Learning Ukulele with Curt

Remember Songs

How to Remember Songs

Remembering songs is lot like remembering the directions for a road trip. They're the turn-by-turn directions, road maps, signs and landmarks. Turn here, turn there, remember this and remember that landmark - the GPS for the song.

With a song it's the chords, the harmonic cells & chord functions, progressions and form of the song - the road map.

With a few music tools and an understanding of the principles of how chords and chords progressions really work. You can start unraveling what's going on in a song. There's a lot more in common between songs than you might think. Each song has its directions, signs, and landmarks. With a lot in common, used in songs over and over again.

Where to Start

ALL music comes from some sort of scale and there's no better scale to start with than the Major Scale .

Memorize the Major Scales

All music, the chords and melodies come from scales. And, the Major Scale is one of the most common and important scales to learn and MEMORIZE in ALL 15 keys. A lot, and I mean a lot of information can be derived from the major scale and used for learning new material.

Most popular songs are in major keys.

go to the Major Scales lesson ….

Harmonic Analysis for Chords Substitution and Scale Selection

Harmonic Analysis is the understanding of the functional sequence of chords. It's 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. It's used a lot for remembering songs.

go to the Harmonic Analysis Lesson Series ….

The Nashville Number System

The Nashville Number System is a numbering system that allows for writing a song in NO key to be played in ANY key. Can also be used for comparing songs an identifying the commonality between songs.

The Nashville Number System is an informal method of transcribing music by denoting the scale degree on which a chord is built. It was developed by Neal Matthews, Jr. in the late '50s as a simplified system for The Jordanaires to use in the studio and further developed by Charlie McCoy. It resembles the Roman numeral and figured bass systems traditionally used to transcribe a chord progression. By writing chords as numbers, music may be transposed easily. As a simple system of transcription, it can be used with only a rudimentary background in music theory. Improvisation structures can be quickly explained using numbers and chord changes can be communicated mid-song by holding up the corresponding number of fingers. The system is flexible, and can be embellished to include more information (such as chord color or to denote a bass note in an inverted chord).

Nashville Number System

NashvilleNumberSystem

Links

Listing Info

from the Nashville Number System web site

In the late 50’s, Neil Matthews devised a musical number system for the Jordanaires to use in the studio. Charlie McCoy and fellow studio musicians began adapting Matthews’ number system into chord charts. The Nashville Number System has evolved into a complete method of writing chord charts and melodies — combining Nashville shorthand with formal notation standards.

The Nashville Number System is 130 pages with a step by step method of how to write a Nashville number chart for any song. Included with each NNS book in Edition 7 is the cd, “String Of Pearls”. This is a 10 song cd of instrumentals, including, Amazing Grace. I walk you through the details of each song and explain the Number System tools used to write the charts. Now, while listening to the cd, you can see and hear how Nashville number charts work.

More information available on the Nashville Number System's web site.

Even more information, discussion and comments on this listing below.

The Harmonized Major and Minor Scale Charts

Updated: 11 Jan 2022

The "Major Scale" or Ionian scale is a diatonic scale, made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first one octave higher. In solfege these notes correspond to the syllables Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti/Si, (Do), the Do in the parenthesis at the end being the octave of the root.

Common Progression: I V

I V refers to the tonic ( I ) and dominant ( V ) chords of a major or minor key.

  • Key of C: C, G or G7

    C Dm Em F G G7 Am Bdim

  • Key of F: F, C or C7

    F Gm Am Bb C C7 Dm Edim

See the Key Signatures series of lessons for all 15 keys.

Common Progression: I IV V

I V refers to the tonic, subdominant and dominant chords of a major or minor key.

  • Key of C: C, F, G or G7

    C Dm Em F G G7 Am Bdim

  • Key of F: F, Bb, C or C7

    F Gm Am Bb C C7 Dm Edim

See the Key Signatures series of lessons for all 15 keys.

There are a ton of songs using the harmonic sequence. too many to list. So common that you should learn to recognize the sound of this sequence. There's even commercial song books with some variation of "Three Chord Songs".

Here are a few:

  • Brown Eyed Girl

    I always get verse and chorus mixed up. It's one of those, the first part of the song, the verse and the intro.

    The chorus is IV V7 I VI IV V7 I V7 and back to the verse.

  • This Land Is Your Land

Nashville Number System

NashvilleNumberSystem

Links

Listing Info

from the Nashville Number System web site

In the late 50’s, Neil Matthews devised a musical number system for the Jordanaires to use in the studio. Charlie McCoy and fellow studio musicians began adapting Matthews’ number system into chord charts. The Nashville Number System has evolved into a complete method of writing chord charts and melodies — combining Nashville shorthand with formal notation standards.

The Nashville Number System is 130 pages with a step by step method of how to write a Nashville number chart for any song. Included with each NNS book in Edition 7 is the cd, “String Of Pearls”. This is a 10 song cd of instrumentals, including, Amazing Grace. I walk you through the details of each song and explain the Number System tools used to write the charts. Now, while listening to the cd, you can see and hear how Nashville number charts work.

More information available on the Nashville Number System's web site.

Even more information, discussion and comments on this listing below.

D Ville Jim

DVilleJim

Links

Listing Info

from the D Ville Jim web site

At age 43 after ten years of trying to memorize banjo tab and then play it back, my wife’s grandmother gave me a 70 year old Columbia Hawaiian soprano ukulele that had been in her closet for more than 50 years. To please grandma, I took the uke and bought an instruction book. But I was tired of memorizing music out of books!

