Types of `Ukulele Chords
That is what you'll be doing the most of when playing the ukulele.
Naturally, for ukulele, all chords need to be voiced using only the four strings available. You would think that this is limiting when in actuality it's quite liberating when you learn the makeup of chords. This lesson covers the types of chords possible on ukulele.
Chord can be categorized in to four categories: open position chords, movable form chords, 4-part - a.k.a. jazz chords and free from chords.
Open Position Chords
Open Position chords are the basic first chords most players learn. There are the chords in the first one, two, three and fours frets of the ukulele and include at least one open string. Learn about 19 open position chords and you'll be able to play a load of songs.
Basic Movable Form Chords
Movable Form Chords are the basic open position re-finger to allow transposition the additional keys. The first movable form chord chord players typically learn is Bb.
Traditional and Contemporary Triads
Triads - At the heart of most chords there is a major, minor, diminished or augmented triad. Theses are the fundamental, traditional three note chords that have been around for centuries. The basic major and minor Open Position and Movable Form chords where triads with a duplication of one of the notes in the chord.
Triads are at the heart of the Open Position, Basic Movable Form and 4-Part Jazz chords.
“Jazz” Chords
These chords are simply 4-part Contemporary Chords used in a wide variety of music and where you start to learn how chords are constructed and where they come from. Beyond a core set of chords this is where you'll start to realize that they're too many shapes to memorize all the possible chords shapes. You need to build and derive all your chords from a core foundation of chords.
Free Form Chords
It’s just the notes!!!
Free Form chords are those chords that do not fall into one of the other categories. They typically don’t show up in chord dictionaries or software programs.You can create these chords when you know the notes of the ukulele fingerboard, know how chords are constructed and know the names of the notes the chord and the intervals that make up the chord.
End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!

Basic `Ukulele Chord Fingering • Updated: Nov 15, 2019
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.

Transposing Individual `Ukulele Chords • Updated: Jun 15, 2019
"Transposition" is the process of moving a note, chord, scale or any musical passage from one key to another key. All music can be transposed, from a single note to a complex musical score. This lesson deals with transposing chords on ukulele and transposing chords.

What Finger is What? • Updated: Mar 22, 2012
Just what are the fingers of the plucking and fretting hand called.
There can be a bit of confusion as to what the names and numbers of your fretting hand and the plucking or strumming hand are. Here are some of the common fingering notations I’ve encounter over the course of my studying ukulele and guitar.

Basic Open Position `Ukulele Chord Chart • Updated: Nov 29, 2019
A core set of basic ukulele chords that ALL Ukulele players should know in the five common keys of C, G, D, A and E. With the possible seventh chords for the same common keys. The chart is organized in common keys and covers basic chords in these keys.

Core Chords - The Big Six - Building a Solid Chord Foundation • Updated: Jan 23, 2020
The Big Six Core Chords is a series of lessons for building your core, essential 4-part chords. These chords commonly called jazz chords, are really just 4-part chords used in a wide range of musical styles. These chords include: Seventh , Major Seventh, Minor Seventh, Half Diminished Seventh or Minor Seven Flat Five, Diminished Seventh, and Augmented Seventh. These six chords form a core set of chords.

Building a Solid Jazz Chord Foundation for `Ukulele • Updated: Oct 12, 2015
Commonly called "Jazz Chords", these more sophisticated, contemporary chord voicings find their way into a wide variety of music forms and styles. This lesson is the first on the series that builds your core foundation for these chords.

Movable `Ukulele Chords • Updated: Mar 18, 2020
A series of weekly ukulele lessons originally presented throughout 2007 on movable ukulele chords as the "Ukulele Chord of The Week Series". Based on the Ukulele Chords book by Curt Sheller (me). It takes the open position chords and shows the movable form and the variations.

Upper Partial Chord Tones • Updated: Feb 3, 2017
Upper Partials or extensions for chords are the 9th, 11th, and 13ths of a chord. The 9, 11 and 13 can be altered chord tones depending on the type: e.g: b9, #9, #11, b13. These numbers, the 9, 11 and 13 refer to the scale tone/chord tone relative to the major scale used for building all chords.

