SO YOU WANT TO LEARN 'UKULELE?
a beginner's guide by quick leeClick here to skip to the Table of Contents|||||||||||||||AN INTRODUCTIONSo you want to learn the 'ukulele? Great choice! Hi, my name is Quick (He/They), and I've played this lovely instrument since 2016. I make lowkey, lo-fi covers of songs that I enjoy on 'ukulele! It's a versatile instrument that can play any genre you can think of! (No, seriously.)This website was created because I kept getting the same exact questions from beginners, so I decided to condense all the information in one place. The aim of this website is a one-stop shop for anything you need know as you start out in 'ukulele! It's infinitely easier than typing out long-winded shit for each and every newbie. And I daresay, more accessible this way too.By the way, if you're looking for a Discord 'ukulele community, I've made one with the help of some friends. Here's the link to the Grand Ukulele Station! There is a frequently updated resource database channel that has even more cool stuff. I will not be updating this website, so if you want even more free resources all in one place, I would recommend joining this server. Don't worry, there's off-topic channels for regular chatter too.I won't lie: it's not easy all the time. Some days, you will struggle. You will plateau at points. But you will get up and prevail! After all, the most important thing is to have fun with this. Learn what you want, how you want.But first... a history lesson.|||||||THE HISTORY LESSONThe first thing you should learn about the 'ukulele is how to say it. No, the correct pronunciation is NOT yoo-ka-lay-lee. I am sick of random white people attempting to explain the "correct" way of pronouncing this instrument's name, without taking its history into account.Now, I could regale you with the 'ukulele's rich history, but I suck at history research and I don't have the patience for it. Instead, I will let Brad from Live 'Ukulele and Keli'i from Leolani explain. Come back here when you're done reading these articles!In summary, if you don't wish to read about white supremacy, cultural appropriation, erasure of Hawaiian culture, and colonialism, pronounce 'ukulele as follows: oo-koo-leh-leh. It flows a lot easier off the tongue, doesn't it? Funny how that works.Indigenous justice and revolution shall prevail. May they get their lands and culture restored to their former glory. Down with the colonizers.Oh, also, while I'm here: don't shorten 'ukulele to uku. It is uke, pronounced youke. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.|||||||A NOTE
Instead of putting information into my own words, I thought it best to give credit to the many professionals and musicians that I have learned from over the years. With direct links to their content, you can support reputable folks who really know their stuff. Many of the links I have provided have cool visual aids and diagrams, so I chose the best way to share that information with you.This website was put together for free, for the love of 'ukulele. However, if you would like to compensate me for my time and energy building this site/doing research and support a Queer Asian creative person, my Ko-Fi, PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, and Patreon can all be found under the "fireandfolds" username.In addition, if you would like to make a suggestion or ask a question about this site, I am on Discord @/fireandfolds#7490. Thank you!
