Learn to Play the Ukulele (No Lessons!) Part 1 - The Basics

Aloha!

Alright, I'm no music teacher, but this post will give you a guide to follow to become a self-taught ukulele player. I would say I taught myself to play well in a little over five months. But, I was able to start playing songs after only a few weeks. Below are the steps you should follow if you would like to teach yourself to play.

Step One - Acquiring your Uke

I started off by playing on a uke I borrowed from a friend, and if you can, I would recommend you do the same. Too often people go out and buy expensive instruments only to give up on it in a few weeks. To avoid this, I suggest doing a "test run" and playing a borrowed uke for close to a month. Now, whether your ready to buy your first uke or you weren't able to borrow one in the first place, what should you get? Remember, start cheap! The difference between a $100 ukulele and a $500 one are noticeable, but also won't make or break how your playing sounds. I recommend starting with a tenor ukulele over a soprano if you have larger hands. This will make the chord easier to play. DO NOT start with a baritone! A baritone uke has a different tuning than the others, and more resembles a guitar than a ukulele in sound. Therefore, the chords will be different and you'll be learning how to play a 4-string guitar instead of the ukulele. Below are some good cost-efficient beginner ukes.


https://kalabrand.com/collections/satin-mahogany-ukulele/products/ka-s
https://kalabrand.com/collections/exotic-mahogany-ukulele/products/ka-sem
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J49MFHY/ref=twister_B0185RQT3G?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Step Two - Getting Started

The first things you need to learn are basic chords and how to strum. The first chords you should learn are F, A minor, G, and C. These are all easy chords, and with them you can play a variety of songs! Here are some links to learn how to strum and play these chords.

How to Strum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eqH_jZp1Ow
Chords https://ukuguides.com/tips/basic-ukulele-chords-for-beginning-players/

To practice, I would play simple strum patterns with a simple chord progressions. Below are some exercises to try out! (Note: "d" signifies a down stroke, "u" and up stroke, and a space for a rest)

Chords: C - Am - F - G

Pattern: dduudu once on each chord


Chords: Am - C- G

Pattern: ddddu once on Am and C, and twice on G


Chords: Am - G - C - F

Pattern: dd udu once on each chord


Step Three: Playing Songs

I learned how to play the uke from watching youtube videos mostly, and no one is better than the Ukulele Teacher! I will post some links down below to easy songs. This is the absolute BEST way to learn! Just keep practicing and playing!

Playlist of asy songs:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvcoWGhnkDmhQjWXKVAkM34Qx3bxbHTn3

My top picks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12L5oWMUGAI&list=PLvcoWGhnkDmhQjWXKVAkM34Qx3bxbHTn3&index=56

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wftz-OvA7io&list=PLvcoWGhnkDmhQjWXKVAkM34Qx3bxbHTn3&index=30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFBFp6do9WE&list=PLvcoWGhnkDmjlDo_n8XAuJwmJe_uFGDR9&index=20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXGuIacVESk&list=PLvcoWGhnkDmjlDo_n8XAuJwmJe_uFGDR9&index=50

First Song I learned! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoFl8dXU-oY



Step Four: Keep Practicing!

If After about a month of playing and practicing, you should be able to play a few of the songs above! Once you've done this, keep learning new and more difficult chords and play more songs! From here on out, you should be set on your own path to teaching yourself to play the ukulele! Check out part 2 (coming soon) to take the next steps!