How to Play Ukulele Songs

Learning to play songs on the ukulele can be a fun and rewarding experience. Unlike the guitar or piano, the ukulele's small size and four strings make it a relatively easy instrument to learn and eventually master. A basic understanding of the instrument is essential to embarking on learning a collection of ukulele tunes. Once you have covered the basics of tuning and chords, you will be well-prepared to start learning ukulele songs.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Ukulele
• Tablature

Play Ukulele Songs

1. Grasp the neck of the ukulele in one hand while supporting the body of the instrument under your strumming arm. Your chording hand is responsible for depressing chords on the ukulele's fretboard, while your strumming hand will strike the instrument's four strings.

2. Read tablature for a ukulele song. Ukulele tablature is a written method using ASCII characters and numbers that provides a visual representation of the instrument's fretboard. Numbers show where to fret the strings, and the lines represent each string.

3. Strum and chord the ukulele according to the tablature. Read the tablature from left to right to play the correct notes, similar to how you would read sheet music.

4. Improvise a simple three-chord ukulele song. On a soprano ukulele for instance, press down the second fret of the C and A strings while pressing down the third fret of the E string to create a G chord. Next, press down the second fret of the G, C and E strings to create a D chord. Finally, press down the third fret of the A string to create a C chord. Repeat the pattern.

Tips & Warnings

• Most ukulele models are played exactly the same, making it easy to learn a song on one model and then play it on a different one.
• Ukulele songs can be strummed or finger-picked. Choose a style you are most comfortable with, or alternate between the two.

References

• How to Play Ukulele
• Ukulele-Tabs