short essay on ukulele

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How to Play Ukulele

Learn how to play ukulele with our step-by-step guide for beginners. Get started playing basic chords and understanding strumming patterns with Fender.

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Small, portable, relatively inexpensive, and fun to play, the ukulele is a great instrument for beginners to pick up and deepen their love of music. If you’re thinking of learning to play ukulele, there’s no time like the present!

Like any lifelong journey, you’ll want to know what to expect along the way. In this guide, you’ll get tips for choosing the right type of ukulele, tips for tuning and strumming your instrument, and some easy chords and songs to get you started.

“My advice for someone just learning the ukulele would be to have fun with it and not take anything too seriously.”

- Grace VanderWaal

In This Guide

Can i teach myself to play ukulele, why play ukulele, choosing a ukulele that’s right for you, how to hold a ukulele, how to tune a ukulele, ukulele strumming patterns, how to play ukulele chords, how to play beginner ukulele scales, learn a song on the ukulele.

Looking for a good way to enhance your musical repertoire? Look no further than the ukulele. There’s a reason it’s been a favorite instrument of a wide range of artists, from George Harrison to Elvis to Taylor Swift. In the “Why you Should Play Ukulele” episode of Fender Play LIVE, expert uke player Abe Lagrimas Jr. breaks down some of the surprising techniques and songs you can play on the ukulele!

Whether you’ve never picked up an instrument before or if you’ve played one or more instruments for years, there are plenty of reasons to learn to play ukulele :

It’s fun and easy to learn. Think of ukulele as a “fun-sized” instrument. Its portable size makes it easier for younger players and people with smaller hands to learn to play. Better yet, the ukulele comes in multiple sizes, ranging from the tiny soprano ukulele to the slightly larger tenor uke, giving players more options to find the right fit.

It’s budget-friendly . You can buy a new ukulele for just $100 -- and sometimes less!

Ukulele skills translate to guitar. While the ukulele’s strings are structured slightly differently (more on that later!), many of the chords and skills you learn on ukulele can later be applied to guitar.

You’ll be in good company. When you learn to play ukulele, you’ll find yourself among the ranks of many others who enjoy its fun, carefree sound. From Billie Eillish to Grace VanderWaal, there are a number of musicians who are skilled ukulele players. Artists like Jake Shimabukuro and Israel Kamakawiwo’ole are renowned for their prowess and have taken ukulele to new heights. Additionally, musicians like Taylor Swift and guitar wizard Pete Townshend of The Who have been known to pick up the uke and strum a few chords.

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While you can certainly teach yourself to play ukulele, sometimes it helps to get a little help from experts to level up your skills. On this page, you’ll find tips for playing ukulele, tried-and-true techniques used by long-time musicians, and more information to help you play better faster.

Want video lessons that delve deeper and show you how to play ukulele? Check out Fender Play and get bite-sized lessons from world-class instructors -- whenever and wherever you want to learn more. Fender Play offers self-paced lessons for ukulele beginners, allowing you to track your progress, build upon the skills you learn, and put those skills into practice by playing chords and songs on ukulele.

“There’s something about the ukulele that just makes you smile. It makes you let your guard down. It brings out the child in all of us.”

- Jake Shimabukuro

Ukulele Basics

Choosing a ukulele can feel a little overwhelming. There are so many sizes and styles to choose from, not to mention that each one has its own tone. To help you narrow the field, here are a few tips to keep in mind when choosing a ukulele.

Size & Tone: Ukuleles come in a variety of sizes -- and each one has its own distinctive tone:

Soprano: This is the smallest size of ukuleles. Soprano ukuleles have a higher, lilting tone compared to their larger cousins. Their small size and frets that are spaced closer together makes them ideal for young learners or players with small hands.

Concert: Larger than a soprano ukulele, but still compact in size, concert-sized ukuleles have more frets and a warmer, deeper tone than their soprano counterparts.

Tenor: The largest of the most common size of ukuleles, tenor ukuleles have a rich tone and are suited for players with larger hands. The neck is a little wider and heavier than both the Soprano and Concert ukuleles, giving it more of a bass-laden tone than the concert and soprano sized ukuleles.

Budget: Overall, ukuleles are one of the most affordable instruments, offering a lifetime of learning and playing enjoyment for a relatively low cost -- ranging between $70 to $300. Depending on what stage you’re at in your ukulele journey, there are a variety of ukuleles to meet your budget while still giving you an instrument you’ll cherish for years to come.

Under $100: Our colorful Venice Soprano Ukulele delivers a lighthearted sound in a compact body for budget-conscious beginners. Available in six different colors and with 4-in-line Tele headstock, the Venice Soprano Ukulele captures the eye and ear at $69.99.

Under $225: With a solid ovangkol top and natural finish, the Rincon Tenor Ukulele offers a rich, deep tone that can be amplified thanks to its built-in Fishman Kula preamp.

Under $300: The concert-sized Billie Eilish Signature Ukulele is a striking matte black instrument emblazoned with the superstar’s “blohsh™” symbol. As versatile as it is tone-rich, it also includes a Fishman Kula preamp to give you the option to plug in or play acoustic.

These are just a few options that ukulele players can look to as they start playing. To deepen your understanding of the qualities of different ukuleles and get a closer look at different models, check out our Beginner’s Guide to Buying a Ukulele and then explore our interactive gear guide, FindYour.Fender.com , matches you with the perfect model by learning about your sound & style. You’ll be well on your way to finding the right ukulele for you.

Before you strum your first chords, learning to hold your ukulele properly can help you get the best sound from your instrument and ensures you won’t damage your instrument.

Start by holding your instrument with its back snug against you, nestling the body of your instrument with your right arm. Gently but firmly, hold the neck of your ukulele in the crook of your left hand, resting it comfortably in the webbing between your thumb and index finger.

From this position, you can comfortably move your left hand up and down the neck of your ukulele to finger chords and your right hand is in the perfect position to strum those chords and make them ring out.

One of the most distinctive features of a ukulele is the way its strings are tuned:

G = The fourth string

C = The third string (lowest tone)

E = The second string

A = The first string (and highest-tone string)

While the six strings of a guitar are tuned in descending order, the lowest-toned string on a ukulele is actually its third string.

To get your ukulele in tune, you can use Fenders free online ukulele tuner to make sure you’re in perfect pitch. You can also download the Fender Tune app for iOS and Android to tune your ukulele on-the-go!

For more ukulele tuning tips, check out this tutorial . Then, check out Fender Play for videos that show you how to properly sit and hold your ukulele to get the best tone and technique possible.

Strumming chords is the backbone of learning to play ukulele. Strumming patterns involve different ways of playing up or down strokes on your ukulele.

Some songs may call for you to play all of your chords using just heavier downward strokes in a steady rhythm. Others may require you to play ukulele chords in an alternating pattern, playing an upward stroke followed by a downward stroke. You might also stumble across a song that calls for an irregular strumming pattern, playing chords in a “down-down-up-down” pattern.

The more you play and practice strumming chords on your ukulele, you’ll hear the subtle differences between what a chord sounds like when strummed in a downward motion versus an upward one. In time, you’ll start to strum chords instinctively, knowing whether you like the sound of alternating strum patterns or more irregular strum patterns based on the feel you want to create when playing a song.

Signup for Fender Play to view our collection of the most popular ukulele strumming patterns .

“I think the ukulele brings a different feeling to every song… It inspires a different kind of writing.”

- Billie Eilish

Beginners Tips for Ukulele Strumming

Not sure where to start? Here are a few strumming tips for beginner ukulele players just starting out:

• Strum without a pick: The most common way to strum your ukulele is with either your thumb, your index finger, or a combination of the two -- like you’re holding an invisible pick. You can also strum using the pads and nails of all four of your fingers.

• Strumming with a pick: If you do use a pick to strum your ukulele, it’s best to use a felt pick that won’t damage nylon ukulele strings . Holding your pick lightly and at an angle can help create a more fluid, less rigid sound when strumming chords.

• Keep your wrist loose: It’s all in the wrist! While having a gentle grip on your pick can create a more pleasing tone when you strum a chord, keeping your wrist loose can also make chords sound better and less choppy. By keeping your wrist loose, you’ll be able to more easily transition between chords and minimize the risk of wrist pain after playing for a while.

Chords are a combination of three or more notes that are played together to create a pleasing harmony. Chords are the foundation of playing songs on a ukulele or any other stringed instrument.

To start learning ukulele chords, beginners can look to chord charts to show them where to place their fingers on specific frets to make their strings sing. Ukulele chord charts offer players a visual representation of the four strings and their corresponding frets on your instrument.

In addition to showing your strings (in order: G, C, E, A), ukulele chord charts often have symbols to show you just where to place your fingers in order to play a chord properly:

O - A circle above the string means to play that string in an open position

X - An “x” above the strings means you won’t play that string or mute it when playing

1 = Index finger

2 = Middle finger

3 = Ring finger

4 = Pinky finger

There are so many different chords and variations. However, there are a few ukulele chords that are not only easy, but figure prominently in some of your favorite songs. Some of the most common and easy chords beginners can learn to play on ukulele include:

Am (A minor)

These chords are a great starting point for players who are new to ukulele. However, you can explore even more ukulele chords with our Ukulele Chord Guide .

