Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
This page will lead you through the major scale, what it should
sound like and how to play one
T
he major scale is one of the most popular scale types. major scale you can see the semitones will always fall between
You might also see this referred to as the Ionian scale.
This scale produces music that has an essentially ‘happy’
the third and fourth notes, and the seventh and eighth notes.
Major scales can be used in many musical styles, including
Top tip
sound. It comprises a specific sequence of eight notes the rock and pop. This page will show you how to play a major Know the
using tones (whole notes) and semitones (half notes). The major scale. For this particular example, we’re going to be using the distance
scale will always follow this sequence; from the example of the C A major scale. One fret m
a ukulele ovement on
is
C major scale of a semit the distance
o
movemen ne and the
t
two frets between
is a tone.
0 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 4
C D E F, G A B, C
01 C major, third 02 C major, 03 C major, 04 C Major, notes 05 C Major, first 06 Cmajor, final
string second note second string four and five string two notes
To begin playing the Place your middle Playing the open Your index finger on The next note to play Middle finger on fret 2
C major scale, play the finger on the second second string on the fret one of the second in the scale is an A, and of the first string gives
open third string which fret of the third string ukulele is the note E string is an F, and your to play this you need the penultimate note B,
will make the note C to create the D note of which is the third note ring finger on fret 3 is to pluck the open first and ring finger on the
with GCEA tuned ukes. this scale. in the sequence. the G. string of the uke. third fret makes C again.
Give it a try C D E F G A B C
T Top ti
here are three different types of minor scales which distances is noticeably different. The natural minor scale will
include the harmonic and melodic, but here we shall
be looking at the natural minor scale, or as it can be
always use the following pattern. This time the semitone falls
between the second and third notes, and the fifth and sixth Learn p
referred to as the Aeolian Scale. Similar to the major notes. Minor scales can be used in a variety of different It’s not ju sounds
st the
pattern o
scale, it is made from a series of semitones (half notes) and tones musical styles but create a completely different mood. We tones and f
(whole notes), but you will see that the placement of these will now use A minor as our example for the scale. makes sc semitones that
ales difere
the soun nt, it’s
A minor scale Major sca d of the scale.
les
‘happy’ so will produce a
und
minor a ‘s with the
ad
darker so ’ or
und.
0
1 1 5 1 6 9 10
2 2 2 6 7 10 2 11
3 3 3 7 2 8 4 11 12 4
4 4 8 9 12 13
A, B C D, E F G A
01 First notes 02 First set frets 03 New fret 04 Same as 05 Nearly there 06 Final Note
The first note of the A For the next note in positions before The penultimate note We reach a full octave
minor scale is an A. This the scale, place your Next, move down the As with frets 1-4, you of the sequence is in the scale by reaching
is your open first string. little finger on the third neck to frets 5-8. Your will need to place your played in fret positions the A again. Your little
Your middle finger is fret and play. This will index finger is on fret 5 little finger on fret 8 to 9-12. Place your middle finger should be place
then placed on fret 3 produce the third note for D and middle finger produce the F note of finger on fret 10 for the on fret 12 to play this
for the B. of C. on fret 7 for E. the scale. G of the scale. final note.
Give it a try A B C D E F G A
Found in music all over the world and great for improvising
T
he pentatonic scale, as the title would suggest, is a scale made look like an incomplete major scale. However, this scale is made up of the first
up of five notes per octave instead of the usual seven as found in five consecutive pitches from the circle of fifths (a musical idea of showing
heptatonic scales (such as either the major or minor scale). These the relationship between the 12 notes of the chromatic scale and their key
scales contain no semitones (half steps) and, as such, can be played signatures). By rearranging the pitches to contain themselves within an octave,
in any order without clashing. At first look, the major pentatonic scale can we end up with the major pentatonic scale.
C G D A E C D E G A C
0 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 4
C D E G A C
01 Play the third 02 Third string 03 Second 04 Second string 05 First string 06 First string
string second note string second note Our final open string second note
Start off by plucking an Your middle finger is Another open string is Place your ring finger is the first and highest To finish, we return to
open third string. This placed on the second required for the next on the third fret of string. By playing this the opening note. This
will produce the note of fret of the third string note. By playing the the second string string, it will give you is C, achieved with your
C, which is the first note giving you the D of the second string open, this producing the G of the the penultimate note, ring finger on the third
of this scale. pentatonic scale. will give you an E. sequence. the A. fret of the first string.
Give it a try C D E G A C
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides The minor
pentatonic scale
and follow
along on
your ukulele
A
s mentioned in a previous section, minor scales can exist in Closely compare this scale to the blues scale across the page and you will
various forms; however, the minor pentatonic scale is loosely notice that they are extremely similar, with the exception being the exclusion of
based upon the natural minor scale. In the instance below, the the sharpened fourth (or flattened fifth) featured in the blues scale, which in this
root note of the minor pentatonic scale is A (first note), with the rest instance would instead be an F# (or Gb).
of the scale being made up of the third, fourth, fifth and seventh notes of the With this in mind, it is reasonable to assume that the minor pentatonic scale
A natural minor scale (ABCDEFG). is most commonly used in both blues and jazz music, and you’d be right –
A although, like its major equivalent, it can also be effective in several types of folk
A C D E G music and is also found in similar world scales.
3 In this section, we will show you how to play the A minor pentatonic scale in
4 great detail, and let you have a go at it yourself afterwards.
0
1 1 5 1 6 8 9
2 2 6 7 3 9 10
3 3 3 7 8 10 2 11
4 4 8 9 11 12 4
A C D E G A
01 First note 02 Moving up 03 Next frets 04 Same 05 Last set 06 Rounding
Start with the first string To play the C of the Move down the neck to movement of frets it off
on your ukulele, which scale, place your ring frets 5-8, and place your As with the second Your middle finger To bring the scale full
is the note A. This is finger on the third fret index finger on the fifth note, your ring finger will need to move circle to the A again,
played as an open of the first string (the fret on the first string needs to be placed onto fret ten for the G your little finger needs
string, with no fingers same string that was to produce the next onto fret seven for the in the minor pentatonic to go onto fret 12 of the
on the frets. played in the first step). note, D. note E. scale in A. first string.
Give it a try A C D E G A
T
his scale is a hexatonic (six-note) scale made primarily of blues chord sequence and blues music in general, although
the minor pentatonic scale. The difference between the it is also often found in jazz music.
two scales is the use of so-called ‘blue notes’, which are
notes played at a slightly lower pitch, typically a semitone,
In addition, it can be heard in some conventional pop
music, so is a useful one to know for the ukulele. We will Top tip
than their major equivalent. now show you how you can play the A blues scale that Progress gent
Notice that the blue notes which are used in this example are the is shown here. This scale is easy to lea ly
rn on
C (flattened third), D# (sharpened fourth/flattened fifth), and the G you have mastered the ce
(flattened seventh). The blues scale is often used with the 12-bar “This scale is minor pentatonic sca
and a perfect place to
le,
start
Blue note Blue note Blue note made up primarily improvising a melod
y. Over
a typical blues chord
# #4 of the minor sequence, all of the no
tes
#4 will sound ‘right’.
pentatonic scale”
0
1 1 5 1 7 3 9 9
2 2 6 2 8 10 2 10
3 3 3 7 9 11 11
4 4 8 10 12 12 4
A C D, D E G A
01 Blues scale, 02 Blues scale, 03 Blues scale, 04 Blues scale, 05 Blues scale, 06 Final note of
first note second note notes three note five note six the scale
To begin, leave the first Your ring finger should and four With your ring finger The G note of the scale As with most of the
string open and play then be placed on the Your index finger needs placed on fret seven of is played by placing scales, the A is played
as shown above to third fret and the string to be on fret five for the first string, this will your middle finger on with the little finger
produce the A note of played to make the the D, and your middle produce the E note of the tenth fret of the first on the 12th fret of the
the blues scale. note C. finger on six for the D#. the scale. string and playing. first string.
Give it a try A C D D E G A
Play solos
Soloing on any instrument can be one of the most challenging things to do
in music, but performed well, is ultimately one of the most satisfying
Top tip
I
n essence, a solo is a short instrumental
break in a piece of music. This can either be
individual or shared between performers. It
Not just the scale
So you have found the
can be planned in advance, or, as in most cases, that works for your so scale
improvised, where the soloist ad libs and makes up trick is not to just pla lo. The
y thi
the melody on the spot. up and down, as a sca s scale
le is not
In order to perform a good solo, there are a a solo. Make it intere
sting.
number of things that you must be aware of. Move by steps, but
You will need to know what key your piece of include some interv
al
music is in, the scale that will work well for your jumps too.
performance, have a good sense of rhythm and
know how to emphasise certain notes. Try to think
of soloing like a story. It needs a good beginning,
some substance to the middle section, and a
conclusion at the end. Make sure you know when
the solo should finish; there is nothing more
frustrating for both a band and audience than a
seemingly endless solo! Remember that the solo is
meant to be a part of the song.
