Song Help Request I need help with tabs/chords when no strum included.

[hammer40]

For some reason, I just can't wrap my head around reading chords/tabs. Hopefully, somebody can help or explain how to play a song using a chord chart. I will include a link to a song from chordie as an example of what I'm asking.

http://www.chordie.com/chord.pere/w...1944-06-06=always&url=&transpose=&tuning=GCEA


Video sound for reference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqHvAC-mDQg


The song is from Sinead O'conner, "Black boys on mopeds". Only 3 chords C, D, and G. My main question with this type of chord chart is more about the strum, the chords are shown and when to change to each. How do you know the strum pattern, especially if you're not real familiar with a song? Even when I know the song i can't seem to figure it out.

I know this is probably really basic, but I really can't figure it all out.

 

[hammer40]

Anybody? Or is this just to stupid of a question? Do you just make up a strum pattern to kind of go along with the song? Or is there actually a way to be more accurate with songs?

 

[acmespaceship]

Nobody can learn a song from the chords/lyrics sheet alone. You don't get the rhythm or the melody. Besides, the sheets you find on the Internet are prone to mistakes and formatting errors so you can't follow them blindly. Listen to recordings until you know the song very well, or use sheet music if you can read it. "Not real familiar" is a guarantee of failure.

The chords are written above the lyrics. As you sing a word, change to the chord above it. Do you change just before singing the word, or during, or just after? The sheet can't tell you. Go listen to the song again.

As for strumming, yes you make it up. There is no such thing as a "correct" strum. If you want to sound like a recording then play along with it and copy the performer. Of course, an ukulele is not a guitar. This is a good thing: you can't sound like the recording anyway so work out your own strum.

The chord/lyrics sheet is really just a hint. It's for people who already (mostly) know the song by heart.

So try a different song, one that you know in your sleep, something you can't help but sing along when it's on the radio. Find it on Chordie and play it. Don't think about strums or worry about where to change chords. It'll come together if you give it time and don't try to make a chord/lyrics sheet do more than it's capable of.

 

[bunnyf]

Not a stupid question at all. Like acme space ship said, song sheets are just a guide and it is confusing at first. They just represent someone's interpretation of the song and some are more accurate than others, if you compare them to the original. Often they can be in a different key. I usually look at the same song in a few different versions to see what will work for me and my limited skill. Sometimes the chord change is not placed over the right word (can be a mistake or a formatting problem) if you know the song you can here that it's wrong, if not, one clue is that a lot of songs have very even patterns for chord changes, like every measure (4 beats) so you can use this as a rough guide, if your not sure when to change. Also I see your example contained slash chords. I would look for versions that don't otherwise on uke you can usually just play x when it says x/y chord and it will usually sound ok. If you know about slash chords (and I don't know much) they are telling you to play a x chord but to add the note y if you can get a finger on it from where you are forming your x chord shape ( not always easy on uke,and this is usually a guitar thing). So, generally just skip it. And play the first chord.
As to strum, I'm with you. I generally can't pick out the strum pattern on my own, someone telling me to listen to the song doesn't always help. At this early stage in my musical journey, I haven't yet developed the ear for it. I will look in comments under a song sheet or tutorial and sometimes someone asks the strum pattern and one is then suggested. Uke hunt often suggests one. Or I google suggested strum for such and such song and get an answer. If not, I go to my Swiss army strum (handy, all-purpose) D D U U D U. Hope this helps (one newbie to another).

 

[hammer40]

Nobody can learn a song from the chords/lyrics sheet alone. You don't get the rhythm or the melody. Besides, the sheets you find on the Internet are prone to mistakes and formatting errors so you can't follow them blindly. Listen to recordings until you know the song very well, or use sheet music if you can read it. "Not real familiar" is a guarantee of failure.

The chords are written above the lyrics. As you sing a word, change to the chord above it. Do you change just before singing the word, or during, or just after? The sheet can't tell you. Go listen to the song again.

As for strumming, yes you make it up. There is no such thing as a "correct" strum. If you want to sound like a recording then play along with it and copy the performer. Of course, an ukulele is not a guitar. This is a good thing: you can't sound like the recording anyway so work out your own strum.

The chord/lyrics sheet is really just a hint. It's for people who already (mostly) know the song by heart.

So try a different song, one that you know in your sleep, something you can't help but sing along when it's on the radio. Find it on Chordie and play it. Don't think about strums or worry about where to change chords. It'll come together if you give it time and don't try to make a chord/lyrics sheet do more than it's capable of.

Thanks, that explanation helps a lot.

 

[hammer40]

Also I see your example contained slash chords. I would look for versions that don't otherwise on uke you can usually just play x when it says x/y chord and it will usually sound ok. If you know about slash chords (and I don't know much) they are telling you to play a x chord but to add the note y if you can get a finger on it from where you are forming your x chord shape ( not always easy on uke,and this is usually a guitar thing). So, generally just skip it. And play the first chord.

No, I was not aware of slash chords. I just thought that meant to change chords at that point.

 

[Maguwa]

Good advice from the others above IMHO. Sounds like those slash chords were where the real confusion was.
As BunnyF said, just play the x of the x/y. The y is the bass note, the lowest note of the chord. Because ukulele doesn't go that low compared to guitar or bass, you can ignore it 99.9% of the time and it will still sound right.

 

[kaizersoza]

slash chords are more for guitar, you do get them for ukulele but not too often, as regards strum patterns you need to feel the rhythm of the song, if you don't know a song, you tube it, learn it, then practice it, you will get it in the end

 

[hammer40]

Thanks, all good info. I was really confused on the strum aspect on the chord charts though. The example I gave isn't to bad since it's an acoustic song but when it's a rock song (all electric guitars) for example, I really struggle with what to do. It sounds like you just interpet the best you can.

 

[BigMamaJ40]

Try Down Down Down-Up for this song.

Try strumming on the side of your leg while listening to the song. This allows you to pay attention to the rhythm and dynamics (when to strum louder or softer), without worrying about chords or melody or lyrics, or even the uke! Start with simply finding the beat with down strokes, then add in up strokes and pauses to develop the groove. Move this to your uke, keeping the strings muted, until you FEEL the rhythm without thinking about it.

The basic strums, like D D-U and D D U U-D-U, are excellent strums to practice until you internalize them.

 

[bunnyf]

Just a little aside, and don't know if this will help you but my son who is a wonderful uke player says that to him strumming is like dancing. You have to try to relax and feel the groove. I'm a spaz and this idea only helps a little but I get what he's saying. If you loosen up and get into it you will often find your own natural rythym.

 

[rob_hampton]

Here's a chart with the strumming pattern used in the recording:
http://www.heartwoodguitar.com/chords/black-boys-on-mopeds-sinead-oconnor/

Note that the song's in 3/4, which means you count the beats in groups of 3 instead of the normal 4. And even though the strumming pattern looks complicated, it's just this with a small, optional variation at the end:

>
D   D U D U
1 + 2 + 3 +

The accent mark (>) means strum that one harder.

Hope this helps.