Hey all! I've been playing for a while now but I seem to be stuck in the same place that I have been for a couple of months now. How do I go about learning more unconventional chords and shapes that are further up the neck? And wherecan I learn chord construction? I want to be able to arrange songs myself figerstyle with both the vocal melody and rythym parts. Thanks for the help in advance!
Improving on Ukulele playing
- Thread starter Vhern021
- Start date
Nickie
Well-known member
I've been there too! A lot of it's had to do with my mood, but I feel I'm coming out of it, ever so gradually. I've found the book Ukulele Fretboard Roadmaps to be quite a bit of help.
If you are serious about improving then I find this book excellent. It should meet your needs just fine and it's not very long about 45 pages.
Understanding Ukulele Chords
http://www.amazon.com/Mel-Bay-Under...&sr=8-1&keywords=ukulele+understanding+chords
Working through this book will help you understand ukulele chords and how to make them. It will cut your memory work of the chords down vastly. He also talks about how to do chord melody solos.
The first thing you want to do is start learning the notes on each string. You do not have to learn music notation to learn the chords in the book, but you will need to know the notes on the string.
Understanding Ukulele Chords
http://www.amazon.com/Mel-Bay-Under...&sr=8-1&keywords=ukulele+understanding+chords
Working through this book will help you understand ukulele chords and how to make them. It will cut your memory work of the chords down vastly. He also talks about how to do chord melody solos.
The first thing you want to do is start learning the notes on each string. You do not have to learn music notation to learn the chords in the book, but you will need to know the notes on the string.
Last edited:
johnson430
Well-known member
+1 for Understanding Ukulele Chords.
One reviewer on Amazon is spot-on when they titled their review:
You won't need it till you need it...
One reviewer on Amazon is spot-on when they titled their review:
You won't need it till you need it...
Luke El U
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2012
- Messages
- 372
- Reaction score
- 0
Buy all those finger style books by King, Nelson, MacKillop, Ho, Mizen, etc. and work through all the pieces. I guarantee you will learn many amazing things which will take you to the next levels.
Learn to play all that stuff beautifully and you will be a MASTER!
Learn to play all that stuff beautifully and you will be a MASTER!
CactusWren
Well-known member
Man, ubulele, someone asking the OP's question is going to go through all that? There are so many websites online offering this information for free in a variety of ways. He would have already found it if he were so inclined. Google: ukulele chords. Someone who wanted to take their playing to the next level could easily buy 3 or 4 books full of that sort of information for the cost of a single private lesson.
Ukejenny
Well-known member
When I was ready to move on, I started studying finger style playing, started getting into some jazz, started playing songs that were a little beyond my reach. Then, I learned whatever I needed to learn to be able to get into the song. Stars Fell On Alabama was one of the first songs I started reaching for.
photoshooter
Well-known member
Thanks ubulele!
I'm not the OP but definitely appreciate the effort you put into that response. I cut and pasted it so I can print it out and digest slowly.
I'm not the OP but definitely appreciate the effort you put into that response. I cut and pasted it so I can print it out and digest slowly.
Highmiles
Well-known member
Uh oh, too late. I saw Ubulele's post last night , when I was tired. I came back today to really get into it, and it seems to be deleted. I was really exited. Now I'm really bummed out. It sure would have been nice to have that all in one place. Any chance that someone saved it?
CactusWren
Well-known member
Sounds like he got offended by my response. Sorry if anyone feels I did the forum a disservice. My point is simply that someone who is actually going to do the work will find the information. We are swimming in it. You can dump a ton of water on a horse's head... and 1st posters with vague questions rarely even return.
Here is the first page of google responses ("Ukulele chords"). Each of which could give you months or even years' worth of mileage.
http://huimusic.com/basic-ukulele-chord-charts-to-get-you-started/
https://ukutabs.com/top-tabs/99-most-popular-ukulele-songs/all-time/
http://ukuchords.com/ukulele-chord-charts/
http://ukulelehunt.com/tab-chords/
http://www.ukulele-chords.com/
http://www.ukulele.nl/chordfinder/
http://www.ezfolk.com/uke/chords/
Here is a step-by-step method of how to figure out the chords yourself, again first page Google search. The answers are here, for free.
http://liveukulele.com/chords/constructing-ukulele-chords/
This book has the same information ubulele wrote, but in a digestible, visual and usable manner:
http://www.amazon.com/Fretboard-Roadmaps-Ukulele-Essential-Patterns/dp/1423400410
You can buy it used for $3.00. You can spend $11.39 to make sure the author/publisher gets paid a little. Going through this book in itself will take you from beginner to high intermediate. Most private lessons cost $50-60.
