Primary Chords - C Major

The I, IV, and V chords of the C major scale.

Published: 08 Feb 2013 Updated: 25 Oct 2021Visits: 147Code: UL44a

Topic: Chords Instruments: Ukulele Subjects: Chords • Theory • Scales • Progressions

All 1 sample page(s) are viewable on-line.

If you are a registered site member, have verified your email address, and have the correct permissions you can view ALL the pages of this PDF or Samples pages at a larger size using the LearningUkulele.com Online PDF Viewer .

This Download is NOT part of your LearningUkulele.com membership level.

Sign-up for Premium Site Access or Upgrade Your Plan your current access level to download this PDF or your can purchase a copy for download.

After purchasing a PDF , a download link will be sent to you within 24hrs. Working on getting it to be automated.

Each PDF file is a formatted, high resolution file that prints out great. You'll need a PDF Reader or application capable of viewing PDF files to view the PDF.

Download the PDF file for the latest, complete, and most up-to-date version. 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.

The primary chords for any major key are the I, IV and V chords of its corresponding major scale. For C Major, the primary chords are: C, F, G, and G7.

From the primary and secondary chords of a major key, countless songs and chords progressions can be played.

Primary Chords

Every major key has three major triads, three minor triads and one lone diminished triad.


Download the PDF file for the latest, complete, and most up-to-date version. As well as additional information not presented on-line.

End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!

Related Lessons, Videos, Lesson Series, Songs, Books & Reference Charts, Resources & Assets, Workshops are below.

Related Lessons

Related Lessons for Primary Chords - C Major.

UL44

Key Signatures - C Major and A Minor

Updated: 21 Sep 2011

Learn the recognize the key signature for C Major and A Minor. Learn their corresponding Major and Natural Minor scales with basic ukulele chords for each scale. Sometimes called the learning key, the key of C Major is one of the easiest keys to memorize and begin using.

UL44c

Common Chord Progressions for the Key of C Major

Updated: 25 Feb 2013

Sometimes called the “learning key”, the key of C Major is one of the easiest keys to memorize and begin using. C major (often just C or key of C) is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C D E F G A B C. Its key signature has no flats or sharps. Its relative minor is A minor A B C D E F G A B.

UL44b

Secondary Chords - C Major

Updated: 25 Oct 2021

The secondary chords for any major key are the II, III and VI chords of it's corresponding major scale. For C Major, the secondary chords are: Dm, Em and Am. From the primary and secondary chords of a major key, countless songs and chords progressions can be played.

UL700a

Basic Open Position `Ukulele Chord Chart

Updated: 29 Nov 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.

UL44a

Primary Chords - C Major

Updated: 25 Oct 2021

The primary chords for any major key are the I, IV and V chords of its corresponding major scale. For C Major, the primary chords are: C, F, G, and G7. From the primary and secondary chords of a major key, countless songs and chords progressions can be played.

UL42-Blues-7C

Basic Blues Progressions in C Major

Updated: 23 Jan 2020

Basic and Quick Change blues chord progressions in the key of C major using the core 7th chords from the Big Six series of lessons. This is a great way to explore this core chord in various keys. These are the two most common blues progressions used in traditional and contemporary music.

Related Lesson Series

Related Lessons Series for Primary Chords - C Major.

Common Chord Progressions and Remembering Songs

Updated: 01 Jan 2003

Learning the similarities between chord progressions and songs helps you remember a lot of songs. There's a lot more in common between songs than one might think.

Playing by Ear

Updated: 01 Jan 2003

Learning to play by ear is the ultimate goal when learning any musical instrument. This series of lessons is designed to get you to that goal. Whether it's melodies or chords, it can be done.

Related Songs

Related Songs for Primary Chords - C Major.

UL585

London Bridge

Updated: 08 Feb 2020

Presented here in two keys. The key of C Major in the open position and the key of D Major in position II. This is a simple melody that can be used as a reference fingering and position with the Playing by Ear series of lessons. London Bridge Is Falling Down (also known as My Fair Lady or simply London Bridge) is a traditional nursery rhyme and singing game, which is found in different versions all over the world. It deals with the depredations of London Bridge and attempts, realistic or fanciful, to repair it.

UL414

Old MacDonald Had a Farm

Updated: 01 Oct 2011

Old MacDonald Had a Farm is a children's song and nursery rhyme about a farmer named MacDonald (or McDonald, Macdonald) and the various animals he keeps on his farm. Each verse of the song changes the name of the animal and its respective noise. In many versions, the song is cumulative, with the noises from all the earlier verses added to each subsequent verse. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 745.

UL584

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Updated: 08 Feb 2020

Row, Row, Row Your Boat is an English language nursery rhyme, and a popular childrens song, often sung as a round. Presented here in two keys. The key of C Major in the open position and the key of D Major in position II. This is a simple melody that can be used as a reference fingering and position with the Playing by Ear series of lessons.

UL583

This Old Man

Updated: 03 Jan 2023

This Old Man is an English language children's song, counting and nursery rhyme Presented here in two keys. The key of C Major in the open position and the key of D Major in position II. This is a simple melody that can be used as a reference fingering and position with the Playing by Ear series of lessons.

UL586

Three Blind Mice

Updated: 30 Jul 2014

Three Blind Mice is an English nursery rhyme and musical round. Presented here in two keys. The key of C Major in the open position and the key of D Major in position II. This is a simple melody that can be used as a reference fingering and position with the Playing by Ear series of lessons.

Related Books & Charts

Related Books for Primary Chords - C Major.

QS1UKES

QuickStart Scale Fingerings for Ukulele, Volume I, C Tuning

Updated: 16 May 2023

Learn to create exciting solos in a variety of contemporary styles! Scales are used to improvise, create melodies and riffs. With broad knowledge of the essential scales that are used in contemporary music and a mastery of the ukulele's fingerboard and fingering principles, you're well on your way.

QS1UKES-IONIAN

QuickStart Scale Fingerings for Ukulele, C Tuning - Ionian Scale

Updated: 30 Jul 2019

The Ionian scale is a major scale more commonly known by its traditional name - Major and one of six essential scales for ALL ukulele players. One octave scale fingering solutions for strings four and three and any finger with the Mixolydian scale chords are covered in all keys. Sample chord progressions for practice are included. Tunings: C with low or high G - (GCEA or gCEA). This book includes access to four studio recorded backing tracks for exploring the scale and improvisation in a variety of settings. Tracks are also great for practicing your chords against.

QS1CDB

QuickStart - Chord Progressions for Lead Guitar - Vol I Book and CD

Updated: 10 Dec 2019

24 play-along tracks for QUICKSTART Scale Fingerings for Lead Guitar. Four tracks each for the six essential scales for exploring improvisation in a variety of contemporary styles.

Related Lesson Files, Resources and Assets

Related Assets for Primary Chords - C Major.

WEB_CONTENT_ONLY

Basic Ukulele Chord Chart

Updated: 11 May 2019

A chart of the most common ukulele chords in the most common keys of C, G, D, A, and E.

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, 36 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 ;-)