Ukulele Chords

1. Best practices for uke chords: in this video, I'm going to show you how to hold a cord correctly. So first thing is that I tell people all the time that there is an imaginary line right here in the middle of the ukulele neck right here, OK? And you want to make sure your thumb is on the is on that line. Okay? The middle of your thumbs on that line and it's flat. It's not like it's not like digging in like like with with the end of your thumb. It's kind of the flat part of your thumb right here, K. And so there's that. And then whatever quarter you choose to do, your thumb is gonna be flat, okay? And there's gonna be pressure between your thumb, the flat part, your thumb and one of these fingers K. And your fingers are generally going to be arsed. But there's courts that do, um, arched fingers and there's course that do flat fingers like this. And when you see when you go into the cords and into the members there, you'll see exactly which cords fingers were supposed be flat or orange, Okay. And so, you know, you put pressure on those cores. Right. So you got You have cords like this. Quarter it here, and I have pressure. I'm pushing down, you know, pretty hard on my thumb back there. And I always played cores with the tips of my fingers. Okay, again, if there's certain course that do require flat being having your fingers flat but for the majority of your fingers are supposed to be arched. Okay, so this is supposed to be flat your thumb and you're supposed to be someone like this K. Your fingers are supposed to be arsed. So another thing that I tell people is that to get the best sound out of your cord is to play close to the fret going down so toward the sound hole. So, for example, if I have this C chord right here, you hear kind of a buzz there. If I'm getting it closer toward the sound hole, I can go down further toward the sound hole and I'm arching again on the tips of my very tip of my finger. I'm pushing down hard to get a nice low, a solid clean sound out of that. OK? And so again, if you get closer to the threats going toward the sound hole here. I'm trying to think if there's any other tips that I would have for people and playing chords. One thing I did forget to mention is that, um to try and leave some space. I mean, I know that I've said leave your thumb right here in the back of the neck, right in the middle of the neck. Uh, try to leave some space right here. That will also help you get a nice sound out of your cord. So I have my c court here and there's some nice you can see that circle. Hopefully right there. Right, Right there. Um, and whatever court I'm playing, so I'm changing chords right now. I have a little bit of a little bit of a circle there, Okay? And, um, that will help. You'll see some some players, some guitar players from ukulele players bring their thumb clear up here and then kind of choke the neck like that, leaving no space. Now there's there's not. That's not really a bad thing, in my opinion. I do it from time to time, but it can create a bad habit. And also I think it's easier to get a better sound if you leave some space and create some good early habits so that if you choose to do so, if you're gonna wrap around, bring your thumb over here for some kind of strange chord with using your thumb. Then you can do that. But for the beginning, if you're new to the ukulele than just just you just leave some space there. It'll create some nice habits for you, for other, uh, complex cores that you can play. Um, if you guys have any questions, let me know. Thanks. 2. Chord transitioning: video We are learning how to transition from court accord. Now I like to I like to start with a song, The song that I want to learn how to play I start with the 1st 2 course So in this case, we are gonna learn Amazing Grace. Okay. And I see that the first quarter C and the next court is f So what I want to do is first learn the court CNF So if you don't know what CNF are, go to the court videos. Um and you and I go over what? You know how to play. See NFK Now, once you learn how to play CNF, then you want to go. This is how I practice between transitioning as I go and I play the c chord down off my thumb right here, okay. Or the back of my fingernails, whatever is comfortable for you. And I'm gonna count to four and I'm gonna play it once every four beats. So it sounds like this 1234 I let it ring. 1234 k So, while I'm getting to four in the middle of that, why go? 1234 I'm going to switch to the F chord K, see if I can get there. And if you can't get there very quick than just count slower. Okay, so here goes. Let's do it together. So let's start on a C chord and they're gonna go F court case. So here we go. Three and four and 12 and switch. And four and F 23 and four and C 23 and four and came out at a Strom. Here it goes. Four and a 123 four and F 23 and four and C 23 and four and an F to add one more strum three strums. 