A simple search on Youtube or Adrienne's videos will give anyone enough tutorials/information to learn how to play this instrument.
Here is the first page of google responses ("Ukulele chords"). Each of which could give you months or even years' worth of mileage.
http://huimusic.com/basic-ukulele-chord-charts-to-get-you-started/
https://ukutabs.com/top-tabs/99-most-popular-ukulele-songs/all-time/
http://ukuchords.com/ukulele-chord-charts/
http://ukulelehunt.com/tab-chords/
http://www.ukulele-chords.com/
http://www.ukulele.nl/chordfinder/
http://www.ezfolk.com/uke/chords/
Here is a step-by-step method of how to figure out the chords yourself, again first page Google search. The answers are here, for free.
http://liveukulele.com/chords/constructing-ukulele-chords/
This book has the same information ubulele wrote, but in a digestible, visual and usable manner:
http://www.amazon.com/Fretboard-Roadmaps-Ukulele-Essential-Patterns/dp/1423400410
You can buy it used for $3.00. You can spend $11.39 to make sure the author/publisher gets paid a little. Going through this book in itself will take you from beginner to high intermediate. Most private lessons cost $50-60.
A simple search on Youtube or Adrienne's videos will give anyone enough tutorials/information to learn how to play this instrument.
Rllink
Well-known member
For me, when I get stuck like that, I sit back and look at what I've been doing, what direction I was going when I got stuck, then just go a different direction for a while. You can get all the books you can afford, but books won't get you un-stuck. You get un-stuck by freshening up your routine. If you gotta buy books, at least buy something different.
Last edited:
photoshooter
Well-known member
I don't disagree with anything you wrote but I have a slightly different feeling about it all.
I have Fretboard Roadmaps, Fretboard Toolbox and Brad Bordessa's Chord Shapes books. I love all three of them and refer to them very often along with the wealth of free info on the web. And yet I still cut and pasted ubulele's post. I like getting the same information presented in different ways. It helps me to understand it better.
Posting a question in a forum starts an active dialog among multiple posters which is a lot different than a static source of info. In the end the info may be exactly the same but the dialog part is valuable. The OP can ask specific questions to clarify what is said and can even benefit from responses where specific members don't necessarily share the same viewpoint or present the same info in different ways.
Again, I'm not disagreeing with you. I just feel like there are many sources of information and all of them have value for me.
Personally, I'm not crazy about Ukulele Roadmaps. I think the information could be presented better.
The book I listed Understanding Ukulele Chords does a much better job than roadmaps. http://www.amazon.com/Mel-Bay-Under...&sr=1-1&keywords=understanding+ukulele+chords
Ukulele roadmaps seems to throw everything against the wall and let's see what sticks. Understanding Ukulele chords discusses why you would want to use a 7th chord etc. He also discusses progressions and how they work. It's not an easy book and you have to practice but you will understand when you finish.
The real issue with most people is they are not willing to put the work in to get better. There is also a proper way to practice. You have to work on those things that give you trouble.
You can google proper practice to get more of an idea. I can tell you that with efficient practice you improve much quicker.
The book I listed Understanding Ukulele Chords does a much better job than roadmaps. http://www.amazon.com/Mel-Bay-Under...&sr=1-1&keywords=understanding+ukulele+chords
Ukulele roadmaps seems to throw everything against the wall and let's see what sticks. Understanding Ukulele chords discusses why you would want to use a 7th chord etc. He also discusses progressions and how they work. It's not an easy book and you have to practice but you will understand when you finish.
The real issue with most people is they are not willing to put the work in to get better. There is also a proper way to practice. You have to work on those things that give you trouble.
You can google proper practice to get more of an idea. I can tell you that with efficient practice you improve much quicker.
Last edited:
Rllink
Well-known member
Willing to put the work in to become better in what sense? Proper practice to what end? How do you define and measure improvement? It really depends on what your goals are.
Last edited:
johnson430
Well-known member
I hate to point out the obvious, but you answered all three of your own questions with your last sentence.
I like the diminished chord and it's easy to play a 7th by moving any finger half step back. That new note is the name of the 7th chord.
