As you probably have noticed, we have a completely brand new look! If you’re reading this in your email inbox or RSS reader, be sure to head over to Ukulele Tricks to check out the new design.

Over the past month, I’ve been working a lot of long days and nights to get this new design ready to go. I’ve spent a lot of time planning, coding, and tweaking because I’ve wanted everything to be just right for you.

This update is a HUGE step forward for Ukulele Tricks, and I hope that you really like it.

When I designed the new look, my goal was to make things look cleaner and easier to find. For example, members of the Ukulele Strumming Tricks video lesson course can login to the course from the top of any page now!

Overall, there aren’t any major changes to the way the site is organized, so you should be able to find everything alright. I encourage you to click around and explore! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to post a comment below.

Please be patient with me as there might still be some kinks in the design that I have to work out.

What do you think of the new design? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Post your comment below!

Photo credit

With Christmas right around the corner, there isn’t a better time to learn how to play the ukulele.

We’ve looked at the 5 Best Ukuleles to Buy for Beginners, but through the discussion in the comments of that post, there have been a lot of other great recommendations from all of you that I missed.

So in this post, I’m taking your suggestions and looking at 16 best ukuleles to buy… without breaking the bank.

Honestly, there are hundreds of brands and options out there, so I know I’m going to miss some, but these ukuleles I’ve either played or I’ve heard really great reviews from you.

These ukuleles are perfect for beginners and beyond.

Note: As I said, I recommend these ukuleles because I’ve played them and because people who are apart of the Ukulele Tricks community have recommended them. I receive a very small commission if you buy a ukulele through my affiliate link. If you’ve found this information helpful, or if you want to find a way to say “thanks” for all the tons of free information I offer on Ukulele Tricks, I would be very grateful.

Soprano Ukuleles

Soprano ukuleles are the smallest and most traditional type of ukulele. They have a classic bright, jangly sound that is characteristic of the ukulele. Those of us who have big, fat fingers might not find the soprano ukulele to be the easiest to play.

1.) Makala Dolphin Soprano Ukulele ($39)

Don’t let the price fool you. This little ukulele gets rave reviews. While they are made out of plastic, they have great tone and playability (listen to how the Makala Dolphin sounds in this video). You’ll want to put a new set of Aquila strings on it, but once you do, you’ll have a great sounding ukulele.

The cool thing about the Makala Dolphin is that it comes in a lot of different colors. Click any of the colors to learn more: red, pearl white, black, light blue, metallic blue, pink, yellow, green, or purple.

2.) Lanikai LU-21 Soprano Ukulele ($69)

This ukulele is one of the most popular entry-level ukuleles. For those of you who don’t like the idea of having a plastic ukulele, this is a great alternative. Some people have reported having minor intonation issues with the LU-21. This means that the notes you play higher up the fretboard can sound out of tune. However, the likelihood of playing past the fifth fret on a soprano ukulele is pretty minimal. For the price, you can’t go wrong with the Lanikai LU-21.

Click here to learn more about the Lanikai LU-21 soprano ukulele.

3.) Kala KA-S Soprano Ukulele ($70)

I’ve heard from a lot of people on Ukulele Tricks who own and love this ukulele. Kala is one of the most reputable ukulele makers out there known for their quality and craftsmanship. They created this line of mahogany ukuleles to be affordable while still maintaining excellent quality.

Click here to learn more about the Kala KA-S soprano ukulele.

4.) Martin 0XK Soprano Ukulele ($279)

The price of this ukulele is a bit higher than the other options, but I recommend this ukulele because this is the ukulele my grandpa plays (if you’ve downloaded my free lesson book, you know that my grandpa taught me how to play ukulele). I absolutely love this ukulele. The playability is excellent and the tone is very even and balanced. Sometimes soprano ukuleles can sound a bit shrill and thin, but this has a nice “fat”, warm tone for being a soprano ukulele.

Click here to learn more about the Martin 0XK soprano ukulele.

Concert Ukuleles

Concert ukuleles are a little bit bigger than soprano ukuleles, which makes them appealing to those with larger fingers. However, they aren’t so much bigger that they loose that classic ukulele sound.