1234 and a 12 three, four and a 123 for and won. So now we're going to all four strums k starting on C go And a 12341234 Okay, so hopefully that gives you an idea. Hopefully, that makes sense on what you're supposed to do. Now, if it's if that was too fast and just go super slow. Okay, One, 23 and four and award. So the idea is that you're going to switch to the next court by the time you before you get to four on counting that. So that's the best way that I found it, that I've practiced all my course through that. So you might when you get used to CNF and you want to do okay, I want to do C and G seven do the exact same exercise. I want to get to a new song, and there's 1/4 that I don't know again. Just play that same exercise throughout, and hopefully that helps you out again. If there's if there's any trouble playing the chords themselves and there's there's court videos here in the members area, you can check out and let me know if you have any other requests or questions. Um, and hopefully Aiken, I can help you out in any way that I can. All right, thanks. 3. A chord: Here's an a chord. So first you put your middle finger right there. Second fret, fourth string. And then your first finger right there on the first fret surgery. There isn't. Then you want to leave enough room to keep all those, these other strings open. Okay, so it looks like this. Sounds like that. There you are. 4. Am chord: Here is an a minor. This is a one finger chord. It's great. So it's the fourth string. And you're gonna put your first finger or your second finger right there. And it sounds like this. Now, another thing that you can do for a minor of that I'd like to do is I put my pinky right here on the CNO. Like here's a C chord. It's basically scored a. And this B is B naught right there. Or excuse me, a note, we're playing an a minor. Thank you. So there's a minor K and you can use any finger, any finger combinations that you choose. Sounds great, but this is all you really need though, is just this one. There's this one finger right there and it sounds awesome. Okay, there you go. 5. A7 chord: Here's an A7 chord on the ukulele. It just takes one finger. It's great. Socialist. First finger on the third string, first fret. It looks like that. Okay. Make sure you leave enough room for those other strings to ring. Sounds like that. There we are. 6. A aug chord: Here's an AI augmented core. So let's get our E chord down first. So you have your a chord, and it's actually looks like this, so it's part of the chord. So, but I put my first finger it here. And then my second finger is gonna go right there on the second string. And then my third finger is going to jump over the second fret on the fourth string. Kay? And those are, those, are those red dots on plane right there. Okay. And then this string is open. So it looks like, oh, right there. Yeah, yeah. Okay, so here's a here's AIG augmented. I'm just moving this note up. Right? I have my a and my AI augmented range keeps moving up. A seven day gulf. 7. A dim chord: Alright, here's a diminished, okay, so first we have our a minor looking thing right here, just this one. Okay? And then this is two right here, okay? On the second string, second fret, and here's your ring finger is going to be on the third fret, third string, and then your fourth finger is going to be on the fourth, on, excuse me, on the third fret, first string. So it looks like this. So again, here's 1234, okay? And hopefully you can see that. Again, here's one to you skip it and then one right there. And then, or excuse me, three and then four, k sounds like this. There you go. 8. Bb chord video: here is B flat. Okay, this is one of more popular cords and kind of difficult court of first, especially if you've never done it before. Obviously, if you're watching this video, right, you're trying to learn how to play it. Now, don't be scared of it, because it's gonna feel weird at first, but you'll get used to it. I promise. Okay, so I'm just gonna show you how to play it real quick, and then I'm gonna go through it step by step, okay? It looks like this. So it goes. Three, 21 Okay. So again, it goes 3 to 1. Those are all arched. And the port where it gets a little difficult is your first finger has to be flat on this string and this string on the first string. So it looks like that. Okay, so it's like I'm doing two things it wants, and I'm flattening this. You don't need to be double jointed or anything. Um, but this needs to be flat on on those two strings, and then these need to be arch. Okay, So now here's maybe a step by step approach to learning this court first get used to this position case. So again, I am pinching my my index finger and my thumb together just like this, Okay? And then I have my ring finger and my my ring finger on my middle finger. They're both arched so again is pinched. And then these two were arts. The two middle fingers here. Okay, My pinky is just hanging out doing whatever, and Ah, the first thing that I would do is I would practice these two strings. So you got your first during your second string on the