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TABLE OF CONTENTSMoving forward, the following pages will detail basic information that will help you on your 'ukulele journey. I would recommend you go in order, but I suppose you can skip around if you choose.Good luck!——————————
BASICSSTRINGS & TUNINGHOLD AND STRUMCHORDS & STRUM PATTERNSMUSIC THEORY & READING MUSICYOUTUBE RESOURCES & MUSICIANSFAQACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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'UKULELE OVERVIEW|PARTS & ANATOMYFirst, let's go over the parts of the 'ukulele. This article from Kala has a great diagram with labelled parts. I can also recommend this post from Live 'Ukulele. These diagrams done by LeftyFretz are pretty cool too.If you're looking for videos about 'ukulele anatomy, Bernadette Teaches Music and Cory Teaches Music have each made great ones.Whatever you choose to click on, just keep in mind that it's best to know the parts of the 'ukulele before moving on to playing it. Learn how this instrument works before attempting to do something with it, and you're on the road to success!||BRANDSHave you heard of the "4 K's"? In Hawai'i, that would be Kamaka, Kanile'a, Ko'olau, and KoAloha. They are the 4 oldest 'ukulele makers who continue to craft their masterpieces on O'ahu, Hawai'i. Basically everyone agrees that they make the best. If you're looking for an authentic Hawaiian 'ukulele, you'll find great success with these 4 brands. However, I will be the first to admit that their prices are not the most beginner-friendly. It's something to think about purchasing later, but maybe not to start with. There's a lot more on the list for authentic Hawaiian brands, though, so have no fear!Kamaka ($$$$$) – One of the oldest 'ukulele brands, Samuel Kaialiilii Kamaka established his own business making Koa wood 'ukuleles. He was a trailblazer, being the proprietor and creator of the popular Pineapple 'Ukulele. Since his passing, it's become a family business, and the business continues to make handcrafted, high quality 'ukes. Now in their fourth generation, there's good reason why the Kamaka name has been entrenched in Hawaiian culture and history. "If you make instruments and use the family name, don't make junk."Kanile'a ($$$$$) – The Kanile'a brand is one of innovation and responsibility. Tracing his roots back to Portugal, Joe Souza's family were among the Portuguese immigrants who brought the Braguinha, an ancestor of the 'ukulele, to Hawai'i in the late 1870s-80s. In 1998, Souza started his family-owned company. which continues to thrive today. Balancing the rich history of tradition with the progress of new technology and techniques, Kanile'a continues to make revolutionary instruments. And to top it all off, they have made steps to take care of the environment. From sourcing all the raw wood locally to processing every piece in-house to planting a Koa tree for every 'Ukulele built, Kanile'a has made a commitment to be sustainable and kind to their home.A sister brand of Kanile'a, Islander ($$$) features more affordable, beginner-friendly instruments with the same trusted sound.Ko'olau ($$$$) – Ko'olau began as a family business in the 1980s making, restoring, and repairing all sorts of stringed instruments. 15 years later, the company decided to focus on manufacturing guitars and 'ukuleles. With high standards and great quality, the clientele of accomplished musicians is a glowing review of just how good Ko'olau is. Refusing to cut corners and always boldly exploring new materials and designs, the instruments come with a high price; but you certainly get what you pay for.Looking for Ko'olau craftsmanship on a budget? Pono ($$$) might be the thing for you. With similar builds but still high quality, this daughter brand has guitars and 'ukuleles.KoAloha ($$$$) – A portmanteau of Koa (the wood they use to make their instruments) and Aloha (an important word in Hawaiian culture that describes love, peace, and compassion), KoAloha is truly fine Hawai'ian craftsmanship. Established in the mid-1990s, this family-run business crafts instruments suited for all musical genres and playing styles. Sporting a 5-point crown headstock and a musubi-shaped sound hole, these handmade beauties are bright and lively! Also, if you're ever in Honolulu, KoAloha offers a free factory