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Chords • Chords • Chords
It's ALL About Playing & Learning Chords
CHORDS & CHORD PROGRESSIONS — A Chord is a fundamental building block of music and is commonly used in various musical styles and genres. Chords provide harmony and support for melodies, creating a rich and textured sound. It's what we do the most off — All about the types of chords possible on ukulele. Explore tyle of chords, how to organize your chords, and more...
Getting Started Series of Lessons
The Elements of a Successful Music Program
Advanced Guide to Chords — Chord Building Chart
F D7 C
Chords – What You Do The Most of…
Of the three core elements of music: Melody — Harmony — Rhythm. It's the harmony — the chords and chord progressions, a.k.a. songs, that you'll do the most of. So, whether you're playing covers or writing your own — you need to know your chords and how they works together.
Chords can not be named out of context. They can only be named in the context of a chord progression or chord sequence and then only when the chord's harmonic function within that progression can be determined. — Curt Sheller
That's the single most sensible statement about music that I've read in months, maybe years. Thanks, Curt. — John Kavanagh, The 4th Peg Parlor Room
What is a Chord?
A Chord is a harmonic combination of three or more notes played simultaneously.
A Chord is a fundamental building block of music and is commonly used in various musical styles and genres. Chords provide harmony and support for melodies, creating a rich and textured sound.
Chords are typically constructed by stacking notes on top of each other, based on specific intervals. The most common type of chord is the triad, which consists of three notes. Traditional triads are formed by stacking two intervals of a thirds on top of a root note. In music theory these chords built in thirds is called Tertiary Harmony .
Traditional three-note chords are called a triad. Two notes are an interval, or dyad. Chords with four notes are a tetrachord or 4-part chord; six notes are a hexachord, etc. These chords built in thirds (triads) are the the ONLY chords with traditional names: major, minor, diminished, and augmented. Chords beyond the triads - 4-part, 5-part, 6-part and, 7-part chords are still based on theses triads and their traditional names.
These traditional triads , built in thirds, are the only chords that have traditionally been named with a capital letter and chord type information. All traditional names are based on these four types: Major, Minor, Diminished, and Augmented. Each chord type has a distinctive sound and emotional quality. NOTE: there is NO Dominant chord type — dominant is a harmonic function and NOT a chord name.
Every chord can be given a specific name based on the notes that constitute the chord and the distances or intervals between the notes. As well as a Chord's Harmonic Function within a specific tonality or chord progression. It's actually this harmonic function that determines the name of the chord.
This Harmonic Function is a critical part of a chord, and once and only once you determine the chord's, harmonic function can you successfully go about Naming Chords . A chord shape can have many possible names, but only one name at a time in the current harmonic context. Once the correct name is determined, you can then actually get the correct Chord Spelling — the actual note names of the individual notes of the chord.
(wikiwand) • A Chord, in music, is any harmonic set of pitches/frequencies consisting of multiple notes (also called "pitches") that are heard as if sounding simultaneously. For many practical and theoretical purposes, arpeggios and broken chords (in which the notes of the chord are sounded one after the other, rather than simultaneously), or sequences of chord tones, may also be considered as chords in the right musical context.
(wikiwand) • In music theory, an Interval is a difference in pitch between two sounds. An interval may be described as horizontal, linear, or melodic if it refers to successively sounding tones, such as two adjacent pitches in a melody, and vertical or harmonic if it pertains to simultaneously sounding tones, such as in a chord.
Chords Built in Other Intervals
Quartal Chords built in Fourths?
Chords can be built using ANY interval. With chords built in thirds thirds having a traditional notation, Quartal chords are wide open the what you might run into. I (Curt), checked with ChatGPT to see what has been used. It came back with a bunch of crazy naming, none I would ever recommend. For years I would use Q to indicate a chord built in fourths and the number of notes. Examples CQ3, would be a C root with three notes using fourths to build the chord.
An example of using fourths in songs is (wikiwand) McCoy Tyner on Miles Davis's Kind of Blue album and the song So What. On my Midnight at the Jazz Cafe the into to There Will Never Be Another You is in quartal chords built fourths.
Here's what ChatGPT said about my recommendation to use Q as a notation device: While CQ3 is not currently a standard notation, it has the potential to be a useful and clear way to notate quartal chords. Promoting its use in relevant musical contexts could help it gain recognition and acceptance..
Types of Chords
Organizing Your Chords • Part 1
You can organize your chords into one of these four categories: Open Position Chords, Movable Form Chords, 4-part Jazz Chords, and Free-form Chords.
  1. 1
    Open Position Chords
    Open Position Chords — Your basic chords in the first four frets, including at least one open string. These are what most players learn first. There are, at most, 20 chords in this category to get you through the common chords for the basic keys ( C , G , D , A , E , F , and Bb ).
