avatar-me-color-64x

Curt Sheller | All Things `Ukulele and Jazz Guitar

facebook twitter vimeo youtubeThe Basics and Beyond!!! Take your playing to the next level.
It's 8PM, Good Evening! Welcome to prime time on the web, enjoy the site!

BC1UKE2-coverBC1GTR-cover_smAll UKULELE CLUBS and TEACHERS can bypass the middleman and get your ukulele books direct from me at a quantity discount of 20% off. [ click here for order form ]

Getting Started with Ukulele

Getting Started with Ukulele?

First thing is to get a ukulele. Get a few, they come in four sizes and all different shapes, wood, finishes, acoustic, electric, solid body, archtop. There is even a banjo and bass ukulele. Plus they are fun, any size

You can take you ukulele playing to any level. From a few simple basic chords to complicated solo ukulele arrangements like I have available right here.

For selecting a ukulele that a look a page of over 100 ukulele manufactures and builders I've collected. And, a page of dealers to get you started.

Here are a few ukulele lessons to get you stated. Lessons on the common ukulele tunings of ukulele, various ukulele sizes, basic chords, strums and more...

With over 100 lessons for ukulele there's sure to be a lessons or two to fit what your looking for.

Selecting a Ukulele

Lesson Code: UL128
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2011-12-09

Lesson Info

The ukulele (pronounced oo-koo-lele) comes in four sizes: Soprano (sometimes called Standard), Concert, Tenor and Baritone. The Baritone is tuned just like the four thin strings of a standard tuned guitar and called "G" tuning (D G B E). The Soprano, Concert and Tenor is typically tuning in a "C" Tuning (G C E A) or "D" tuning (A D F# B). The Tenor can also be tuned like the Baritone ukulele.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

top top.png

Common Ukulele Tunings

Lesson Code: UL101
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2005-01-02

Lesson Info

Any tuning is possible on a ukulele as long as the construction supports it and a string is available.

Here are the most common tunings for the Ukulele shown in concert pitch.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

top top.png

Your First Ukulele Chord

Lesson Code: UL117
Published: 2011-12-10
Updated: 2012-01-08

Lesson Info

Your first ukulele chrod is typically an open position C major chord. It's only one finger and ukulele players love to so this, the easiest, usable ukulele chord to new players. Especially someone coming from guitar where an open position C major is three fingers and not that easy as the first chord.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

top top.png

Reading Ukulele TAB - Alternate Notation

Lesson Code: UL22
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2005-01-02

Lesson Info

TAB or Tablature is a form of musical notation, which tells players where to place their fingers on a particular instrument rather than which pitches to play.

Generally speaking, tablature is commonly used by informally trained musicians in folk, popular and rock music.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

top top.png

Standard Music Notation

Lesson Code: UL17
Published: 2011-12-09
Updated: 2011-12-09

Lesson Info

Rather than do a complete lessons on standard music notation. Whay reinvent the wheel. There are lot of great resources online and books in music stores that already exsist.

However, here is a link to a greate pdf download from:.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

top top.png

Key Signatures

Lesson Code: UL09
Published: 2011-09-05
Updated: 2011-09-12

Lesson Info

There is a load of information in traditional Key Signatures. Unlocking the principles in this circle leads to a better understanding of music and how think work.

A key signature is a series of sharp or flat symbols placed on the staff, designating the notes that are to be consistently played higher or lower than the equivalent natural notes. Key signatures are generally written immediately after the clef at the beginning of a line of musical notation. Each major and minor key has an associated key signature that sharpens or flattens the notes which are used in its scale.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

top top.png

Basic Ukulele Chords

Lesson Code: ULM40
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2012-01-04

Lesson Info

The art and sceince of chord fingering. Learning yuor basic open position chords in common keys.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

top top.png

Natural, Sharp and Flat Notes of the Ukulele Fingerboard - C Tuning

Lesson Code: UL23
Published: 2005-09-23
Updated: 2005-09-23

Lesson Info

Standard music notation, the natural, sharp and flat notes of the ukulele fingerboard for C tuned ukuleles. Covers both high C and low G tuning variations.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

top top.png

Which Way Is Up? - Up, Down, Ascending, Descending, etc...

