How to Play the Ukulele

So you want to learn how to play the ukulele - fantastic! You're about to start making some beautiful music. This article will introduce you to some key pointers in getting started on the fast track toward ukulele success. Re-read this article many times in the early stages of your uke career so you practice good habits.

Perhaps the most important point is to have patience. Easier said than done, especially when you're holding a brand new beautiful instrument in your arms and you have visions of amazing your friends with your new talent! Like any new skill, however, learning how to play the ukulele takes time. Keep in mind that there is no end goal -- it is a journey. You will always be improving, even twenty years from now. So enjoy these early stages -- they are part of the fun!

Ensure your ukulele is properly tuned before each session. Until you can do this by ear, your best bet is an electronic tuner that will play a properly tuned pitch to which you can tune your uke. There are also internet sites that will play tuned notes for you if happen to be near a computer, but electronic tuners are small and relatively inexpensive. Consider one an essential part of your gear.

Take extra time in the beginning to train your ears to pick out the unique pitch of each string. This is more natural for some people than others, but try to get to the point where you know what a G sounds like, for example, before you play it. Then move on to the other strings. If you can master this skill, you will have taken a quantum leap in learning how to "play by ear".

Start SLOWLY. Once you learn your first few ukulele chords, play them over and over again. The repetition may seem monotonous after a while, but it's important that you solidify your new skills before adding new ones to your repertoire. Learn about five songs that only require the same two or three chords. Play these songs repeatedly until they are second nature. It's very tempting to move on to new chords or skills before you've mastered the prior ones, but that is not the way to long-term success. Be the tortoise, not the hare!

You should learn how to read ukulele tablature (or tabs, as they're often called). Tablature refers to the way in which tunes and chords are written for others to use. Tabs visually represent the fret board (neck) of your uke, so it's relatively easy to see where to place your fingers. There are plenty of internet sites with free tabs for many popular songs for you to download.

If your means allow, get a nice instrument and make sure it has quality strings. If not, you can buy strings separately. You may not notice a big difference in the beginning, but you'll soon appreciate the richer sound of a quality ukulele and strings.

Lastly, listen to other ukulele players. Get a feel for the different types of music they make. Find videos of professionals online and watch how they hold their instrument -- not too tightly. Ukulele players are fantastic people, and most will be happy to share their love of this beautiful instrument.