
4
4
4
5
5
5
C#/D 9
G
1
C
1
E
1
3
3
C
2
A
G
1
1
2
3
A
3
3
3
3
G
C
E
1 1 1
1
2
2
3
3
4
5
5
5
5
F#/G 9
E
A
1
2
3
1
3 3 3
G
C
E
G
1
2
2
4
4
5
5
1
3 3 3
C
E
A
3 3 3
G#/A 9
E
A
1
2 3
C
1
G9
A
1
3
4
G
4
F9
1
E9
A
4
C
A
4
4
G
E
5
1
1 2
C
2
D#/E 9
E
1
2
2
G
C9
E
1
D9
A
C
1
2
2
G
G
C
E
A
1
4
1
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
2 3
4
Ukulele for Beginners 157
tr Sp
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l o ia
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162 Ukulele for Beginners
Ukulele
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Getting started
Playing the ukulele
Understanding theory
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Play in the style of…
Helpdesk
Chords and scales
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Online resources
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