The solo itself will generally appear at the
moment where a song has been built up to the
pinnacle of its tension and expectation. The ukulele
solo is reminiscent of a guitar solo, emphasising
elements of the main melody while expanding
upon this through improvisatory techniques to
make it more interesting.
Solo tips
Some pointers to help you
improve your solos
01 Choose the scale
There are many different types of scales that can
be used as solos, each working well with differing
keys and chords sequences. If your piece mainly
consists of major chords, then the major scale of
the opening chord will work well. Alternatively,
you could use the major pentatonic scale, which is
also effective over major sixth chords. The minor
pentatonic scale could be used for both blues and
rock songs. The key is to experiment.
Use a metronome
So you have learnt to
play a solo. This can be Learn scales and modes
spoilt by a performance This is the key to effective
that is out of time with soloing on the ukulele.
the group. Try practising Make sure that you learn
with a metronome to the intervals for not
help you recognise Find a backing track only major and minor
where your solo should It is great to improvise by yourself, but it’s even more effective scales but also other
fit. You should be able to if you can find a backing track to play along with. There are modes, to make your
find metronomes either many commercially available that will give you a rhythm solos sound colourful.
online or as an app section with a sequence of chords to perform along to Experimentation is key
Using modes to solo As you progress, employ modes to add interest to your solos
Another type of scale that can be used other showing each of the modes based on the scale of same note an octave higher without or . For
than the traditional major and minor variants is C is shown below. example, C to C would be the Ionian mode, D to D
a mode. There are seven modes in total, each A simple way to understand modes is to start the Dorian, E to E to Phrygian, and so on.
having its own uses for effective soloing. A table on a note within the desired scale and play to the Each mode is based upon a diatonic scale,
comprising eight notes, starting and ending on
No. of the note with the same name. You should notice
Type Of Mode that the Ionian mode is based on the major scale,
/
with the Aeolian on the natural minor.
Lydian 1 C D E F G A B C So why use modes instead of standard scales in
your soloing? One major benefit would be if you
Ionian (Major) C D E F G A B C
were to land on a note that would sound incorrect
Mixolydian 1 C D E F G A B C in a major or minor scale – if you are clever
enough, you could adapt it to suit a mode. For
Dorian 2 C D E F G A B C instance, landing on a B would suit the Mixolydian
mode; an F would be the Lydian mode. When
Aeolian (Natural Minor) 3 C D E F G A B C you have learnt the intervals between each mode,
they are quickly adaptable to different keys,
Phrygian 4 C D E F G A B C
making soloing easier. If presented with a series
Locrian 5 C D E F G A B C of chords, it is simple to associate a mode for it to
add colour to your solo repertoire.
Ukulele
improvisation
Contrary to popular belief, improvising isn’t simply a
case of making it up on the spot…
W
hen the lyrics of a song you are off the cuff prior to a concert so that you still have ear rather than off the page. Another way to create a
playing pause for an instrumental guidelines to follow. solo is to build it around scales. Using specific scales
break, you will get the perfect A mode is key term when improvising, and refers will ensure that all the chords you play will sound
opportunity to test (and show off) to a sequence of notes that fit into a recognisable good together.
your ukulele virtuosity with a good solo. The pattern depending on how far apart they are. This Start off by selecting your notes from the major
next two pages are going to deal with soloing and is unlike scales, which are a sequence of notes pentatonic scale, which is usually used in bright,
improvising to help you fine-tune your skills. that progress at set intervals according to the key. happy-sounding songs (usually pop and country
Picking up your ukulele and making something Modes work on melodies, so can often be learned music), and the minor pentatonic scale, for dark,
up on the spot may sound quite daunting at this by instinct and having or perfecting a good musical bluesy ones (which are often heard in rock).
stage, but improvised solos usually follow some
form of preparation.
Improvisation is about the practice of inventing,
which could mean riffing in front of an audience and
“Improvisation is about the practice
seeing where it takes you, or preparing something of inventing”
Top tip
Superb solos Limber up
Try keeping your ing
ers
and limber by exercisin strong
Four essential tips to this method g
with a spring grip, an them
d make
sure they are not too
01 Know your chords you’ll be slow and sta cold or
rt ma
If you’re going to be improvising based on the mistakes. And whate king
ver
chords being played, it stands to reason that a you do, don’t crack
decent knowledge of these figures is going to your knuckles!
help. Try to learn variations on the basic chords like
minors, sevenths and suspended chords. It’s worth
the effort, as you’ll then be able to focus more on
inventing solos than worrying about where your
fretting fingers should be while trying to build
certain chords.
Free playing
A strange but good trick is to zone
out and play ukulele while watching
the TV or a film. You’ll find that when
you’re not concentrating, the notes
come to you. Almost like free writing,
but with music instead of words
Play along
To get a feel for vertical Stay in time
improvising, why not Keeping in time is just as
practise to the music you important when you’re
love? It will feel familiar Try dance music improvising as it is when
because you know and Dance music may be repetitive, but it’s a good way you’re following chords.
enjoy it, and you are relaxed of focusing on improvising over minimal chord Continue counting in
in your comfort zone changes instead of something more complex your head if it helps
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
Traditional
Hawaiian
along on
your ukulele
© Charles Haynes
T
he ukulele was only introduced to two of the most renowned Hawaiian ukulele
Hawaii at the close of the 19th century. performers are Eddie Kamae and Herb Ohta Sr.
A small guitar-like instrument was Eddie Kamae is widely thought of as one of the
introduced by the Portuguese and it very greatest ukulele players of all time. Together with
quickly became popular within Hawaiian culture. Shoi Ikemi, he formed the Ukulele Rascals, the first
Originally called the ‘machete’, it was renamed known professional all-ukulele group. Just one of
ukulele, which in Hawaii translates to ‘flea (uku) his inventive methods included plucking all four
jumping (lele)’. This was because the high-pitched strings simultaneously, which gave the group
strings gave the impression of a jumping flea. The a unique sound. Herb Otha met Eddie Kamae
majority of songs performed in Hawaii during this when he was just 12, and become his student,
time would then be accompanied by a ukulele. learning all he could from the ukulele legend.
Traditional Hawaiian ukulele music is recognised He has since become known as one of the most
by its combination of both simple and elaborate versatile ukulele players, and records music across
strumming patterns, interspersed with finger- various genres including jazz, pop and traditional
picking. They may not be household names, but Hawaiian songs.
Inspirational works
Different stylings from two ukulele pioneers
Song For Anna Yesterday and Today How should you play?
Artist: Herb Ohta Sr Artist: Eddie Kamae The sound of traditional Hawaiian music has evolved a great deal over the
Year: 1973 Label: A&M Records Year: 2009 Label: Hawaii Sons Inc years and it now incorporates more popular styles from a host of genres.
In its most traditional sense, Hawaiian music on the ukulele would involve
This album of classic Hawaiian Some of the first recordings since virtuosic playing from the performer, combining complex strumming
music has sold more than 6 million the 1980s, this album incorporates patterns with finger-picking. You can incorporate this into your own
copies across the globe since it was both traditional and pop aspects playing with practice and by experimenting with strumming rhythms.
released in 1973. It blends together of Hawaiian music. His now slightly Sliding between the notes and/or chords is also very common. Rather than
the traditional combination of ukulele deeper vocals work well with the carrying the full weight of the tune, the ukulele is usually an accompanying
and voice with the more romantic compositions. He shows fondness for instrument for songs sung with authentic lyrics in Hawaiian.
aspects of orchestration. the history and style used in them.
One Direction
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
Pop music first materialised in the 1950s and 1960s, often borrowing elements from
other styles. Here we look at the boy band influence on this genre
O
ne Direction, more commonly known UK sales record by shipping 270,000 copies in
as 1D, are a British-based pop boy just three days. In 2012, an American band filed a
band, originally comprising five lawsuit claiming they had already registered the
members. They initially auditioned ‘One Direction’ name. The outcome eventually
on The X Factor as separate solo artists, but after saw the American band changing theirs to
failing to reach the boot-camp stage, it was Uncharted Shores. On 25 March 2015 it was
suggested that they continue as a group. They confirmed that Zayn Malik would leave the band,
finished in third position but shortly after were although it was made clear that they would still
signed to Simon Cowell’s Syco Records for a continue making music as a four-piece.
reported £2 million contract. Their debut single One Direction are one of British music’s real
was released in September 2011 and reached success stories, with fans across the world. They
number one in the charts. It was the most pre- have perhaps the biggest and most enthusiastic
ordered single in Sony Music Entertainment fan base since the Beatles, and although they
©Alamy
history. Their first album Up All Night was released don’t tend to use ukuleles, you can play along in
globally in 2012 and topped the charts in 16 their style with ease.
countries including the US – making them the first
British band to do so with their debut album.