5.) Lanikai LU-21C Concert Ukulele ($89)

The Lanikai LU-21C is the bigger brother of the soprano LU-21. Those with bigger hands and fingers might prefer the LU-21C over the LU-21.

Click here to learn more about the Lanikai LU-21C concert ukulele.

6.) Kala KA-C Mahogany Ukulele ($98)

Similar to the Kala KA-S, the KA-C is Kala’s concert version of their mahogany ukulele. You can expect the same great playability and sound.

Click here to learn more about the Kala KA-C mahogany ukulele.

7.) Oscar Schmidt OU5 Concert Ukulele ($149)

The Oscar Schmidt OU5 ukulele is a beautiful ukulele. It’s much prettier in person. When I played it, I was impressed by how easy it was to play. It sounds great too. You’ll probably want to put on some new strings when you get it, but overall, I’ve found this to be a great ukulele and haven’t hesitated to recommend it to friends of mine.

Click here to learn more about the Oscar Schmidt OU5 concert ukulele.

8.) Cordoba 20CM Solid Mahogany Concert Ukulele ($149)

This ukulele is unique to the previous ones in that the top of the Cordoba 20CM ukulele is constructed from solid mahogany wood. The previous recommendations are constructed out of a laminate plywood. Solid wood sounds better with time.

Click here to learn more about the Cordoba 20CM concert ukulele.

Tenor Ukuleles

Tenor ukuleles are a little bit bigger than concert ukuleles. Due to its larger size, it tends to sound warmer and deeper than a soprano or concert ukulele. Those with larger fingers will like the feel of a tenor ukulele. There are also more frets so fingerstyle players love playing tenor ukuleles.

I love my tenor ukulele. I will often switch the tuning around between standard and low G tuning. This gives me a lot of different creative options.

9.) Kala KA-T Mahogany Ukulele ($110)

If you’re thinking you’d like the bigger size of a tenor ukulele, or if you’d like to have the option of playing in low G tuning, the Kala KA-T tenor ukulele will be a great option. It’s bigger than the KA-S and KA-C, so you’re going to get that warmer, more full bodied tone.

Click here to learn more about the Kala KA-T mahogany ukulele.

10.) Lanikai S-T Solid Spruce Tenor Ukulele ($170)

This is another ukulele that has a solid wood top. The Lanikai S-T has a solid spruce top which gives this ukulele a loud vibrant sound. The mahogany back and sides provide warmth and body to the tone. Lanikai has a tenor version of the LU-21, but honestly, I would pick the S-T over that in a heart beat.

Click here to learn more about the Lanikai S-T solid spruce tenor ukulele.

11.) Cordoba 20TM Tenor Ukulele ($170)

Like it’s smaller brother, the Cordoba 20TM has a solid mahogany top and mahogany back and sides. This instrument will have a very warm and balanced tone.

Click here to learn more about the Cordoba 20TM tenor ukulele.

12.) Fender Nohea Koa Tenor Ukulele ($199)

The biggest draw to the Fender Nohea tenor ukulele is the koa top, back, and sides. Koa is a very beautiful tonewood that has a clear, warm tone similar to mahogany but with less bass. With this being a laminated instrument, you might not find many differences between this and a mahogany ukulele, but it’s a beautiful instrument, which is worth the price for some.

Click here to learn more about the Fender Nohea tenor ukulele.

Baritone Ukuleles

Baritone ukuleles are the largest ukuleles, which means they carry much more bass than any other ukulele. A baritone ukulele is tuned like the bottom four strings of the guitar (DGBE). This means that the chords for a baritone ukulele are not the same as the chords for a soprano, concert, or tenor ukulele.

13.) Oscar Schmidt OU53S Baritone Ukulele ($175)

As far as baritone ukuleles go, this is a great entry-level baritone ukulele. When I played this ukulele, I found that it played easy and it had a very good low end presence while still maintaining clarity.

Click here to learn more about the Oscar Schmidt OU53S baritone ukulele.

