First Song Indecision

CloudyKitty

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I have been having a hard time choosing which song I should learn first.

I think I am settled on "Let It Be". It has the chords I've been practicing (without strumming though) and it is slow so hopefully I will be able to play it at tempo without too much struggle.

Did I pick a good first song? Does anyone think there is a better one?
 
I didn't know that you could practice chords without strumming.
It is when strumming you can hear if you are fretting them clean.

If you like the song, and the chords you found are not too difficult, it is a fine choice.
It is important to pick a song that you will like to play, to keep you practicing.

The versions I can find has 4 chords. C, G , Am, F. All very doable. There are some songs with only 2 chords, which will be easier to begin with.
Like, just to practice strumming and switching between two chords, you could throw in something even simpler first. Like the Banana Boat Song with just C and G.
But go ahead and try on "Let it Be", then find a back-up song to learn first if progress is slow.

Edit:
Just to sum up, I think you should actually pick two first songs to learn. Let it be, which os fairly beginner friendly, and possibly also an even easier song at the same time.
 
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If you like the song and are familiar with how it goes, then it's a good choice. If it doesn't work out, you can always pick another one. There are an endless number of songs available, and no rules governing which ones you should start with. Or how many. You will learn something new from every song you try. This is YOUR ukulele journey, and you are the one who gets to decide where it takes you. The most important thing is to enjoy the ride. :) Best of luck, CloudyKitty!
Jan D
 
Most start out on songs with 2 or 3 chords, but as it's a slow one, I'm sure you'll cope. :)

Always pick a song that you like, you will keep at it & improve quicker than trying to learn something you're not interested in. ;)
 
I have hard time remembering the words, so to me it is the song that has them a lot, sort of a nursery rhime.
This is it: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/1674129

Now this is in finnish and also using all 6 main chords, but in english it is a somewhat simpler in chording and called Itsy Bitsy Spider
Just the finnish version has some more taste also into the minor so it can be more than just a childrens song in education, in my opinion :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD-8oQuo4EI
 
If I started by playing nursery rhymes, I probably wouldn’t have lasted very long. I saw an interview with Jake Shimabukuro and he said his #1 tip was to find songs you love and they will motivate you to practice more.
 
Thanks for the tips! I don't know if I 'love' Let It Be, but I know and like it well enough that it seems like a good starting point.

The Banana Boat Song is a great suggestion for what to learn next. If I start playing that one people are sure to join and sing a long right?

I've never used nursery rhymes to learn an instrument (as an adult). The advice of Jake Shimabukuro rings true for me. When I was trying to teach myself electric bass, I always just hunted down TAB for the songs I wanted to learn and started plunking away!
 
I feel silly because I can't find the post about people's stories for how their journey with the uke started. Where's it hiding? Thanks, whoever is willing to link!
 
Interesting about this Let it be song. It was also my go to song as a youngster, until my sister came telling me that you pronounce it wrong.

It is let and not led it be she sayed. To me it always sounded when Paul sang as more d than t. But I probably went overboard with that d in led it be lol.

But who cares nowadays.
 
Many find the C Am F G7 progression a good starting point. You can strum 4 on each chord for the song Poor Little Fool or 2 strums on each chord for many songs: 26 Miles Across The Sea, Blue Moon, Heart And Soul . . . Google "I vi IV V songs".

For a beginner, start with the ring finger on the 3rd fret of the first string (C). Then put your bird finger on the second fret of the 4th string while removing your ring finger (Am). Then drop your index finger on the 1st fret of the 2nd string, leaving your bird finger on the 4th string where it is (F). Then, leaving your index finger in place, move your bird finger to the 3rd string, second fret and drop your ring finger to the second fret of the first string (G7). Then take all fingers except the ring off and slide it up one fret to the third (C) and you're ready to go 'round again. This is easier to show than to describe.

A few more songs to try:
1. Chain Gang - Sam Cooke
2. Crocodile Rock - Elton John
3. Friday - Rebecca Black
4. Happiness Is a Warm Gun - The Beatles
5. No Surprises - Radiohead
6. Stand By Me - Ben E. King
7. You Are Not Alone - Michael Jackson
8. Heart and Soul - Larry Clinton
9. Give a Little Love - Bay City Rollers
10. Earth Angel - The Penguins
 
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Many find the C Am F G7 progression a good starting point. You can strum 4 on each chord for the song Poor Little Fool or 2 strums on each chord for many songs: 26 Miles Across The Sea, Blue Moon, Heart And Soul . . . Google "I vi IV V songs".

For a beginner, start with the ring finger on the 3rd fret of the first string (C). Then put your bird finger on the second fret of the 4th string while removing your ring finger (Am). Then drop your index finger on the 1st fret of the 2nd string, leaving your bird finger on the 4th string where it is (F). Then, leaving your index finger in place, move your bird finger to the 3rd string, second fret and drop your ring finger to the second fret of the first string (G7). Then take all fingers except the ring off and slide it up one fret to the third (C) and you're ready to go 'round again. This is easier to show than to describe.

A few more songs to try:
1. Chain Gang - Sam Cooke
2. Crocodile Rock - Elton John
3. Friday - Rebecca Black
4. Happiness Is a Warm Gun - The Beatles
5. No Surprises - Radiohead
6. Stand By Me - Ben E. King
7. You Are Not Alone - Michael Jackson
8. Heart and Soul - Larry Clinton
9. Give a Little Love - Bay City Rollers
10. Earth Angel - The Penguins

Sorry if I’m sound rude, I never heard of bird finger and it brings me a chuckle as it’s used nonchalantly here. Heehee.
Great list of songs, stand by me is catchy and upbeat if you can do the island strum.
 
All good suggestions so far.
If you can play 4 chords:
C. Am. F. G7
You can easily play a dozen songs with that simple chord progression.

Also known as a 1-6-4-5 progression

26 Miles Across the Sea, Santa Catalina is Waiting For Me
Earth Angel
Today While the Blossoms Still Cling to The Vine
Sherry
Run Around Sue
A Teenager in Love
Octopus Garden
Stand by Me
What a Wonderful World This Would Be


Sometimes the bridge may consist of only 2 or 3 chords
Sometimes instead of Am it may be a Dm — but Am will usually work.

And if four chords are too many, go with standard 12 Bar Blues progression:

C. C. C. C
F. F. C. C
G7 F. C. C

That will allow you to play hundreds of a Rock and Roll songs.

Good Luck - and don’t be intimidated
 
You will stumble as you learn the songs. When that happens, just practice the part that is giving you problems. Say a chord change between Am & G7. Just slow the strum down and practice that chord change over and over. If you get bored play the song again. And then go back to the chord change and do it again a few times.

Two keys to learning are
1. Start out slowly and go through playing the music, using your foot to keep the time.
2. Break it down into sections that give you trouble. Play those parts over and over until they become easy.
Then when it becomes smoother and comfortable add the words. That way you aren't trying to do too many things simultaneously. It's all about muscle memory.

Play some songs you enjoy, to keep things fresh. Then go back to your problem areas and practice them again.

It's like learning to drive a car. When you first start to drive you have to consciously think about everything. Gas, brakes, steering, speed, turn signals, etc. After a while you get to the point where you don't have to think about how far to push the pedals, or turn the wheel. You know.
 
Interesting about this Let it be song. It was also my go to song as a youngster, until my sister came telling me that you pronounce it wrong.

It is let and not led it be she sayed. To me it always sounded when Paul sang as more d than t. But I probably went overboard with that d in led it be lol.

But who cares nowadays.

You could always consider a song by Let Zeppelin... oh, wait... ;)
 
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