Lesson Code: UL32
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2011-07-05

Lesson Info

What is up, down, higher, lower, top, bottom, ascending, descending on a ukulele? Up, down, higher, lower, top, bottom, ascending, descending should refer to musical pitch and not to direction as we know it. Up and higher refers to the raising of musical pitch. Down and lower refer to the lowering of musical pitch. Top refers to the upper note of a chord voicing or musical phrase and bottom refers to the lowest note.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

top top.png

Learning the Ukulele Fingerboard (Finally!!!)

Lesson Code: UL07
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2011-03-13

Lesson Info

Finally learn the notes of you favorite ukulele tuning.

Most players struggle with learning the names of the notes of the ukulele fingerboard. There doesn't seem to a pattern and notes repeat. There is an easy way and...

...it's easier that you think!

Learning, really learning the notes of the neck is one of those break through moments in a musician's or player's learning that returns more bang for the buck. Well worth the little effort it actually takes.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

top top.png

Naming Chords on Ukulele

Lesson Code: UL20
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2005-01-02

Lesson Info

A Chord can have alternate names based on how it is being used. A chord's function is an important determining factor in naming a chord. So unless you know the harmonic function you might not be able to accurately name it.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

top top.png

Dominant Seventh Chords?

Lesson Code: UL108
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2011-11-20

Lesson Info

Not all seventh chords are actually "dominant" seventh chords.

This lesson covers when is a Dominant Seventh Chord NOT really a Dominant seventh?

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

top top.png

Fingerstyle Basics for Ukulele - Single String Exploration

Lesson Code: UL112
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2011-10-17

Lesson Info

Exploring fingerstyle on ukulele. This lesson covers the common terms used for identifing the fingers used. And, presents a series of single string exercises for exploring and developing the techniques needed for this style.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

top top.png

The Major Scale

Lesson Code: UL124
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2011-09-05

Lesson Info

The Major Scale or Ionian scale is a diatonic scale, made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first one octave higher. In solfege these notes correspond to the syllables "Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti/Si, (Do)", the "Do" in the parenthesis at the end being the octave of the root.

The simplest major scale to write or play on the piano is C major, the only major scale that does not require sharps or flats. The C major scale uses only the white keys on the piano keyboard.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

top top.png

The Trouble with TAB

Lesson Code: UL43
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2010-12-12

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 instrument. Theses number tell a player which fret to place their fingers on rather than which pitches to play.

TAB has a history with lute music from centuries ago and has found wide use in the music publishing industry catering to the guitarist who can't or doesn't want to learn to read. TAB doesn't exist in mainstream music, primarily by some music magazines and on the internet.

Learning to read TAB can be accomplished in minutes. Learning to read standard music notation takes a little longer.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

top top.png

[ Back to Ukulele Main page ]

Thanks for visiting and checking out my site!

Content is always being added and updated. So check-in often. Thanks, Curt

P.S. You may think from the look of it that Curt Sheller Publications is a slick, profitable business, but it's actually not (maybe a car payment a month, cheap car). I spend a lot and time money creating the content, lessons and books for this site (a labor of love), so if you dig my content and want to see more of it. I could use your help by spreading the word and maybe buying a book or two if you haven't already, to help defray the cost of running the site. Thanks in advance for your help. This is a labor of love and I'd do it even if I didn't make a lot of money, hey I don't!

You can also make a donation to the lesson-site fund. Button in the sidebar of the site.

If I'm not teaching, I'm working on this site and new lessons, books and goodies.

GETTING_STARTED.PHP | Updated: Monday, 01st August, 2011 @ 03:12pm

Top of Page