You might think you need a whole host of chords to be able to start playing your first ukulele song, but in fact there are plenty of Ukulele songs with just two chords that are great for beginners and more advance players too.

If you’ve ever looked at a song book of progressive rock or complicated jazz fusion then you’ve probably seen a sea of chords, many of whom only appear in a couple of songs, some of which can’t even be found on online chord dictionaries and a skattering of regular chords thrown in just for good luck. It might almost make you want to give up from the sheer obvious knowledge kassam between where you are now and where you’d need to be to play the song but fear not. Not every song requires diminished chords, in fact there are plenty which you can play on your ukulele with just two common chords (though not jazz fusion pieces unfortunately).

Take the classic “London Bridge is falling down”, there is a version of this song which only requires two chords to play [C and G7], similarly Mary had a little lamb can be played with only two chords as well. [A word of warning, some songs can be simplified to be only two chords, this misses out some chord changes which lead to a change in the quality of the song.]

Obviously learning a song with only two chords is great for a beginner as it means you can focus on getting the limited number of chords right and not have to remember a whole range of chords. It also lets you focus on other aspects of your playing such as strumming, rhythm, muting, and even singing.

Similarly, two chord songs can actually be great for more advanced players. Many masters return to focusing on the very basics and fundermentals of a skill and by using a two chord song it drives you to make the absolute most out of those two chords. Perhaps you want to work out a solo to play over the top? Or change the rhythm at different parts to signal a change.

So two chord songs are brilliant for everyone, beginner and advance players alike.

If you’d like some two chord songs to learn to play, become a member and download 22 ukulele songs for kids FOR FREE today. You’ll get 6 songs which have just 2 chords (as well as many more which just have three chords).

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Do you struggle with singing and playing the Ukulele at the same time? It’s a common issue but this simple guide will teach you how to sing and play the ukulele at the same time.

When I first started learning the guitar, as a teenager, I really wanted to learn to sing and play my guitar at the same time. Like many teenage boy dreams, I imagined that I could serenade some attractive young lady or be “cool”. Of course, neither of those things happened, well I do occasionally sing a song for my partner and perform, but I get great enjoyment from singing and playing at the same time.

If you are starting out then I suspect you are having some issue with singing and playing along at the same time. While I can’t give you any specific singing tips (honestly, my voice isn’t that great). I can give you this simple guide how to sing and play the ukulele at the same time.

The two things holding you back

Before we get into the actual tips and how to sing and play the ukulele at the same time, let’s look at the things which are holding you back. Once you know the issues you can work out what will help you combat them best. Your two issues are probably

• Confidence
• Multitasking

Confidence is actually one of the biggest issues, if you don’t think you can do it, you probably won’t do it. And worse than that, you probably won’t try or push yourself to sing and play at the same time. Also a lack of confidence in what you are playing will cause you to have to think and second guess yourself, stopping yourself from playing.

Multitasking is the other big issue and as you can guess, it feeds in to confidence and vice versa. If you can’t multi task, you feel less confident, if you feel less confident, it’s harder to multitask.

The problem with singing AND playing at the same time, when you are starting out, is you really need to focus on playing. When you are learning a new skill it requires so much more concentration than an old skill. Just watch a baby trying to walk or someone knitting. When they start out they have to really intensely concentrate on the task, giving it their full attention. But once you have experience and develop muscle memory, you don’t even have to look when you are doing it and can speak at the same time.

You may have some other issues with singing and playing but I’m willing to bet that these are your biggest issues.

8 Tricks to help you Sing and play the ukulele

Sing along to the song without playing

The first strategy you should employ is to get more familiar with singing the song. The will help at least that part of your multitasking become second nature. It may feel a bit awkward at first but that will help you much more later on.

Hum as you strum

When you hum, you can focus only on the melody and not the lyrics. This reduces the mental load when you try and sing and play. It also means that if you forget the words, you can keep on humming along.

Tap as you sing

To help you keep your rhythm and to get more used to doing two things at once, try tapping your foot as you sing along. Tapping is really easy to do, help you practice your rhythm for strumming and is a lot easier than thinking about chords as you play.

Air strum as you sing

Slightly more difficult than just tapping but much more practical. Try “Air strumming” as you sing. Again you don’t need to think about just the chords but you can focus on the rhythm and getting the lyrics nailed.

