Published:
2007-11-24
Updated:
2026-02-01
Learning Ukulele with Curt
Creating Cool `Ukulele Chords
Cool Chords - These are the chords do not typically show up in chord dictionaries or song books. These are the chords players ask, "What is that chord?"
Author(s): Curt Sheller Publisher: Curt Sheller Publications Code: UL34
Main Category: Chords Main Instrument: Ukulele
Categories: Chords, TmpPagyCatDebug
2026-08-23
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Number of Pages: 6
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Cool Chords - These are the chords that don't typically show up in chord dictionaries or song books. They might show up in software programs that produce chords based on some underlying computer algorithm.
Cool Chords – These are the chords players ask, “What is that chord?”
Chord Categories
Chords can be grouped into one of four categories: open position chords, basic movable form chords, 4-part contemporary chords, and free form chords. It's the free form chord category that these cool chords fall into.
One problem with chords is the number of possible voicings and shapes they produce. Memorizing chord shapes is fine for the basic open-position and movable-form chords. Beyond those here are just far too many possible voicings and shapes to memorize, and the remembering shapes approach quickly falls apart when applied to 4-part chords and is useless for remembering these free-form chords.
What is a Free Form Chord?
A cool chord
is most likely a free-form chord. These Free-Form chords typically include open strings, wide stretches, displaced chord tones, and/or chord voicings. Plus, they just sound cool
.
A free-form chord is where you know the notes of the chord (chord spelling) and the notes of the ukulele fingerboard. You can then play chords not found in the other three categories.
Checkout Benny Chong as he is the master of these crazy chords.
End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!
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