First 4 Chords on a Uke

The First 4 Chords of the Uke that I learned,

The basic I VI IV V progression , C Am F G7. This progression have been widely use during the 60’s till now and even modern pop songs nowadays used them. 

As what I have learn and experience in song writing , you need to write a song or a tune that is familiar to most people but not exactly the same. 70% the same I would say may be perfect. 

Many people can’t write songs because of this worry, the worry of writing the same tune or write up something that have been written before.

I have advise to many of my students that the blues originate with the same progression to most of all songs, different song but same progression. 

SO what is it to worry about, you are now still not a famous composer, why worry yourself to a position as the star of music writing?

Writing music is actually an expression , not something to be famous of in the very beginning.

C major = 3^rd finger on the 1^st string 3^rd fret

A minor = 2^nd finger on the 4^th string 2^nd fret

F major = 1^st finger on the 2^nd string 1^st fret + 2^nd finger on the 4^th string 2^nd fret

G7 = 1^st finger on the 2^nd string 1^st fret + 2^nd finger on the 3^rd string 2^nd fret + 3^rd finger 1^st string 2^nd fret.

** tip on changing chords, seek for the fastest way possible, the less movement is always the best J

Yes, these are the first chords I think practically to learn in the very first beginning to aid you in learn strumming and keeping on time. As one of the most important aspect in music playing is keeping in beat or tempo = on time.

I practice changing these chords from one to another until I get used to it….. Key word.

Get        Used     To           It             !!

Then make sure every strum produce a nice and even sound of the chord, remember… If it doesn’t sound good to you…how is it going to sound good at all??!!!

**Don’t just changing and remember the chords just for the sake of remembering. Learn it passionately. Important!!

The Uke's Sizes

As for the Ukes,
i see them like the breed of Poodle which come in 3-4 sizes.
Like the Poodle family we have the toy, miniature , medium & standard ,
hence the Ukulele have as the following ;

Soprano/standard  -  21" / 53cm


Concert  -  23" / 58cm


Tenor  -  26" / 66cm


Baritone  -  30" / 76cm






As for the size differences , the tuning for the ukulele may vary, higher or low key.
I first bought a soprano ukulele, later a concert then a tenor.
After a year i might have them all...lol
The soprano have shorter fretboard so it's good for beginner or
just to strum chords then more advance stuffs.
It's always fun to have many ukes, as they are not as expensive then to purchase a guitar.

Ukulele - Uke on Gor's Hand

The Ukulele have been around my sight for some time before i really took it up,
first i thought the ukulele is only a toy for kids to play around but later i knew my stupidity of judging this very special & unique musical instrument.
I found out that the 4 strings are of the same tuning as the standard guitar would have only it's in higher key, it represent the 4 lower string tuning of the guitar in standard.
From the first string to the fourth is spells G C E A. The unique thing about the uke is that the fourth string or the nearest it is to you is the same gauge as the first, unlikely to be on the guitar as the gauges increase along the position. maybe that's what differ the Ukulele to the Guitar. I have been playing the guitar for more than 16 years before i took up the Uke.
Again i felt like i was learning the guitar all over but only with a different mindset.
A more mature one.

After i bought one Ukulele from my supplier of music instruments, i felt that poison again. The poison of G.A.S, my mind have been show up all this ukuleles and i spend hours browsing image and posting for ukuleles on sale. It's all worth it, i now have a new desire , a new flame to burn my musical passion.

I will have all the FUN playing and singing songs on this simple instrument. Just like spongebob. :)