How to start the ukulele

Ukulele is one of the most popular tools today. In this article we will advise you how to play ukulele basic chords.

What is a ukulele

The four-stringed instrument from Hawaii came all over the world along with jazz bands from America in the early 20th century. It was soon popularized by many amateur players due to its compactness , portability and low purchase price . It is for these properties that the ukulele can be suitable as a musical instrument for beginners and is also suitable as an instrument for children.

Ukuleles exist in several variants, which differ in size

  • Soprano ukuleles
  • Concert ukulele
  • Tenor ukuleles
  • Baritone ukuleles
  • Other ukuleles

Basic tips for playing the ukulele

Get a ukulele you fall in love with. Ukuleles are produced in several colors and designs. Choose the ones you like. The standard is a ukulele soprano, which is a choice for sure. We will advise you on the choice of ukulele here .

Find a position to hold the ukulele that suits you. You can lean it on your leg while sitting, you will press it against your chest while standing, which will allow you to walk while playing. However, never press it too hard to dampen the sound.

Play with the strumming. From the beginning it will probably only be up and down, but gradually you can come up with your own schemes, play with the rhythm and give the game the right groove 🙂

Learn by playing slowly. For example, changing chords to rhythm is a nut. Therefore, it is good to practice different combinations of chords at first more slowly and gradually accelerate to the tempo we want.

Record and then listen to the recordings . This will give you feedback about your playing. It’s hard to play and listen at the same time. You do not have to go to a recording studio for such a recording. A simple recorder is enough .

Listen to the masters and play with other musicians . Listening to good players will give you an idea of ​​how far you can go in playing the ukulele. Jamming with musicians or playing in a band is another way to develop the game and still please others 🙂

Remember that playing is mainly for fun. Therefore, learn by playing different songs that you like.

How to play ukulele chords

To learn chords, use the chord diagram , which shows where you need to press the strings to get the chord. The strings go from “g” (string when holding the instrument in the playing position at the top), through “c”, “e” to the string at the very bottom – “a”. The first line at the top of the diagram is the zero fret , which is closest to the ukulele head. The next lines are individual sleepers . The solid dots show the places on the fret that are squeezed by the fingers. An open dot means you let the string play freely.

In most cases, you can do with basic chords . We have selected for you those with which you will play hundreds of songs.

 

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