first fret. And I am doing that pinched thing right there, right here on these two strings, and it's been my fingers flat. And again, I have a little bit of double double joint right there. But don't you don't have to be double jointed. There's plenty of amazing guitarists and ukulele players that don't have that. So, um, anyway, that's that. So get used to playing that alone by itself. First, it's a nice court. It's actually a C seven suspended right there. See? Seven suspended for um, and, uh, yes. Eso get used to playing that. See if that makes a noise. If you're getting some of this It's not coming out. You gotta push down harder. Okay. So first thing, get that down, then, um, add the two other fingers right there, so it's gonna be right here. Okay? So, again, this is first finger on both strings one. And to flatten it out. And I have my thumb right there in the middle of the neck right there and kind of pitching those together. And then I got my second finger and my third finger Or end our middle finger and ring finger K. So it looks like that There. That look better there. Okay. Sounds like this. I hope that helps. 9. B chord: So here's a B chord on the ukulele. First, you want to, let's do this first. Let's, let's go to the fourth string, K 1234 on the fourth fret, use your third finger, K, there's that note right there. And then we have our middle finger on the third fret of the third string. And your first finger is going to be actually playing a holding down two strings, k. So here's the first string, which is the second fret of the second string, and then the first string, second fret. Okay, so it's kinda, it'll take some practice because you gotta bend your first finger on that to get all of them the cells like this. I'll show you a little trick here in just a second. There's what it sounds like now without the ukulele. Um, it looks like this. I'm pinching my my first finger and my thumb. I know that some some people they they aren't like double jointed or whatever, that doesn't matter. You can still play if your fingers like completely flat k. But it has to be flat and then your, your second and your third finger or rounded or they're arched. Kay, so make sure you've got flat on the first finger. Pinch between the thumb and first finger and then on the second and the third finger. And then go back to that that area on the ukulele. And there we have it now my my middle finger's kind of resting against or even pushing down against my my first finger there. I didn't realize that until I looked at myself play Disco. So, so whatever's comfortable if you don't wanna do that, that's cool. What borders comfortable? As long as you get the sound out right? There's B. 10. Bm chord: Here's B minor first, you want to bar this, these three strings, so I'm using my first finger and embarking on the second fret of the strings, 123, right there. And then I put my ring finger on the fourth fret, fourth string. Okay, so it looks like that. And sometimes I like, I like to bring my my middle finger and I'll push my first finger down. Some people don't like to do that, whatever. So some people use their well, I don't know what they do, but this is what it looks like. So that's what it sounds like. There you are. 11. B7 chord: Here is B7. It looks just like the record, except it's easier. And here's the reason why. So here's, let's go back to our V-shape here, right? We have this fourth. We go to the fourth fret, 1234 on the fourth string. And then we have our second finger on the third fret, third string. And then we have our first finger on the second fret, second string. So this is what it looks like. And then this string right here, this one right here, this one is open, okay? This string right here is open. So that means we're just playing these. We're having that one open and it was playing these three strings. There's B7. Now you're going to see different charts that say this is B7, which is corrected as B7. And there's, you know, there's different ways to play B7, just like there's different ways to play C or whatever, but, but this is the best way, the easiest way. I think it's a nice transition to E minor, which is really common to. Here's V7, here's E minor, same shape, man or woman, right? There you go. 12. B aug chord: This is how you play, be augmented or B sharp five. So it looks like this shape, I think of this shape is like maybe a D minor or something. So, but anyway, it looks like this. So first finger on the second fret, first ring, and then I have my, my middle finger on the third fret, third string, and then my, my ring fingers on the third fret, second string. And then four fingers actually going to reach over to the fourth fret, to the fourth string. So it's kind of a sketch like this. So it looks like 1234. And it sounds like this. There you go. 13. B dim chord: Here is a B diminished, and I like to think of it as this first, I'll play a G7. But instead playing with these three fingers, try it with your pinky, your ring, and your middle finger case. I'll play that G7 like that. And then you're gonna take your first finger and then just put it right there on the first string at the, at the first fret right there. And there's be diminished. So here's G7, and here's B Diminished. Pinky, middle. First. There you go. 14. C chord: Here is a C chord on the ukulele is the first string, third fret, 123. Use your third finger and strum down. And then have your thumb on the back of the neck like that and the middle of the neck. And this is the, probably the most popular or common coordinate sees people playing the ukulele is because it's easy for one thing. And these notes make up a C chord. I mean, most of the OpenNotes do anyway, C, E, G, right? 