tour, no reservation required. Something to put on the bucket list!If you would like to enjoy KoAloha workmanship at a more affordable price, KoAlana ($$) might be your thing. Give them a gander!Moore Bettah ($$$$$) and Ana'ole ($$$$$) – both make bespoke, handmade 'ukuleles. They are beautiful pieces of art that have been commissioned by many famous musicians.The following brands are more affordable than the 4 K's, but still great quality. I got tired of typing out short blurbs about everything, but their products speak for themselves.Mele ($$$$)Leolani ($$$)ANueNue ($$$$)Ukulele Underground ($$)If you want to play a good quality instrument but don't have access to authentic Hawaiian instruments, I can recommend the following brands:Kala ($$) & Makala ($) (daughter brand of Kala)Fender ($$)Lanikai ($$$)Lohanu ($)Mitchell ($$)Cordoba ($$)Martin ($$$)Kai ($$)Enya ($)Ohana ($)Kahua ($$)Flight ($)Oscar Schmidt ($$$$)Romero CreationsOrtega ($$)Magic Fluke ($$$)Baton Rouge ($)Ranch ($)Kohala ($)Paisen ($) (Amazon brand)Caramel ($) (Amazon brand)Guitar brands are usually good at making 'ukuleles because they have perfected the process of working with wood, but sometimes they don't have as many choices as 'ukulele-specific brands because they are more focused on guitar. Some 'ukulele-specific brands do it better, like the 4 K's. It's kind of like beer brands trying to hop on the spiked seltzer trend. Some brands should just stick to what they know.Moving on to brands you should avoid, steer clear from basically any cheap mass-production Chinese company. Their instruments are poorly constructed and not worth your money (and probably unethically produced, but then again, under capitalism nothing is really ethical, so oh well). They're more like toys. When it comes to instruments, a really cheap price should be a red flag. The only reason I would recommend these brands are for complete beginners who are unsure if they will continue the hobby for long enough to justify paying for a more expensive instrument. However, if you know that you want to play uke for a while and/or you are already a musician, here is the list of brands I would not recommend:Luna, LavaU, Diamond Head, Kangaroo, Kadence, Martin Smith, Kaka, Kuamind, Ammoon, Vangoa, Donner, Mahalo, Hola! Music, Stagg, Strong Wind, Everjoys, Aklot, MORSE, Amdini, Ashthorpe, Pomaikai, Pyle, EASTROCK, Ulumac, JMFinger, RANMING, Kmise, Balnna, ADM, KailuaHaving read many blog postings and articles, I can say that most sites agree on the high-quality brands. However, I disagree with some listings. So take what they say with a grain of salt! But these are my sources nonetheless:The Best Ukulele Brands That Are Actually From Hawaii (Midder Music)20 Best Ukulele Brands for Beginners and Professionals (2022 Update) (Guitar Lobby)The Top 10 Best Ukulele Brands and Which to Avoid (The Good Ukulele)Best Ukulele Brands in 2022: 15 Brand Reviews (Ukuleles Review)9 Best Ukulele Brands for Beginners and Pros in 2022 (Collections of Waikiki)Best Ukulele Brands for 2022 (and 3 to Avoid) (Acoustic Realm)Ukulele Brands to Avoid (Electric Ukulele Review)||TONEWOODSRegardless of size, an 'ukulele is a 4-stringed instrument, part of the string family (guitar, violin, banjo, etc.). In its basic acoustic form, the 'ukulele is constructed from wood. Cheaper ukes are crafted from laminate woods, while more expensive ukes are made with solid hardwoods. The type of wood is important for the sound you want to achieve.The woods that are used to make instruments such as this are called tonewoods. They lend themselves well to making tones. Hence the name. Want to read more about it? I've got you. (Excuse the incorrect spellings, of course. They're out of my control.)The Ultimate Guide to Ukulele Tonewoods (Kala)Gear Guru: Exploring Ukulele Tonewoods (Ukulele Magazine)Comparison – Different Ukulele Wood Types (Ukulele World)Does it look like a lot? Don't worry. If you're just starting out, you don't really need to worry about the nuance of sound. Anything well-constructed will do!