To date, a total of four albums have been
released by One Direction, with their concert DVD
“One Direction are one of British music’s real
and Blu-ray This Is Us beating Michael Jackson’s success stories, with fans across the world”
Inspirational works
Some other major vocal boy bands
©Fiona McKinlay
Green Day
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
American pop punk band who brought edgy yet
popular punk to the masses in the late 90s
F
ormed in 1986, Green Day has become On these tracks, Billie Joe took to his acoustic
one of the most successful punk bands guitar, still with bursts of powerful strumming, but
in history. Starting out in high school and now also delving into more sensitive picked parts,
honing their sound over nearly a decade which captured the imagination of even more
before their first major label release, Dookie, it’s listeners among the mainstream public.
fair to say they inspired a generation of young The ukulele doesn’t feature within their small
listeners. Dookie is an album full of chunky, punky, line up of instruments. However, the percussive
riffs and rhythmically infectious vocal lines. The and melodic nature of their music, especially on
line up consists of Tré Cool on the drums, Mike those more ballad-style tracks, means their tunes
Dirnt on the bass, Jason White (who became a are welcome in any ukulele strum-along. The
regular member of the band in 2012) on rhythm pop-punk ballad style is also a great starting point
guitar and Billie Joe Armstrong on both lead for any budding ukulele song writer. With gentle
guitar and vocals. picking patterns and confident strumming it has
Their later work moved away slightly from their everything a ukulele player could possibly want.
bratty brand of punk, and started to play more on Read on to learn how you can copy Green Day’s
pop sensibilities and tracks like ‘Good Riddance unique sound on your very own ukulele.
(Time Of Your Life)’ and ‘Wake Me Up When
September Ends’ (from the rock opera album
American Idiot) quickly became international
“The pop-punk ballad style is also a great starting
anthems and remain memorable standout tracks. point for any budding ukulele song writer”
Inspirational works
The key to Green Day’s powerful punk sound
Give it a try
Add a little Dookie to your uke
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides Mumford
and Sons
and follow
along on
your ukulele
The indie folk genre is relatively new to Britain, with young musicians
demonstrating their own folk traditions together with an indie aesthetic
M
umford and Sons are a British folk- small and medium venues in both the UK and
© Ty Johnson
rock band who formed in 2007 US, with their first EP Love Your Ground and
during what has been labelled as other pieces forming their first album Sigh No
the ‘West London Folk Scene’. More. In 2012, the band released their second
The band consists of four members, all album, Babel, which debuted at number one
proficient musicians on both conventional rock in both UK and US album charts. Their third
instruments as well as traditional folk ones such album, Wilder Mind, demonstrated a change
as banjo, mandolin and resonator guitar. The of direction for the band, moving towards a
band name comes from the idea that Marcus ‘heavier’ sound, incorporating a fuller drum
Mumford was the most visible member of the kit and making far greater use of electric
group, while also invoking a sense of a family guitars as opposed to the more traditional
business name. folk instrumentation.
In 2008, the band completed its first tour Folk lends itself perfectly to the portability
of the UK and performed at the Glastonbury and ease of playing that the ukulele offers. It is
Festival for the first time. Throughout 2008 and one of the best genres for beginners, as it is a
2009, Mumford and Sons continued to play to natural place for the ukulele to be musically.
Inspirational works
Two bands with a similar sound to Mumford et al
© Andrea Sartorati
¶¶µ¶ µ ¶¶µ¶ µ
This continues throughout the opening and returns at the end. The finger-picking
is simple to perform: when the chord is first formed, pluck the top string with your
thumb, moving up through the next three strings in order and returning again
down to the thumb. You will find it easy to pick up your own strumming pattern
for the middle idea.
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
Amy
Winehouse
along on
your ukulele
Jazz encompasses a wide variety of styles, from the legends such as Duke Ellington and
Louis Armstrong to more contemporary artists like Paloma Faith and Amy Winehouse
A
my Winehouse was an English singer- Jazz Orchestra featured female singer in 2000 and
Inspirational works
Come Dance With Me Sarah Vaughan with How should you play?
Simple strumming patterns are evident in Amy Winehouse’s early album
Artist: Frank Sinatra Clifford Brown Frank, although the chords themselves are constructed with some
Year: 1959 Label: Capitol Artist: Sarah Vaughan
complexity. As with most jazz music, there are elements of syncopation
This was Frank Sinatra’s most Year: 1954 Label: EmArcy
within the chord patterns, where the notes themselves fall on the off-beat.
successful album and was in the One of Sarah Vaughan’s favourites There is an indication of ‘vamping’ with the rhythm section, giving the
American Billboard charts for two among her many works, this album music an improvised edge, but keeping to a repeated chord sequence. It’s
and a half years. In 1960, it won the was inducted in the Grammy Hall of important to ‘learn’ various rhythm patterns to enable you to vamp both
Grammy award for Album of the Fame in 1999. It has been described fluently and confidently. Check out the pages on soloing (page 98) for more
Year, as well as the Grammy for Best as being one of the most important advice on how to play off the cuff.
Vocal Performance. jazz vocal recordings.
Ed Sheeran
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
Ed Sheeran has quickly become recognised as one of the most accomplished solo
artists in world music, expertly fusing numerous styles for a distinctive sound
E
d Sheeran is an English singer/songwriter download in the UK. It became a top ten hit in
who rose to prominence during 2010. numerous countries, and began a string of hits
He naturally blends acoustic genres of for Sheeran. He has co-written songs for a several
pop, hip hop and folk to give his music the high-profile artists including One Direction and
characteristic sound that we associate with him. Taylor Swift (who he is great friends with). He
He began writing music in 2005, releasing his first has won various awards throughout his career,
album, The Orange Room. He moved to London including Best Solo Male Artist at the Brits in both
in 2008 to pursue his career further. His second 2012 and 2015.
album was released in 2009, with his critically His album + topped the UK albums chart in the
acclaimed Loose Change album following in 2010. first week, selling 120,000 copies. It would then
This was to feature his debut single, ‘The A Team’. go on to be certified triple platinum, selling over
Sheeran started along the road to fame by 900,000 copies.
playing open mic nights in Los Angeles after
flying out there, and was spotted performing
by the actor and musician Jamie Foxx who
“Sheeran started along
offered him the use of his studio. His fan base
grew through thousands of people watching his
the road to fame by
performances via YouTube.
Sheeran gained international recognition
playing open mic © Ben Watts
Inspirational works
© Ben Watts
Sheeran cites Rice and Dylan among his influences
Bruno Mars
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
R&B music has continued to develop over the years, using the technology
available at the time. Numerous popular artists are associated with this genre
B
runo Mars was born and raised in and ‘Grenade’. A second album, Unorthodox
Honolulu, Hawaii, and is one of six Jukebox was released in 2012 and achieved
children in a family of musicians. He number-one status in the US album charts. Bruno
began performing on stage at a very Mars is very popular both in the US and the UK,
young age and was exposed to a diverse mix and indeed across the world. His third album
of musical genres when he was growing up, includes collaborations with top producers Mark
including R&B, hip hop and reggae, with Elvis Ronson and Jeff Bhasker. His single with Mark
Presley also having an impact on his musical Ronson, ‘Uptown Funk’ won a Brit award for
persona and performance techniques. British single of the year and was number one in
Mars moved to Los Angeles at age 17 to the UK for 14 weeks. His funky pop style suits the
pursue his musical career, and was signed by ukulele perfectly, and he has been known to play
the legendary label Motown Records, which a ukulele during live performances.
subsequently dropped him a year later. In 2009,
he signed with Atlantic Records and became
recognised as a solo artist by lending his vocal
“He began performing
talents to tracks by B.o.B and Travie McCoy, for
whom he co-wrote the hooks to the songs.
at a young age and
© Brothers Le
His first studio album was released in 2010
entitled Doo-Wops & Hooligans, which contained
was exposed to a
a number of hit singles including ‘The Lazy Song’ diverse mix of genres”
Inspirational works
Two of the most influential artists for Bruno Mars
© Brothers Le
This is a simple techn
ique for
Bruno Mars producing a percussi
ve sound.
At the end of strummi
ng
The opening strumming pattern is simple but effective, so long as you chord, mute the string a
s to
practise playing the ‘chunk’ slowly at first before performing at the correct obtain an instant cut-o
f
tempo. Follow the opening pattern, which repeats up until the end of bar 16: by quickly placing
your palm across all
¶ chnk µ ¶ chnk µ of the strings.