15. Cm chord: Here's a C minor on the ukulele. You can do it a couple of ways, is third, so it's third fret 123. And all three of these strings, strings 123. So you can do with these three fingers. And you can just have, this string is going to be open right there. Or you can borrow your first finger like this. Or you can put your, your ring finger on the fifth fret. Right? There's still C, E-flat, geez, that's, that's what they are. A bunch of C's and much E-flat and Gs. So there you are. 16. C7 chord: Here is a C7 on your ukulele. It's first string. First fret, first finger, the number one core, right there. Okay, and strum down. It sounds like this here. Okay. See C7, C7, coal there you are. 17. C Aug chord: Here is C augmented or sharp five, C G-sharp. Not that you need to know what that is, just it looks like this, right? So you have a C chord eyes my pinky right there. And then on the fourth string, first fret, you're gonna reach over with your first finger and it looks like this. Ok, so in contexts you might sound like some like this. Your C And here she augmented. And if I can move enough, there's a minor, right? So you get a lot of cool sounds out of that. So yeah, let's see, augmented. 18. C dim chord: Here's a C diminished chord. We're gonna do our pinky on the C chord, write the scene out there. The third fret, first string, and then a ring finger on the third fret, third string. And then with our middle finger, we're doing the second string, second fret. And then on the fourth string, first finger, second fret K sounds like this. Okay, now another way to think about it as you can play a G7 chord real quick. So try G7 chord. Those who are from the G7, it's, it's a really common chord actually. So if you don't know and get to learn it maybe before the diminished chord. So anyway, play a G7 chord, but I want you to play it with not these three fingers, not 123, but I want you to play it with your middle ear ringing your pinky, kay, so try the G7 right there. And then how about move up a half step with it? So here's, here's the G7. Go up to G-sharp seven, and then put your, your first finger right on the second fret of the fourth string and that's diminished at C diminished. That was kind of a long way of saying that's G to manage or C diminished. But anyway, there you have it. 19. D chord : D chord looks like this, one of the de corps anyway, right? 123 in a row. And then this string right here is going to be opened, such as these three in a row. Second fret 123, and try to leave space for that open string down here. That's what it sounds like. Some people can, can bar just those three strings and then also leave this open. I don't know how they do that. I guess like that. First-time first die right there. So anyway, that's the way I like to play just like that. There's D chord. 20. Dm chord: Here's D minor. So we've got 1. First thing right there. Second finger on the fourth string, second fret, and then the second fingers right under that on the second fret. So again that's 123. And make sure that this string is open. This is first string here. There you go. 21. D7 chord: Here is D7 is my second finger on the second fret, fourth string, my third fingers right there on the second fret, second string. Now you can use any fingers you'd like. It means 12 are way to do this, but if you feel like it, I guess that feels cozy to you. So there's, there's D7. And some people, not that it's a big difference, but this is just another way of playing D 70 Bartle bar, the whole thing like this. And then put your second finger on the third fret, like that. There's D7 like this. Let me show you the first time and then another way anyway. Just stick to one of those and get used to it. And then and then maybe move onto the next one. All right. There you go. 22. D augmented: Here is a d augmented chord or sharp five. There's 123 and then 4s right here on the third fret. Now, these two notes, the first finger and the fourth finger, those are the same notes. So you technically, you can get rid of one of those if you'd like. And that's only troublesome for you. But this is D augmented like this with just these three fingers, or these three fingers. Same thing. D augmented in context. And myself on like this, I'm starting on a D chord. The augmented