Your First `Ukulele Chord • Updated: Feb 29, 2016
Your first ukulele chord is typically an open position "C Major Chord." It's only one finger and ukulele players love to show new players this, the easiest, usable ukulele chord for new players. Especially someone coming from guitar where an open position C major is three fingers and not that easy as the first chord.

Basic Open Position `Ukulele Chord Chart for Lefties • Updated: Mar 26, 2019
A core set of basic ukulele chords that ALL Left Handed Ukulele players should know in the five common keys of C, G, D, A and E. With the possible seventh chords for the same common keys. The chart is organized in common keys and covers basic chords in these keys.

Basic Movable Form Chords • Updated: Jun 9, 2015
Sometimes called barre chords, these chords venture beyond the third fret.
Movable chord forms are chords with no open strings. Sometimes called barre chords, these chords are transposable by moving each note of the chord the same number of frets up and down the neck.
Each movable form is based on a common open position chord. Movable forms allow you to play chords not found in the open position and in any key.

Traditional and Contemporary Triads • Updated: Feb 20, 2014
A <strong>triad</strong> is a three note chord. In traditional chord theory there are four traditional triad chord types: major, minor, diminished and augmented. And four contemporary triad chord types: sus2, sus4, add2 and add9.
Triads can be used harmonically, as chords and melodically, as single notes. Triads are a great way to get started with creating melodic solos and improvising.

4-part Contemporary Chords, a.k.a. Jazz Chords • Updated: Nov 17, 2014
Core Chords is a series of lessons for building your 4-part chords. These chords commonly called jazz chords, are really just 4-part chords used in a wide range of musical styles.
Beyond basic open position chords, basic movable form chords and a core set of 4-part chords. There are just too many chords shapes too memorize. Learning the principles of how chords are constructed and the ukulele fingerboard are the way to go. Then you can create more advanced chords like 9#11, 7#5-9, 13b5, 7+9 on the fly as needed.

Free Form Chords • Updated: Nov 30, 2015
Free Form chords are those chords that do not fall into one of the other chord categories. They typically don't show up in chord dictionaries or software programs. You can create these chords when you know the notes of the ukulele fingerboard, know the principles of chord construction and know the actual names of the notes the chord as well the intervals that make up a chord.

A Guide to Ukulele Chords for Lefties
Updated: Jan 10, 2020
Covering basic ukulele chords that ALL uke players MUST know, movable chord forms, rock uke chords, how to transpose chords, learning the ukulele fingerboard and an introduction to 4-part jazz chords and more... FOR LEFTIES - Tunings: C, G, or D Tunings. Low or high string four variations.

A Guide to Advanced Ukulele Chords - Volume I
Updated: Feb 13, 2020
Beyond learning basic Ukulele chords most players struggle with advanced chords. Commonly called 'jazz' chords, these more sophisticated voicings find a wide use in all forms of music. A Guide to Advanced Chords for Ukulele - presents a highly organized and efficient approach to the mysterious subject of advanced chords. Chord dictionaries are not the answer.

A Guide to Ukulele Chords, 2nd Edition
Updated: Jan 10, 2020
A Guide to Ukulele Chords, Second Edition is designed as a guide to ukulele chords. Covering the basic ukulele chords that ALL ukulele players SHOULD know. A Guide to Ukulele Chords covers movable chord forms, rock chords, how to transpose chords, learning the ukulele fingerboard and includes an introduction to 4-part, a.k.a jazz chords and more...

Exploring Jazz Chords on Ukulele
Updated: Nov 24, 2009
Exploring jazz chords using a variety of common chord progressions based on songs from the standard jazz repertoire. Core Chords are the basic set of chords needed to play a wide range of music, in a variety of styles. This set of chords includes basic open position chords, basic movable form chords and the core 4-part "jazz" chords.

The Advanced Guide to Chord Progressions for Ukulele - Volume I
Updated: Jan 10, 2020
Before individual chords become the background of songs, they must be put into orders called chord progressions. The Advanced Guide to Chord Progressions for Ukulele organizes progressions according to string family, position, voice leading and chord magnetism.
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