The second strumming pattern disposes of the chunk beat altogether, instead
throwing in a syncopated rhythm to change the feel. The pattern is as follows:
¶µ ¶µ µ ¶µ
In keeping with much of Bruno Mars’s music, you will find that this piece only
contains three of the most basic chords for ukulele. These are the C, Dm and F
chords, making the strumming patterns all the more important.
Nile Rodgers
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
The co-founding member and lead guitarist of Chic is a disco and funk
guitar master, and you can copy his sound
G
regory Rodgers, or Nile Rodgers as also being sampled by a new wave of hip-hop
he became known, is a bona fide artists too. More recently his collaborations have
disco and funk rhythm machine. His become the centre of focus, in particular his
work with the legendary disco band most recent work with Daft
Chic essentially defined a genre of music. Chic Punk and Pharrel Williams.
formed in 1976, and their tunes such as ‘Dance,
Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)’ (1977),
The likes of ‘Get Lucky’
are again built around
Top tip
‘Everybody Dance’ (1977), ‘Le Freak’ (1978), ‘I Want Nile’s characteristic
Which hand?
Focusing on just your
Your Love’ (1978), and ‘Good Times’ (1979), are sound and technique. right hand
for strumming is a co
dance floor fillers to this day. These tracks are Although Nile is mmon
mistake. To create so
me
driven by Nile’s infectious and surprisingly melodic a guitarist, the syncopation listen to serious
the
strumming style. syncopated and and practice squeezi track
ng the
As disco fell out of fashion in the late Seventies, percussive nature of chord (with the frettin
g
Rodgers and the backing band continued to his playing lends itself ha nd) in time with
contribute to influential music of the time, both to the ukulele, creating a the music.
by playing and producing music. Nile Rodgers’ truly unique sound.
production work on Diana Ross’ ‘Upside Down’
is a great example of how successful he was
beyond Chic as a producer. Even with disco
“The syncopated and percussive nature of his
out of fashion, his original Chic riffs were still playing lends itself to the ukulele”
Inspirational works
Two albums that inspired Nile’s early career
Give it a try
Get started with this funky little tune
Foo Fighters
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
With elements of grunge, the Foo Fighters’ brand of rock may not
bring to mind the uke, but you can play their style with practice
T
he Foo Fighters formed in Seattle, the deafeningly loud choruses. Of course, the latter is
© Stig Nygaard
home of grunge, in 1994. The band’s difficult to achieve on a ukulele, which is probably
singer Dave Grohl first rose to fame as why the instrument has never featured in their
the drummer in the iconic grunge band music. However, it is possible to get a feel for their
Nirvana, the influence of which can still be heard style on the instrument.
in his current band (and in lots of other bands, like Foo Fighters use a lot of suspended and
Green Day and Blink 182). seventh chords in their music, again giving a false
Grohl admits that the musical style of Nirvana’s sense of relaxed security in their verses before
late vocalist Kurt Cobain has rubbed off on him in charging into a power-chord-fuelled chorus.
a huge way, as Cobain taught him the importance One of the techniques they use to accentuate
and beauty of music being stripped down to its dynamics is palm-muting the strings; something
minimalistic core. Beyond the vocals, Nirvana’s which can be done on a ukulele with practise.
influence can also be heard when you analyse The rhythmic strumming of Grohl’s guitar playing
the dynamics of Foo Fighters’ music. There are is unsurprising, given that his first instrument is a
quiet verses before bridges plunge suddenly into drum kit.
Inspirational works
Here are a few artists that have inspired this band
© Ryanw2313
Give it a try
Start off gently, then rock out!
Kanye West
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
From dropout to graduate and self-proclaimed genius, love or hate him,
Kanye West’s music has left its mark on an era
K
anye first made a name for himself album release has seen Kanye West evolve as
© rodrigoferrari
as a producer for Roc-A-Fella records, an artist, and whether it has been for good or ill,
working with artists such as Jay-Z, Alicia it has maintained his position as a driving force
Keys and Ludacris. In 2004 he finally of hip-hop. Recent times have seen him move
fulfilled his dream of becoming a rapper with the away from rapping with the release of 808s &
release of his debut album The College Dropout, Heartbreak, before returning from a hiatus to
achieving instant critical and commercial success. produce what many consider to be his best work,
He also drew acclaim for breaking away from the My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, which builds
gangster persona dominating the industry at the upon aspects of previous releases.
time, instead rapping about themes of family, Many find it hard to separate the persona from
materialism and personal hardship. the artist, which has led to him becoming a very
Kanye’s early works make broad use of soul polarising figure in the public eye. However, this
samples as well as extensive collaboration cannot diminish his place as one of the most
with contemporary artists, a trend he has successful artists of all time, selling over 120 million
maintained throughout his career. Each new records worldwide.
Inspirational works
© rodrigoferrari
Sampling styles and bringing it together
© Kenny Sun
Give it a try
Get a hip-hop sound on your ukulele
Taylor Swift
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
Use your ukulele to get a country-pop sound from the
high-profile pop princess Taylor Swift
T
aylor Swift was born in 1989 in Swift due to her happy-go-lucky personality and
© taylorswift.com
Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. At the age of for the time she takes out of her busy schedule
14, after moving to Nashville, Tennessee to engage with her fans in any way she can. She
she became the youngest ever artist is incredibly positive and does a huge amount for
to be signed by Sony Music. So far in her career, charities and good causes, which is a refreshing
she has won a huge array of awards and has sold sight to behold in the narcissistic world of the
over 40 million albums all over the world. She entertainment industry. As Swift herself says,
also has a huge and loyal fan base, who refer to “Haters gonna hate”!
themselves as ‘Swifties’. Although the ukulele does not appear in any
Most of Taylor Swift’s lyrics are a narrative of of Swift’s music, her simple writing style and use
her own life experiences: breakups, friendship, of mainly major chords suit the uke down to a
love and life as a young American woman. She tee. Country music was traditionally written to
has many fans worldwide and her catchy songs be played on acoustic instruments, and these
are enjoyed by millions. Even if you’re not a huge traditional songwriters are the artists who inspired
fan of the country-pop genre, it’s hard to dislike Swift as a child.
Inspirational works
Swift was inspired by female country singers
© XDavid Brown
© taylorswift.com
Give it a try
Tell your story in country style
The Smiths
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
One of the UK’s most important and influential Indie bands, The Smiths
can be translated into a great ukulele tune
T
he Smiths are a band who brilliantly to a relationship breakdown within the band,
© Alamy
demonstrated the power of a although Morrissey and Marr have continued
singer and guitarist writing team. to compose and perform separately. The
The partnership of singer Morrissey formative years of Marr and Morrissey working
and Guitarist Marr, helped shape an iconic together are still regarded as hugely important
list of songs. Forming in 1982 in Manchester, in shaping the indie music landscape. Marr’s
The Smiths, are a band that blend infectious style of blending lead and rhythm guitar
arpeggio guitar parts with emotive vocal lines. together by creating mesmerising arpeggios
Their debut album, simply titled The Smiths, that were both syncopated and melodic have
was released in 1984, and included the single inspired a generation of guitarists, and can do
‘This Charming Man’ which reached number the same for a ukulele player.
two in the UK album charts. The same year
they released several non-album singles
including ‘How Soon is Now’ and ‘Heaven
Knows I’m Miserable Now’, which alongside
“The partnership of
some public controversies inspired press
coverage and scandal in the media helped
Morrissey and Marr
take them to the masses.
These singles are to this day indie anthems
helped shape an
in their own right. The band split in 1987, due iconic list of songs”
Inspirational works
These albums were essential for The Smiths
© Alamy
The Smiths
Top tip
Create a system
The piece we’ve written out in the tabs below Fo r arpeggios it’s impo
for you is reminiscent of The Smiths’ track ‘This establish a system, for rtant to
Charming Man’. Although we do stick to a two picking evenly up an example,
d do
chord pattern, there are another two basic your plectrum or sticki wn with
ng
same ingers for each to the
shapes in the characteristic intro and outro. The str
This helps create conti ing.
E minor and G slightly change throughout the nuity
and commit patterns
exercise. This is simply achieved by removing your
to memory.
finger from the A string when needed, helping to
create a sense of melody. Rhythmically, it will really help
you to listen to and play along to the track (which you can find
on filesilo.co.uk). Notice how the rhythm stays the same throughout the
main theme; it simply builds from five notes to eight notes to help you get
to grips with things. Take it very slow and listen carefully.