||SIZEBut what would be good to decide on is the size. The most common sizes are Soprano, Alto (Concert), Tenor, and Baritone. A lot of beginners make a beeline for the Soprano because it's the size that everyone knows. Heck, it's even called the "standard" by some, and for good reason! But that's the not size for everyone. One size does not fit all. I say this as someone who started out with a Soprano, hated it, and upgraded to an Alto instead.Ukulele Sizes Explained! (Kala)Ukulele Sizes: All You Need to Know (Live 'Ukulele)Sizes, Types & Differences – Soprano vs Concert vs Tenor vs Baritone (Ukulele World)||MAINTENANCELike any good tool, constant maintenance and upkeep is necessary to keep your precious 'ukulele in its best condition. After each use, make sure there are no scuffs. Clean the strings lightly with a light cloth to stop oil residue from your fingers from staining them. Pay attention to humidity, especially if you have a wood instrument. The list goes on and on! The thing that separates instruments from toys is how well you respect an object and how well you care for it. Taking care of your 'ukulele will mean better sounds for much longer.Here's some links to articles for you to absorb the knowledge.How To Clean Your Ukulele (Leolani)Maintenance (Kala)How To Take Care of Your Ukulele? (Ukulele World)Common Sense Care: How to Keep Your Ukulele in Tip-Top Shape (Ukulele Magazine)Uke Minutes 134 - How To Clean Your Fretboard (Ukulele Underground)
This is a video.Many sources talk about using lemon oil on the fingerboard, but I have read that lemon oil can dry out and loosen hardware. So don't use lemon oil, use mineral oil with lemon scent.—————————= Back to Table of Contents =

STRINGSOne thing that separates acoustic 'ukuleles from acoustic guitars is the string material. Most ukes will use nylon or fluorocarbon, not wound metal strings. I will always stand by Aquila strings, but there are many good, reputable brands out there. Here some resources I always fall back on whenever I'm looking to buy new strings.Uke Minutes 148: Types of Ukulele Strings (Ukulele Underground)
This is a video.A Guide to Ukulele Strings: How to Choose Ukulele Strings (MasterClass)Ukulele Strings – The Best Set for Your Uke (Live 'Ukulele)Ukulele Strings Guide: A Comprehensive Overview of the Different Types (June Music)15 Best Ukulele Strings 2022 - Brands Compared (Ukulele World)4 Ways To Keep Your Ukulele In Tune (Ukulele Magazine)Chances are, if you're getting a new 'ukulele, you won't need to install new strings right away; at least with the reputable brands I mentioned, they come with a good-brand set of strings already installed. BUT! You'll have to learn how to change your strings eventually, so I'll leave some resources here for when that day comes. I hope it's not because your string snaps, but rather because you use the string so much that it wears down and grows dull. Knock on wood!How to Restring and Tie Ukulele Strings + Which Knots to Use (Fret Expert)How to Choose and Install a New Set of Strings for Your Ukulele (Ukulele Magazine)How to Restring Your Ukulele - 3 Different Bridges + 2 Different Headstocks (One Music School)
This is a video.How To Restring A Ukulele - Beginner's Guide To Replacing Uke Strings (PMTVUK)
This is a video.I get asked when should strings be changed, and I think the average answer is 6-12 months. But that honestly depends on how often you play, how well you take care of your instrument, and how much you care about the sound. I know that I play very often and I probably should change my strings more often, but I honestly keep my strings on for a couple of years because I keep an eye on temperature and humidity. Aaaand, I don't really care about my strings losing
dullness. I can't be bothered to change my strings so often. Anyway, here's some links to articles talking about when to change your strings.Things About Strings: What You Need to Know About This Vital Part of Your Ukulele (Ukulele Magazine)How to change Ukulele Strings: Knots, tips, and tricks (Live 'Ukulele)How often to change Ukulele strings, and why you should (Fret Expert)Ukulele Maintenance: How Often Should You Replace Your Strings? (acoustic bits)||TUNINGOn a related topic, let's talk about tuning!The most common tuning for the 'ukulele is G-C-E-A. Out of the 4 common sizes—Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Baritone—the first 3 share this tuning. The Baritone tuning is D-G-B-E, much like the 4 highest strings of a guitar. The "Tuning" section of Wikipedia goes into much more detail about this, and it's very fascinating. I would recommend having a read!Now, you might be