Lessons - Ukulele

Taking a survey of your music knowledge is a great start to creating a well rounded plan for further development and increasing your music enjoyment.

I've been asked many times to put together a plan of attack for getting beyond the basics. These lesson pages are intended to provide material for developing your skills and expanding your music knowledge.

Study Plan Surveys

• General Music
• Ukulele

Lesson Info

Information on the four common ukulele sizes. The Soprano, Concert, Tenor and Baritone ukuleles.

• Selecting a Ukulele

Lesson Info

There are three common tunings in use today: C, G and D tuning.

• Common Ukulele Tunings

Lesson Info

There is nothing that can propel you learning to the next level like really, and I mean really knowing the names of the notes of the ukulele fingerboard for your tuning. This is not that same as reading music but simply know the names of each fret and string.

• Learning the Ukulele Fingerboard

Lesson Info

What is up, down, higher, lower, top, bottom, ascending, descending on a ukulele?.

• Which Way is Up?

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What the heck are those chords?

This is simply hearing when and where the chords of a progression or song change and knowing what the chords are. Sounds easy, and for simple songs and progressions it is easy.

This is important skill to develop for joining in on the fun of the ukulele kanikapila (jam) sessions.

• Hearing the Changes
• Introduction
• Key of C Major

  Starting specifically with C major we can then generically apply it to any major key.

Lesson Info

The Chord Diagram a.k.a Chord Grid This is the box or grid of dots indicating the chord shape on the ukulele fingerboard.

• The Chord Diagram

Lesson Info

Open Position Chords are the basic, first chords most ukulele players learn. These chords are played in the fret one, two, three and four area of the ukulele and include at least one open string in the chord.

• Basic Open Position Chords

Lesson Info

21 chord lessons taking basic open position chords and showing their movable forms with practice progressions, derived chords and tips and tricks for remembering chords.

• Movable Form Chords

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The open position D chord is one of the first chords to give beginners trouble. Here are some alternate fingering solutions to explore.

• Open Position D

F7

A 4-part seventh chords. Sometimes a called a Dominant Seventh.

• F7

Lesson Info

Although some chords have a fingering that is easy to determine. It might not be the most efficient or easy for you to play. Chords can be fingered many different ways. No chords fingering is mandatory but only recommended. Some chords have a few alternate fingerings that should be explored.

• D
• F7

Lesson Info

Breaking the "Learning more chord shapes...

• Chord Shapes and Learning Chords

Lesson Info

• Dominant Seventh Chords

Lesson Info

A Seventh chord, sometimes called a Dominant Seventh chord, is the chord with the most potential for alterations and chord extensions.

This Premium Member lessons goes through the trick and priniciples that I and most jazz players use for creating all this chords. And, we do it on the fly without memorizing a lot of chord shapes. On ukulele all you need to do is memorize the four core seventh chords.

Its easier that you think!

• Altered Seventh Chords

Lesson Info

What the heck are those chords?

This is simply hearing when and where the chords of a progression or song change and knowing what the chords are. Sounds easy, and for simple songs and progressions it is easy.

This is important skill to develop for joining in on the fun of the ukulele kanikapila (jam) sessions.

• Hearing the Changes
• Introduction
• Key of C Major

  Starting specifically with C major we can then generically apply it to any major key.

Lesson Info

What are those chords tones? Learn more then the root or letter name of the chord. Be able to spell any chord in any key...

Originally part of the UkuleleLessons series of lessons. This is helpful for any instrument.

• Chord Spelling

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Naming Chords - Other than a basic open position chord. Chords can not be named out of context or until they are used with other chords and their harmonic function is determined.

• Naming Chords

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Triads are a great resource for creating simple melodies and solos.

• Using Major and Minor Triads

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Cool Chords - These are those really cool sounding chords that do not show up in chord dictionaries or song books. These are the chords players ask, “What is that chord?” Typically containing open strings.

• Cool Chords
• Cool Chords - G7

Cool Chords - G7

This is a G7 that I use im my arrangement of Ob La Di Ob La Da.

• Cool Chords - G7

Lesson Info

Building a solid foundation of 4-part chords..."

Beyond learning open and barre chords, most guitarists struggle with advanced chords. Commonly called "jazz" chords, these more sophisticated voicings find a wide use in all forms of music.

Building a "core" set of basic 4-part chords will allow you to create ANY, yes ANY chords you ever encounter.

• Core Chords - Level 1, Part 1, 7th and minor seventh chords

Lesson Info

Upper Partial Chords or chord extensions are chords that include 9, 11, and 13 as part of the name.

This lessons explains where theses come from and how to create theses from your core chords.

• Upper Partial Chords

Lesson Info

Just Jazz Guitar article reprint with ukulele version

Although this article appeared in a jazz guitar magazine the principles apply to any string instrument like the bass and ukulele.

Beyond learning basic guitar chords, most guitars players struggle with advanced chords. These more sophisticated voicings, commonly called “jazz” chords, find a wide use in all forms of music and styles. These 4-part chords are the bread and butter of jazz.

• Building a Solid Chord Foundation.

Lesson Info

The Seventh chords, sometimes called the a Dominant Seventh chord, forms the foundation for all your 4-part chords.

Here is a simple approach to learning these chords in several common keys.

• Learning the Core Sevenths Chords

Lesson Info

A guide to creating introductions and turnarounds for songs.

