UPDATED
Nov 29, 2019
Basic Open Position `Ukulele Chord Chart
A core set of basic `ukulele chords that ALL Ukulele players should know.
PUBLISHED: Dec 8, 2011 UPDATED: Nov 29, 2019 • VIEWS: 438 • LESSON CODE: UL700a •
Instruments: ukulele Subjects: chords • progressions • basics • core
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Basic Open Position `Ukulele Chord Chart
A core set of basic ukulele chords that ALL Ukulele players should know - at least - in the five common keys of C, G, D, A and E. As well as the seventh chords for common keys.
The chart is organized in common keys and covers basic chords in these keys. Of the 15 possible major and relative minor keys in music. There are five common keys to get started with: C, G, D, A, and E. These keys allow you to play quite a few popular songs. There's more in common between songs that your might think.
This chord chart is great for beginners and new members to ukulele clubs.
You'll play chords more than anything else on the ukulele.
Understandably this is one of the most popular and top lessons on the site. Chords are what we do the most on ukulele as you can't know too many chords. But, in the long run, there are far too many chord shapes to memorize all the possible chords. You need to learn a bit about how they are constructed and work to get beyond this basic chart.
Master the chords on this chord chart, and when you venture past the third fret, you'll see that it's not as foreign chord territory as you might have thought.
Here are direct links to the Key Signature lessons for the common keys covered in the chart with a lot more information. Each key is a series of lessons covering the primary and secondary chords of the key with common progressions and more!
Did I mention it's FREE!!!
Several years ago I created a series of lessons called **A Chord a Week**, where each week I took a basic open position chord, which happens to be one of the chords from this chart and went over the chords you can derive from your basic chords.
Here a lot of the chords that are in the first row of the chart and their seventh chords:
What NOT To Do!
Photo from WikipediA
This above photo is intended to show a guitar chord and inadvertently shows several points of bad technique (which equally apply to ukulkele):
- A – Thumb creeping above the neck and out of its support role.
- B – Palm touching the neck, which limits the range and dexterity of the fingers ability to finger the individual notes of a chord.
- C – The pinky on the frets and not right behind it. I'd be surprised if the C note on string five sounded when played. The same can be said for the other C note on string two and the index finger being on the frets and not behind it.
What TO Do!
Photo from Right Here on LearningUkulele.com
Note: For a better camera angle my thumb has creeped up a bit to get the shot - which is not efficient or recommended.
This chord chart is also available for Lefties.
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Videos
Videos for Basic Open Position `Ukulele Chord Chart.
Ukulele Chord a Day, January 1st - C
What better way than to start the new year off with learning a new ukulele chord every day of the year. The chord for January 1st is C.
The C chord is typically the first chord all new ukulele players learn, uses a single finger and is relatively easy to play on ukulele. The C chord is a major chord type and the most common chord type. The major part of the chord is seldom written and almost never pronounced - simply say C.
The C chord is responsible for getting more people hooked on the ukulele than any other chord. Even if you already know this C chord I've included a lot more information regarding the C Chord. So take a look and around.
In the common keys of C, F, and G - C functions as a "primary" chord.
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Ukulele Chord a Day, January 7th - Am
Learn a new Ukulele chord every day of the year. The chord for January 6th is Am. The 'm' is pronounced 'minor'.
The original, first “Am” chord was discover deep in the Consolidation Coal Company mine in Butcher Holler, Van Lear, Kentucky USA - by . . . . . . . . . . . “A minor”
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Ukulele Chord a Day, January 5th - Dm
Learn a new Ukulele chord every day of the year. The chord for January 5th is Dm. The 'm' is pronounced 'minor'.
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Ukulele Chord a Day, January 3rd - G
Learn a new Ukulele chord every day of the year. The chord for January 3rd is G.
G is a primary chord in the common keys of G, C, and D.
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Ukulele Chord a Day, January 2nd - F
What better way than to start the new year off with learning a new ukulele chord every day of the year. The chord for January 2nd is F.
Learn a new Ukulele chord every day of the year. The chord for January 2nd is F. January 2nd happens to be my (Curt) birthday. Sorry, Mom and Dad, you didn't get that tax deduction.
Initially, chords are learned based on songs that players would like to play and this means the primary chords of the common keys are typically first. F is a primary chord in the keys of C, F, and Bb.
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Ukulele Chord a Day, January 6th - Em
Learn a new Ukulele chord every day of the year. The chord for January 6th is Em. The 'm' is pronounced 'minor'.
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Related Lessons
Related Lessons for Basic Open Position `Ukulele Chord Chart at this time.
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. A example shows up with the first chord we will cover, a C major chord. It is a one finger chord. That one finger can be anyone of your four fingers.
Key Signatures - C Major and A Minor • Updated: Sep 21, 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.
Chord Shapes and Learning `Ukulele Chords • Updated: Jan 11, 2020
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.
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