“Basically, the rules of ukulele, like, if you know three chords, you know every song. Ever. You can play any song. It’s so simple… The first chords I learned were C, G, and F. And from then on, I knew, like 20 songs. It shows you how simple songs are.”

A ukulele scale is an organized sequence of notes. There are 8 notes in every scale. This string of 8 notes is called an octave. Every scale starts and ends with the same note, also known as the “root note.” The last note of the scale is also the root note of that scale, however, it’s an octave higher than that same first note. Every scale ascends in a prescribed series of half and whole steps, leading up to the 8th note.

For example, take a look at the C Major scale -- one of the easiest scales to play and one that you’ll hear in a ton of different songs. Part of what makes the C Major Scale easy for beginners to learn is because there are no sharps or flats:

1st Note (Root Note): C

2nd Note: D

3rd Note: E

4th Note: F

5th Note: G

6th Note: A

7th Note: B

8th Note (Root note, one octave higher): C

Get a free trial of Fender Play and learn to play the C Major scale on ukulele and hear it for yourself.

Learning scales can help build finger strength and dexterity, as well as help you develop an ear for music. Learning scales can help you learn melodies and riffs later on, when you start to play -- or write -- your own music.

One of the easiest ways for beginners to learn scales is to use a ukulele scale chart. When reading these ukulele scale diagrams, you’ll see notes represented by dots. These dots show you which note you’ll play on a specific fret and string. If you see a dot with a note above the string, that means that you will play that string in an open position -- with no fingers on any frets.

Playing songs and putting your knowledge of chords and notes into practice is one of the most rewarding parts of learning to play ukulele. Learning songs that you love not only inspires you to develop your musical knowledge and ear, but it allows you to progress further, applying what you’ve learned on your musical journey and applying it to new songs you learn.

For beginners just starting to play ukulele, and easy -- and fun -- song to learn is “Lava” from the Disney animated short film of the same name. The song is made up of three easy-to-play chords: C , F , and G7 .

This cheerful love song nods to the ukulele’s Hawaiian roots. It’s impossible not to smile while learning to play “Lava.” Just take it slow and practice your chord transitions, smoothly maneuvering from one chord to the next and focusing on placing your fingers correctly before picking up the speed of your strumming.

Learn to play “Lava” on ukulele: //Embedded youtube:7fze1OWeOuU

Once you’ve mastered playing “Lava,” check out 10 more easy songs to learn to play on ukulele to continue on your journey!

“I think the best part of writing a song is finding a chord. I can hear the chord in my head. It’s so satisfying when I finally find it.”

Check out fender play ukulele lessons.

Learning to play an instrument can be a fun and rewarding adventure -- and the ukulele is a great instrument for beginners to start with! Sign up for a free trial of Fender Play and unlock new chords, skills, and songs to learn and play on ukulele.

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How to Strum a Ukulele for Beginners

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Ukulele Explained: All You Need To Know

by Marko Jovanovic Last Updated December 27, 2019

Marko Jovanovic

Marko is a professional bassist who has been playing and touring with his band for over a decade now. When he’s not playing with his band or recording in the studio, he spends his time teaching others how to play both bass and the guitar. Other hobbies of his include quality music gear, King Crimson, and sifting the web for the latest music updates - and ofcourse writing about them.

Consordinis articles are written by musicians who independently research, test, and recommend the best instruments and products. We are reader-supported. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn an affiliate commission.

A ukulele is one of those instruments that are quite unique in their nature. Originated in Hawaii, the ukulele has played, and still plays a valuable role in the culture of this island.

Over time, the instrument has spread out from Hawaii and ultimately managed to reach just about every corner of the world. These days, it’s an instrument that brings joy to thousands of people around the globe.

With all that said, what is Ukulele? What kind of Ukuleles are out there? Where did Hawaiians even find the idea to build such an instrument?

These and many other questions are what prompted us to write this extensive article about this tiny acoustic instrument with a huge sound.

By the time we are done, you should know everything you need to know about the ukulele.

So, where should we begin? There is a lot of ground to cover, hence starting from the very beginning seems to be the most logical choice.

Some readers might find the history of Ukelele to be a bit boring, but it’s an important part of understanding what this instrument is all about. With that in mind, let’s start.

Origins and History of Ukulele

Back in 1878, Hawaii was one of the few places in that part of the world which were capable of producing large quantities of sugar cane.

When new markets opened in California, plantation owners needed to spread their business to meet the growing demand.

Because of this, a large number of workers from Portugal started arriving to the island and the Portuguese community grew from mere 1% to a much larger number.

As it usually happens, when immigrants arrive, they bring a part of their culture with them.

One of those innovations was a small stringed acoustic instrument called machete de braga . It was a simple instrument that featured four metal strings, but the locals simply fell in love with it.

That comes as a no surprise since most of the immigrants came from Madeira, and folks from Madeira loved their music.

As time went by, now already settled immigrants started modifying the machete. First they introduced some features from other similar stringed instruments which were popular back in the homeland, only to finally form the direct predecessor to the modern day ukulele.

The first official ukulele was constructed by three cabinet makers, who wanted to create something new and exciting.

Needless to say, ukulele became an instant hit. However, that doesn’t explain why the locals became so fond of it, and it definitely doesn’t give insight as to how ukulele became such a big part of the Hawaiian culture. The explanation for both of these questions is fairly simple, though.

King Kalakaua , who was seen as the savior of Hawaiian national identity, but also a great aficionado of arts in general, found out about ukulele and insisted on it being played during royal events.

As it often happens, what is cool in king’s court quickly becomes cool outside of it.

The story of ukulele from that point in time developed naturally. Once it was pretty much established as a national instrument of Hawaii, it didn’t take long before the ukulele craze hit the United States, and later the entire world.

Ukulele Explained

Now that we know a bit about how this instrument came to existence, let’s talk a bit about how ukulele works, and what makes it so unique.

A lot of folks whose knowledge about stringed instruments ends at the display of their local guitar store have a lot of misconceptions about ukuleles .

For starters, they will think it is nothing more but a small guitar. You can’t really blame them for thinking this way, but it’s always good to spread information and educate those who lack knowledge.

An ukelele shares a lot of similarities with an acoustic guitar – more specifically the classical variety. We are talking shape, size, principle of operations and generally how the instrument behaves.

However, ukelele is not only smaller, but it uses a completely different type of tuning , which means different chords and different playing techniques.

Whether or not someone who is proficient with a guitar could play ukulele right off the bat is questionable. They might have the general skill in their hands, but would have to start from scratch when it comes to music theory related specifically to this instrument.

Unlike guitars, ukeleles have four strings and the standard tuning is G – C – E – A. Not only are you missing two strings, but you also have completely different keys on each of those four strings. That means that you simply can’t transfer chords and scales from a guitar to a ukulele.

In essence, the ukulele is not just a smaller acoustic guitar that you can tuck in your suitcase whenever you’re going to a vacation. Instead, it is whole different ball game – an instrument that has quirks of its own.

With that in mind, building a ukelele takes a special kind of approach. The anatomy of a ukulele is also going to be our next subject.

Anatomy of a Ukulele

Just like it is the case with most other variations of guitars, ukuleles have three major parts – body, neck, and hardware.

Let’s give each of these a quick overview.

The body of your average ukulele is going to be shaped like the body of a classical guitar. In simple terms, it’s an hourglass contour with your standard treble and bass bout.

Since ukuleles are acoustic instruments, the nature of the body is going to determine the sound that particular ukulele produces.

Ukuleles can differ in size, the type of tonewood used to make them and more. We are going to touch upon that a bit later.

The neck of a ukulele features a very short scale. We are talking 21 inches on average, but this length can be greater depending on the type of ukulele you are playing.

Since it’s a really short scale, the strings that go on a ukulele are special as well. If you play electric guitar, for example, you probably know that you can just go into a store and pick up any type of strings you like . That is not the case with a ukulele.

There are two major factors when you choose strings for this instrument. You need to know the length of the strings and you also need to know what tuning those strings are intended for.

Even though it sounds complicated, choosing the right set of strings is something that becomes natural after a while.

While hardware might be too tough of a word for what we are about to talk about, it is the most practical term to use. By hardware, we generally mean the bridge, saddles, nut and tuning machines.

These four components are relatively similar to the ones you can find on a classical guitar, or an acoustic one for that matter.

From a purely practical point of view, tuning machines and the bridge are the most important of the bunch.

If the bridge is not a quality piece, you are going to run into problems like you would if you played an acoustic guitar with a faulty bridge. Same goes for tuning machines.

Even though ukulele’s strings are under much lower tension, it’s still important to have good quality tuners on there, at least if you want to keep your instrument in tune.