Intros are a composed or improvised piece of music that introduces a song or composition. An introduction or intro for short, is used in all types of music. For the purposes of this UKULELELESSON focuses on contemporary music which includes pop, rock, blues, country, folk and jazz styles.

• Introductions and Turnarounds

Lesson Info

Famous and classic endings to spice up your ukulele arrangements. Ending like the Count Basie ending, Two Feel, Single, Double, Triple Tag Endings, Chromatic, ‘A’ Train Ending, Shave and a Haircut, Lawrence Welk Ending and more…

• Endings

• Major “Quick Four” Progression - Example J
• Diminished Seventh Passing Chord - Example J

Lesson Info

Introducing the Major Scale

The Major Scale, sometimes called the learning scale , is a great scale to base all you other scale one.

All music comes from scale. The chords, the melody, lick riffs and more.

• Introducing the Major Scale

Lesson Info

Learning this essential Blues Scale

One of the first scales typically learn by beginning players. This is the most common scale used in rock music.

• Learning the Blues Scale

Lesson Info

`Ukulele Doodling with C Pentatonic

Licks, riff, leads, spontaneous melodies, solos... In the guitar world this is called Lead Guitar. In the ukulele world we can call it whatever we want.

I call this Ukulele Doodling! Just like an artist can just doodle around drawing whatever they fancy. We can do the same on ukulele.

• `Ukulele Doodling

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From just two scales you can derive your basic set of scales that are used in a wide variety of music.

• Reference Scales

Lesson Info

The term scale and mode are used interchangeably and in a strict theory sense there is a big difference between a scale and a mode or modal scale. They are NOT the same, even if they are the same notes.

Music is best explored and explained in context. This lessons provides that context.

• Members Lesson

Lesson Info

The Major (Ionian) and Natural Minor (Aeolian) scales. From these two scales other basic scale can be derived.

• Members Lesson

Lesson Info

Basic strums and variations.

• Strums, Getting Started

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An interval is the distance between two notes. An interval has a name and a type. Intervals can be played melodically, ascending or descending. Or played harmonically by playing both notes at the same time. An interval can be inverted. Intervals can be diatonic to a scale or chromatic and not from a scale.

• Intervals

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Playing by ear, Passive Ear Training, Active Ear Training, Where the Ear Fits In.

• Ear Training

  Passive and Active, Ascending and Descending Intervals

Lesson Info

What is up, down, higher, lower, top, bottom, ascending, descending on a ukulele?.

• Which Way is Up?

Lesson Info

Reading Standard Music Notation on ukulele.

The Basics

• Note Recognition

Introduction

• Introduction, Tuning Your Ukulele, Basic Rhythm and Downloadable Flash Cards

  Introduction to reading standard music notation on Ukulele in open position.

  The Introduction includes a section on Tuning your Ukulele, Basic Rhythm and downloadable Flash Cards to drill with.

Reading Standard Music Notation on Ukulele - Primer

• String One in Open Position
• String Two in Open Position and String one and two review
• String Three in Open Position
• Strings One, Two and Three Review in Open Position
• Alternate Note Locations in Open Position
• Ties and Rests
• Drills and Exercises
• String Four in Open Position
• Songs

Sharps and Flats in Open Position

• Introducing Sharps and Flats coming soon
• Key Signatures - Sharps coming soon
• Key Signatures - Flats coming soon

Lesson Info

C Tuning comes in two common variations. High "G" and low "G".

This tuning is common for Soprano, Concert and Tenor ukuleles.

• C Tuning Notation

Lesson Info

D Tuning comes in two common variations. High "A" and low "A".

This tuning is common for Soprano, Concert and Tenor ukuleles.

This is a common tuning in Canada.

• D Tuning, Natural and Sharp Notes, high "A"

Lesson Info

G Tunings comes in two common variations. High "D" and low "D". With the low "D" variation the most common and the same as the thin-high four string of a standard tuned guitar.

G Tuning with a high "D" is one of the tunings that Lyle Ritz uses the most.

This tuning is common for Tenor & Baritone ukuleles.

• G Tuning, Natural and Sharp Notes, high "A"

Lesson Info

TAB, short for tablature is a form of musical notation using numbers and letters on a staff that that corresponds to the number of strings of fretted string instrumen. Theses number tell a player which fret to place their fingers on rather than which pitches to play.

• Trouble with TAB

Lesson Info

Alternate Note Names - Any note on the ukulele fingerboard can have up to five different names.

An Enharmonic Equivalent is where a music pitch can have different names depending on the context in which it is functioning. An example is G# producing the same pitch as Ab. Different note but the same pitch.

Enharmonic Equivalents are used for the correct spelling and notation of keys, melodies, intervals, scales and chords.

• Enharmonic Equivalents

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The basics of reading. Clefs, time signatures, repeats, dynamics and more...

• Reading Basics

Lesson Info

Alternate Music Notation - Reading TAB and Chord Grids on the ukulele

• Alternate Music Notation

Lesson Info

It is critical that you develop the finger strength and independence to explore your full musical potential. By developing a great left hand you will be able to explore more challenging musical situations.

• Fretting Hand Finger Gymnastics, Basic Single Note Drills

Lesson Info

Strings can be plucked, picked, strummed and any combination of the same to get the strings moving.

This lesson gets your started on the basic and what the possibilities are for using your fingers to get the string moving.

• Fingerstyle Basics