Hi Rlink,
Here is a short article on NPR about optimizing your music practice.
http://www.npr.org/sections/decepti.../10-easy-ways-to-optimize-your-music-practice
If someone is happy playing a couple of chords, I see no problem with that.
If someone wants to keep moving forward then you need to understand how people learn and what types of techniques work. This has been worked over time by many musicians. There are some basics that you can use.
The original poster wanted to do chord solos and melodies. This is a skill that will take a while to develop and also an understanding of what is required. If you will, the building blocks you need. For example, you need an understanding of chords and their inversions. This helps you find chords to use with the melodies.
Also, knowing common chord progression will simplify learning new songs. . You can use the site below to see some common progressions. It's written for guitar but it's the same for ukulele or any instrument. Listen to some of the songs he suggests and play those chords on the uke working out the song on your own. You may be surprised at how many songs you can play. Also, if you are serious, watch a few youtube videos on the circle of 5ths. This will make playing progressions even easier.
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/less...y_knowing_these_top_4_chord_progressions.html
This is a good book to read if you want to understand how professionals get good at their craft.
http://www.amazon.com/Talent-Overra...1441072663&sr=1-1&keywords=talent+is+overated
Here is a short article on NPR about optimizing your music practice.
http://www.npr.org/sections/decepti.../10-easy-ways-to-optimize-your-music-practice
If someone is happy playing a couple of chords, I see no problem with that.
If someone wants to keep moving forward then you need to understand how people learn and what types of techniques work. This has been worked over time by many musicians. There are some basics that you can use.
The original poster wanted to do chord solos and melodies. This is a skill that will take a while to develop and also an understanding of what is required. If you will, the building blocks you need. For example, you need an understanding of chords and their inversions. This helps you find chords to use with the melodies.
Also, knowing common chord progression will simplify learning new songs. . You can use the site below to see some common progressions. It's written for guitar but it's the same for ukulele or any instrument. Listen to some of the songs he suggests and play those chords on the uke working out the song on your own. You may be surprised at how many songs you can play. Also, if you are serious, watch a few youtube videos on the circle of 5ths. This will make playing progressions even easier.
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/less...y_knowing_these_top_4_chord_progressions.html
This is a good book to read if you want to understand how professionals get good at their craft.
http://www.amazon.com/Talent-Overra...1441072663&sr=1-1&keywords=talent+is+overated
CactusWren
Well-known member
Fretboard Roadmaps is kind of a pedagogical mess. Still, it has the information, pictures--a motivated beginner could use it. I am a guitar player; it seems like the kind of thing a guitar player thinks a ukulele player would know. Movable chords, movable scales, intro to chord melody, a dictionary of "fancy chords". My issue with it is that it is rather generic (does Fred Sokolow even really play the uke?). When to use chords is a matter of style. It's hard to tell a beginner why to use a sixth chord.
I came to the uke as a guitarist, but still found I had to actively learn the fretboard and where to play chords. The way I did it was by intervals.
The 3rd, 2nd, and 1st strings are: C E A
The fifth fret notes are up the interval of a fourth: F A D
The seventh fret notes are up the interval of a fifth: G B E
The different CAGED type barre chords can then be associated with those notes. Once you are solid on these notes/chords, you can fill in the blanks for the rest.
My fingers didn't fit for chords above the seventh fret on my soprano, and my KoAloha only has 12 frets. I am not really wild on chords above the fourth position or so. I don't think they sound very good.
I came to the uke as a guitarist, but still found I had to actively learn the fretboard and where to play chords. The way I did it was by intervals.
The 3rd, 2nd, and 1st strings are: C E A
The fifth fret notes are up the interval of a fourth: F A D
The seventh fret notes are up the interval of a fifth: G B E
The different CAGED type barre chords can then be associated with those notes. Once you are solid on these notes/chords, you can fill in the blanks for the rest.
My fingers didn't fit for chords above the seventh fret on my soprano, and my KoAloha only has 12 frets. I am not really wild on chords above the fourth position or so. I don't think they sound very good.
pulelehua
Well-known member
Studying Lyle Ritz's chord solos is useful because it teaches one persons's vocabulary of chord shapes. You're not just given a generic collection of chords, but a combination of chords which someone has spent years putting together in an idiomatic way. I think you then learn a language of music instead of just some ideas, which you might find difficult to apply.
Not that the ideas are bad. I just suspect some people aren't theoretically there yet.
My two pence.
Not that the ideas are bad. I just suspect some people aren't theoretically there yet.
My two pence.