14.) Lanikai S-B Solid Spruce Baritone Ukulele ($190)

With a solid spruce top, this baritone ukulele will have a lot of projection. The mahogany back and sides will provide added warmth and clarity.

Click here to learn more about the Lanikai S-B solid spruce baritone ukulele.

15.) Koloa Baritone Ukulele, Solid Mahogany ($190)

Unlike all of the other ukuleles on this page, this ukulele not only has a solid mahogany top, but it also has a solid back and sides. With time and a lot of playing, this ukulele will age very nicely.

Click here to learn more about the Koloa baritone ukulele.

16.) Kala Solid Spruce Top Baritone Ukulele ($199)

This Kala baritone ukulele has a solid sitka spruce top. Sitka spruce is known for it’s very lively and clear sound. Sometimes with baritone ukuleles they can sound so dark to the point of being muddy. Because of the spruce top, you won’t have that problem with this ukulele.

Click here to learn more about the Kala solid spruce top baritone ukulele.

What Ukulele Do You Recommend?

What ukulele do you have? Would you recommend it to a friend? It doesn’t have to be on this list. The more recommendations we can get the better. Let’s hear it!

Photo credit

In this lesson, we’re going to learn how to fingerpick “Silent Night” on the ukulele. As you probably know, it’s a very beautiful Christmas carol, but it sounds especially great fingerpicked.

If you’re a beginner to fingerpicking, this will be a great song to learn.

I will say that “Silent Night” presents a bit more of a challenge than the previous fingerstyle songs we’ve looked at, however, do know that the challenge is a good one!

For an easier song, you might check out last week’s video lesson where we learned how to fingerpick Good King Wenceslas, or you might check out 3 Easy Songs You Can Fingerpick on the Ukulele.

In this video, I demonstrate “Silent Night” on the ukulele and give you some tips and tricks for how to play it. Be sure to download the sheet music and tabs below the video, so you can follow along!

Download the sheet music and tabs for Silent Night here.

Thanks to PDF Minstrel for sharing the music.

Don’t know how to read music or tabs? Learn how to read music here, and learn how to read tabs here.

Photo credit

Last week, we looked at 3 Easy Songs You Can Fingerpick on Ukulele Today. In the spirit of fingerpicking, and now, the upcoming holidays, it’s a perfect time to learn how to fingerpick some Christmas carols.

In this lesson, we’re going to learn how to fingerpick “Good King Wenceslas” on ukulele. This song is perfect for beginners, and if you’ve been fingerpicking for awhile, your family and friends will love to hear you play it this Christmas!

Download the sheet music and tabs for Good King Wenceslas here.

Thanks to PDF Minstrel for sharing the music.

If you’ve never read music before, or if you don’t know how to read tabs, learn how to read music here, and learn how to read tabs here.

Stay tuned. More fingerpicking Christmas songs to come!

Photo credit

Last week, I posted 3 Easy Songs You Can Fingerpick on Ukulele Today.

When you download the sheet music for these songs, you are presented with a musical staff and tablature.

After a couple emails, I realize we’ve looked at how to read music, but one thing we haven’t looked at yet is how to read tabs.

Music tablature, or tab, is a simplified form of musical notation used for stringed instruments like the ukulele.

Most people learn a new piece of music by using tab. Unlike a regular piece of music, tabs show you exactly where to play the notes on the fretboard.

Let’s take a look at some examples of tablature.

Music Tablature Basics

For the ukulele, in a piece of tablature, you will see four lines:

A -----------------------------------------
E -----------------------------------------
C -----------------------------------------
g -----------------------------------------

Each line represents a string on the ukulele. The top line represents the bottom string of the ukulele where the bottom line represents the top string of the ukulele.

When you look at a piece of tab, you’ll see numbers scattered across the different “strings” or lines:

-----3-----------------------------------
-----------0-----------------------0-----
-----------------0-----------0-----------
-----------------------0-----------------

Each number refers to a fret number.