wondering; how does one tune an 'ukulele? It might seem intimidating, but it's not as bad as most think. Using the tuning pegs you can correct the tone of the string by tightening or loosening the overall tension of the string. You can use an app or website to help you tune correctly. Here are some links:Fender's Online Tunerimusicschool online tunerTuner Ninja TunerTop 15 Best Ukulele Tuner App Of 2022 (Junu Music)5 Best Free Ukulele Tuner Apps for 2022 (Acoustic Realm)When it comes to the art of tuning, I have ONE really good article to recommend.Tuning: The Ultimate Guide For How to Tune Your Ukulele (Ukulele Tricks)Finally, some video tutorials!Uke Minutes 33 - How To Tune Your Ukulele (Ukulele Underground)How to tune a UKULELE for total beginners (Andy Guitar)HOW TO TUNE YOUR UKULELE & USE A CLIP-ON TUNER (Bernadette Teaches Music)How to Tune your Ukulele using a tuner (Cynthia Lin)How To Tune a Ukulele - Online Ukulele Tuner (U CAN UKE)So, online tuner, tuner app, or a physical tuner? Which is best? I've heard great things about some free tuner apps such as GuitarTuna. Personally, I use the paid app Tunable, so I have nothing to say about free apps. But I will say that clip-on tuners and physical tuners are easier to use in places without wifi or off-the-grid. The article I mentioned from Ukulele Tricks and the tuner app articles are useful to read as you make your decision.—————————= Back to Table of Contents =

HOW TO HOLD YOUR 'UKULELEOnce you have an 'ukulele in your hands, it's important to learn how to hold it when you sit and stand. Good playing posture is a mark of success in any musical journey.True ukuleleists can make their instruments "float" in front of them, but I find that's hard to do. Personally, I use a strap to do the holding for me so I can focus on the playing. My arms are not strong enough. But it's important to know the basics before switching it up, so hit the books!Absolute Beginner Course (1 of 5) - How to Hold your Ukulele (Ukulele Underground)
I would recommend going through the rest of this course, by the way. Very detailed and easy to understand. Love these guys!Uke Minutes 149 - How to Hold Your Ukulele (Ukulele Underground)How to Hold an Ukulele: Posture Tips (Live 'Ukulele)The Proper Way to Hold an Ukulele (Junu Music)Some people that aren't me prefer to watch something visually. That's totally cool! If videos are more of your thing, I've got those too:How to Hold Your Ukulele (Ukulele Underground)
An absolute beginner walkthrough, 10 minutes of goodness.How to Properly Hold An 'Ukulele (Barbie Wong)How to Hold and Strum Your Ukulele (Cordoba Guitars & One Music School)How to Hold the Ukulele - Ukulele School (Bernadette Teaches Music)How to Hold the Ukulele Correctly (Bernadette Teaches Music)How to hold a ukulele - the stuff they don't tell you (Adam Edwardson)
One of the rare videos that go over what the left hand does as you hold and play.How NOT to Hold the Ukulele (James Hill)If you are unable to hold up an 'ukulele the traditional way, by all means please do use a strap! I use a semi-guitar style strap, utilizing the bottom strap button and wrapping around the neck above the nut. If you think straps are right for you, here are some sites that explain the different types:Ukulele Straps: Types, Strap Buttons, & More (Live 'Ukulele)Ukulele Straps (Ukulele Go)||HOW TO STRUM YOUR 'UKULELEOnce you've tackled the hold, you can finally make some noise! Strumming an 'ukulele is easy in theory but harder in practice, I've learned. Luckily for you, I've rounded up some reading & viewing material for your pleasure!How to Strum the Ukulele (Kala)
This is an article.How to Strum a Ukulele: Basic Strumming Patterns and Skills
This is an article.Basic Ukulele Strumming Techniques with Jake Shimabukuro (Reverb)Uke Minutes 153 - How to Strum Your Ukulele (Ukulele Underground)Uke Minutes - Ukulele Tips on Strumming (Ukulele Underground)Beginning Ukulele - STRUMMING AND FINGERNAILS - Introduction (The Ukulele Fool)
Keeping your fretting hand fingernails trim is important for hand health and good sound. Lisa, aka The Ukulele Fool, makes a lot of educational videos for beginners. I'd recommend watching the entire "New to Uke" playlist! She's got stuff on tuning and holding too.Ukulele Strumming for Absolute Beginners (Ukulele Go)