Give it a try
See if you can give The Smiths a run for their money
Bob Marley
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
A short life with a long legacy, defining both the music and
culture that made Jamaica known to the world
A
name synonymous with reggae, Marley and the Wailers would start to make their
© Ueli Frey
Bob Marley was at the forefront mark with the release of the albums Catch a Fire
of spreading the musical style the and Burnin’.
world over with its themes of social The following years would see the original
commentary, love and spirituality. Born Wailers line-up split due to a refusal of some
in Jamaica, he grew up in the Trench Town members to tour. Bob Marley’s new band made
neighbourhood of Kingston. This area that would its international breakthrough in 1975 with the
become a hotbed of reggae talent and, later, civil release of the single, ‘No Woman, No Cry’ along
unrest that would greatly influence Bob Marley with the album Rastaman Vibration in 1976.
during the latter stages of his life. The same year would see gunmen assault
Born out of ska and rock-steady in the early Marley in his home, which would lead to his self-
1960s, reggae brought in elements of rhythm imposed exile in the UK and the eventual release
and blues and soul in a style that combines thick, of Exodus, the album that would stand as his
heavy bass lines, off-beat rhythms and iconic legacy upon finally succumbing to cancer in 1981
tight snare-drum beats. In the early Seventies, Bob at the age of 36.
Inspirational works
Marley was inspired by these reggae pioneers
© Eddie Mallin
Mute chords
Palm muting is an ess
Bob Marley skill for performing ska ential
strokes
on open chords like
Am
Played using the off-beat strumming pattern, this piece also This is achieved by res or C.
ting the
includes muted strums played on-beat, allowing you to keep a side of your picking
hand on
constant rhythm when strumming up and down. An important the strings by the bri
dge of
thing to note is that the piece is played in triplet timing, whereby the ukulele to preve
nt
the downstroke will be slightly longer, and the upstroke slightly the strings ringing
shorter, than an eighth note. This is difficult to express in writing, so out.
listen and play along to the example and you’ll quickly pick up the timing
of this simple technique that’ll add that classic reggae bounciness to your
playing. To achieve the percussive muted strokes, simply relax your fingers
when playing the chord so that they rest atop the strings; for chords with
open strings, use palm muting instead to achieve this effect.
Give it a try
Start strumming in that reggae style
Elvis Presley
Give it a try
Audio files
Listen to the
audio guides
and follow
along on
your ukulele
A true American heartthrob, icon of a generation,
and the man who would become known as the King
A
legend of his time, Elvis Presley captivated of genres, from pop to gospel and rockabilly to blues.
a generation in a career that personified Whether singing the high-octane ‘Blue Suede Shoes’,
both the absolute highs and lows of or the serenading ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’, Elvis
stardom, leaving a legacy as one of the brought a glamour to his music that has been hard to
most iconic figures of the 20th century. reproduce, though many have tried.
Born in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935, he rose to fame His eventual fall from grace would start with his
during the rock and roll boom of 1950s America, with separation and divorce from his wife Priscilla in 1973,
his high-energy, sexually provocative performances an event from which he would never truly recover, as
that would see him become the bestselling solo artist epitomised in the classic song ‘Always On My Mind’.
of all time. In his troubled state of mind, Elvis became dependent
He captured the hearts of America with his charm, on sedatives, which, combined with his deteriorating
charisma and good looks, yet also in his versatility as health and intensive touring, would lead to his tragic
a performer, garnering commercial success in a range death in 1977.
Inspirational works
Gospel greats and blues legends inspired Elvis
“The important
thing is to stick with
it, even if you find
some parts difficult. It
is important to master
the basic techniques
before you move on to
the trickier things such as
solos, otherwise you
risk developing a
bad technique”
Give it a try
Look out for this logo on
each page, as it means
that an audio file is
available online to help
you master a certain
ukulele technique.
Your questions
answered
Getting started
So you’ve just bought a ukulele and want to know what to do
next? Well here we guide you through the basics
You could
be rocking solo
licks in under a year
Ukulele choice Other equipment The more accomplished you get at playing the
I was thinking of picking up a cheap ukulele for I’ve just bought my first ukulele, what other kit do ukulele, the more trained your ears will become at
myself and my child to learn on. What sort of I need to go with it? telling if it is in tune or not. There are several ways
ukulele should I buy? to tune the ukulele to itself, the adjacent string
The great thing about ukuleles is that they’re method, as favoured by guitar players or the non-
One of the most important things to remember lightweight, fully portable instruments that you adjacent string method. We will talk you through
is that although it may look like one, a ukulele is can effortlessly take anywhere. Most will come the second method here, but bear in mind that
not a toy and should be treated like any other with some sort of bag, but you can upgrade you should only use this method if you don’t have
instrument when you’re scouting for one to buy. this to a padded gig bag or even a hard case if a conventional tuner and only intend to play alone.
Make yourself aware of the various types of ukuleles you’re worried about damaging your instrument. This method refers to the standard GCEA tuning. For
and the various price points offered by various We would also recommend investing in a tuner. this method to work the player must choose one
manufacturers and then weigh up how serious you Clip-on tuners are very handy for ensuring that string to arbitrarily assign as being ‘in tune’, such as
are about learning and this will perhaps dictate how your instrument stays in tune and they’re good at the E string. Now, using the E string as reference,
much you want to spend. Kala make a wide range blocking out ambient noise to get the job done. hold this down at the third fret and it will give the
of ukuleles are various pricepoints (wwkalabrand. You can also pick up free or inexpensive tuning note G. Play the open G string and the E string at
com), as do other companies such as Lanikai, many apps for your smartphone – as long as you’ve got the third fret and adjust the G string so that the
of which come in bright, cool designs that are something to hand to check the tuning prior to tone matches. Once the G string is in tune, move
especially appealing to children. playing, you’re sorted. Other bits of kit are optional. on to the A string. The second fret of the G string
For example, you could pick up a capo to change will produce the A pitch, so adjust the A string to
the playing key of your ukulele to make it easier to match this. Finally, the third fret on the A string will
Common problems play and sing along to certain songs and you can produce the C note, so adjust the A string to match.
What are the common problems that new get yourself a pack of picks to make strumming
learners encounter? and finger-picking easier on your digits. You may Use one reference
also want to invest in a book or two to help keep to tune all your
The most obvious one is a feeling of frustration your interest up. There are many guide books and strings
and a desire to pack it in! Whether this stems from chord books available that make it easy to learn
the discomfort newcomers feel in their hands something every time you pick up your instrument.
when adjusting to the demands of fretting strings
and forming chords, or the feeling that you aren’t
progressing as quickly as you’d like, the important Tuning up
thing is to stick with it and know that you will get I was recently given a second-hand ukulele as
the hang of it soon. It is important to master the a gift and I would like to start teaching myself
basics before moving on to trickier things such as to play. How do I know if my instrument needs
solos, otherwise you risk developing bad technique. tuning and how do I go about tuning it?
What is a metronome?
I have read about using a metronome while
practising. What is a metronome and how can it
help my playing?
“Metronomes are
Improve your speed with useful for practising
the help of a metronome
and increasing speed”
Attach to the pin on the end of your ukulele if it You don’t want the ukulele set too high or you’ll The opposite is also true – strap your ukulele too
has one (as in the picture above). If not, you can be tied up with tension trying to play appropriately low and you’ll have a hard time getting your hands
use a shoelace to attach the strap to the uke’s neck. and it will hurt your hands, so adjust the length. in the right positions to fret and pick.
Changing the strings There are lots For a couple of reasons. Most new ukuleles leave
How often should I change the strings of my of ukuleles to the factory strung with generic-type strings, which
ukulele? I have heard conflicting answers but am choose from are fine for tinkering with in the shop, but if you
unsure as the strings on my ukulele have been want a clearer, richer sound then you’ll be amazed
on there for a couple of years at least, so how do I at how different a decent set of brand-name strings
know if they need changing? will sound. After all, the existing strings could have
been on there for years and be worn out and
Ultimately, your ears will tell you when they need corroded – and just imagine how many other sets
replacing. Over time, dirt and oil from your hands of hands have had a good twang on them before
will build up on your strings, causing them to you! Ukulele strings lose quality gradually over time
become tarnished and start to sound dull and the more they are played and tuned down and up
lifeless. Washing your hands prior to playing will again, so if you want your ukulele to sound as good
help prolong the life of your strings, but other as it possibly can, then a new set of strings will make
factors, such as the natural stretching of the all the difference for your instrument.
string over time, will require you to change your Ukulele brand
strings regularly. You will know if your strings need What brand of ukulele do you recommend for
changing if you have a harder time than usual beginners and how do I know what to look for Types of ukulele
getting your ukulele in tune (and, in turn, keeping when buying? What are the different types of ukulele available
it in tune), if the tone of your ukulele starts to and what sort should I go for an a beginner?
sound flat or if the strings begin to discolour. So, One of the best things about learning to play
if you play often, you may need to change the ukulele is that it isn’t an expensive instrument to Ukuleles come in four sizes – soprano, concert,
strings every several months. There are also a few learn. You can pick up a decent ukulele for around tenor and baritone. A soprano ukulele is usually
common factors to take into account to determine £40/$50 – so even if you find that you don’t like it about 21 inches in length and is generally the most
how regularly your strings need to be changed. (which is unlikely) then you won’t have paid out an popular ukulele for beginners and is famous for
For example, players who sweat more will need excessive amount of cash. its jangly sound so often associated with ukuleles.