right there. G, G minor. Thursday. There you go. 23. D diminished: Hi, this is a di diminished chord on the ukulele. One. 234. Sounds like this. Now if you go up and Minor Thirds are, or 3.5 steps, it's the same chord, 123, that's a di diminished, 1-2-3. And the reason being is because it has the notes of the bank do this D, F, a flat, C flat, rather than helps in, in, in D diminished. Anyway, there you go. 24. E chord vid: Here is an E chord. Now I'm going to show you three different ways to play E chord because I think he chord is the most complicated to play. So you can choose which one you like best. So here we have our first finger, second finger, and fourth finger, right there on the fourth fret. So it might be a little stretch for you, is what it sounds like. Right? And another way you can play it as you have your first finger on the second fret, first string. And then this is going to be, your second finger is going to be on the fourth fret, excuse me, fourth fret, fourth string. And then all your other fingers kind of scrunch and they're on the same fret and it sounds like this. Same, same sound, right? And then here's another way to play bar, the fourth fret like this. And then you put your pinky on the seventh fret. Seventh fret. There you go. On the seventh fret. So there you go. So choose which one you like. Best him and just stick with it for awhile. They get comfortable. There you go. 25. Em vid: Here is E minor one too. Because what it sounds like, there you go. 26. E7 vid: Here's an E7 to three. Sounds like this. There you go. 27. E augmented vid: Here's an E augmented chord. First finger, fourth finger, sounds like k and then contexts, it might sound something like this. There you go. 28. E diminished vid: Here is an E diminished chord, 24. Ok, and it sounds like this. Now you can go up in minor thirds or three half-steps and it'll be the same chord. 123, a diminished, there's neither 123. So those are all ii diminished chords. And now the reason being is because they have the same notes as E diminished, which is spelled a G, B-flat and D flat, E, G, B flat, D flat. And here's what it sounds like in context. Okay, there you go. 29. F augmented vid: Here's f augmented or F sharp five. I'll sorry, let me get it close. Four-year first finger, second finger, third finger, like that. Okay. And this bottom one is an open string. Scratch him in there. In context, it would sound something like this may be as here. There you go. 30. F chord vid: Here is an F chord. Finger, second finger there. There you go. 31. F diminished vid: Here is F diminished closer, therefore, you sounds like this. In context. Go up a minor third or three, or three half-steps. Here's 123 and play the same before. It's the same chord is F, is F diminished because you're off diminished if you went up a minor third like that. In context, my sound something like this. There you go. 32. F7 vid: Here's an F7 chord. So you start with the F chord. You can place your finger right there. Now, this could be an F7 or it isn't F7. Also, you can add this pinky rate here. You can see that, oops, right there, it can be added. Pinky. That's also an F7, doesn't matter. Their golf F7. Ok, there you go. 33. Fm vid: Here's F minor. Second finger to, and then your fourth finger on the third fret of the first string. Sounds like this. 34. F#m chord vid: here is an f sharp minor. So we have, uh, to say finger first finger, and then your ring finger is on the It's right here on the second fret second string. Um, I guess we went backers of eo three one and then twos on top. So it looks like a G seven. Right? But we just move it up like this. You play all the strings. There you go. 35. G chord vid: Here is a G chord. Strum all the strings. And there you go. 36. Gm vid: Here is G minor. I have, I can do it here. Now some people use their pinky right here or there. It sounds like this. There you go. 37. G7 vid: Here is a G7. Looks like that. Injuries, trauma, all the strings. Sounds like that. Hopefully that helps. 38. G augmented: Here is a G augmented chord or a sharp five. Some people call it. So I hope that's a G chord. There it is right there. It looks like this. Okay, so I've got my my middle finger here, ring finger right underneath it. And then my first finger is on the second fret of the first string. Okay? So that's what that looks like. An ostream, all the strings, sounds like that. Some of you might be thinking this is an ugly cord. And maybe by itself it is, but in context it sounds nice. Here it is. Right. There you go. There's G augmented. 39. G diminished: Hi, Here is a G diminished chord. Looks like that. And it sounds like this. Okay? Some of you are thinking that is a beautiful Sam, right? So it also might have a little circle next to the G or the letter of the core. And this is also a G diminished. Okay? And in context it sounds like this. This is where it actually sounded good. Right there. There's another one right here. Right? So there you go. There's G diminished.