Estimated reading time 3 minutes
Table of Contents
Introduction
Are you learning the instrument for the first time? Do you want to know the best chords to learn first? The guitar was introduced to Hawaii by Spanish cowboys, and the ukulele developed from it. This means guitarists have an edge learning these chords. However, they’re still super useful for any beginner, and we’ll start with the easiest ones. Keep reading Learn Some Super Useful Beginner Ukulele Chords to learn them.
This article uses musical terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the post.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission from purchases made through the links. I’ll only recommend products I use, use in lessons, or ones my students or colleagues have recommended.
Useful Beginner Ukulele Chords: What Are the Different Levels for Beginners?
After all what is a beginner?
- It’s someone who is starting something for the first time.
- However, for many people they aren’t just beginners for playing the instrument but also are beginners for playing any music.
- If this describes you, I’ve grouped the following chords into easy, middle difficulty, and challenging.
Experienced musicians will have an easier time learning the instrument, because your second (or third, fourth, etc.) instrument is always easier.
If you play guitar, there are tricks to learning the ukulele.
- Because the tuning for the two instruments is so similar, the chord shapes will also be similar.
- However, the names of the chords will be different.
- To learn tricks for converting the chord shapes from one instrument to the other, read the next section.
Useful Beginner Ukulele Chords: Tricks for Guitarists
- Free Online Ukulele Tuner
How is guitar like the ukulele?
- Playing the ukulele sounds like you’re using a capo on the guitar at the fifth fret.
- In addition, the ukulele’s fourth string (the one closest to the ceiling) is tuned an extra octave higher.
- However, this doesn’t affect the chord shapes, because all your ukulele chords are transposed a fifth higher than the guitar.
- Therefore, guitarists will be able to transpose the chords by counting up five notes.
- For example: ukulele C = guitar open G (but with the two fattest guitar strings missing) or C D E F G.
So, all the chords in the next section will seem very familiar to guitarists.
Useful Beginner Ukulele Chords: Learning the Chord Frames
Hand Icon (churien.deviantart.com/art/hand-template-blank-272630198) by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0). Modified by Geoffrey Keith.
Easy
Chords: C, C7, Am, A7
These are rated as easy because they only use one finger:
- If you’re new to music, start with them.
- See the hand diagram and the numbers on the chord diagrams for the fingering.
- If you play guitar, then ukulele C = guitar open G.
- C7 = open G7
- Am = open Em
- A7 = open E7
Middle Difficulty
Chords: F, D, D7, A
These are rated as middle difficulty because they use two fingers:
- If you’re new to music, start working on these after you’re comfortable with C, C7, Am, and A7.
- Even though D has three notes, you just press your pointer finger (#1 finger – see the hand diagram above) down across the three strings closest to the ceiling. So, it’s not too hard.
- If you play guitar, then ukulele F = guitar open C.
- D = A barre
- D7 = open A7
- A = open E
Challenging
Chords: G, G7, Dm, Em, E7, B7, Fm, F7
These are rated as challenging because they use three fingers:
- If you’re new to music, start working on these only after you’ve mastered the easy and middle difficulty sections.
- If you play guitar, then ukulele G = guitar open D.
- G7 = open D7
- Dm = open Am
- Em = Bm (sort of)
- E7 = open B7
- B7 = open F#7
- Fm = open Cm (non-standard)
- F7 = open C7
Video: Learn Aloha 'Oe
Here are some useful song resources.
Final Thoughts
Takeaway points:
- A beginner is someone who starts learning something for the first time.
- However, for many people they aren’t just beginners for learning ukulele but are beginners for playing any music.
- I’ve grouped the chords into easy, middle difficulty, and challenging to help beginner musicians, but I’ve also included special tricks to help guitarists.
Have fun playing!
Related Posts
- Tune Your Guitar Like a Hawaiian
- Tune You Ukulele Like a Hawaiian
- D’you Want Some Music Tips and Tricks I’ve Learned Over the Years?
© 2024 Geoffrey Keith
Glossary
Playing Piano with Color Coded Left Hand Notes and Rhythm
Would you like to introduce your kid to piano? (Or are you a music teacher who has a student with learning difficulties?) Multisensory teaching methods will help! Click to learn about playing piano with color coded left hand notes and rhythm. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Read More
How Can Legato Notes Be Played Staccato?
How can you make a note be long and short simultaneously? How can legato notes be played staccato? Mozart created a mixed staccato/legato notation to use in his piano pieces, and it still confuses musicians to this day. Click to answer the question, “How can legato notes be played staccato?” Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Read More
Musical Talent and Giftedness
Music teachers: do you have students who show musical talent and giftedness? Do you need some information on how they learn? With musically gifted and talented students, just like any other students, you need to meet them where they’re at, making the adjustments in their playing based on what you see. That way, they can become better students than before they came to you. Keep reading to learn more about musical talent and giftedness. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
Read More
Explore Beethoven’s Beautiful Music in Less Than Four Minutes
Would you like to know more about Beethoven’s music but are a busy person? Ludwig van Beethoven is a titanic figure in classical music. Along with Bach and Mozart, Beethoven is one of the composers you’re really going to want to check out. Keep reading to explore Beethoven’s beautiful music in less than four minutes. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Read More