to change strings more often, people who smoke As you go up in price range, the overall quality of Concert ukes measure 23 inches in length and
or play in smoky venues will need to change their the instrument will improve and you’ll be dealing produce a more fuller sound. The frets are also more
strings more often, and folk who play aggressively with ukuleles built with solid wood rather than spaced out meaning it is better for large-handed
and dish out more punishment on their strings laminate wood or plastic. Different woods have players. Tenor ukuleles measure 26 inches in length
will need to change them more regularly than different tonal characteristics, some woods are rarer and boast a much broader sound, largely thanks to
gentler players. When buying new strings, be aware and more prestigious than others, which could more frets, so you are able to reach higher notes on
that they come in varying gauges (which is the also affect the price range and some of the more the fretboard when playing it. Finally, the baritone
thickness) and you will find that the lighter-gauged expensive ukuleles may be handmade and feature ukulele measures 30+ inches in length and is tuned
strings are much easier to fret. finer finishings, such as pearl inlays and better to DGBE, which is the equivalent to the tuning of
tuners. Essentially, the more you pay, the better the the bottom four strings on a guitar. The result is a
quality and craftsmanship involved. much deeper sound.
In terms of brands to go for or avoid for
beginners, let the price points rather than the
manufacturer guide you, at least until you get to
a certain level of expertise where you’d want to
splash out on a more elaborate instrument. We
can, however, recommend the following ukuleles
for beginners; Makala Dolphin Soprano (a great all-
round instrument for a bargain price), Lanikai LU-21
Soprano (a laminated wood instrument that looks
the part), and the Kala KA-T Mahogany Tenor (ideal
for players with larger hands.
“Your arm
should swing up
and down in a
steady motion,
never pausing”
Techniques
Once you’ve mastered the basics and grown accustomed to your
instrument, it’s time to develop your playing further
Improving your strumming I’ve heard of artificial sounds best on an electric ukulele but can work on
My sense of rhythm is appalling and, as such, my harmonics – what are they? an acoustic ukulele too. Take time to practise this
basic strumming technique is all over the shop. I have heard of a technique called artificial strumming technique and you’ll be able to added a
Do you have any good tips or tricks for bringing harmonics. Is there such a thing as natural pleasing extra dimension to your playing that your
new vibrancy to my strumming? harmonics, and how do I produce the artificial audience will really dig.
kind on my ukulele?
One of the main ways to bring new life and energy Bring out harmonics
to otherwise routine songs is using an interesting Natural harmonics are created when your finger is for a twist on the
strumming pattern. To practise your strumming, directly above the desired fret and you are barely usual notation
form a G7 chord on your fretting hand and then touching the string. Immediately after picking the
strum down and up on the strings while counting string, come away from it and it should ring quite
out loud, “one and two and three and four” – the a bit higher than normal. Artificial harmonics are
numbers being a downward stroke and the “and” when you strike the string with the picking hand’s
being upward. This will help you keep to a steady thumb as you cross the string with your hand. This
time. Also it is wise not to strum too hard as this is usually done in a downward motion and depends
will cause the strings to rattle. Think of your elbow on where you are picking. To do this, grip the tip
as being the top of a pendulum – your arm should of your pick so that when you strike the string it
swing up and down from it in a steady motion, catches your thumb and you will hear a harmonic
never pausing at any time. generated over the initial note. This technique
Stopping unwanted noise strings. The A string would be muted by one of the
I have started playing solos on my electric ukulele fingers on the fretting hand, usually the first finger.
and am having a hard time keeping all the lower Practising this thumb-muting technique can be
strings from ringing out while soloing on the frustrating at times and may feel slightly unnatural
higher ones. How can I mute unwanted noise? at first.
The biggest problem to overcome is the new
There are a couple of methods, the most popular positioning of your picking hand. If you are used to
one being to try muting the other strings with muting with the palm then it will undoubtedly feel
the palm of your picking hand. However, we have awkward to reposition your picking hand so that it
discovered down the years that the most reliable is more parallel with the strings. The best solution is
technique for muting unwanted noise if you to stop trying to rest the palm on or near the bridge
accidentally hit the other strings while soloing is to of the ukulele. Yes it will feel strange and alien at first
use the thumb of your picking hand. Basically, the but the more you practise using this technique, the
thumb rests on all of the lower strings – lower down easier it will become. Ultimately, once your develop
than where the pick is. For example, if the pick is this technique you will be able to play with more
currently playing a note on the E string, then the confidence and it will greatly enrich your sound as
thumb would be muting (touching) the C and G the intended strings will ring clearer.
Skilful soloing
I am struggling to improve my soloing skills and wondered if you had any tips to help?
We know that speed isn’t everything, but set a Ensure you nail the accuracy. The only way to do A useful exercise is to pick four notes and play them
metronome at a tempo you feel comfortable this is to go through the passage slowly playing in a different sequence repeatedly to help improve
with and practise some scale runs, triplets or every note until you have them all correct and your speed and stretch your fingers. Often you can
quadruplets. Increase the tempo gradually to push ingrained into your visual and muscle memory. In find great melodic lines by just fooling around in
your boundaries. short, don’t rush. this way.
Reading music
There is no law that says you have to be able to read music to play
ukulele, but it can definitely prove beneficial to your playing
Learning to read arrangement from piano sheet music or adapting strings at once. For example, if you press down on
I am a complete musical novice who has just horn parts or fiddle tunes to use and reinterpret a string and pluck it, the sound that comes out is a
picked up a ukulele and I was wondering if I in your own musical arrangements. The flexibility note. If you are pressing several strings down at once
should learn how to read music to help improve that being able to read music affords you shouldn’t and strumming them then the sound that is played
my playing? be underestimated when you are considering the is a chord.
benefits of putting in the time and effort. Ultimately, A scale is a collection of notes in ascending or
While learning to read music will undoubtedly stand though, whether you decide to learn to read music descending order. If you want to progress on to
you in better stead moving forward and developing, or not, you should continue to enjoy playing ukulele playing solos and riffs, scales are the perfect place
it is by no means essential – some of the greatest on whatever terms. to start because they strengthen your fingers,
players of all time can’t read a note. That said, it’s develop picking technique and help co-ordination.
really not hard, and by doing so you will be able to Terrifying terminology Barre chords require you to press down on multiple
learn new songs and develop much quicker. For I know nothing about ukulele terminology – can strings with your index finger on a single fret. They
example, by reading music you aren’t just limiting you tell me what chords, scales, barre chords and are more difficult to play since they require more
yourself to ukulele music, you can get some really power chords are? strength and effort from your fretting hand. A power
good ideas and arrangements from being able to chord, in most cases, is nothing more than a barre
read piano music. One of the best things about A ukulele chord is a collection of tones or notes chord where you only play two or three strings
music is the way in which you can borrow certain played together at once. By fretting (pressing down instead of strumming all of them together. Know
elements from different disciplines and adapt them on) the strings in certain places, ukulele chords are what you want to hear out of your ukulele and then
for your own purposes. This could be borrowing an formed and you play them by strumming all the focus on that specific area of expertise.
The first shape you should learn is A major because Stretch your index finger out across all four strings of Barre chords can offer a variation in tones and can
it is one of the easiest. You can play the A chord by the second fret and press down tightly so that all of make a piece of music more interesting. They can
fretting the G string at the second fret and the C the strings ring true, then fret the E string with your also be moved easily along the neck whilst keeping
string at the first fret, however it is also possible to middle finger at the third fret and the G string with the same hand position. That way, similar chords
play this barred. your ring finger at the fourth fret. can be easily played.
Practice makes perfect strings so that they don’t buzz and swift movement strum out this recognisable classic. Or how about
I don’t seem to be getting any better; how much without looking at what your fretting hand is doing. ‘I’m Yours’ by Jason Mraz? This song is made up of
time should I spend practising? As soon as you have mastered a decent array of four easy chords – C, G, Am and F. And the best
chords you’ll be able to start playing songs, which thing about it is that once you get used to this
The obvious answer is however much time you can is immensely satisfying because you have a clear chord progression you will be able to use it to play
spare, but we’d recommend at least half an hour a gauge on how far you will have progressed as a many more songs as well. The strumming pattern
day to condition your fingers and make sure you player. Once you can play songs you can also start may take a little getting used to, but that is why
don’t forget anything. If you know some chords improvising and adding little licks here and there to YouTube was invented, right? You will find a great
then you already know enough to strum quite a few flesh them out beyond the chords. many tutorial videos that show you the basic chord
simple songs and play some simple riffs. You also patterns and demonstrate the various strumming
know enough to start writing and playing some Basic songs techniques required to give the song its identity.
of your own songs, so there are plenty of avenues I would like to learn some songs. Could you You should also make a point of visiting websites
open to you. recommend some easy ones? such as Ultimate Guitar Tabs. The name suggests it
The important thing to remember is not to run specialises in the guitar tabs and chords but it also
before you can walk. Familiarise yourself with a few There are loads of easy songs to play on the ukulele caters for ukulele players and virtually any song,
chord structures at a time and then work on making that only consist of a handful of chords. For example, new or old can be found here along with detailed
the transition between them sound as seamless you could try ‘You Are My Sunshine’, by Jimmy Davis. instructions on how to play it. With a little scouting
as possible – getting good, clean contact on the Using just the C, F and G chords you can instantly around you can bolster your set list in no time.