Different Types of Ukuleles

Much like acoustic and classical guitars, ukuleles come in several sizes which dictate the sound properties you can expect to get.

The most common type of ukulele is the Soprano ukulele . Also known as standard, a Soprano ukulele is what most people are going to have.

Next is a Concert ukulele which is two inches longer both in scale and length. With this increase in size also comes an additional alternative tuning.

Instead of being limited to G4-C4-E4-A4 and A4-D4-F#4-B4, you can now also tune the instrument to G3-C4-E4-A4.

Next in line is the Tenor ukulele. This type is two inches longer in scale than the Concert ukulele , but it is actually three inches longer in overall length.

Again, with Tenor you also get additional tuning options. Last but not least we have Baritone ukuleles. A Baritone ukulele is 30 inches long and sports a 19-inch scale.

Unlike the previous two, this type of ukulele has one common tuning, and that is D3-G3-B3-E34.

So, which of these types is the best one to get? The answer to that question depends on what kind of tone you’re after. As you go up in size of ukuleles, their tone becomes deeper and the instrument becomes louder.

This is pretty much what happens when you enlarge the resonating box of any stringed acoustic instrument.

For example, the Baritone ukulele is going to sound almost like a guitar. As a matter of fact, it uses the same tuning you would use for the highest four strings on an average guitar.

The sound that most people associate with ukuleles comes from the Soprano ukulele. That is also what most people are looking to get.

This, however, doesn’t mean that there are no benefits to going larger.

That baritone we just mentioned is often times the size of choice for experienced guitar players.

If you think about it, having the same tuning as you do on your guitar makes it much easier to transition from one instrument to another.

What Makes a Good Ukulele?

This is a question that often gets asked by beginners who are just entering the world of ukuleles. The answer to this question is very hard to define.

Let’s say that there are two aspects of a good ukulele – you have the materials used, and the skill of the luthier who makes the instrument.

In terms of materials , tonewood is naturally going to make the most difference. Pretty much everything that applies to acoustic guitars also applies here.

You want good tonewood that has all of the sonic features that you need, and you want the luthier to use solid pieces if possible.

Some of the best tonewood for ukulele is Koa, although your standard Mahogany, Maple, and others are also very much present. The deal with Koa is that this wood is what was traditionally used to build ukuleles.

It’s native to Hawaii, and its properties have been explored up and down numerous times by now. Finding a solid top, bottom and sides Koa ukulele is probably going to give you the best tonal properties you can get.

With that in mind, no amount of highest quality Koa will help you if the luthier who built your ukulele didn’t know what they were doing. Which leads us to our other major factor that needs to fall in place in order have a good ukulele.

Many places in the world make these instruments, but no matter who you ask, they will tell you that best ukuleles come from Hawaii.

These are going to cost significantly more, but the fact is that luthiers from Hawaii have the knowledge and skills of their predecessors passed down to them.

This, in turn, means that you won’t find a person who knows this instrument better inside out than a luthier from Hawaii.

Guitars, for example, don’t have this problem, or at least it is not that apparent. The small size of the ukulele might produce a much higher tone and lower volume than an acoustic guitar, but it leaves the person building it with a lot tighter margin for error.

If you make a single mistake while putting together a ukulele, first strum on that instrument is going to reveal it loud and clear.

Some of these imperfections are hard to spot if you are just starting out, but an experienced ukelele player will immediately know that something simply doesn’t feel right.

Common Misconceptions About Ukuleles

The perception of ukuleles in popular culture has given birth to quite a number of misconceptions regarding this instrument.

Unfortunately, these straight up false claims are spreading faster than anyone can suppress them.

Therefore, it’s important to know what is true and what is not when it comes to ukuleles and playing these instruments.

One of the most often heard fallacies is that ukuleles are easy to play. That is just not true. The fact is that people who make these claims have only seen ukuleles being played in Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s music videos. Israel, as great as he was, rarely played overly complicated shapes and had a style of his own.

Now, just because someone doesn’t play the ukulele like Steve Vai shreds his guitar doesn’t mean that you can pick up one of these instruments and instantly start playing. No, it takes time and effort to get to know the instrument and learn all of the chords and music theory that is specific to ukuleles.

On a similar note, you will find a lot of misguided parents buying ukuleles for their kids. In their mind, ukulele is nothing more than a small guitar for kids. It’s only logical, right?

We won’t even go into how wrong this reasoning is, and how detrimental it can be for that kid’s interest in music.

What Kind of Music Can You Play On Ukulele?

Alright, I can already see some eyes rolling and head shaking. While this question might sound pretty unnecessary, it is a legitimate one.

For the most part, ukulele players sometimes get bored of playing those happy-go-lucky Hawaiian beach songs everyone is so crazy about.

Exploring the capabilities of a ukulele is something that comes naturally. So let’s talk a bit about what kind of music can you actually play on this instrument.

Right off the bat, metal is something that might not work that well. That much is just common sense. However, blues or even jazz are still within the limits of reason.

There are ways to translate shapes and licks from a guitar and play them on a ukulele.

Since both strumming and fingerpicking are considered to be legitimate playing styles, you can pretty much lose yourself in blues for hours if you are willing to learn how to translate the notes.

As most other stringed acoustic instruments, ukuleles exist in an amplified form. Being able to plug one of these into an amp adds a whole new dimension of sound to work with.

Not only can you actually regulate the volume, but you can also add various effects. Just imagine what you can do with a decent looper pedal?

If you really want to go into unknown territory, add a distortion pedal to your signal chain. Believe it or not, the results can be pretty interesting and fun.

The point here is that you shouldn’t limit yourself by what other people are telling you. Instead, explore the limits of your instrument on your own.

Ukulele might be small, and it comes across as limited in a lot of ways, but this little instrument is capable of more than most people can even imagine.

Is Ukulele Worth Getting Into?

From a purely selfish standpoint, it absolutely is. However, that is something you need to figure out on your own. The best way to find out if you might be interested in ukulele is to go to your local music store and play with one for a while.

You should do this even if you have never touched one in your life. Just handling it briefly should give you that initial answer.

Learning to play ukulele is neither easy nor is it something that you can achieve overnight. With that said, those who start playing ukulele usually get hooked to it after a short period of time.

Look at it this way. You have an instrument that can fit in just about any backpack, and it’s every bit as complex as a guitar or other stringed instruments.

This increased mobility and the fact that you can practice it on the go is one of the big reasons why the interest in ukuleles has spiked in recent years.

On top of that , you can get a starter model for cheap, much cheaper than a decent starter guitar would cost you.

If you decide to enter the world of ukuleles, you can expect to become a part of a growing community that takes care of its own.

For some reason , ukulele players stick together and help each other out much more than guitar players do.

Besides, rocking a ukulele is a surefire way to lighten up the mood at any party or gathering of friends. At the end of the day, it all comes down to you and your personal interests.

Final Thoughts

Ukulele is one of those instruments that are usually overlooked , but still capable of literally putting a smile on someone’s face within moments.

People who play ukuleles know exactly what we mean by this. The point of this article was to try and introduce you to the world of ukuleles in a way that you don’t often see anymore.

Sure, we started from the very beginning of how ukuleles came to be, but the history of this instrument is important if you truly want to understand where it comes from both in a literal and metaphorical sense.

Just the fact that ukuleles are almost exclusively associated with happiness and good times , should be enough to realize the kind of impact this tiny fusion of carefully crafted select wood has in the world.

Ukulele is not just something surfer dudes pull out to attract babes, it’s way more than that. Ukulele is a way of life.

No matter how overly dramatic that statement sounds, it’s true. Just step foot anywhere in Hawaii and it you will instantly understand why and how.

Thanks for sticking with us today, and hopefully you have learned something new about ukuleles, and their nature in general. If this article sparked an interest in this instrument for you, we urge you to keep researching.

There are just so much more things regarding ukuleles that are worth learning about. Rock on!

Novice Uke: A Beginner’s First Ukulele Lesson

Welina mai! Welcome to Live Ukulele! My name is Brad and in this ukulele lesson I’m going to help you get started playing the uke.

This lesson assumes you’re a total newbie who doesn’t know anything about playing the ukulele. If you have played a little bit however, there still might be some interesting things for you to learn.

Let’s get started!

An Intro to the Ukulele

The ukulele is a four-stringed fretted instrument with origins in Hawaiʻi. It looks a bit like a mini guitar, but lacks two strings and is tuned higher than its six-stringed counterpart.

Portuguese immigrants arrived to Hawaiʻi in 1878 to work the sugar cane fields. They brought with them their traditional instruments, the braguinha and rajão. Elements from these instruments were eventually combined to create what we know today as the ukulele.

There are four main sizes of ukulele . From small to large they are: soprano/standard, concert, tenor, and baritone .

The “pineapple” size is a variation on the soprano

A soprano size ukulele is the old-school sound and look that most people expect. It has a tight, bright, “plucky” sound that’s great for traditional strumming.

