All 971 Lessons

There are two approaches to learning chords, the song based approach and learning the fundamentals approach. I'm a big advocate of building a solid base of the fundamentals. A lot of players new to the ukulele like to jump right in and learn songs.

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.

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.

The open strings and frets (5) and (7), with only natural notes in C tuning are somewhat easy to memorize. These can be considered Key frets.

This tuning was common in the first and second ukulele craze. It is also the tuning that is used in the Canadian school system.

Learn the Blues ( Minor Pentatonic ) and Pentatonic ( Major Pentatonic ) scales on ukulele. A practical approach to learning theses two essential scales using the Blues. These five note scales, the Major Pentatonic and the Blues or Minor Pentatonic scales are two of the most common scales used in contemporary music.

The Bo Diddley strum is named after Bo Diddley. Bo Diddley is an American R&B vocalist, guitarist, songwriter ( usually as Ellas McDaniel ), and rock and roll pioneer. He introduced more insistent, driving rhythms and a hard-edged electric guitar sound on a wide-ranging catalog of songs, along with African rhythms and a signature beat (a simple five-accent clave rhythm) that remains a cornerstone of rock and pop.

Here is a 10-Step Program for really learning the ukulele fingerboard.

"Derived Frets from Key Frets" are the next higher frets or previous lower frets you get from your Key Frets in C Tuning. You basically get these higher and lower frets for FREE.

"Derived Frets from Secondary Key Frets" are the next higher frets or previous lower frets from the Secondary Key Frets. You basically get these higher and lower frets for FREE.

Fret (10) is a Secondary Key fret. From the key and secondary key frets, adjacent frets can be memorized relative to that fret.

There is nothing that returns more value when learning a fretted musical instrument like the ukulele than really, and I mean really knowing the names of the notes of the fingerboard. This is not the same as learning to read music but simply knowing the name of any note on the fingerboard.b

Nothing when learning a fretted musical instrument like the ukulele returns more value than really, and I mean really knowing the names of the notes of the ukulele fingerboard. This is not the same as learning to read music — but simply knowing the name of any note on the fingerboard.

Fret (7) is a Key fret. From the key and secondary key frets, adjacent frets can be memorized relative to that fret. Fret (7) is the same as the open strings in G Tuning.

There is nothing that returns more value for your investment when learning a fretted musical instrument like the ukulele than really, and I mean really knowing the names of the notes of the fingerboard. This is not the same as learning to read music - but simply knowing the name of any note on the fingerboard - intuitively, second-nature. At a minimum you need to know the open strings to tune the ukulele. In C tuning they are G C E A.

There is nothing that returns more value when learning a fretted musical instrument like the ukulele than really , and I mean really knowing the names of the notes of the fingerboard. This exercise takes any random fingerboard shape and names the notes using any combination of their natural, sharps and or flats names.

After learning the key frets, the secondary key frets start to fill in the remaining fingerboard of the ukulele.

A handy reference chart of the Natural, Sharp, and Flat Names for C Ttuning, Low or High G*

The natural, flat and sharp note names of the ukulele fingerboard in :G Tuning, Low or High D". Common on the baritone ukulele and can also be used on a tenor ukulele.

A handy reference chart of the Natural and Flat Names for C Ttuning, Low or High G".