Professional help which could hamper your playing further down the Arpeggios are built up as regular ukulele chords,
In your opinion, what is the best method for line. So if you can afford it, book lessons with a tutor, but instead of letting all of the strings sound
learning ukulele? Do I need a tutor or can I get by otherwise just continue enjoying your instrument, as simultaneously, as you would normally do with
using books or DVDs? you no doubt have been. chords, arpeggios are played by letting each note
sound one at a time. For example, if you fret a chord
You can get by quite happily using books or DVDs; What are arpeggios? – any chord – then a good, simple arpeggio can be
in fact, we would heartily recommend doing so to I have often heard of the term arpeggios being played by picking each string in succession. To warm
begin with so that you can get accustomed to your used in relation to guitar playing as a good way up your picking hand, fret a basic G chord and use
instrument and ascertain if you like playing and wish of warming up, but I don’t know what they are each finger of your picking hand to pluck a string.
to continue. or even how they should sound. Please can you So, your thumb would pluck the C string, then your
However, we have found that books and DVDs, enlighten me? index finger would pick the E string and your middle
while beneficial for helping you learn chords and finger would pick the A string. Run through the
strumming patterns, are no long-term substitute Ukulele arpeggios are indeed a useful and sequence of notes and then reverse your playing
for a professional tutor. A good teacher can further worthwhile limbering up exercise, but they can help back through it, and so on.
your development quickly over a short space of time you in the long term, too, by giving your solos some Repeat this sequence a couple of times and then
and prevent you from developing bad technique, melodic and vivid parts. change the chord with your fretting hand while
continuing to play the sequence for a nice, smooth
transition. Not only is this a great way to loosen up
“Arpeggios are built up as regular chords, but your fingers prior to a session, but it is also a useful
exercise to help you get accustomed to picking
instead of letting all strings sound at once, you individual strings. As you get more proficient at
finger picking arpeggios, the less you will have to
are hitting one string at a time” look down at your ukulele as you play.
Recording
Professional studio recording will be out of reach for most
beginners, but you can get great results by recording at home
Tablet recording
Is recording using an iPad really a viable option
for a decent result?
Backing tracks
My playing is improving and I feel I’m ready to
join a rock band and record for a bigger sound.
However, I’m struggling to join one, and I’m living
in a small apartment, so I have no room for other
instruments. Can I make a backing track for my
ukulele using a computer?
Can I use effects pedals? sounds like the notes being held longer. This is a
I am keen to expand my ukulele sound and particularly good effect if you need a space filler
wanted to know if I could use effects pedals more without over-populating your track with notes.
commonly associated with electric guitars on my Then we come to EQ. An equalisation pedal is
electric ukulele? perhaps less of an effect and more of a sound-
shaping tool that allows you to raise or lower the
Effects pedals do indeed come in many varieties. level of individual frequencies. An EQ lends itself
From neat little stomp boxes to full-on rack- particularly well to the ukulele as it can reduce harsh
mounted effects pedals, there’s lots to choose from. treble frequencies or a muddy low-end to produce
However, only some of these effect sounds are more interesting sounds from your instrument.
practical for ukulele players who still want a relatively EQ pedals are controlled with frequency bands,
traditional sound. The if you wish to experiment which are operated with sliders to adjust how much
with pedals then the good news is that some can you cut or boost he frequency. Experimenting
indeed be used to compliment the traditional with these sliders provides an exciting array of
sound of your instrument, but not all – so let us give parameters to play with and, thus, a varied tonal
you a few pointers on what we think works best. palette for your ukulele that you will undoubtedly
Delay is probably the first effect that comes to have great fun playing around with.
mind when using a ukulele. Many professional Finally, a chorus pedal can work well, in
players employ a little delay when performing or moderation, with a ukulele. It delays the notes you
recording and this effect essentially records the are playing for a few milliseconds and de-tunes the
notes that you play and then repeats them back delay track, modulating the pitch that is detuned
after a specified amount of time (rather like an echo). and making for some interesting, fat, swirling
Reverb is another type of ‘echoey’ effect but sounds. You can experiment with other effects but
instead of repeating back clear individual notes like be aware that they will probably take the sound of
the delay pedal, the reverb unit creates a wash that your ukulele far away from the traditional sound.
Sharing
As you create music, you may wish to share it with others –
but how do you go about doing so?
Feedback needed riff is rated highly enough, it will reach the feature Upload a song
I’ve recorded a few basic riffs and played them top 25, where it will gain you even more exposure Are there any good websites to upload a song to?
to my friends. They’re really into them, but I want and feedback. The full version of Riff Raters costs I don’t want to spend anything in the process.
to get more feedback on them before I develop £1.49/$1.99, but you can see how it works with a free
the pieces into a full-length song. What’s the best Lite version. Although you won’t be able to record You’re in luck, as there are several! The one that
way to do this? and upload your riffs, you can see how the process we would recommend is SoundCloud, which is a
works and listen to the different riffs that others fantastic website to share your music on. Although
The internet makes it relatively easy to obtain have uploaded. it has many premium pricing options (from €29 to
feedback on your work. You could upload the riff to €500 a year), the free service gives you two hours
a forum that specialises in the genre of music you of music to upload, so unless you’re a songwriting
play, but these are often frequented by advanced maniac, you probably won’t run out any time soon!
amateurs and professionals, so their advice may You can either share your track to every social
not be too helpful if you’re a beginner. A better bet networking service under the sun, or you can opt to
would be to find beginner-focused websites and share it to a SoundCloud group. If you share it to a
forums, as these will contain many like-minded group, make sure you pick one with interests similar
individuals willing to help out and provide feedback. to your genre, as you’ll get far more listens and
They’ll also be able to offer feedback on your more accurate feedback that way. Listeners can also
recording methods as well as your playing, so you favourite and comment on your track.
can improve in several key areas. If you receive A slightly more surprising option to get your
constructive negative feedback, make sure you use songs on the web for free is YouTube. You can
it to improve your recordings. just upload audio to the site. Once your track is
If you own an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, a good uploaded, add it as a video response to a popular
way of getting feedback is to use an app such as Riff track that’s similar to yours. This will ensure you get
Raters. Riff Raters enables you to upload 20-second some listens and likes. Many modern artists have
riffs to the app, which can then be rated out of five Upload your riffs to get a range of feedback been discovered thanks to technology such as this,
by members of the Riff Raters community. If your on your work so could you be the next?
Getting heard
I know internet radio is incredibly popular, so
how can I get my music on a station? I know I
won’t be able to get on national radio, but there
are so many stations out there and I’d love to be You can use various
played on one. services to get your
music on iTunes
Instead of sending your demo into DJs like in the
old days, there are a few websites that enable to If you get selected to be played, you’ll receive really like it they can choose to invest. If you get
you upload your music for the chance to be on an email from the DJ telling you what show you’ll enough fans investing, you will be in with a chance
their radio. One such site is www.amazingtunes. be on – so be sure to tell everyone you know and of being played, as well as having enough financial
com. By uploading your music, you stand the everyone they know to listen in! Besides those backing to take a giant leap and record your first
chance of being played on their very own Amazing people that you do tell, you’ll never know who else album. As ukulele playing is still something of a
Radio, which is on digital radio. It doesn’t matter might be listening. departure from more conventional guitar-based
what genre you play either, as they have DJs who A slightly less direct way of getting on the radio music, you’ll have to work hard to create a truly
specialise in indie, ambient, folk and loads more is through www.slicethepie.com. At Slice The Pie unique sound, but you can rest assured there are
varied stuff in between. people can listen to and rate your music, and if they like-minded people out there who will enjoy it.
Facebook fans
How can I get my band and music on Facebook? I want fans not friends!
Rather than sign up as a person by using the text Click Artist, Band or Public Figure, select Musician/ Now link it to your personal Facebook account if
fields, click Create a Page for a Celebrity, Band or Band, name yourself, then agree to the terms and you so wish, and you’ll have the chance to start
Business below them. conditions and click Get Started. adding fans and promoting your music!