Concert size is a nice Goldilocks fit for size and sound since it sits in the middle of the lineup. This is what I recommend to most beginners unless they are big boned, in which case a tenor might be more comfortable to play.

The tenor size is a contemporary favorite. Its long scale makes it very articulate and clear sounding which is great for fingerpicking arrangements. The tenor ukulele is a favorite among performing professionals.

The baritone size is the most obviously different because it typically uses a lower, different tuning. Because of its large body, it has a deep, rich sound and large fret spacing. The tuning is also exactly the same as the bottom four strings of a guitar so it’s a common transition size for experimenting guitarists.

Which size you choose depends mainly on the sound and feel you want from your uke. A smaller size has a brighter sound and tighter fret spacing. A larger size has a more full tone and more room for your fingers.

If you’re not sure, a concert size uke is a great place to get your foot in the door.

Getting acquainted

The ukulele is made up of a number of mostly wooden parts glued together to form a whole instrument.

Knowing what part is called what will help you find your place. Here’s an image of the very basics for now:

Detailed parts list

Depending on where you live in the world, the word “ukulele” is pronounced differently.

In Hawaiʻi, we say “ oo-koo-leh-leh .” I live here so that’s what I use and you’ll see me write “an ukulele” instead of “a ukulele” because that’s what sounds right in my head.

In the USA and UK, people tend to say “ you-ka-lay-lee .” You’re not wrong to say it this way, but I encourage you to check out my in-depth article on the subject for some cultural context.

Buying An Ukulele:

It’s hard to practice unless you have an ukulele constantly at your disposal. Get hold of one some way or another. You don’t need much to get started.

Especially these days you can find quality instruments for a very budget-friendly price .

Better still, go to your local music store and try out every kind of uke you can get your hands on.

At the end of the day, in my opinion, the best ukulele for a beginner will cost around $100-200 and is often a concert size. My reasons:

• Spending at least $100 will get you a quality instrument, while staying under $200 will minimize your losses if you decide that ukulele just isn’t for you
• A concert is the middle of the road as far as ukulele sizes go. Not too big, not too small. Maybe not “just right,” but it will give you a reference point if you decide to try a different size

This is, of course, not a hard and fast rule and you should get any ukulele that is going to make you excited about learning to play .

How to hold it

Your technique doesn’t need to be perfect to get started playing, but you do need to know which end points where.

If you’re right handed, the neck points to the left and your left hand holds it.

Your right hand leans/drapes over so that you can touch the strings between the soundhole and where the neck meets the body.

Here’s a great video from James Hill on how NOT to hold your ukulele:

I’m left handed but I play right handed. This works out best for me and my students who are predominantly right handed.

An ukulele usually requires tuning before playing. Unlike a piano which, once tuned, remains stable for many months or years at a time, an ukulele easily drifts out of pitch depending on the strings and environment, along with several other factors.

So odds are you’ll need to retune your uke every time you play it .

A typical ukulele is tuned to G C E A from the top string, closest to your face, to the bottom string, closest to the floor.

The uke’s traditional re-entrant tuning moves the top string an octave above what you would expect. This means the tone goes from high to low to high instead of low to high like most other fretted instruments.

This “high-g” tuning lends itself to a compact, bright sound that most people associate with the instrument.

Ukuleles are almost always strung with plastic strings. These are usually nylon or variations on fluorocarbon fishing line.

You’ll probably want to start by learning to tune with an electronic tuner. Much more on how to do that in this lesson .

Here’s a visual cheat-sheet:

And a video demonstration:

As you’re learning to tune, it will take you a while to figure out how to adjust the strings. The more you do it, the faster you’ll get until it takes 10 seconds or less and then you can play!

The great thing about an ukulele is that once it’s tuned you’ve already learned your first chord: the open strings . Strum your newly GCEA-tuned ukulele without touching the strings. This is a C6 chord!

Even though it’s super easy, nobody uses that one very often because it sounds kind of “bleah” compared to other, hipper options.

Making Music

Once you’re in tune, you can start learning a couple chords.

Pressing frets

When you press a finger from your left hand into the space between the fret wires, you shorten the string. This raises the pitch of the note.

When the frets are called by number, press in the corresponding fret space . If you’re told to press the 3rd fret, press in the 3rd fret space from the nut (the little piece with slots at the end of the fretboard that holds the strings).

You can pick one note at a time with your thumb to play melodies or strum multiple strings at once with your index finger or thumb to create a chord.

To get started picking, check out my intro guide ebook, Step-By-Step . It simplifies picking by keeping all examples on a single string.

There are a number of great tunes you’ll learn to play along with getting a small dose of background theory to help things make sense.

An absolute beginner’s guide to picking melody on the ukulele.

Since strumming chords allows you to sing along with your uke, it’s often the most rewarding and common place to start learning the ukulele.

Playing a chord

A chord is made up of several notes played together to create a harmony sound . This harmony complements the melody (singing) in a song.

To play a chord on your ukulele , your left hand fingers are going to hold down a combination of frets and the right hand fingers are going to brush down through all the strings to sound them.

Let’s start with a one finger chord called C7 . To play it, place your index finger on the 1st fret of the bottom, A-string.

Now, while holding the C7 in place with your left hand, brush the thumb of your right hand down the strings repeatedly . Here are some tips for the thumb brush style:

Once you’ve got the proper motion, try to get a steady beat going. If you can count “1…2…3…4…” evenly and strum down on each number, you’ll be in good shape.

To play a song, we’ll need another chord so that we can rock back and forth between them – an F chord! It looks like this:

To play F on your ukulele , hop your index finger up one string towards the ceiling from C7. This will move it to the 1st fret of the second string from the bottom (the E-string).

Now, add your middle finger on the top, G-string, 2nd fret to complete the F chord. Here’s a video example of F:

Again, strum this chord with a steady beat for practice.

Chord diagrams are simply a visual straight-on representation of the fretboard. These are helpful for reviewing chords or learning new chords once you’re comfortable with fingering mechanics.

The four vertical lines are the strings, the horizontal lines are the frets. A dot shows where you put your finger.

Here are the two chords we’ve learned so far:

Keeping a rhythm

Once you’re comfortable playing C7 and F individually, try stringing them together into a chord change .

Continue counting “1…2…3…4…” evenly as you play the chords. Strum C7 for eight counts (two counts of four). Then, jump to the F for eight counts.

More about counting and beats

Ideally, you won’t break timing and can continue counting from “1” when you change chords. This probably won’t happen the first few times you try it. You’ll need to pause and rearrange your fingers. This is fine at first.

As you get more comfortable you won’t have to pause as long between chords.

Once it’s easy to go from C7 to F, try going C7 to F to C7. If you can do this, it shouldn’t be much harder to continue switching back and forth, back and forth every eight counts.

Playing a song

With those two chords, you can play a ton of songs on the ukulele. For starters though, it’s best to keep it really simple.

When learning something new, I find students progress fastest when they are only introduced to one or two things at a time. Doing more makes everything worse.

To keep you focused on strumming and changing chords, begin with easy, familiar tunes such as children’s nursery rhymes. Most of these are already familiar and you won’t have to also learn how the song goes along with playing your uke.

Choose one of the first five songs on this page of songs that only use F and C7 . These are the easiest and probably most familiar of the bunch.

For example, let’s use:

Itsy Bitsy Spider

This kind of presentation of a song is pretty straightforward: Sing the words and change the chords over the corresponding syllable.

Writing out a song this way is easy to grasp, but it has some obvious drawbacks. There’s no solid reference for melody OR timing, so if you don’t know how the song goes, you won’t be able to play it right.

This is another reason why it’s super important to know the song you want to learn really well in your head. My general rule is, if you can’t hum or sing it confidently, you shouldn’t be trying to play it on your ukulele.

It could change at the beginning:

At the end:

Over a drawn-out “o” (which isn’t usually written out – “looooooooove” will still look like “love” on the sheet):

Over a drawn-out “e”:

You get the idea, it could go anywhere…

So how do you know when to change? Feel the rhythm (1…2…3…4…) and change on the 1 beat (or sometimes the 3 beat). Almost all chord changes happen at the beginning of the bar.

This keeps what you’re singing and what you’re playing completely separate (which they should be!).

Back to the music! Here’s a quick play-along for Itsy Bitsy Spider using the chords and strum we’ve already talked about (skip to :45):

In the video above, she has the chords notated according to the strum (one diagram box per strum). This is not typical and you would usually just assume that you continue the strum, only changing chords when shown.

What to Practice

Now that you have some ukulele skills under your belt, how do you progress?

Something that I see folks do too often is rush ahead to playing songs that are “cool” or “fun.” I’ve already talked about why “Riptide” and “I’m Yours” aren’t the best starter songs for uke, but even if you learn “Itsy, Bitsy Spider” first, you still probably don’t want to jump there next.

Since you’re just starting out, you want to build a strong foundation of understanding and skill. The player who learns to play something well – even if it’s super simple – sounds better than the player who jumps to something more advanced and sucks at it.