Practice the chord changes

One of the parts when people most easily trip up as beginners are chord changes. Moving from one chord to another chord takes a lot of concentration to make sure that your fingers are moving to the right place. Practice changing between chords so that you can change chords without thinking and focus on the words you are singing.

Sing just the easy bits

Once your growing in confidence, try singing the easiest bits and getting comfortable with them. Maybe there is a section which only requires you to play one chord for an extended period. Just sing that bit and work on that. As you get more confident, move on to more difficult parts.

Start with an easy song

Guess, what. Easier songs are much easier to play and sing at the same time than more difficult songs. If there are only a few basic chords and infrequent chord changes, you’ll do a lot better than if there are lots of complicated chords which frequently change.

[Need some easy songs to play? Get 22 ukulele songs for Kids for free when you join our newsletter.]

Play till it becomes second nature

When you can play a song back to front, upside down, without looking and with one hand tied behind your back (ok, maybe that last one is going a bit too far) then singing a long will be a lot easier than when you first come across a song and you don’t really know how it goes. Keep practicing and it will become much easier to sing along to.

Play and sing slowly

Honestly, even baring all the other tips in mind, this is probably the best thing you can do to help you play and sing at the same time. At some point you’re going to have to just give it a go and to be honest, it will probably be pretty difficult. However, it will get easier and you will speed up. Honestly, I recommend that you just start giving it ago. Slowly work line by line and build up.

All the other tips will help you with your multitasking but you’re going to have to push yourself at some point. Don’t wait too long.

Do you struggle to play and sing at the same time? What do you find difficult about it?

The post The Simple Guide How to Sing and Play the Ukulele appeared first on UKE University.

Warren buffet is a well known Ukulele fan as well as one of the best investors ever, if not the best (but seriously, the ukulele fan thing is much more important.

So for cokes 100 year anniversary he made a little advert for them.

Ignoring the irony of the out of tune ukulele and singing the line “in perfect harmony” I thought it might be cool to make a little image with the chords and words for this song (after all it’s not that difficult). The issue is…there have been a few versions of the song.

The song was originally written for the classic coke advert “hilltop” advert (see below) with the line “I’d like to buy the world a coke and keep it company”.

However, since then many alternative versions have been recorded as regular singles. As you might expect including the line “buy the world a coke” in a pop single is kind of selling out. Here is a link to some different versions from over the years including the lyrics to the original.

However, these versions have also been versions recorded in different keys which make the chords of Warren Buffets version not accurate for every version…but that’s just the way things are in music. So I decided to use the chords from Warren’s version and some of the lyrics from the Hilltop version. It seemed to make the most sense. You can adapt the key (if you know a bit about music theory) or use the lyrics from other versions if you like. But I hope you enjoy it (just make sure you tune your ukulele).

Enjoy this song? Join our newsletter to get a free copy of 22 ukulele songs for kids and more free resources. 

The post Learn to Play: Buy the World a Coke appeared first on UKE University.

Cons of plectrums

A plectrum is a single point to play with unlike your five fingers. It is true that you can use some of your fingers along with a plectrum but you remove the thumb and pointer finger and instead gain only a plectrum.

Plectrums can also damage your strings and the body of your instrument as well. It’s why guitars usually have a “pick guard” which sits atop of the guitar body and is more resistant to the plectrum and so protects the body. However, the majority of Ukuleles don’t feature this protection.

Plectrums also damage the strings more than strumming with your finger or plucking with your hand. This means you may have to replace your strings more frequently.

Standard plectrums aren’t designed for Nylon strings, this reinforces the previous point, it will damage your strings more, but also makes them sounds harsher.

Finally, traditional sounds and playing styles have all revolved around using fingers and so if you want to get a “classic” ukulele sound, you’ll have to use your fingers.

But…

Having said all those points, strings still wear out even if you don’t use a plectrum. Plus, it’s okay to create new styles of music and not have a “traditional sound”. So while these are downsides…they aren’t deal breakers in my opinion.

Pros of Plectrums

After thinking about those downsides, it’s importent to think about the advantages of plectrums as they often get neglected with it comes to Ukuleles.

Plectrums can be easier to play with. The firmness of a plectrum can be easier to get used to playing with when you start out playing. It also won’t hurt your finger as much as you strum.

Plectrums can be louder. This is not a firm truth, you can gently and quiet play with a plectrum and loudly with your fingers, but with the firmness of a plectrum you can create a louder sound.