For example, in the piece of tab above, you would pluck the 3rd fret of the bottom string on the ukulele. As we read across the piece of tab, we see that we would then pluck the open E string, the second to bottom string. Then, we would pluck the open C string, the second to top string. Then, we would pluck the open G string, the top string. And so on…

How to Write Chords in Music Tablature

In a piece of tab, you might see all the numbers line up vertically:

-----0-----2-----3-----0-----3-----2-----
-----1-----3-----0-----0-----2-----1-----
-----0-----2-----0-----0-----2-----2-----
-----2-----0-----0-----2-----2-----0-----

When you see this, this means you play a chord. In other words, you play all the notes vertically aligned together.

In the above example, we see the chords played from left to right: F, G, C, Am, D7, and G7.

Other Important Music Tablature Symbols

At this point, you should be able to read tab like a pro, but there are a couple more symbols that we will see on occasion.

Hammer-ons

Hammer-ons are designated by an “h” symbol that separates the two notes.

-----1-------------------
-----1-------------------
-----------2h3-----------
-------------------3-----

In this example, you would pluck the 2nd fret of the second to top string, and then “hammer-on” to the 3rd fret.

Pull-offs

Pull-offs are designated by a “p” symbol that separates the two notes.

-----3p2-----------------
-------------3-----------
-------------------2-----
-------------------0-----

In this example, you would pluck the 3rd fret of the bottom string, and then “pull-off” to the 2nd fret.

Alternative Symbol for Hammer-ons and Pull-offs

Hammer-ons and pull-offs can also be designated by using the “^” symbol.

-----0---------------------
-----------0^3^0-----------
---------------------0-----
---------------------2-----

In this example, you would pluck the open E string, then hammer-on to the 3rd fret, and then pull-off back to the open E string.

Slides

Ascending slides are represented by the “/” symbol, while descending slides are represented by the “\” symbol.

----2/5-----------------
------------3\2---------
-------------------4----
------------------------

In this example, you would pluck the 2nd fret of the bottom string and slide up to the 5th fret. Then, you would pluck the 3rd fret of the second to bottom string and slide down to the 2nd fret.

Bends

Bends are represented by the “b” symbol. An “r” symbol will be used to indicate a bend that returns back to the original plucked note.

----5b6----3-----------------------
----------------3----5b6r5----3----
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------

In this example, you pluck the 5th fret of the bottom string and bend it to the 6th fret and hold the bend. Then, you would pluck the 3rd fret of the bottom string, and then, the 3rd fret of the second to bottom string.

Next, on the same string, you would pluck the 5th fret of the second, bend up to the 6th fret, and then, return the bend back to the 5th fret. Lastly, you would pluck the 3rd fret.

The Big Downside to Using Tab

As you can see, reading tab is a very intuitive way to learn a song.

However, the big problem is that with tab you don’t get a sense of the rhythm. Meaning, you don’t know when to play the notes written on a piece of tab or how long to hold them in relation to the other notes.

The best way to use tab is in combination with your ear. For example, you’ve heard a song you want to learn how to play on ukulele, and because you know how it sounds, you can use the tab as an aid.

Using tab in combination with reading music is extremely powerful. This is the format in which I posted the fingerpicking songs last week. Be sure to check those out if you want some real practical application for using tabs.

If we’re able to play these songs without a hiccup, we’ll be really well equipped to learn more difficult songs in future lessons.

Photo credit

Last week, I gave you a quick crash course on how to read music. In order to learn these fingerpicking songs, we need to know a little bit about reading music. So if you haven’t already, you might want to refer to last week’s post on how to read music.

The Right Way to Fingerpick the Ukulele

In my fingerpicking blues lesson, I went over fingerpicking technique a little bit. I presented two different techniques, but for this lesson, I want to focus on only one of them, because in my opinion, it will be more beneficial to use in the long run for these classical types of fingerpicking songs.

For the sake reference, I want to assign each of the four strings on the ukulele a number.

The G string is the 4th string. The C string is the 3rd string. The E string is the 2nd string, and the A string is the 1st string.

To fingerpick these songs, we’re going to use only our thumb, index, and middle finger.