So if I was your regular teacher , I would encourage your to improve what you’ve already learned and slowly add variations to it.

What does this best? New songs! If you wanted to be really thorough, you should/could work through every song you know on the page of songs that only use F and C7 .

Having these similar sandbox songs to play with allows you to fine-tune your chord changing, strumming, holding of the ukulele, and other little skills that you don’t want to muddle through.

As you play more of them on your ukulele, they’ll get easier and easier as the movements and muscle memory have a chance to settle in. There’s no rush! Find the joy and fun in creating this simple music.

Once you’re comfortable with everything discussed on this page, you can move on to adding some more chord shapes and working on the next level of strumming.

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Ukulele Tips for Beginners – 14 Experts Share Common Mistakes

by Mark Pereira | Oct 13, 2023 | Beginners | 0 comments

Finding the most useful ukulele tips for beginners is controversial. Every time I asked around, I got different answers because learning is clearly a subjective endeavor. So I decided that knowing what the common mistakes were could be a useful way of breaking that endless cycle of trial-and-error that beginners make. I figured that avoiding mistakes would accelerate and simplify my learning.

Our expert marketer Minuca Elena reached out to 14 musicians around the globe and asked them the simple question:

What are the most common mistakes beginners make when learning to play the ukulele?

I summarized the key takeaways and what I found to be useful tips, but read on to see what each expert says in their own words.

Key Insights and Tips

Here’s what our 14 experts have to say about the common mistakes beginners make when learning to play the ukulele, as well as some tips that can up skill your playing:

• Focus on learning a few basic chords first rather than many chords quickly. Mastering C, Am, F and G and you can play thousands of songs.
• Don’t restart a song from the beginning when you make a mistake. Isolate and practice tricky sections slowly, then incorporate that into the full song.
• Give equal importance to rhythm and the strumming hand as you do to fretting chords. Use a metronome and start slow.
• Don’t overthink it. Have fun, know your learning goals, find an enjoyable teacher, and learn songs you like. Remember it’s a journey.
• Practice consistently in short regular sessions rather than long occasional ones. Commit to lifelong learning.
• Learn proper posture, hand placement and holding of the instrument to avoid discomfort. Use a strap if needed.
• Maintain proper tuning and listen to the proper sound. An out-of-tune uke can hinder learning.
• Get a protective case to avoid damage, especially when traveling. Handle the uke with care.

Steve Kaiser – The Music Room

Oftentimes, beginning ukulele students will try to learn a lot of chords within a short period of time.  An alternative approach is to learn a few chords, which can then be used to play many songs.

A good place to start is for the student to learn C and Am. Each chord uses only one finger! Oftentimes, the student will be able to fluently transition between these chords in the first lesson.  That being said, a student can learn a two-chord song on day one of their studies!

In terms of goals, the student should strive to learn C, Am, F, and G within the first one to three months of development.  With these chords learned, they will have the facility to play thousands of contemporary and classic songs!

Eddie Perez – Musician Authority

A common mistake I often see with ukulele beginners is restarting the entire piece whenever they make a mistake.

This leads to spending less time on challenging parts and missing out on mastering the rest of the song. It also creates a habit of rushing through the easier parts after repeated restarts.

To tackle this, focus on isolating the tricky sections, practicing a bit before and after for context. Gradually work through these parts at around 50% speed before incorporating them into the whole song. Using a metronome is essential for consistent timing.

My approach involves spotting tough spots in a new song, concentrating on them by starting slow and gradually speeding up. Recording and reviewing your playbacks is crucial for self-improvement. Slow practice paves the way for speed, and purposeful practice differs from casual playing. Treat learning as a skill, and you’ll soon become your own effective teacher.

Cliff Hillis

I’m not a fancy ukulele player by any stretch.

This may sound silly, but when I first picked up a uke I started trying to learn chords and didn’t realize that the tuning is simply the top four strings of a guitar, only in a different register.

Everything changed after I realized that, ha! For someone who is learning ukulele as their first instrument, I’d say start off learning a handful of basic chords rather than trying to study a complicated tab for a song.

Start simple and build from there. You can do quite a bit with a handful of major and minor chords.

Bulat Nasibullin

Here is my list of most common mistakes when learning to play the Ukulele:

• Not focusing enough on the rhythm hand. The Ukelele can be a very interesting instrument rhythmically just like guitar. Beginners tend to focus only on the fret hand to get the fingers right for the chords and neglect the rhythm part of the equation. A lot of the most famous Ukulele led songs such as Somewhere over the rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole, the rhythm part is just as important as the chords themselves.
• Not learning theory. Music theory is boring! Having taught kids music for a number of years this is the most consistent thing I hear. The Ukulele is complicated music theory wise because the strings are not tuned like other string instruments. The strings are not tuned lowest to highest as you go down them such as a guitar or a violin, the first string is a high G then C-E-A, so the second highest sounding string is the first one of the four. If you don’t understand at least a little bit of theory about how chords are structured it can get very confusing.
• Finally, I’m going to throw in here all the common things that people do wrong when learning ANY musical instrument including Ukulele:
• not practicing consistently (5 mins every day is better that 35 minutes in 1 day)
• expecting too much too fast, you have to give it 1 year at least just like any other instrument
• trying to learn things that are more advance at the beginning, everyone wants to play a beautiful piece right away but you have to start with the boring, simple stuff first.

Evan Oxhorn – Stock Music Musician

When it comes to learning how to play Ukulele, the most common mistake beginners make is to overthink it! Learning an instrument should be fun, and by focusing too much on the technical details, you run the risk of giving up before you get good.

To make sure that you’re having fun, there’s a few things I recommend doing.

First, know why you want to learn ukulele. Is it to be able to accompany yourself singing? Do you want to add a new instrument to your repertoire? Whatever it is, keep the goal in mind when you’re practicing so you can stay focused on it when things get challenging.

Second, find a teacher you enjoy learning with. Maybe it’s an in-person teacher, or maybe it’s a YouTube channel, or someone on Tik Tok. It doesn’t matter who, so long as the person makes learning fun and enjoyable. If your teacher doesn’t feel like a good fit, you should try to find a new one.

Finally, learn to play songs you enjoy! Practicing scales and chords is really important and will make learning songs easier, but don’t forget to break up all the technical learning with some time spent playing songs you love.

David Andrew Wiebe – Music Entrepreneur HQ

One of the biggest mistakes beginners make in learning any instrument, including the ukulele, is not practicing enough. Now, over-practicing can have its drawbacks and can even lead to injury.

But most beginners are not practicing anywhere near enough to be worried about that. The learning curve is quite shallow when you’re first getting started, and you’d be amazed at how quickly you can improve on your instrument if you simply put in the time.

From finger exercises and scales to simple melodies, I have seen some students take their playing to surprising heights in just a few lessons. If you’re not passionate about your craft, do everything in your power to become passionate about it!

Surround yourself with ukulele magazines, books, videos, and more. The best students are those who are committed to being lifelong learners.

Luca Diadul

The ukulele is a wonderful instrument. More accessible and less expensive than a guitar, yet able to play all the same songs. It’s a great way to kick off your musical journey!

Of course, you might run into some pitfalls along the way. Here are three common mistakes beginners make when first playing and how to avoid them.

• Holding the instrument incorrectly

Not only can holding a ukulele incorrectly lead to a worse sound and a more difficult playing experience, but it can also be painful and uncomfortable.

To avoid this, make sure the body of the instrument rests against your chest, held comfortably in place by the forearm of your dominant hand (your strumming hand). Support the neck of the ukulele between the thumb and fingers on your other hand, your wrist in line with your arm, and the neck elevated above the palm. Try to avoid wrapping your thumb over the top of the fret board, instead positioning it squarely against the back of the neck. This will give you more flexibility to reach and play chords while also helping to keep your wrist straight and pain-free.

If you still find yourself really struggling to hold the ukulele comfortably, consider getting a strap! The strap will do the work for you and you can focus on playing the most beautiful renditions of your favorite songs.

• Inconsistent rhythm and strumming

It’s easy to focus on chords and melody when first playing any instrument, but rhythm is just as important to practice. Many beginners struggle with maintaining a consistent and steady strumming rhythm, which can lead to an uneven or choppy sound.

The best way to practice your rhythm is with a metronome. Start slowly – slower than you think you need to – and count along in your head or out loud to the beat as you strum. When you’re comfortable with the slow speed, gradually increase the tempo until you are comfortably able to play the song at the original speed. Not only will your playing sound better, you’ll also be able to fit in seamlessly when playing with other musicians!

• Giving up too early

The first time I picked up a guitar I was about 10 years old, but I didn’t start playing seriously until almost 15 years later, despite a regular interest in the instrument. What was the hold up?

I was intimidated. It was uncomfortable to play the strings, and I was worried that it would take too long to develop callouses on my fingers. The fretboard and chord combinations were unfamiliar and overwhelming. I couldn’t do this!