Plectrums can help you play faster. When you look at the fasters guitar players, they don’t use their fingers, they tend to use a plectrum as their firmness returns to it’s place quicker. This can help you play a series of notes quicker. This is not a complete truth as you can also roll strum which can help you play very quickly with your fingers.

Conclusion

Well, it’s really up to you and what you prefer. In general I don’t play with a plectrum as I prefer playing with my finger and the variety of options it opens up but I have and do sometimes play with a plectrum. What about you?

Do you ever play your Ukulele with a plectrum? Why/Why not?

The post Is playing with a plectrum heresy? appeared first on UKE University.

Get your free copy of 22 Ukulele songs for Kids It’s finally getting released! 22 Ukulele songs for kids is out and you can get your copy for free. All you need to do is join our mailing list and we’ll send you a link tomorrow to grab your own copy. Click here to join. If you are already one of our awesome members and get our newsletter, then you’ll be sent the link tomorrow and again with every new email.

The post Get your free copy of 22 Ukulele songs for Kids [Announcement] appeared first on UKE University.

She didn’t want to buy a dud nor did she want to spend lots of money for something she might not really get into. It’s a common problem as there are so many ukulele makes out there, some of them great and other plain bad or over expensive. I offered to take her to a local music shop and help her find a good Ukulele.

However, I can’t do that for you. If you are thinking of starting to play the ukulele then I’m going to do the next best thing. Take you to a virtual music shop and recommend a few Ukuleles that are great for beginners in 2015, 2016 (and beyond).

The following 6 beginner ukuleles (two for each of the main body types) will all be worth purchasing and will insure that you don’t pay over the odds or buying a poorly made budget ukulele. This is not to say that they are the only ukulele’s worth buying for a beginner, but that you won’t go wrong by picking up one of these ones. If you have bought an alternative ukulele and would like to recommend it then leave a comment with its details below.

Soprano

If you need help deciding between different size ukuleles then check out guide to the differences between different ukulele sizes. A quick summary is a Soprano is the smallest and therefore is going to be the cheapest starting ukulele.

Makala Dolphin Sopranos

Makala are the budget brand of Kala ukuleles (also a great choice). This is probably the cheapest ukulele I’d recommend without getting my hands on it first. They are made of plastic which might put you off straight away but the build quality is good and they can produce an okay sound. Obviously a more expensive solid wood ukulele will sound better but this is a beginners ukulele.

Makala Dolphins also come in a variety of snazzy colours. (Surf green, Mako blue, Red sea, Yellow coral, Great White, Pink Shell, and Black)  Overall this is a great choice for a kid. [UK link]

Lanikai LU-21 Soprano

Unlike the Makala the lanikai is a ukulele made out of wood. So if plastic puts you off too much then you might want to check out the Lanikai. 

[Extra options to consider: Kala Mahogany Soprano Ukulele and the slightly more expensive Cordoba Mahogany Soprano Ukulele with a natural satin finish )

Concert

A concert ukulele is the goldilocks of the ukulele world. Not as small as the Soprano nor as big as the tenor.

Kala Mahogany Concert

I have a soft spot for Kala ukuleles. My first Ukulele was a Kala and it has lasted well. This concert size ukulele is made of solid wood, has a few more frets than the soprano offerings and comes with a nice bag, polish and other useful things. [UK link]

Lanikai CKCGC Concert Ukulele

Lanikai make great ukuleles, some Lanikai concert ukulele come in Koa wood (pretty much the Hawaiian wood, and good looking too). This is more expensive than some of their other models using cheaper woods but could be worth the extra money (in my opinion) if that choice of wood is available (if you get the chance, try comparing them and see what you think). [UK link]

Tenor

Tenor ukuleles are the biggest common size ukuleles (yes there are Baritones but they are much rarer and more akin to a guitar). Tenors can be strung with a low g-string for a deeper sound if you prefer that.

