UPDATED
Jan 11, 2020
Chord Shapes and Learning `Ukulele Chords
Even memorizing a few hundred is time-consuming and not practical.
PUBLISHED: Jan 2, 2005 UPDATED: Jan 11, 2020 • VIEWS: 66 • LESSON CODE: UL40 •
Instruments: ukulele Subjects: beginner • intermediate • chords • basics
All 4 sample page(s) are viewable on-line.
To view the pages at a larger size you can resize the browser window smaller to a tablet or phone size and the pages will magically grow larger. If you are a registered member and have the correct permissions.
This Download is NOT part of your LearningUkulele.com membership level. Sign-up for a Site Access or Upgrade your current access level to download this PDF or your can purchase a copy for download.
Each PDF file is a formatted high resolution file that prints out great. You'll need Adobe Reader or a PDF viewing application to view your PDF file.
Chord Shapes and Learning `Ukulele Chords
Pick up any chord dictionary, and one thought that should go through your mind is - TOO MANY CHORDS. There is now way to memorize all those shapes. It would be better off learning how they came up with all those shapes. Most chord dictionaries are also just like pages transposed to all possible keys.
There is no way one can memorize ALL the possible chord shapes. Even learning a few hundred is time-consuming and not practical. Beyond the basic open position chords and basic movable form chords (major, minor and sevenths) – one needs to learn how to constructed chords when needed.
A chord shape is an only a function of a particular instrument and tuning. Knowing where chords come from as well as the notes of the ukulele fingerboard and you can build any chord you will ever need by moving or displacing a note or notes from a core set of basic chords. It's the notes NOT the shape.
What the Pros Do
Pro players build their chords on the fly when needed for the chords they do not use all the time. They can create ANY required chord from their core set of chords. If it's a one they need a lot it just gets memorized without much additional effort. It becomes part of an arrangement or voice leading situation.
A C chord is C E G, a D7 chord is D F# A C - it's not this shape or that shape. The actual notes of a chord are the smallest bit of information that is needed to memorize a chord. that and really knowing the Notes of the Ukulele Fingerboard .
Yeah, but John, if The Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don’t eat the tourists. Forget the fat lady! You're obsessed with the fat lady! Drive us out of here! Jaguar shark! So tell me - does it really exist? Hey, you know how I'm, like, always trying to save the planet? Here's my chance. - Jeff
End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!
Download the lesson's PDF file for the latest, complete, and most up-to-date version of the lesson. As well as additional information not presented on-line.
Members and Active Students need to sign-in
to download this lesson's PDF for the complete lesson.
Altered Seventh Chords on `Ukulele • Updated: Apr 4, 2014
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. You can then create more advanced chords like 9#11, 7#5-9, 13b5, 7+9 on the fly as needed from your core set of chords.
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.
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.
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.
Site Access Plans for LearningUkulele.com
Forever Access - With Forever Premium Access, you get 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 your anything like me (Curt) and getting Subscription overload with everything 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 your done.
The price for Unlimited Forever access is right around the cost of a few months of private lessons. I can guarantee that is more material on-line to keep you busy for a long, long time. And, you get all of my books for FREE. That along is more than the cost of this plan.
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 best — Glen 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
Thanks for visiting and checking out the site!
Original Curtie Animation from 1987 for my first web site on a Macintosh II. 34 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. I’ve been on the ®Internet since the early 1990's and This site just never stops growing!!!
Content is added and updated almost daily - so check back often. I really do need to get out more ;-)