I Want To Make My Own Songs

i want to make my own songs...so i was wondering if anyone could help point in the right direction with chord progressions and they keys which the chords are in. Any other tips would be great!

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?21996-Learning-Chord-Progressions

this should give you a start. if you can afford it i would also get yourself into the next session of uuu music theory class

Just play what sounds right. If you have an idea for a melody sing it and figure out what chords sound good over it. Not many chord progressions are yet unfound so it's good to have a reference, but think about guys like Hendrix - their songs went to all kinds of weird chords. Someone else can't write the song for you. You can't really teach songwriting so... Just do it!

Another tip that probably doesn't get mentioned enough (unless your a music teacher) is study and learn other muscians work in the styles you would like to create. You find you start to develop small snippets and techniques and weave them into your own creations, its all part of it.

It's useful to track down the chords to your fave songs and play around with those. it will usually put you in touch with new chords you don't have experience with yet.

I agree going through fake books and song books is useful. Chords are a way of harmonizing melodies so a given melody can have a variety of chord progressions.

I have found Band in a Box to be a useful tool for hearing songs. You type in the chords and hit play and a band plays it back. You can immediately tell if the chord progressions work or are a little lame. Sometimes with just a uke you don't get the full impact of each chord, it helps to hear a band play it, even a computerized band.

There are so many ways to go about writing songs, each valid. You can start with a melody and match chords to it, as has been suggested. You can also start strumming chords and "la-la-la"ing until a melody develops. Or you can start with the words, then fit a melody and chords to the words.

I was a drummer who wrote lyrics long before I learned any melodic or harmonic instruments, so when I began writing full songs I always started with the lyrics then played around with melody and harmony until I found something that complimented those words. Now I do it different ways at different times.

I still love my early songs, because I didn't know much about theory, so I did stuff that wasn't ordinarily done.

The chord chart that Colmes provided a link to is a good place to start.

Certain types of music typically follow a certain chord progression.

For example, folk music typically follows a I, IV, V pattern. For the key of C your chords for a tune might be C, F, G. The same tune in the key of G would use G,C,D.

Lyrics will have natural breaks where you change pitch. Play with the chord changes at those points.

Try taking a young childrens book and putting chords to it. Sound like an odd exercise? The words to childrens books normally rhyme or have a beat to them. They have repeating phrases, and are short. You don't have to worry about writing lyrics, just working on a chord progression pattern that fits the tempo/beat of the story. Then you get some fun wacky songs out of the deal too.

Datguywith the ukulele,
I thnk you've got really sound advice from all those above, and like Casarole45 said too
go over songs and style of which appeal to you and get points from there. Just find the
best time when you creativity is peaking too helps....for the Lyrics it could even come sometimes
when take a rest and wake up. or anytime...jot dot it down and work on it later when you have
time work on it....I hope this helps and good luck!!! Keep On vibrating them strings... Uke On!!
MM Stan...