Published:
2013-10-31
Updated:
2021-11-19
Learning Ukulele with Curt
Getting Started with `Ukulele - Lesson One
Got a ukulele, it’s in tune and your are now ready for your first ukulele lesson.
Author(s): Curt Sheller Publisher: Curt Sheller Publications Code: ULB01-wk-1
Main Category: Basics Main Instrument: Ukulele
Subjects: Chords
2021-11-19
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Got a ukulele, it’s in tune and your are now ready for your first ukulele lesson.
For the first lesson you'll learn to following basics:
There is a lot in lesson one. Don;t let that scare you away. Lesson one really gives you and overview the possibilities of what might be in a lesson. Typical private lesson contain anywhere up to five or six are as of study.
- What is a Ukulele Chord Diagram and how the read it? @svg('arrow-circle-down')
- Your first chord, the chord everyone learns first: C Major. @svg('arrow-circle-down')
- Using Songs to Learn Ukulele. @svg('arrow-circle-down')
- The Quarter Note Strum. @svg('arrow-circle-down')
- Types of Ukulele Chords. @svg('arrow-circle-down')
- Primary Chords - C Major. @svg('arrow-circle-down')
- Learning The Ukulele Fingerboard. @svg('arrow-circle-down')
- Technique - Single Finger - Single Note Fingering Drills. @svg('arrow-circle-down')
- The Major Scale. @svg('arrow-circle-down')
- Reading Ukulele TAB - Alternate Notation. @svg('arrow-circle-down')
You’ll also learn a basic strumming pattern, the primary chords of the common key of C major and the names of the open strings.
NOTE: Although these lessons are presented as a weekly series, you can and should take as long as you like to master each week's lesson as there is a lot of material in each lesson in the series.
The individual lessons in this series are viewable from the {{ config('lessons.more_tab') }} button bar above. @svg('arrow-circle-up')
Understanding the Ukulele Chord Diagram
If we had to wait to learn the notes of the ukulele fingerboard, the principles of how chords are created and what the notes of any chord that we wanted to play – there wouldn't be many ukulele players around.
We live in a visual world and as the old saying goes “A picture is worth a thousand words.”. So, before I right a thousand words here's a lesson I created explaining the chord grid that is used the represent the notes of a chord without having to wait to learn what the inner workings of a chord are.
Your First Chord
Your first ukulele chord is typically an open position C major chord. It’s only one finger and ukulele players love to show new players this, the easiest, usable ukulele chord for new players.
Memorize and visualize this chord.
Using Songs to Learn Ukulele
There are two approaches when learning a musical instrument like the ukulele or guitar. One approach that is very popular with the ukulele goes right along with its “easy” to play reputation. This approach uses songs to learn the ukulele.
A second approach is to learn what would be consider the “basics” before working with songs. This would be akin to the apprenticeship system developed in the Middle Ages. An apprentice would develop his or her skills at the foot of a master for several years before going on their own. My personal opinion when learning a musical instrument is to seek out a master teacher or two and study with them one-on-one. I lue of that, you have {{ config('csp.site.title') }} right here and me, {{ config('csp.site.title') }}
The Quarter Note Strum
After you get your first ukulele chord, the C chord down, you can learn a basic strum. The first is the Quarter Note Strum. from this strum we can derive variations and new strums.
Chords and music are organized into bars or measures. For the Basic “Four” Beat Strum, the number of beats per bar or measure is four. This is the most common number of beats per bar used in songs.
One of the most basic strumming patterns you can do, and the foundation for future patterns is the Quarter Note Strum. As the name implies this strumming pattern is one quarter note per beat. For songs in common 4/4 time where there are four beats per measure or bar. This is one down stroke per beat.
Use this strum for practicing the chord switches for this weeks lessons.
Types of Ukulele Chords
The types of chords possible on ukulele.
Open position chords, movable form chords, 4-part, a.k.a. jazz chords and free from chords.
Really a chord is three or ore notes play together or almost together. Chords can be played on any instrument that is capable of playing three or mores notes at a time. So a chord is a chord no matter where it is being played. If it’s on a ukulele I guess it’s a ukulele chord
The more important thing to learn is an organization of chords and that there’re far too many possible chord shapes to learn all your chords by shape alone.
You need a plan for learning chords beyond learning a few core chords by shape.
Primary Chords - C Major
The primary chords are the three major chords that are the main chords of the key. The primary chords create the tension and resolution in music that gives a chord progression emotion – a feeling of rest and resolution or consonance and dissonance.
After learning the C major chord or the C chord. Learn the F, G and G7 open position chords. With these four chords you can play countless songs in the key of C major.
Using the Quarter Notes strum focus on switching between C, F, G and G7.
Ultimately any chord can go an any chord so practice all the following combinations:
- C to F
- C to G
- C to G7
- F to C
- F to G
- F to G7
- G to C
- G to F
- G to G7
- G7 to C
- G7 to F
- G7 to G
This will cover ALL possible connections, transitions and switches. Practice switching at a SLOW tempo and slowly increase the tempo as you get comfortable with the chords.
Visualize the next chord while you’re on the current chord.
Play each chord on the one of the Quarter Note strum, sustaining the chord through the two, three and four counts for a Sustained Strum.
When switching from one chord to another chord have your fingers take the shortest route from the current chord to the next chord. Look for efficient motion to the next chord.
With these Three Chords you can play a lot of songs.
Learning The Ukulele Fingerboard
There’s nothing that gives you more return for effort than really learning the names of the notes of the fingerboard of the ukulele. This is not that same as learning the music notation for every note of the fingerboard – is’s just the name.
If you got your ukulele in tune you might have inadvertently learned the names of the open strings and fret (12) as well. The open strings are G C E A from ceiling to floor, strings four to one.
Technique - Single Finger - Single Note Fingering Drills
The Ukulele Gymnastics series contains quite a few lessons for developing your finger strength and independence of the fretting hand. The fretting hand is responsible for playing chords and single notes. The fretting hand and plucking hand are responsible for getting the music out.
The Major Scale
So much music originates or can be directly related to a scale that it's beneficial to dive right in and understand the function of scales in music. And, there is not better scale to start with than the Major scale.
Reading Ukulele TAB - Alternate Notation
Reading Music is the ability to reproduce music from written notation. It includes five phases: note recognition, alternate note locations, rhythm recognition, fingering considerations, communication terminology and interpretations.
TAB or Tablature is an alternate form of musical notation, which tells players where to place their fingers on a particular instrument rather than which pitches to play.