Except I absolutely could. With a little bit of dedicated practice, these initially daunting ukulele obstacles will quickly disappear. It’s important to remember that learning any instrument is a process that takes time and patience. Set realistic goals for yourself, celebrate small victories, and don’t be too hard on yourself when you encounter difficulties. Seek inspiration from your favorite songs or players, and consider finding a supportive community or taking lessons to stay motivated. The key is to persevere and keep practicing regularly. With dedication, you’ll see improvements over time and find great satisfaction and fun in your ukulele playing!

Marcy Marxer – Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer

Being a beginning ukulele player is fun and exciting. It can be so exciting that some players might forget to look through the chords and chord patterns before the song starts. This can cause surprises. Shall we call them “accidentals?”

It helps to take the time to look over a song before playing to see if there are any areas that could use a refresh. Sometimes, familiar chords in an unfamiliar order can cause a stumble. For instance, changing from an Em to a B7 feels totally different from changing from Em to A7. Surprise!

I also suggest using a metronome for practice and starting at a slow tempo. Feel that groove! Then, move the tempo up a little at a time. A steady tempo played slowly sounds better than a fast tempo with stumbles. Enjoy!

Alissa Musto

I think one of the biggest mistakes people make when learning to play the ukulele is not bothering to learn music theory and instead just memorizing chords by their shape.

The chords on the ukulele are different from guitar chords and sometimes more “advanced” jazz chords are actually easier to play on ukulele than a basic triad, plus they add nice color and variety to a song.

I think people also tend to strum too hard on the strings and because the frets are smaller then on a guitar, end up holding down multiple at the same time by accident.

Marc Gallagher

Learning to play the ukulele is an exciting journey, yet beginners often encounter some common mistakes that can impede their progress. One prevalent error is neglecting proper tuning. Failing to tune the ukulele correctly can result in an unpleasant sound, which can be discouraging.

Another common issue is incorrect posture and hand placement. Beginners may not realise the importance of maintaining a relaxed yet stable posture and holding the ukulele correctly. Poor posture and hand positioning can lead to discomfort and limited mobility while playing.

Strumming technique is fundamental in ukulele playing, and beginners often struggle with inconsistent strumming patterns and timing. Developing strumming skills and rhythm is crucial for playing songs fluently.

Many beginners rush into playing songs without mastering basic chords first. Learning and transitioning between chords smoothly is essential for playing songs fluently and without interruptions.

Finger strength and dexterity are crucial for fretting chords accurately. Beginners sometimes skip finger exercises and chord changes, hindering their ability to play smoothly.

Impatience can also be a significant obstacle. Learning any instrument takes time and patience, and beginners may become frustrated when they don’t see immediate progress, which can lead to a loss of motivation.

Lastly, ignoring music theory is a mistake. Understanding even basic music theory concepts can greatly enhance a beginner’s ability to learn and compose songs.

Awareness of these common mistakes can help beginners take proactive steps to avoid them, making their ukulele learning journey more enjoyable and successful. Regular practice and seeking guidance from experienced players or instructors can also aid in overcoming these challenges.

Ellia Bisker – Charming Disaster

Beginner ukulele players don’t always realize that it’s important to keep your instrument in tune – it trains your ear to hear what it’s supposed to sound like, and it’s much more pleasant for the people around you while you’re learning! A clip-on electronic tuner is an indispensable tool for this purpose and they’re pretty inexpensive.

Other common beginner mistakes are avoiding some of the basic chords that are a bit more challenging – the open E is a particular culprit, and it’s too bad because you really want that one in your chord vocabulary.

But the biggest mistake in my opinion is trying to learn to play as a technical exercise, without playing along with songs.

Whether they’re recordings or songs you’re singing yourself, they give you a rhythmic structure, and being able to play along even in a simple way provides the positive feedback and motivation that you really need as a beginner.

You don’t need more than three chords for most pop songs, and then a whole world opens up.

Ramiro Somosierra – Gear Aficionado

Although it’s a rewarding experience, learning to play the ukulele is not without its difficulties. Many basic errors that beginners make that impede their advancement are frequently made by them.

Neglecting proper finger and hand placement, which makes it harder to build chords and produce clear notes, is one key error.

An out-of-tune ukulele can prevent the development of a good ear for music. Ignoring correct tuning is another problem.

Additionally, a lot of novices speed through song learning, leaving little time for the development of muscle memory and technique. Impatience can impede advancement. The development of skills is also hampered by inconsistent practice. Establishing a consistent practice schedule is crucial.

Last but not least, avoiding tutorials and advice might result in misunderstandings and undesirable habits. Avoiding these blunders and approaching your learning with care and attention will help you become a better ukulele player.

Andy Fraser – Guitar Inside Out

One of the most common errors is neglecting proper tuning. Many beginners underestimate the importance of tuning their ukulele before playing. A slightly off-tuned instrument simply won’t sound right. This in turn to can slow progress and because it sounds ‘off’ discourage proper practice.

Regularly checking and adjusting the tuning is key to sounding right when you play and enjoying your practice.

Focusing solely on playing songs without developing proper technique is another common pitfall. Beginners might rush into strumming without mastering things like basic finger placement and chord transitions. It’s understandable – we all want to play our favorite songs.

But it’s important and will ultimately be beneficial to dedicate time to learning proper hand positioning, fingerpicking techniques and chord changes. Building up a strong foundation in technique will lead to quicker progress.

Consistency is key when learning any instrument, not just ukulele. Some beginners underestimate the importance of consistent practice.. Making progress requires regular practice sessions, even if they’re short. Skipping or missing practice will mean much slower development and could lead to frustration.

It’s easy to get annoyed and feel like you’re not as good as you feel you should be. You can avoid this by creating a practice routine that suits your schedule and sticking to it. If you do you’ll see steady improvement over time.

My biggest mistakes when I started playing the ukulele were easy to avoid. First, I should’ve learned the right fingering on the chords, just to smooth my transitions and play less awkwardly.

Second, I wish I had learned how to hold the instrument properly: fretting on the uke is actually pretty easy if you’re not trying to hold it like a guitar.

Third, I wish I had bought an instrument case for it right away. Just because a ukulele is small and relatively sturdy doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be handled carefully. I broke two nice ukuleles in my early years just through mishandling on tour.

Key Takeaways

In summary, our 14 experts had much to say across a variety of topics when it came to giving us some ukulele tips for beginners. The most common advice? Focus on fundamentals like consistent practice, proper technique, quality teaching, reasonable goals and patience to effectively learn the ukulele.

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Gods of Uke: Remembering ‘Duke of Uke’ Bill Tapia, Jazz Ukulele Pioneer

• June 3, 2015

By Greg Cahill

T hey called him “Uncle Bill,” or “Tappy,” but to many he was known as “The Duke of Uke,” a pioneer of ukulele jazz. At the time of his death in 2011, at age 103, Bill Tapia was believed to be the oldest performing musician to ever take the stage.

His career spanned nine decades and put him at the center of both the 1920s ukulele explosion and, more recently, the uke revival. In between, Tapia enjoyed a formidable career as both a master ukester (and designer) and a jazz guitarist, forgoing the uke for several decades. Tapia was born in Hawaii on New Year’s Day in 1908. At age seven, he bought his first ukulele from Manuel Nunes, one of the island’s most respected ukulele makers. He once recalled that he’d shelled out 75 cents from a beat-up coffee-can-turned-piggy-bank to purchase the instrument.

In a 2008 interview, Tapia told the Orange County Register that he’d grown up listening to the lilting sounds of the little instrument that was played on the narrow dusty lanes of Honolulu.  At age 11, at the end of World War I, he entertained troops returning from the front lines by playing ukulele for the veterans, even venturing into Honolulu’s tough neighborhoods to shine shoes and greet soldiers and sailors disembarking from the trains. As a child, he once was arrested when police raided a bordello where he was playing for servicemen. “There were prostitutes and bootleggers, but I could make money!” he told the National Association of Music Merchants in a 2004 oral history. “I’d come home with my pockets full of silver.”

By age 12, he’d mastered the ukulele.  According to Ian Whitcomb, author of Ukulele Heroes: The Golden Age , Tapia was a key figure in the island’s hapa haole culture, which included music that mixed Hawaiian and English influences. He was an associate of Sonny Cunha, the musician, bandleader, and politician regarded as the founder of hapa haole music. And, Whitcomb writes, Tapia played in the Johnny Noble Band at the historic opening night of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki in 1927. He also taught child film star Shirley Temple and actor Clark Gable to play the ukulele (Tapia played on many movie soundtracks and taught several other actors to master the instrument). And he provided the uke playing on Bing Crosby’s hit record “Blue Hawaii,” featured in the 1937 film Waikiki Wedding .