Our thumb will be used to the pluck the 4th and 3rd strings. Our index finger will be used to pluck the 2nd string. Our middle finger will be used to pluck the 1st string.

We will also plant our pinky on the top of the ukulele, just below the sound hole, to stabilize our picking hand.

There will exceptions to this rule, but this should be considered “home base” for our three fingers.

Check out this short video where I demonstrate the fingerpicking technique we will be using for these songs.

A Common Question About Finger Placement

You might be wondering, “Why not use our ring finger as well, so each finger (thumb, index, middle, and ring) can be assigned to a string?”

That’s a great question, and it’s one that’s often debated. Honestly, assigning each of your four fingers to pluck one of the four strings on the ukulele is not a bad way to go for some songs (such as the blues fingerpicking patterns).

However, fingerpicking like this can feel weird to some players, mainly in that, this method doesn’t use our thumb to pluck the lowest string. Because we are in standard re-entrant tuning, the lowest string on the ukulele is the second to top string. Some people (myself included) find that it’s a bit more intuitive and natural to assign the thumb to pluck this lowest string.

I prefer the three-finger fingerpicking technique for this reason and just because it’s less fingers. Because of this, I recommend the three-finger technique, however, you might need to experiment and see what works best for you.

Learn 3 Easy Solo Fingerpicking Songs on Ukulele

All three of these songs will be great songs for you to get your feet wet with fingerpicking on the ukulele. Thanks to PDF Minstrel for sharing the sheet music.

Unlike other video lessons I’ve done before, it’s very important that you download the music and tabs below each of these videos to follow along with me. In order to play these songs, we need the music and tabs. Again, if reading music is foreign to you, be sure to check out my post on how to read music.

For each video, I demonstrate the song, and then go over some potential tricky parts of each song and talk about those. The thing is, there might be some challenges that arise for you that aren’t covered in these videos, so if you have any questions whatsoever, don’t hesitate to post them in the comments section below!

Here are some tips for learning these songs:

• Your fingers need time to get comfortable to the motion of plucking the strings. If it doesn’t come quickly, don’t be too hard on yourself.
• As you practice, it’s very important to count out loud and even tap your foot. It’s possible that you’ll need to break down the rhythm in certain sections of the songs. Counting out loud allows you to do this with greater ease.
• At first, you might need to slow some of these songs down to play them. Speed will come. You may even need to separate the song into four-bar sections and just focus on learning and playing each of those sections.

All to say, these songs are fantastic to learn if you are just beginning to fingerpick, or if you’ve been fingerpicking but want to add some more songs into your arsenal. However, fingerpicking poses its own set of challenges, so if you run into any problems, don’t hesitate to post your comment below and we’ll talk about it.

I’m excited to look at these songs! Here goes.

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

This first song “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” will be the easiest song to play out of the bunch as it uses a very simple quarter note rhythm and utilizes a lot of open strings.

Download and print off the tabs and music for “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” here.

Note: If you are having trouble downloading the music, right click on the download link and select “Save Link As” or “Save Target As” to save the file to your desktop.

Old MacDonald Had a Farm

This should be another familiar song, which makes it great for a beginning fingerpicker. It’s a bit more challenging though because there are some faster eighth note passages. You’ll want to make sure you are practicing counting out loud and slowing it down, so you can get those parts down perfectly.

Download and print off the tabs and music for “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” here.

Hey Diddle, Diddle the Cat & the Fiddle

In my opinion, this song is one of the prettiest out of the bunch. It’s important to note that unlike the previous two songs, this song is counted in three rather than four. There are some quick eighth notes that are best played with an alternating fingerpicking technique (I go over this in the video).

Download and print off the tabs and music for “Hey Diddle, Diddle the Cat & the Fiddle” here.

What Do You Think?

What challenges are you coming up against when playing these songs? I’d love to hear your questions and comments. If you have any tips or tricks, those are always very welcomed too. Let’s hear it!

Photo credit

Being able to read music is an extremely powerful skill.