Glossary
A E
B F
Bridge Fingerboard
The bridge is found towards the base of your The fingerboard tops the neck of the ukulele and is
ukulele. It supports the strings, allowing them to divided up into notes. The size will differ depending
vibrate and produce a pitch. on the type of ukulele.
D K O
Octave
This is the distance of one note to the next of the
“Finger-picking is when you use the same name. It is 12 semitones apart, or a note 12
frets higher on your ukulele.
fingers of your strumming hand to
pick individual strings of the ukulele” P
148 Ukulele for Beginners
Plectrum
A plectrum is a small, usually triangular device,
which is used to strum the strings of the ukulele. It
can either be made of felt or plastic.
Q
R
S
Scale
A scale is an organised set of notes and can be
played in an ascending or descending sequence.
The two most popular types are the major and
minor scales, with the sequence always remaining
the same regardless of the note you start on.
Slide
A slide is a technique where you move your fretting
hand up or down from one note to the next
without plucking or strumming again.
Strumming
Strumming is the technique of using the non- :PVDBOFJUIFS
fretting hand to strike all of the ukulele strings at TUSVNUIFTUSJOHT
the same time to play a chord. This can either be a UPHFUIFSPSGJOHFSQJDL
downstroke or upstroke.
Syncopation piece of music. It will tell you how many beats there
t%PXOTUSPLF
A downstroke is the strumming technique where Syncopation is where the rhythms being strummed are in a bar, and what type of beat it is.
the non-fretting hand moves from the string are being played off the beat, or filling in the gaps
closest to your face to the one furthest away. of the pulse. Tremolo
Tremolo strumming is where you rapidly repeat a
t6QTUSPLF
An upstroke is created when you strum from the
T single note or notes in quick succession.
t"EBHJP X
This is a slow tempo indicator, but not as slow as
largo. It is around 60-70 beats per minute. Y
Time Signature
A time signature is found at the beginning of a Z
Ukulele for Beginners 149
Chord list
Major chords
Get a happy sound with these shapes
Basic major chords are incredibly popular in Western music, probably because many of them are easy to play and they give
your songs a happy feel. These chords contain the first, third and fifth notes in the corresponding major scale. It’s worth
noting that the ‘major’ isn’t often referred to when you see these chords written down.
Key
1 Index 2 Middle 3 Ring 4 Little X: Don’t strum this string
A A#/B B C
G C E A G C E A G C E A G C E A
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2
3 3 3 3 2 3 1
4 4 4 3 4
5 5 5 5
C#/D D D#/E E
G C E A G C E A G C E A G C E A
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 1 1 1 2 2 1
3 3 3 3 4 3
4 4 4 4 4 2 3 4
5 5 5 5
F F#/G G G#/A
G C E A G C E A G C E A G C E A
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 1 2 2
3 3 3 3 3 3 1 1
4 4 4 4 2
5 5 5 5 3
A basic minor chord will give you a much sadder sound than a major chord. This is because the third note in the major
scale is ‘flattened’ in pitch by one semitone. For example, ‘E’ is the third note in the C major scale (CDEFGAB), and this is
flattened by a semitone to E to give a C minor chord its distinct melancholy sound.
Key
1 Index 2 Middle 3 Ring 4 Little X: Don’t strum this string
Am A#/B m Bm Cm
G C E A G C E A G C E A G C E A
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2
3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1
4 4 4 3 4
5 5 5 5
C#/D m Dm D#/E m Em
G C E A G C E A G C E A G C E A
4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
5 2 2 3 2 2 2 1
6 3 3 3 3 4 3 2
7 4 4 4 3
8 5 5 5
Fm F#/G m Gm G#/A m
G C E A G C E A G C E A G C E A
1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 3 2 2 2 1
3 4 3 3 4 3 2
4 4 4 4 3 4
5 5 5 5
The chords we have seen so far consist of the first, third and fifth notes of a scale, so the next step is the seventh.
A dominant seventh chord (shown simply as ‘7’) is formed with the first, third, fifth, and flattened seventh notes
of a scale. ‘B’ is the seventh note in the C major scale (CDEFGAB), so C7 can contain C, E, G, and B .
Key
1 Index 2 Middle 3 Ring 4 Little X: Don’t strum this string
A7 A#/B 7 B7 C7
G C E A G C E A G C E A G C E A
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2
3 3 3 2 3
4 4 4 4
5 5 5 5
C#/D 7 D7 D#/E 7 E7
G C E A G C E A G C E A G C E A
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 3
3 3 2 3 1 1 1 3
4 4 4 2 4
5 5 5 5
F7 F#/G 7 G7 G#/A 7
G C E A G C E A G C E A G C E A
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 1 2 2 3 2 2
3 3 3 2 3 3 3 4
4 4 3 4 4 4
5 5 5 5
Major seventh chords (maj7), are similar to dominant seventh chords, but they include the natural seventh note in the major
scale, rather than a flattened one. For example, Cmaj7 would feature C, E, G, and B, rather than the B from the dominant, as
B is the seventh note in the C major scale. Using a major seventh chord will give your tunes a warm, happy feel.
Key
1 Index 2 Middle 3 Ring 4 Little X: Don’t strum this string
1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 3 2 1 1 2 1
3 3 3 2 3 3
4 4 4 4
5 5 5 5
1 1 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1
2 2 1 1 1 2 5
3 2 3 3 1 1 1 6 3
4 4 2 4 7
5 5 5 3 8
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 1 1 1 2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4
5 2 3 5 5 5
Minor seventh chords (m7) use the flattened seventh note seen in dominant seventh chords as well as a flattened
third note found in basic minor chords. So Cm7 would contain C, E , G, and B . E and B are the third and seventh notes
respectively of the C major scale, and they are both flattened here to create the m7 chord.
Key
1 Index 2 Middle 3 Ring 4 Little X: Don’t strum this string
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 1 1 1 1 2
3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1
4 4 4 4
5 5 5 5
1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 3 2 1 2 2 3
3 3 4 3 2 3 3
4 1 1 1 1 4 4 4 4
5 5 5 5
1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2
3 3 4 3 3 3 3
4 4 3 4 4 4
5 5 5 5
So far, all the chords we’ve looked at have featured the third note of their corresponding major or minor scale. Suspended
chords (sus) don’t, usually replacing it with either a second (sus2) or a fourth (sus4). So Csus4 would feature an F (the fourth
note in the C major scale) instead of the E found in a major chord. Here’s a list of sus4 chords.
Key
1 Index 2 Middle 3 Ring 4 Little X: Don’t strum this string
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 3 2 2 1 1 2
3 3 3 4 3 3 4
4 4 4 3 4 4
5 5 5 5
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 1 2 2 2
3 3 4 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 4 2 3
5 5 5 5
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 1 2
3 3 4 3 3 3 4 3 2
4 4 3 4 4 4 3 4
5 5 5 5
Sixth chords
Increase your repertoire with these next-level chords
Sixth chords ten to consist of a major triad with the interval of a sixth added. They have a root tone, then a third, then a
fifth, and finally a sixth to finish it off. These chords often have a jazzy sound and as such are often used to round off jazz
performances. The major sixth is the most common form, consisting of a major triad with a major sixth.
Key
1 Index 2 Middle 3 Ring 4 Little X: Don’t strum this string
A6 A#/B 6 B6 C6
G C E A G C E A G C E A G C E A
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4
5 5 5 5
C#/D 6 D6 D#/E 6 E6
G C E A G C E A G C E A G C E A
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 1 1 1 1 2 2
3 3 3 1 1 1 1 3
4 4 4 4 1 1 1 1
5 5 5 5
F6 F#/G 6 G6 G#/A 6
G C E A G C E A G C E A G C E A
1 1 1 1 1 1 2
2 2 3 2 1 2 1 2 2
3 4 3 2 3 3 3 3 4
4 4 4 4 4
5 5 5 5
These chords often involve barring and are more complex than other chords, so shouldn’t be attempted until after
you’ve mastered the basics. Here, the chord encompasses the interval of a ninth when they are arranged in close
position with the root in the bass. These chords typically include a major seventh and a triad.
Key
1 Index 2 Middle 3 Ring 4 Little X: Don’t strum this string
A9 A#/B 9 B9 C9
G C E A G C E A G C E A G C E A
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 3 2 2 2 1 1 2
3 3 3 3 2 3 1
4 4 4 3 4
5 5 5 5 4
C#/D 9 D9 D#/E 9 E9
G C E A G C E A G C E A G C E A
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 1 2 2 2 3 3 3
3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4
5 5 5 5
F9 F#/G 9 G9 G#/A 9
G C E A G C E A G C E A G C E A
1 1 1 1 1
2 1 2 2 2 3 4 2 1
3 3 3 3 3 1 3 3 2 3 4
4 4 3 3 3 4 4
5 5 5 5
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