How to Play the Ukulele
Congratulations on deciding to learn how to play the ukulele, one of the world’s most beautiful and lyrical instruments! Often associated with the tropical islands of Hawaii, the ukulele, or ‘uke‘, is used to play a variety of music but is mostly used in country and folk — and yes, Hawaiian! The ukulele most people think of today is the Hawaiian version of a guitar-like instrument brought to the islands by Portuguese immigrants in the 19th century. It rose to fame in the early years of the 20th century in America and was featured in Vaudeville acts, jazz numbers and many other genres of music. Many people are taking up the ukulele today because it is lightweight, small and easy and fun to play. There are a wide variety of ukuleles available today — soprano, concert, tenor and baritone, to name a few. They each have a different sounds, so try to find the one that you enjoy the most. No matter which one you choose, you are sure to love your new instrument!
The ukulele can be a very easy instrument to learn. As with learning any new skill, it is important to begin with the fundamentals. First, most types of ‘uke’s have only four strings which correspond to the musical notes g, c, e and a (except the baritone, which uses the notes d, g, b and e). This is one reason why the uke is so appealing! Second, make sure you know how to tune your instrument. Third, the ukulele is not normally strummed like a traditional guitar. Instead, the instrument is plucked, either with your thumb or a felt pick (or ‘plectrum’). Fourth, use your fingertips (not the pads) when when pressing on the strings with the opposite hand. Lastly, because there are few strings, there are fewer chords to learn. This means you can start playing songs after learning only a few chords or tabs (chord charts). Many traditional and modern ukulele songs here in Hawaii only use three or four chords! In one day, you’ll be playing lyrical tunes that will transport you to the gentle waves, cool tropical breezes and soft sands of Hawaii!
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