For myself, growing up, I played piano and ukulele. I relied very heavily on my ear to learn how to play songs. I’m very thankful for my ear, but this really limited me in the types of songs I could play.

So, for example, whenever I would visit my grandparents, it wasn’t uncommon they would want me to play a hymn on piano for them, or if it was around Christmas, a carol. They would put the songbook in front of me, and unless I knew the hymn or carol from memory, I would freeze or have to fumble my way through it.

Whenever I looked at a piece of music, I was completely intimidated by it.

How to Read Music

Looking at the sheet music of a song you’ve never played or heard before can be a little overwhelming, but it shouldn’t deter you from learning the song.

After this post, you’ll be reading music like a champ.

The Musical Staff & Notes

A piece of written music is built on the staff. The staff is a set of five horizontal lines that run across the page of a sheet of music.

Musical notes are placed are either right on the lines or in between the lines.

Notes that fall below or above the staff are placed on ledger lines.

Treble Clef & Bass Clef

Notes placed higher on the staff are higher in pitch, while notes placed lower on the staff are lower in pitch. Makes sense.

Note values are represented by the first seven letters of the alphabet: A, B, C, D, E, F, G.

Where these note values are placed on the musical staff depends on the clef. There are two types of clefs: treble and bass.

The treble clef is represented by a big “G” shaped letter at the beginning of the staff. As ukulele players, we will be frequently using the treble clef to read music.

The bass clef is represented by a curve with two dots to the right.

If you’ve ever seen a piece of piano music, the bass clef is written below the treble clef. Instruments that play in a lower range like a bass guitar, trombone, or tuba will use the bass clef as well.

Note Lengths

As seen above, the position of a note on the musical staff determines its pitch. There are different types of notes to determine the duration or how long a note is played.

A whole note is the longest note sounding out the entire duration of one measure.

A half note is half the duration of a whole note. This means two half notes = one whole note.

A quarter note is half the duration of a half note. This means two quarter notes = one half note; or four quarter notes = one whole note.

An eighth note is half the duration of a quarter note. This means two eighth notes = one quarter note.

A sixteenth note is half the duration of an eighth note. This means two sixteenth notes = one eighth note; and again, to take it even further, four sixteenth notes = one quarter note.

These are the most common note lengths.

Photo credit

Time Signatures & Bar Lines

As you can see, there is some math behind playing music. Whenever you play a song, the song is based around a consistent timing structure.

This count is dictated by a time signature.

A time signature is a pair of numbers at the beginning of a song that lets you know how a song is counted.

Here are some common time signatures:

The number on the top tells you how many beats there are per measure. The musical staff is separated into measures with vertical bar lines.

Take a look at this example. This is the first four measures of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”

The number on the bottom tells you what kind of note length each beat gets.

For example, in a 4/4 time signature, the most common time signature, there are four beats per measure and each beat gets a quarter note in length.

In a 6/8 time signature, there are six beats per measure and each beat gets an eighth note in length.

The most important number is the top number because that tells you how you count the song.

Rests

Some of the most effective parts of a piece of music can be when the music stops and nothing is played at all.

When you look at a piece of music, you might see some rests. When you see a rest, that means don’t play!

Rests have equivalent durations to other regular notes.

That means when you see a whole rest, you rest for a measure.

When you see a half rest, you rest for half a measure.

When you see a quarter rest, you rest for one beat.

When you see an eighth rest, you rest for half a beat.

And when you see a sixteenth rest, you rest for a quarter of a beat.

How to Put All This Into Practice

By now, you’re pretty well equipped to look at a piece of music and have a sense for what’s going on. You might print off this page so you can refer to it later.

There are still some things we haven’t discussed like key signatures, dots and ties, and accidentals (sharps and flats). I want to save some of these things for future posts where there will be more application of all this theory.

Right now, this is just head knowledge, but I really wanted to do this post because I’ve been getting a lot of requests for more fingerpicking lessons and songs, and in order for me to teach those, we need to make sure we know how to read music.

While I’ve done lessons on fingerpicking Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and fingerpicking the 12-bar blues, what I get asked most about is solo fingerpicking songs–songs where you can fingerpick the melody of the song without singing.