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After World War II, Tapia gave away his ukuleles and for nearly a half century turned his attention to jazz guitar, landing jobs with such music greats as Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Fats Waller, and Charlie Barnet.  In 2001, after a chance encounter at an LA music store where he had gone for a guitar repair, Tapia rekindled his interest in ukulele. “Something astonishing happened,” the New York Times wrote in his obituary. “Mr. Tapia was ‘discovered’ as a ukulele virtuoso at a time when the instrument was having a resurgence of popularity. He became a ukulele star, twice making the Top 10 on the jazz charts, wowing concertgoers by playing the ukulele behind his head à la Jimi Hendrix, and making three albums—one of which honored his 100th birthday. He was elected to the Ukulele Hall of Fame  in 2004.”  “Bill Tapia has been involved with the ukulele, jazz, and Hawaiian music perhaps longer than any other living person,” the Hall of Fame said when it inducted him.

“It was in my blood,” he said.  But the master musician’s life wasn’t wholly defined by the uke. As a jazz man with a guitar, Tapia performed pretty much everywhere—from houses of ill repute to swanky hotels, such as the Los Angeles Biltmore. He played for soldiers during World War I and in “blackout ballrooms” during World War II. He played radio and television shows, and, once, at baseball legend Joe DiMaggio’s bar in San Francisco. “The ukulele looked like a toy compared to the guitar,” Tapia said.  So, when he put it away, he didn’t pick it back up—until 55 years later when someone heard him play it at an Orange County music shop. Soon, people were asking him to play concerts and give them lessons. His agent and publicist, Mark Taylor, said Tapia was a regular at the Oasis Senior Center in Newport Beach and played every Wednesday on the beach in San Onofre with a group of ukulele enthusiasts.

Taylor said Tapia is the oldest performing musician for whom he has ever worked. “He was not just a novelty act,” Taylor said. “He was a real musician. He had real jazz chops.”  Tapia also delighted his fans with his colorful personality and his sartorial elegance. “We had booked a show in Arcadia two years ago and a 101-year-old woman walked up to him and said, ‘I’m so happy to meet you because it’s so hard to meet men my age these days,’” Taylor said. Tapia was always impeccably dressed, whether he was on the stage or at home.

This article originally appeared in the Summer 2014 issue of Ukulele magazine.

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49 Easy Ukulele Songs for Beginners

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One of the reasons why so many people are drawn to the ukulele is the fact that it is so easy to start playing songs. Compared to other instruments, picking up a few ukulele chords and playing a recognizable tune is far more simple. 

In this guide, we’re looking at some of our favorite songs to recommend to beginners to get started on their journey to learn ukulele.

No need to bore yourself with songs you don’t care about. Our list of 49 easy ukulele songs shows that you can pick popular songs by artists you enjoy and learn them in a few minutes.

Want to accelerate your learning? Check out Uke Like The Pros (20% discount with our link).

Table of Contents

Four Chords That Let You Play Hundreds of Songs

Some of the best ukulele songs to learn just have three or four easy chords. As you’ll see below, the same simple chords are used time and time again, and many songs share the same chord progressions.

C Major – this is often the first chord you will learn on the ukulele. To play a C major chord you simply have to place one finger on one string. Easy! A Minor – this is another “one finger” chord that you can learn in seconds. Just press on the right fret in the right position and strum away. F Major – this chord uses two fingers but it still isn’t too difficult to get to grips with.

G Major – we’re up to using three fingers now, but the G chord isn’t overly complex and allows you to play many more ukulele songs.

Strumming Patterns You Should Learn

Strumming patterns are what give rhythm to the songs. Strumming is simply the way you are playing the rhythm of the ukulele by strumming down (downstrokes) and up (upstrokes) on your uke.

Most commonly, songs will be in 4/4. An effective way to start out with a beginner ukulele strumming pattern is just to practice four downstrokes as you count 1, 2, 3, 4.

The video below teaches you most of what you need to know for strumming. The five patterns it shows can be used for most songs on this list. Some songs give you room to experiment, and they will still sound good even if you use a more basic strumming method.

How to Sing and Play Ukulele at the Same Time

If you are keen to sing and play ukulele at the same time then your process will involve a bit more practice. Here are the top 3 tips for singing and playing uke:

• Practice both parts separately . Play the song all the way through just playing the ukulele, then sing along with the original track. This way, you will embed the knowledge in your brain. You’re less likely to get lost along the way when you combine the two.
• Hum instead of singing . Remembering the specific words is another way beginner ukulele players stumble when they are trying to sing and play uke together. Get used to the melody and humming along and then gradually include the words.
• Understand the timing of the song . One area that can be easy to make mistakes is with timing. To help make sure your timing is good, count along to the tempo of the track.

25 Easy Ukulele Songs (Using C, Am, F, and G )

1. vance joy – riptide.

If you are looking to play along with the original then a capo will be needed. However, if you just want to play and sing along then this is a great option with just the C, Am, F and G chords. This is a modern song becoming really popular with ukulele beginners as it is so simple to play.

Click here for the chords & lyrics

2. Train – Hey Soul Sister

Hey Soul Sister is a great song to learn for beginners. It is another song that has been transposed, so if you want to stay in the right key, a capo on the 4th fret is required.

3. Jason Mraz – I’m Yours

The tabs above include a very cool intro, and you can learn this too if you are feeling ambitious. How great is it to be able to learn a song that sounds 100% natural on the ukulele. We had to include this on our list of easy uke songs.

4. The Beatles – Let it Be

There aren’t many better places to start your ukulele journey than learning a song by the fab four. The Beatles may not be known for using ukuleles, but this incredibly iconic song sounds fantastic played on your uke.

5. Ben E. King / John Lennon – Stand By Me

Another song that you need to transpose to play in the most simple way possible, but this is a simple, timeless classic.

6. One Republic – Counting Stars

7. bruno mars – just the way you are.

Bruno Mars is one of the artists out there who loves to include a Hawaiian feel in their music by including some uke. Just The Way You Are is a simple song using just a few chords to great effect.

8. Adele – Someone Like You

Technically, playing this song using C, Am, F and G means you have transposed the song slightly, but this makes it far easier to play, and it doesn’t matter unless you are playing along with the original. A capo on fret 2 will keep you in the same key.

9. Justin Beiber – Love Yourself

10. sam smith – stay with me.

While some people find that the strumming pattern can take some getting used to, you can strip this song down and play it in a more simplistic way, and it sounds very impressive. Plus, it can be learned in a matter of minutes.

11. Maroon 5 – She Will Be Loved

This is another song that you will need a capo for if you are going to use the four simple chords. It’s an incredibly easy song to play, as even the strumming pattern isn’t too challenging on this modern pop classic.

12. James Blunt – You’re Beautiful

13. walk the moon – shut up and dance, 14. bob dylan – blowin’ in the wind.

This ukulele version sounds fantastic and most of it just uses three chords. A fine option for beginners.

15. Bob Dylan – All Along the Watchtower

The tab above is for the Dave Matthews version, and there is a Jimi Hendrix version, too. The majority of this song is just switching between two chords, so it is a fantastic option for beginners.

16. Bob Marley – One Love

Another iconic song that everyone knows the words to. This is a great song to advance your beginner knowledge a little, as it lets you experiment with how you strum. Some palm muting will sound fantastic with the reggae vibe.

17. UB40 – Red Red Wine

18. the lumineers – hey ho.

This song is one of those that you might not know by the name, but as soon as you hear the chorus you will know it. It sounds fantastic on a uke, too.

19. Billy Ray Cyrus – Achy Breaky Heart

A two-chord song that everyone knows! You can’t get much more simplistic than that in the world of ukulele, or any instrument.

20. U2 – I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For

21. jay and the americans – this magic moment, 22. eagle eye cherry – save tonight, 23. elvis presley – can’t help falling in love, 24. he’s got the whole world in his hands, 25. bob marley – lively up yourself, 5 easy ukulele songs using only g, c, and d.

D Major – three fingers again, but they are all held in the same fret which makes the D major one of the easiest ukulele chords to remember.

1. Lynyrd Skynyrd – Sweet Home Alabama

This might just be the most impressive of all the tutorials! The song sounds incredible. You can use the ukulele tab in order to learn the iconic intro riff.

2. John Denver – Leaving on a Jet Plane

This is another song that could have a claim for being the easiest song for beginners. Leaving on a Jet Plane by John Denver is also known all over the world, so it is perfect for a singalong.

3. Lorde – Royals

4. the beatles – love me do.

The early Beatles songs are a real goldmine for easy songs for beginners. In the early 60s, they were the kings of taking a few simple chords and making a beautiful song. Love Me Do is an iconic song that has been transcribed for ukulele, you can play it using just three chords. The tutorial above also shows you how to play the intro.

5. Taylor Swift – 22

7 easy ukulele songs (using g, c, d, and em).

E minor – Em requires three fingers, used on three different frets. It isn’t a barre chord, which means it is relatively straightforward.

1. Van Morrison – Brown Eyed Girl

Another upbeat four-chord song that sounds awesome on the ukulele. If you can learn the intro then this becomes an even more impressive song for beginners to play.

2. John Legend – All of Me

3. green day – good riddance (time of your life).

Who says that sad rock songs can’t be played on a bright-sounding soprano ukulele ? This may be a moody track, but it sounds surprisingly good on uke.