That approach did not turn me into a musician on the banjo and I doubted that I would have a different outcome on the ukulele. So I just practiced chord progressions and inversions and listening to the sounds I was making. I found I was developing an emotional relationship with the chords I was playing and realized why songwriters choose specific chords to garner a certain emotional response from the listener. My mission then was to teach other adult beginners the fundamentals of music from an ear-based approach, Play Ukulele By Ear.

More information available on the D Ville Jim's web site.

Even more information, discussion and comments on this listing below.

USA TN

Nashville Number System Publishers

In the late 50’s, Neil Matthews devised a musical number system for the Jordanaires to use in the studio. Charlie McCoy and fellow studio musicians began adapting Matthews’ number system into chord charts. The Nashville Number System has evolved into a complete method of writing chord charts and melodies — combining Nashville shorthand with formal notation standards.

RMA1

Harmonic Analysis for Scale Selection and Chord Substitution

Updated: 08 Jun 2024

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.

UL127

Hearing the Changes

Updated: 21 May 2024

"Hearing The Changes" is knowing what the chords of a song or chord progression are and when they change. This lesson gets you on the road to developing this ability. This involves know the chords of the keys and scales that are used for common progressions and songs. And the ability to recognize the sound of intervals, the distance between intervals.

UL124

The Harmonized Major and Minor Scale Charts

Updated: 11 Jan 2022

The "Major Scale" or Ionian scale is a diatonic scale, made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first one octave higher. In solfege these notes correspond to the syllables Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti/Si, (Do), the Do in the parenthesis at the end being the octave of the root.

UL31

Understanding Diatonic Intervals

Updated: 13 May 2024

An interval is the distance between two notes. An interval has a name and a type. Intervals can be played one note (melodic) or two notes (harmonic) at a time, ascending or descending. Simple and Compound Intervals are taken from a major scale. Chromatic Intervals are NOT taken from a major scale. They are derived from the diatonic intervals.

UL09

Major & Relative Minor Key Signatures

Updated: 13 Feb 2020

A "Key Signature" is a series of sharp or flat symbols placed on the staff, designating the notes that are to be consistently played higher or lower than the equivalent natural notes. Key signatures are generally written immediately after the clef at the beginning of a line of musical notation. Each major and minor key has an associated key signature that sharpens or flattens the notes which are used in its scale.

UL10

Ear Training

Updated: 30 Sep 2021

Ear Training is the development of the active and passive capability to relate to music aurally. This includes the ability to recognize melodic and harmonic intervals, chords, chords progressions, rhythm, melody and harmony.

Site Access Plans for LearningUkulele.com

Forever Access - With Forever Premium Access, you get ALL the benefits of a Premium Access Subscription such as Unlimited 24/7 access to ALL lessons, downloads, songs, play-along jam tracks, videos, email access to Curt, resources, related assets, and ALL books by Curt as FREE downloads. Pretty much everything on the site, and NEVER worry about a subscription or surprise payment again. And jump the queue for responding to any questions.

If you're anything like me (Curt) and getting Subscription overloaded with everything and everybody on-line wanting money from you once a month — I'm with you. For like-minded individuals, this forever plan is a pay once, and you're done.

The price for Unlimited Forever access is right around the cost of a few months of private lessons. I can guarantee there is more than enough material on-line to keep you busy for a long, long time. And, you get all of my books for FREE. That alone is more than the cost of this plan.

Premium Access - This premium gives you Unlimited 24/7 access to ALL lessons, downloads, songs, play-along jam tracks, videos, email access to Curt, resources and related assets. As well as ALL books by Curt Sheller as FREE downloads.

Basic Access - A limited selection of basic lessons — ( currently over 140 ) and 100+ songs for ukulele as well as basic general music reference material — Completely FREE — Simply Register/Signup. HOWEVER - I've been doing ukulele and LearningUkulele.com since 2003 and probably have given too much away already - as reflected in my income from the site in relationship to the time spent on the site. So help support this site and its continued development by signing up for one of the below Premium Access Plans or buy a few of my books. - Thanks, Curt

NOTE: Each higher access level includes ALL the benefits of the lower levels. Private Lessons include all the benefits of a Premium Access Plans as long as you remain a student on the schedule.

Just browsing over both books, they look fantastic! I'm a guitarist and uke player for over 25 years and was thinking about writing a ukulele book but you've already written what I think are the best, most comprehensive and thorough books I've ever seen for the instrument. I just might end up buying every book you've written and I'll be giving my highest recommendation for your books to my friends and students. Thank you so much for taking the time to write such great books!Peter Rhee

Aloha, Curt, All I can say is WOW! What you have accomplished is simply incredible! All the bestGlen Hirabayashi, The Aloha Boys

Folks, if you haven't stopped by Curt's site, do so right now! ..And get his books, they are fantastic. This guy knows his stuff and is able to pass it along too.Alan Johnson Proprietor, The 4th Peg

I can highly recommend Curt's Uke books — I have four of them and they are excellent.fatveg — Portland

Want to drop LearningUkulele.com & Learning Ukulele with Curt a nice comment . We always like to know how we are and you are doing. We'll post any comment, quotes throughout the site and you can help spread the word .

Thanks for visiting and checking out the site!

curtieAnim.gif rw.vg.gif

Original Curtie Animation from 1987 for my first web site on a Macintosh II, 37 years ago. Man, does time fly.

“Built for myself (Curt), and sharing with the `Ukulele community!”

LearningUkulele.com has one of the largest collections of lessons, songs, and TABS, Luthiers, ukulele builders, ukulele festival and club information, and, ukulele links on the web. Curt has been on the ®Internet since the early 1990's and This site just never stops growing!!!

Content is added and updated daily — so check back often. I really do need to get out more ;-)

Love LearningUkulele.com? • Show your support!
Support development via a monthly membership or a one-time forever membership!