How To Strum the Ukulele // Beginner Uke Tutorial (Cynthia Lin)Learn to Strum the Ukulele the Hawaiian way (HawaiiMusicSchool)Many left-handed people ask if they should learn 'ukulele "left-handed" because of their hand dominance. I don't think so. Why? I'm a lefty myself, and I think that fretting is far more intricate than strumming. It makes sense for my dominant hand to be fretting chords.Do left-handed violinists change the entire configuration of an instrument just because they are left-handed? No. Everyone plays violin the same way, because music is written for the standard way of playing. Of course, this isn't counting people with disabilities or other extenuating circumstances, but both me and my brothers (who are right-handed) learned violin the exact same way. I see no reason why it would be any different for 'ukulele.However, if you want to learn 'ukulele "left-handed", be my guest. Your funeral! You'll have a harder time finding music and you might need to invest in a left-strung instrument, which might cost a little more. I'm sure there are people who do play left-handed, but there's honestly no necessity.—————————= Back to Table of Contents =

PLAYING CHORDSSo, now you know how to hold and strum your in-tune 'ukulele. Great! Now, in order to make some nice noises, you have to know some chords.So then, what's a chord? If you're looking for a more in-depth explanation, you can watch some of the music theory stuff I've provided in the section below this one. But without going too deep, I would say a chord is a group of 2 or more notes played at the same time. Because of how string instruments like the 'ukulele are built, you can play all the notes of a chord at the same time. (This cannot be done on the violin, sadly...) Chords are the backbone of music, basic foundations that are built upon to make songs more interesting.For 'ukulele, to make different sounds you put the fingers of your fretting hand down on certain frets (the boxes), creating different vibrations of the string. There are sooo many possibilities for chords, because there are so many combinations. This helpful article by Fender (link) gives a crash course on chords for beginners.The basic chords you can learn right away are: C, Am, F, G, Dm, Em, A. 7th chords like G7, A7, E7, and D7 are also beginner-friendly. You can play a lot of songs with just these chords! Here is a helpful chord chart from Ukulele Underground: linkOne of my favorite resources that I constantly use is UkeBuddy's chord finder and namer. (link) They also have pages for scales, arpeggios, and tabs, but I don't use those, so I can't endorse it. However, the chord finder is extremely helpful when I want to find alternate chord voicings to better fit the songs I play. I have this website always open whenever I do 'ukulele stuff!A helpful tip is noticing how chords can have similar chord fretting hand shapes. As you go up and down the fingerboard, you can play many different chords but keeping your hand in the same position. This is often the case with barre chords.Barre chords are when one or more fingers are used to press down multiple strings across a fret, as if you have a bar pressing down. It works similarly to how a capo works, but your finger serves as the "capo". (Explanation of capo here.)Chord diagrams may look a little confusing, especially when standard convention dictates that string order must be written a certain way. I found a fun article that talk about string order in notation and music: link here. Anywho, here's some helpful articles on reading chord diagrams:How to Read Ukulele Chord Diagrams for Beginners (Ukulele World)How to Read Ukulele Chord Diagrams (UkuleleSpace)I also don't know where to put this, but I found a cool handbook on moveable chord shapes by Mike Pope. Click here to read.||STRUM PATTERNSOnce you have some chords learned, it would be good to learn some fun strum
patterns to go with them. Spicing up your chord progressions with a unique strum can make them go from blah to yeah. Here are some great resources for strum patterns:4 Ukulele Strumming Styles to Add to Your Repertoire (Ukulele Magazine)32 Ukulele Strumming Patterns (Ukulele Go)7 Ukulele Strumming Patterns for Beginners (TakeLessons)5 Effective Strumming Patterns for Beginners (Ukulele Tricks)Related to strum patterns is mutes and chucking. Muting the strings with your fretting hand or your strumming hand can make your strum patterns more interesting and add a percussive quality to your music. Of course, this is for AFTER you master basic strum patterns! Here are some videos about chucking and muting for you to learn from.How to Chuck // Ukulele Tutorial (Cynthia Lin)How to Chuck on Ukulele: A Comprehensive Tutorial (Uke With Smitty)