  2. 2
    Basic Movable Form Cards a.k.a. barre chords
    Basic Movable Form Chords — These are your basic Open Position Chords, re-fingered and transposed up the fingerboard to different keys. This includes transposing the open strings as well. In C Tuning, the Bb major chord is based on the open position A major chord. This chord is typically the first movable form one learns that fits this category.
  3. 3
    4-part Contemporary Chords
    These contemporary 4-part chords, commonly called Jazz chords find their way into a wide variety of music. This is a massive category where you really start to learn how chord construction works and can create any—yes, ANY—chord you run across. At this point you know the principles of chord construction, and these chords are the next category and not a problem.
    These chords are a lot easier to learn on the ukulele with only one set of adjacent four strings for four (4) voicings as your foundation vs. 15 possible sets of four strings on guitar for 60 voicings. (Spoiler alert: guitarists typically only learn 20 or 28–not the 60)
  4. 4
    Free Form Chords
    Free Form Chords — These are the chords that don't fit into one of the previous three chord categories. This is where you “REALLY”, and I mean really, need to know the ukulele fingerboard and the notes of the chord, and from a firm foundation, can create most of these chords on the fly.
And at the heart of an overwhelming number, pretty much ALL of the chords we play are: Triads . So somewhere between the first three categories, you should learn the traditional and contemporary triads on any set of three adjacent strings.
Traditional and Contemporary Triads • These triads, built in thirds, are the foundation for all chords in the above categories. Triads are also great for when you are improvising. The “adjacent set of three strings” are how these can be learned. The Basic Open Position major and minor chords on the ukulele are triads, with one of their notes doubled.
Basic Open Position Chords for C Tuning Chord Chart
A handy-dandy reference chart of open position chords in the five common keys of C , G , D , A , and E . With seventh chords, diminished and augmented chords for every root.
A Ukulele Chord a Day
The Ukulele Chord a Day series of lessons started in 2013. Videos for each chord were added in 2020. And, in 2023 the chords common harmonic function information was added.
This is a great series for beginners to get started and actually any level can benefit from the added material and information on each chord.
View the A Ukulele Chord a Day Lesson Series . And find today's, chord for Apr 9, 2026.
Movable Form Chords
After learning the Basic Open Position chords, these 20 plus ukulele chord lessons cover the open position forms and their movable forms. This allows you to play basic chords in ANY key.
A , Am , A7 , B7 , C , Cm , C7 , D , Dm , D7 , E , Em , E7 , F , Fm , F7 , G , Gm , G7
Click on any chord above to go that specific chord's lesson.
View the Movable Form Chords Lesson Series
Core Chords — The "Big Six"
a.k.a., Jazz Chords, Chords
These chords, often call Jazz Chords, find their way into a wide range of traditional and contemporary music. They form the foundation for building those chords with the wacky names such as 13-9, #11, 9b5, etc.
The 4-part Seventh chord, often called the Dominant Seventh chord, can form the foundation for ALL your core contemporary, a.k.a., jazz chords. This series of lessons covers the big six that finds wide use in all forms of contemporary music. Then builds on your core chords with the rest of the 4-part chords.
View the Core Chords — The Big Six lesson. These are your foundation for building any 4-part chard you'll come across.
The Dominant Seventh Chord
Just What Is A Dominent Seventh?
Not all seventh chords are actually dominant seventh chords. Learn when a Dominant Seventh chord is truly a dominant chord.
View The Dominant Seventh Chord lesson.
Cool Chords Lesson Series
Here are a few of the chords that are part of the Cool Ukulele Chords Series of lessons.
Putting Those Chords Together
What is a Chord Progression?
Simply put, a chord progression is a sequence of chords. Songs are chord progressions with melodies and lyrics added. Add a bit of style to it and you have a composition. a songs, somethings than just some chords thrown together.
A chord progression (or harmonic progression) is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing (or contradicting) a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships. Chords and chord theory are generally known as harmony.
A chord progression can be thought of as a harmonic simultaneity succession: it offers an ongoing shift of level that is essential to the music of Europe (at least since 1600), Oceania and South/West Africa. A change of chord, or "chord change", generally occurs on an accented beat, so that chord progressions may contribute significantly to the rhythm, meter and musical form of a piece, delineating bars, phrases and sections.
Common Chord Progressions
Turns out there are a lot of common chord sequences that make learning a lot of songs easier. Checkout the LearningUkulele.com lessons below.
Every household had a * Sears Roebuck & Montgomery Ward calatog in the house back in the day. There were super common catalog and retail companies in the USA that the old jazzers attached those names to these very common chord progressions that show up a lot. A shorthand way to call a tune.
So, Lets Get Started
Without knowing where you are musically I would simply recommend to head over the Songs section, pick a song and learn the chords.
