Beginner’s Guide to the Ukulele
Since childhood you have been interested in extra-curricular activities like Singing, Painting, Dancing and many others. Other than all these, people also have interest in many instruments like Guitar, Flute, Violin etc..
My brother-in-law gifted me a Ukulele on my birthday. I never played one before this. I would take you though the whole process of learning Ukulele as a beginner. Lets go though it, step by step:
- Start by watching videos in Youtube.
Here I am not saying to start learning then and there. Start by watching some of the videos in Youtube. Watch the experts playing the instrument. You can even try to find out some of the songs of your interest. Go through their tutorial videos. Get the enthusiasm from these videos.
2. Try to play the Ukulele.
Hold the ukulele in a nearly 45 degree angle in your lap and start strumming. Try to play whatever you feel like. I know the sound you will be producing will make no sense now but you have to feel comfortable holding it. When you are trying to strum it, your fingers might stuck in the strings of your Ukulele. This is something which you need to overcome and be comfortable to strum it.
Try a simple strumming pattern: Down-Up-Down(DUD)
3. Learn the famous Strumming Patterns.
Select tutorial videos from Youtube which start to teach Ukulele from scratch. Go through the videos one by one and then start to strum the Ukulele. Try the strumming pattern: Down-Down-Up Up-Down-UP(DDU UDU). Be perfect in this strumming pattern at least.
4. Learn the Chords One-by One.
There are some basic chords like C, Am, F, G. Try to learn from the chart attached. I have attached this picture from Pinterest.
Link: https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/218424650663013087/visual-search/
5. Start to switch the chords now.
After you are ready to play most of the chords listed above, now its time to start learning to shift the chords. Just start slow and take baby steps. Don’t try to become an expert in a day. You can start with switching between C and Am. Then you can move on C to Am or C to F. Move to G once you are comfortable playing the other chords I mentioned. Don’t try to jump from one chord to another. Take time and learn it, even if it takes more than 10 days.
6. Finally start playing randomly.
Once you are comfortable switching between two chords, start to play randomly the chords. I mean switch between any chords and practice every permutation and combination for it. Finally you can move to learn playing some songs using your Ukulele. You can refer to some Youtube videos for the chords necessary for the songs.
Happy Playing!!!