How to Chuck and Effectively Use It! // Ukulele Tutorial (JJ Milare)How to Chuck a Ukulele - Ukulele Tutorial (Chucking/Chunking/Palm-Muting) (U CAN UKE)How to Chuck Three Different Ways - Muting Strumming Patterns (One Music School)—————————= Back to Table of Contents =

TYPES OF MUSIC NOTATIONAs I mentioned earlier, the 'ukulele is a stringed instrument. So, just like guitar, there are different ways you can write and read music. You have Standard (Western) Notation, Chord sheets, and Tablatures (Tabs). Each has specific pros and cons. Here's an article from Ukulele World that dips their toe into this: link||STANDARD (WESTERN) NOTATIONStandard (Western) notation is like piano sheet music. You have the time signatures, staffs, clefs, measures, bar lines, etc., etc. In order to learn how to read Standard Western Notation music, you'll need to learn some Western Music Theory.Having learned piano probably before I learned how to talk, I do know how to read "standard" sheet music. But I hate it, so I don't bother with it. I instead use both chord sheets and tabs. I'll tell you this now: you do not need to learn how to read classic sheet music to be successful in 'ukulele. You actually don't need to know any music theory at all. If you want to improve your skills and read more advanced stuff, perhaps it would be good to learn a few things, but it's certainly not necessary. I know of many an 'ukuleleist who does completely fine with chord diagrams and chord sheets.However, I won't try and stop you if you want to learn! Western music theory does tend to come in handy when I write my own tabs and chord sheets. Here's some youtube playlists and videos to get you started:Music Theory for Ukulele (Bernadette Teaches Music)Circle of Fifths (Basics for Ukulele Players) (Ukulele Underground)MUST KNOW Ukulele Music Theory (Sean Daniel)The Most Important Music Theory Lessons - Intervals - Ukulele Music Theory Tutorial (TenThumbs Productions)Turn a Scale Into Chords - Understanding Music Keys - Ukulele Music Theory Tutorial (TenThumbs Productions)Pretty Good - Ukulele Music Theory (Tucker Tota)Ukulele Music Theory (Pete Farrugia Guitar Teacher)How I'd Learn Music Theory (If I Had To Start Over) (12tone)MUSIC THEORY in 12 minutes for nOOBS (Shred)Learn music theory in half an hour. (Andrew Huang)Music Theory for Beginners (Berklee Online)How to read music - Tim Hansen (TED-Ed)How to Read Sheet Music (Julian Cianciolo)
To be clear, this is a joke. But... he's surprisingly not wrong about a lot of it.The Music Theory Iceberg Explained (David Bennett Piano)
This video isn't very relevant to learning 'ukulele, but I find it wildly interesting and entertaining. I figured you would want to see something fun!||CHORD SHEETSMy 'ukulele learning journey started with chord sheets. I love chord sheets. They are simple and accessible. I love simple and accessible!There seems to be some confusion within the 'uke community, since everyone refers to both chord sheet-style music and tablature as "tabs". Even I do it. A lot of songs involve both chord-strumming style notation and tablature, so that might be why. Anyway!Since I started, I wrote down my own sheets and tabs. I used to write everything with paper and pencil, and I sometimes still do. It's helpful! An example of a chord sheet would be this one I wrote up for one of my favorites jingles ever, the Miami song from The Golden Girls. Link. I'm lane Dorothy Zbornak all the way! But I digress. You've got the lyrics and the chords situated above the lyrics at specific places. Where the chord is placed lets you know when the chord should be played and changed. All you need to know is the chords, and you're good to go.||TABLATUREPerhaps more outwardly confusing is tablature, or tabs. In order to make it less confusing, imagine that you are looking down at your instrument laying horizontally flat. And here are some resources that explain things a lot better than I do.How to Read Ukulele Tabs: A Complete Guide to Tablature (Live 'Ukulele)How to Read Tabs (Ultimate Guitar)How to Read Ukulele Tabs and Where to Find Them: A Beginner’s Guide (TakeLessons)How To Read Tabs for Beginners -Guitar/Ukulele Play Along Exercises (One Music School)
