How to Play 10 Songs on the Ukulele Using Just 4 Simple Chords

It’s a fact that learning to play the guitar is challenging. However! Who wouldn’t want to enjoy themselves while performing dozens of tunes on the ukulele with just 4 fundamental chords?

The ease with which a beginner can pick up the ukulele and begin playing is one of its main draws. With a little practise, anyone—experienced or not—can learn how to play the ukulele. Fortunately, there are reliable resources available where you may learn how to play, like this one: Ukulele tabs & chords.

The G, C, D, and A Chords ukulele are the four ukulele chords you will master in this article. Having said that, you must first make sure that your ukulele is tuned correctly before you begin playing. Do you lack knowledge of ukulele tuning?

No ukulele training is required! The Pocket Ukulele Tuner, which also has a beginner’s how-to book, can help you tune your ukulele to perfection.

Are you prepared to learn how to play 10 new songs now that your ukulele is correctly tuned?

Don’t worry, even if you’re a beginner, after reading this article and putting what you’ve learned into practise, you’ll know how to play 10 of the most accessible and well-known songs using only 4 ukulele chords in only 4 easy stages.

Discover the shapes of the chords and a basic down-strum pattern.

Your hands will first need to become acquainted to the chord shapes, which you will learn first:
Now, memorising those chords and getting your hands acclimated to being in those shapes and places can take longer than a minute or two. Having said that, resist becoming angry! Once you begin playing your first song, the effort will be well worth it.

You should slide your strumming finger down the strings after learning these four fundamental chords, then repeat without striking the strings on the way back up, as in Down-Down-Down-Down. You will learn more strumming patterns as you start to acquire experience, and playing them will also come naturally to you.

Keep in mind that playing the ukulele will be simpler for you if you only use your wrists as opposed to using your entire arms, which can rapidly become fatigued.

Rhythmic Strumming Pattern, Optional

After utilising the straightforward down-strum pattern to practise each chord, you can experiment with other patterns and pick the one that works best for you. You can experiment with various basic patterns, like

• Down-Up-Down-Up
• Down-up-Down-Down
• Down-Down-Up-Down
• Remember that certain strumming patterns could be necessary or better suited for particular tunes. Additionally, there are no incorrect strumming techniques; you can get inventive with the chords you have learned, moving between them to create a rhythm that suits your personal taste. Here’s a hint: Good music has a rhythm that makes your feet start tapping as if you were dancing.

Now, choose a simple ukulele song!

It is time to choose your favourite song to begin with now that you have practised the four chords G, C, D, and Em and are becoming accustomed to switching between them while practising with some strumming patterns:

1. “Zombie” by The Cranberries
   We ranked The Cranberries’ Zombie as the top song on our list for a reason. It’s not simply enjoyable to play and listen to; it’s also one of the simpler tunes for a novice to learn. The chords on the ukulele are played in the following order: Em-C-G-D, and they are repeated throughout the entire song.
2. Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen
   Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” is followed by “Someone Like You” by Adele.
   Royals by Lorde, No. 5
   Taylor Swift, number 22,
   Green Day’s “When I Come Around” is track number eight. 7. Lukas Graham
3. Heart of Gold by Neil Young
   John Legend’s song “All of Me”
   Whatever song you decide to start with, be sure to listen to each one carefully while attempting to play along on the ukulele.

Getting better through practise

As a beginner learning to play the ukulele, practise is the most crucial thing you can do to advance your abilities. You will eventually devise or discover the practise regimen that is most effective for you. Following are some practise ideas and methods that may be utilised with any string instrument as well as your ukulele to get you started:

Stretching: Before playing, take sure to extend your fingers and hands.
practise various strumming techniques
Practice transitioning between ukulele chords in various successions to make your movements more fluid and seamless.
Use a well-known, straightforward song as a warm-up.
Work on writing and honing your own song and/or rhythm to develop your abilities more quickly.
Conclusion
Now that you know the four fundamental ukulele chords (G, C, D, and Em), you can practise them and perform any of the 10 songs on our list. Additionally, the ten songs you just learned may be the first of hundreds that you will learn to play in the future, including perhaps some of your own.