4. Neil Young – Heart of Gold

5. the cranberries – zombie, 6. tom petty – i won’t back down, 7. the beatles – paperback writer.

This could have gone in any of our categories. The majority of the song is just strumming away on the G chord, so it is a nice and simple one. It’s also a good choice if you want to learn how to sing along.

12 Easy Ukulele Songs Using Other Chords

These are a couple of added extra popular songs that don’t strictly fall into the categories above. They’re still very simple to play, with chord diagrams included in the video tutorials.

1. Israel Kamakawiwo’ole – Somewhere Over The Rainbow

This song has just five chords. You don’t need a capo, and you don’t need to play any barre chords, it is made of exclusively easy ukulele chords. This is known as a ukulele classic. Elise Ecklund’s ukulele lesson is also very good and makes it simple to learn this tune.

2. Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah

This is the same version as the Leonard Cohen/Jeff Buckley/Alexandra Burke song. Hallelujah is known for sounding fantastic on the ukulele. It has a lot of the same chords as the songs mentioned in the first section, but an Em is added. Luckily, this doesn’t need you to play a barre chord, so it is still a great chord progression for beginners to learn.

3. Elton John – The Lion King – Hakuna Matata

Most of this song is very easy to play, with a few more challenging sections. We had to include it on our list of the easiest ukulele songs – it is so fun to learn!

4. Bob Marley – Three Little Birds

5. pink floyd – wish you were here.

This is a great way to challenge yourself a bit more, as it uses more chords than most of the songs on this list. However, crucially, there are no barre chords involved so it is still pretty easy to play all the way through with no problems, even if you’re relatively new to ukulele.

6. James Ford Murphy – Pixar – Lava

7. bruno mars – the lazy song.

This is a great opportunity to practice playing on the “off beat”. The strumming pattern is a little unorthodox in that respect. When you think of ukulele pop songs then this is probably right at the top of the list.

8. Snow Patrol – Chasing Cars

9. outkast – hey ya.

This is a really fun song to play. The hip-hop vibes translate surprisingly well when you play a stripped-down version on your uke.

10. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Otherside

11. the beach boys – surfin’ usa.

A simple three-chord song, this one definitely makes it to our list of easy ukulele songs, just make sure you nail the unusual “7th” chord.

12. Elvis Presley – Hound Dog

There is a variation on the F chord in this song, and though you can just play it as a standard F for ease, we think it sounds much better with the “bluesy” vibe from the extra chord.

You don’t have to stick to this list. As you can see, a few easy chords can open up a world of possibilities in terms of playing songs. However, it’s a good idea to have a starting point, and our list provides you with some of the most popular ukulele songs to get started.

We hope you find this list helpful, and start to enjoy your ukulele journey!

Anna teaches piano and guitar and also has extensive experience recording music. She’s well read in music psychology and love to share the benefits of learning to play music.

Amazon Associates Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Copyright © 2020 Acoustic Realm

The Psychology of Short-Form Content: Why We Love Bite-Sized Videos

Updated: April 10, 2024

Published: April 09, 2024

Let me tell you the most challenging part of my job. Often, I will delete TikTok and Instagram from my phone because I can't help but waste time endlessly scrolling through these apps, watching dozens of short-form videos in one sitting.

Then, like clockwork, I redownload these apps because I must write about them for work. Thus, the cycle of endless scrolling continues.

Sure, I could blame the nature of the job, but my endless scrolling stems from the fact that I love short-form videos.

And I'm not the only one. 73% of consumers prefer to watch short-form videos to learn about a product or service, and 56% of marketers reported that short-form video was the top trend they planned to invest in in 2024.

So, why are short-form videos so popular? Turns out there are a few reasons, one of which involved a bit of psychology. Let's get into it!

What are short-form videos?

Why are short-form videos so popular.

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Short-form videos are videos that are less than 60 seconds in duration. However, some marketers and content creators agree that short-form videos can be up to 3 minutes. But, if you want my opinion, I would stick to the 60-second rule.

I take this stance because attention spans are getting shorter, but we'll get into that later.

Anyway, short-form videos deliver information in a digestible, bite-size format so viewers can quickly watch and bookmark the content if they're on the go or watch it multiple times.

There are a few reasons short-form videos are more popular than ever among consumers and marketers, and I‘ll visit those in a bit. For now, I want to get into the psychology of it all—that’s why we're here, right? Walk with me.

Consumer Attention Spans are Shrinking

Science tells us that one of the crucial reasons we love short-form videos is that our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter.

Dr. Gloria Mark, a psychologist, recently wrote a book called Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness, and Productivity , and she says her research indicates people's attention spans have been shrinking over the last 20 years.

Dr. Mark shared her findings on Speaking of Psychology , an American Psychological Association podcast.

Her findings came from a decades-long experiment she participated in, which was first conducted by shadowing participants and tracking their activities via stopwatches.

“We would record the start time and the stop time,” she said.

She explains, “So you're on a screen where you're working in a Word doc. As soon as you get to that screen, we click start time. As soon as they turned away and checked the email, we clicked stop time for the Word document and start time for the email.”

Over time, logging techniques became more sophisticated as technology advanced, and it only made the pattern of shrinking attention spans clearer.

“So back in 2004, we found the average attention span on any screen to be two and a half minutes on average,” Dr. Mark recalls during the interview. “Throughout the years, it became shorter. So around 2012, we found it to be 75 seconds.”

Dr. Mark says the number continued to dip as the years went on.

“And then in the last five, six years, we found it to average about 47 seconds—and others have replicated this result within a few seconds. So it seems to be quite robust,” she says.

And this trend of dwindling attention spans is affecting how we consume content. And I'm not just talking about social media videos — even television and film shots are getting more brief, according to Dr. Mark.

“They started out much longer. They now average about four seconds a shot length,” she says. “If you watch MTV music videos, they're much shorter. They're only a couple of seconds. So we've become accustomed to seeing very fast shot lengths when we look at TV and film.”

Dr. Mark explains during the interview that it‘s a chicken vs. egg situation — she’s unsure which came first or what's influencing the other.

However, the fact remains that we‘re becoming more accustomed to shorter bursts of content, and it’s bleeding into the kind of content we consume and what's being created.

Studies found that most consumers will only watch an entire video if it's less than 60 seconds long . Then you have apps like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels that push short-form videos to users in an infinite scroll format.

Furthermore, our 2024 Marketing Trends Report found that almost a third of marketing professionals say their company will leverage short-form video content in 2024, and 53% said they'll boost their investment in the content type this year.

This makes sense since most marketers in our survey say short-form video content yielded them the highest ROI last year.

In case you're curious, here are a couple more reasons why many of us love short-form videos.

1. They are cost-effective and easier to create than long-form videos.

With long-form videos, marketers and creators must work extra hard to keep their audience engaged. That means strengthening the content with dynamic shots, mood-setting music, and a long but compelling script.

All that takes more time, effort, and (most importantly) money.

Short-form videos are more to the point and often require fewer frills to be effective.

For example, language learning platform Duo Lingo's TikTok account has over 10.8 million followers and is one of the most well-known accounts on the app due to its short, funny, and slightly unhinged videos.

Its most popular video has 57.7 million views and is super simple in terms of execution.

It shows a plushy of the Duo Lingo owl getting tossed down the stairs at the company's office, sitting outside on a rainy day, and getting soaked in a shower.

The caption of the video is “When you ignore my notifications.”

The video was clearly shot on someone's smartphone without fancy angles or lighting. The music is from a viral song already available via its sound archives. So simple, so cheap, yet so effective.

@duolingo sad g(owl) hours #duoplushie #duolingo #languagelearning #emo ♬ Rio romeo - .𝖒𝖊𝖓'🎧★

2. They can provide valuable information in a short amount of time.

According to a recent Adobe Survey , 2 in 5 Americans use TikTok as a search engine, and nearly 1 in 10 Gen Zers are more likely to rely on TikTok than Google as a search engine.

I even find myself taking to TikTok to look up recipes or figure out how to style a denim maxi-skirt (the trick is to experiment with different layers and silhouettes).

Between work, family, hobbies, and rest — time is precious, and short-form videos allow us to absorb the information we need in under a minute. Who doesn't love that?

3. You can watch them almost anytime, anywhere.

Bored on the train downtown? Scroll through TikTok. Need to kill some time in between classes or appointments? Pull up YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels on your phone.

Want to use your 5-minute break between meetings to figure out why everyone is talking about the latest JLo documentary? Let's circle back to TikTok.

Short-form videos are easy to watch almost anywhere and anytime from our smartphones.

Not only is this convenient for consumers, but it also helps marketers because it means we can repurpose our content on various platforms knowing someone will see it from somewhere.

There are different reasons to love short-form videos.

Some reasons are a little more concerning than others (seriously, why are our attention spans so short?), but no matter the reason, the fact remains the same —short forms aren't going away anytime soon.

Don't forget to share this post!

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