This is a video.Fingerpicking/fingerstyle playing uses tab notation to show melodies and stuff. You can't figure out a melody from a simple chord sheet, that's for sure! Generally with tabs, there is a recommended fingering, but it's more of a guideline. Whatever works, I suppose.My favorite place to find nice chord sheets & tabs is Ultimate Guitar (link), while others swear by Ukutabs. Personally, I hate Ukutabs, because their pages are never accurate in both lyrics and chords. And chord placements! UG isn't free of that, either, of course, but it's not as problematically bad. I end up working off of tabs/sheets I find on the internet to write what I believe is the most accurate. Here's a link to my tab & sheet collection.Please be aware that I use nontraditional string notation, because I found an interesting article and immediately agreed with it. Convention is not always the best. With string order, it can be easily changed. linkSo, what should your first song be? Well, that's up to you. Most people will go for "Riptide", "I'm Yours", "You Are My Sunshine", "Happy Birthday", "Can't Help Falling in Love", "Ho Hey", "Over the Rainbow", etc. My first song was "The Judge" by Twenty One Pilots (I was an overachieving bastard). My advice is to choose songs you know well that have easy chords. You'll be inclined to practice more if you like what you're playing.—————————= Back to Table of Contents =

'UKULELE RESOURCESI love the internet. There are so many people around the world who pour their heart and soul into educating others about music. Oftentimes, for free!Personally, I never often use youtube tutorials, but a lot of my peers do. With their help, I've rounded up a list of helpful 'ukulele content for beginners and non-beginners alike.Feel free to share this google doc with anyone and everyone! Support these kind folks.
CLICK HERE FOR THE DOCMy favorite channels are Ukulele Underground, Brad Bordessa (Live 'Ukulele), Christopher Davis-Shannon, UkesterBrown, Ukulele Mike, Lisa (The Ukulele Fool), and Stephanie Douglass. But honestly, the way I prefer to learn involves listening to the original song and other people covering it, then coming up with my own unique interpretation with a few tips from people far better than I am. I don't have patience for your typical tutorial. I can't be the only one.Also, here are some musicians/celebrities who play the 'ukulele. Do you know any of them?Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
James Hill
Jake Shimabukuro
Eddie Vedder
Herbert Butros Khaury (Tiny Tim)
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
Cliff Edwards
Taylor Swift
George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon (The Beatles)
Steve Martin
Julia Nunes
Grace VanderWaal
George Formby
Bette Midler
Ingrid Michaelson
Tyler Joseph (Twenty One Pilots)
Jack Johnson
Molly Lewis
Maia (mxmtoon)
Dorothy Clark (dodie)
Robin Daniel Skinner (cavetown)
Sophie Madeleine
Vance Joy
Jason Mraz
Bruce Springsteen
Elvis Presley
Jacob Collier
Sara Bareilles
Billie Eilish
Josh Taylor (half.alive)
BoyWithUke
Ukuletea
Conan Gray
The Lumineers
Bruno Mars
Dwayne Johnson (The Rock)
Lucille Ball
Marilyn Monroe
Cyndi Lauper
Zooey Deschanel
Joseph Gordon-Levitt10 Famous Ukulele Players You Should Know – Great Ukulelists (CMUSE)15 Of The Most Famous Ukulele Players You Should Know (Hello Music Theory)30 Famous Ukulele Players, Past and Present (Zing Instruments)Famous Ukulele Players: 43 Great Ukulele Players (Ukuleles Review)11 Famous Ukulele Players You Should Know (Ukulele Magazine)10 Famous Music Artists You Didn't Know Play Ukulele (Roadie Music)—————————= Back to Table of Contents =

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSThe following questions have been rounding up from many, many beginners, in no particular order.Click here to access the Google Doc.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSWith special thank-you to:
r/Ukulele on Reddit,
& the Ukulele Underground forum.
Members from these communities contributed to the construction of this page, in one way or another. I really appreciate it.—————————= Back to Table of Contents =