Learning Ukulele with Curt

Getting Started with `Ukulele?

First thing is to Get A Ukulele .

It is generally true that you get what you pay for when it comes to buying an instrument and a ukulele is no different. Get a few, they come in four sizes and all different shapes, wood, finishes, acoustic, electric, solid body, archtop. There is even a banjo and bass ukulele. Plus they are fun, any size

four ukes

The above image is a selection of the characters available in a FREE font from www.ffonts.net showing the wide variety of ukulele shapes — all of them real.

Second, You Might Ask: How Good Can I Get?

You can take your ukulele playing to ANY level. From a few simple basic chords to complicated Solo Ukulele Arrangements ') like I have available right here on LearningUkulele.com.

For selecting a ukulele take a look at the over 100 'Ukulele Manufactures & Builders I've collected. And, a page of 'ukulele dealers to get you started.

UL128

Selecting a `Ukulele

Updated: 03 Dec 2017

A `Ukulele is: Light Weight, Affordable and Portable | Four Strings and Four Fingers | Less Need for Strumming Accuracy | There is nott a lot expected from a ukulele player. The 'Ukulele (pronounced oo-koo-lele) comes in four standard sizes: Soprano (sometimes called Standard), Concert, Tenor and Baritone.

Ukulele Study Plans

One of the hardest things about learning a musical instrument is the overwhelming amount of material available. And with the Internet and YouTube this is more more true than ever. Even an instrument deemed to be as simple to learn as the ukulele. However, with the right plan of attack and taking inventory of what you might already know – It can be done.

I've been asked many times to put together a plan of attack for getting started and getting beyond the basics. There is no better recipe for success that a proven plan and organization for development. These lesson pages are intended to provide material for developing your ukulele skills and expanding your music knowledge.

Music..., regardless of your instrument, involves parts or all of these elements: Melody, Harmony and Rhythm. Then putting it all together in Songs, Compositions, Arrangements, Orchestration, etc...

Visit the `Ukulele Study Plans section of the site

A Few Recommended Lessons

Here are a few ukulele lessons to get you stated. Lessons on the possible tunings of ukulele, the various sizes, basic chords, strums and more...

Or check out the Weekly Lesson Series of lessons for getting stated with ukulele.

UL101

Common `Ukulele Tunings

Updated: 11 Apr 2012

Any tuning is possible on a ukulele as long as the ukulele’s construction supports it and a string is available.

UL101a

Tuning Your Ukulele

Updated: 13 Oct 2023

From tuning by ear to using an electronic tuner. The lesson goes over the various tuning methods for tuning your ukulele. You ALWAYS need to play in tune.

UL22

Reading Ukulele TAB - Alternate Notation

Updated: 18 Dec 2023

"TAB" or "Tablature", is an alternate form of musical notation, which tells players where to place their fingers on a particular instrument rather than which pitches to play. TAB is sort of a secret language between guitar players and ukulele players. Although a shortcut to getting started it actually serves to alienate one from the rest of the music world.

ULM40

Basic `Ukulele Chord Fingering

Updated: 08 Sep 2022

The art and science of chord fingering. Learning your basic open position chords in common keys. We have four fingers and there're all not equal. Some shorter then others and some stronger that others. Everybody's hand is a little different. This does play a role in fingering chords.

UL23

Natural, Sharp and Flat Notes of the `Ukulele Fingerboard - C Tuning

Updated: 19 Jun 2023

Standard music notation, the natural, sharp and flat notes of the ukulele fingerboard for C tuned ukuleles. Covers both high C and low G tuning variations.

UL32

Which Way Is Up? - Up, Down, Ascending, Descending, etc...

Updated: 26 Aug 2022

Just what is "Up, Down, Ascending, Descending, Higher, Lower, Top, Bottom" as related to music?

UL07

Learning the `Ukulele Fingerboard (Finally!!!)

Updated: 20 Oct 2021

Most players struggle with learning the names of the notes of the ukulele fingerboard. There doesn't seem to a pattern and notes repeat. There is an easy way and "it's easier that you think." Most players know the names of the open strings for their favorite tuning.

UL112

Fingerstyle Basics for `Ukulele - t i m r, ( p i m a )

Updated: 05 Jun 2023

This lesson covers the common terms used for identifying the fingers used. And, presents a series of single string exercises for exploring and developing the techniques needed for this style.

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.

UL43

The Trouble with TAB

Updated: 19 Jun 2021

TAB, short for tablature is a form of musical notation using numbers and letters on a staff that that corresponds to the number of strings of fretted string instrument. Theses number tell a player which fret to place their fingers on the fingerboard. TAB has a history with lute music from centuries ago and has found wide use in the music publishing industry catering to the guitarist who can?t or doesn't want to learn to read.

Now grab your uke and get cracking!

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 ;-)

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