Here are a few really simple chord progressions without a lot of chords that you might passively already know:
Really Want to Learn How Chords Work Together…
Harmony & Theory: Further Reading
The Chord Scale Theory & Jazz Harmony
Published: 2013
Barrie Nettles, Richard Graf — Jazz harmony, as taught at the Berklee College of Music is based on the so called Chord Scale Theory. This method - further developed - is now available as a comprehensive textbook for the first time. Emerged from practice and designed for practical use, it provides theoretical knowledge necessary for improvisation, composing, and arranging. This comprehensive textbook is a must for beginners, intermediate or advanced students.
Twentieth-Century Harmony: Creative Aspects and Practice
Published: 1961
Vincent Ludwig Persichetti (June 6, 1915 – August 14, 1987) was an American composer, teacher, and pianist. An important musical educator and writer, he was known for his integration of various new ideas in musical composition into his own work and teaching, as well as for training many noted composers in composition at the Juilliard School.
Harmony
Published: 1941
Walter Hamor Piston, Jr. (January 20, 1894 – November 12, 1976), was an American composer of classical music, music theorist, and professor of music at Harvard University.
Piston wrote four books on the technical aspects of music theory which are considered to be classics in their respective fields: Principles of Harmonic Analysis, Counterpoint, Orchestration, and Harmony. The last of these introduced for the first time in theoretical literature several important new concepts that Piston had developed in his approach to music theory, notably the concept of harmonic rhythm, and the secondary dominant.
The Jazz Theory Book
Published: 1995
Mark Levine — Endorsed by Jamey Aebersold, James Moody, Dave Liebman, and others, The Jazz Theory Book presents all the information any student of jazz needs in an easy-to-understand, yet thorough, manner. For intermediate to advanced players, and written by one of the acknowledged masters of jazz, it is used by universities around the world.
More Info & Buy Now
Harmonic Analysis for Scale Selection and Chord Substitution
Published: 2003
Curt Sheller — Harmonic Analysis is the understanding of the functional sequence of chords. It is the process used to analyze the harmonic structure of a progression, song or composition. This analysis is then used to make scale selections for improvisation and chord substitution.
The Berklee Book of Jazz Harmony
Published: 2003
Learn jazz harmony, as taught at Berklee College of Music. This text provides a strong foundation in harmonic principles, supporting further study in jazz composition, arranging, and improvisation. It covers basic chord types and their tensions, with practical demonstrations of how they are used in characteristic jazz contexts and an accompanying recording that lets you hear how they can be applied. The price of this book includes access to audio tracks online, for download or streaming, using the unique code inside the book. The audio features PLAYBACK+, a multi-functional audio player that allows you to slow down audio without changing pitch, set loop points, change keys, and pan left or right – available exclusively from Hal Leonard.
You can't go wrong with owning any of these books in your music library. I have all of these, except for the Berklee book and naturally I have mine. — Curt
Organizing-Your-Chords
Part II — Your Options
If you're going to learn more than one song, it's probably a good idea to organize and create a chord vocabulary for learning songs beyond that first song.
Organizing ukulele chords can be done in several ways to make them more accessible and easier to navigate. Here are a few methods you can use to organize ukulele chords:
* Personally I (Curt) settled on organizing by Chord Types & Common Chord Progressions.
Basic Ukulele Chords Charts – C Tuning
for Right Handed Players
for Left Handed Players
Basic Open Positions Chords – C Tuning in the common keys of C, G, D, A, and E – with seventh chords in all keys. Includes diminished and augmented chords.
Download FREE Chart
These charts are available in the LearningUkulele.com Books section of the site by clicking on the buttons below the charts.
The following two charts are for C Tuning and organized by the common chords that show up in common keys.
These charts are FREE downloads and available in right hand and left hand versions.
Basic Open Positions Chords for Lefties – C Tuning in the common keys of C, G, D, A, and E – with seventh chords in all keys. Includes diminished and augmented chords.
Download FREE Chart
Basic Ukulele Chords Charts – G Tuning
for Baritone Players
Core Seventh Chords – C Tuning
Basic Open Position `Ukulele Chord Chart — Baritone/G Tuning in the common keys of C, G, D, A, and E – with seventh chords in all keys. Includes diminished and augmented chords.
Download FREE Chart
These charts are available in the LearningUkulele.com Books section of the site by clicking on the buttons below the charts.
Core Ukulele Chords—Sevenths • These chords are movable chord forms based on core 4-part seventh chords and triads with duplicated and/or omitted notes.
Download FREE Chart
ALL Additional Reference Charts are Available on the LearningUkulele.com Books Page .
art by Curt Sheller
End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!

Checkout the Lessons' section as the majority of lesson are regarding chords and chord progressions.