Lanikai Tenor

Another Lanikai, this time one which is cheaper than my previous suggestion even though it is bigger. Don’t let that put you off, it is a good solid Ukulele made of Eastern Mahogony. Lanikai do offer more expensive Tenor Ukulele’s but I wanted to show you a cheap tenor options, esepcially considering the next Ukulele I’m going to show you. [UK link]

Kala Koa Cutaway Tenor

If you are planning on playing live then you will probably want to plugin your Ukulele and boost it’s volume. Luckily this Kala tenor Ukulele comes with a built in pickup so that you can play loud and live. It’s also made of Koa and has great build quality but it does come at a price. This is the most expensive Ukulele on my list and I’d only recommend it for someone who knows they are going to play and play a lot. I do own a Kala cutaway tenor with plugin and I can testify to it’s great quality.  [UK link]

Try one in a store

Although any of these six would be a fine choice for a ukulele, it would probably be a good idea to try one in a store if you can. That will let you get a feel and find the right size for you as well as compare the different sounds of the ukuleles (the choice of wood makes a huge difference).

What Ukulele do you recommend for a beginner?

The post The Top 6 Beginner Ukuleles for 2015 appeared first on UKE University.

Soprano, Concert, Tenor and Baritone

Just to cover all the bases, I want to make sure you know about the four main types of Ukuleles. There are a few other types of Ukuleles and offshoots which fall somewhere in between these main four, but the vast majority of the time you are going to be playing one of these four (at least to start). In size order they go Soprano, Concert, Tenor, and Baritone.

Soprano

The Soprano is the smallest and so people with large hands are often put off. For the record I’m 6’3 and have long (but thin) fingers and I find a soprano playable, but difficult at the higher frets. If you have very thick fingers then this isn’t for you. The advantage with the smaller neck is the strings are generally loser in standard tuning making it really easy to hold chords and bend strings though you’ll only have between 12-15 frets to do this on. They are also cheaper due to the lower amount of resources used in their production. The smaller size also makes them generally quieter.

If you are really unsure which size ukulele to buy, I’d recommend a Soprano. In many ways it is the  classic Ukulele size and they are usually 

Concert

A concert ukulele is the second smallest and has become more popular recently with people like Jake Shimabukuro and Sophie Madeleine playing Concert size Ukuleles. They have a tighter string tension, larger gaps between frets and more frets making them better for soloing on and yet still very easy to press the strings down. The slightly longer neck means the Ukulele will sound a little brighter due to the extra tension in the neck and with a larger body, they are usually louder than Sopranos.

This is actually my favourite size to play, it’s a goldilocks to the small soprano and larger tenor. The only major downside is that they don’t have as many frets as a tenor nor the extra portability of the Soprano. If you think the soprano is too little and the tenor is too big, then I’d recommend a Concert.

Tenor

The Tenor has won a lot of fans due to its larger size which benefits low g (or “liner”) tuning and soloing on the higher frets. Many players who switch from the guitar like this size as it is more familiar than the smaller Soprano and Concert. It’s easier to find Tenor ukuleles which come with electric pickups, so you to plug into an amp (great for live performances).

Sure, you can get Concerts and even Sopranos with this feature (and plenty of Tenor ukuleles without) but it’s more common on Tenor ukuleles. The longer neck provides even stronger string tension leading to a brighter, bolder sound making it much better for low g string tuning and even baritone tuning (more below). If you are a guitarist looking to switch to the Ukulele, or have very large hands then I’d recommend checking out a Tenor.

Baritone

The baritone is the big daddy of the Ukulele family, it’s basically the same size as a guitar and is tuned the same way as the four highest (in pitch) strings on a guitar, DGBE. Or  This makes it really easy for guitarists to adapt to and perfect. If you like the ukulele but think it is just a bit to high in pitch (one of the key traits of the Ukulele but anyway), then you’ll love the Baritone.

The different tuning helps to reduce the string tension but it will still require more than a Soprano ukulele but produce a deeper sound. The super large frets are great if you have chubby fingers or want to do complicated fingerpicking and solo style (with out the distraction of those two extra strings on a guitar).

What to consider?

So now we’ve looked at the basics of the different sizes of Ukuleles you probably have a pretty good idea, here are a few factors you’ll want to consider when you pick your ukulele.

• How big are your hands?
• What style are you looking to play in? (strumming, finger pic
• How much do you want to spend (generally smaller will be cheaper but this isn’t a hard and fast rule)
• Do you find it hard to press down on strings or do they bend too easily
• Do you want a loud or quieter ukulele

I still don’t know!

If you still don’t know then the best advice I can give you is find a place where you can try out the different sizes of Ukuleles. I know for some people that will be very difficult if you live in a really remote place without a good music store but ukuleles are becoming more common.

[Check out our guide to the best beginner Ukuleles for 2015]

What size Ukulele do you have? Why?

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