To teach and demonstrate these songs, we need to make sure we have an understanding of some of the basics of reading music.

Next week, I want to look at a really simple song we can fingerpick on the ukulele and exercise our newly acquired music reading skills.

I can’t wait to get more into this stuff with you all. It’s going to be fun!

Your Questions and Comments

Whenever we’re looking at music theory, I know there is bound to be questions and input. Don’t be shy. Post your comments below!

Photo credit

Today, I’m going to teach you one of the most important skills you can possess when it comes to playing ukulele (or any type of music for that matter): how to transpose a song.

There are many reasons why you would want to transpose a song.

Reason #1: Singability

Have you ever tried playing a song on the ukulele but found it to be impossible to sing along with because the key was either too high or too low? To fix this problem, you might transpose or change the key of the song or chord chart to make it easier to sing.

Reason #2: Playability

A lot of songs are written in weird keys like Eb, F#, or Db. The chords found in these keys aren’t the easiest to play on ukulele, so you might transpose the song to a different key with easier chords.

Reason #3: Creativity

Transposing allows you to be really creative. You might transpose a song to get a specific tone from a different set of chords. You also need to transpose a song if you’re trying to arrange two different songs to flow together in the form of a medley (e.g. Somewhere Over the Rainbow –> I’m Yours).

You never know when you might need to change the key of a song, so let’s take a look at an easy formula for how we can do this.

How to Transpose a Song

First of all, transposing a song is not hard. However, we do have to familiarize ourselves with some basic music theory in order to do it well. For this lesson, you’ll want to make sure you are familiar with how major scales are formed.

For those of you who are lazy (it’s okay), I have included a cheat sheet at the bottom of this lesson. I encourage you though to continue reading, because if we know these basic concepts, we can transpose any song in our head in just seconds.

Roman Numeral Analysis

When I transpose a song, I use a really common technique called roman numeral analysis. This means that every chord in a song has a specific roman numeral that can be assigned to it.

Awhile back, I wrote a post called Ukulele Scales Explained for Beginners. In that post, we learned that the major scale is the most popular scale used in music today. As we looked at how a major scale is formed, we learned that there are seven notes in the scale.

For the purposes of this lesson, you need to know that we can take each of the seven notes in a major scale and build a chord off of each note using the other notes in the scale.

I’m not going to get into the theory of how those chords are built, but the most important thing to know is that in any given key, there are seven main chords. Some chords will be major in quality, and others will be minor in quality. In a major key, one chord will be diminished. (Click here to learn more about different chord qualities.)

For a major scale, we can represent all seven chords in roman numerals:

An important note to add is that just because we are dealing with major keys doesn’t mean that all the chords within that key are major. A major key will have a combination of major, minor, and diminished chords.

In the chart above, major chords are represented in uppercase. Minor chords are represented in lowercase. The lowercase chord with a superscript circle is a diminished chord.

So for example, let’s take the notes of a C major scale, in ascending order (C, D, E, F, G, A, B), and “plug” them into the above roman numerals. This will give us the chords used in the key of C major.

We can do this with any key assuming we know the notes found in a particular major scale.

Putting It All Together

When we think about chords in terms of roman numerals, we are able to easily change or transpose the key of a song.

For example, let’s say we have a song in the key of C major, but we want to play it in the key of G major. Let’s use Somewhere Over the Rainbow as an example.

The first four chords of the verse in Somewhere Over the Rainbow are C, Em, F, and C. However, we want to transpose these chords to the key of G.

First, let’s represent those four chords in the key of C major as roman numerals. I’m simply referring to the chart directly above.

This means that the first four chords in the verse of Somewhere Over the Rainbow are a I, iii, IV, and I chord.

Since we want to transpose to G major, we need to know how the chords in G major are represented as roman numerals. If we build a major scale, we know that the seven notes in a G major scale are G, A, B, C, D, E, and F#.

Let’s plug those notes into our roman numerals like we did for our C major scale.

As we can see, the I, iii, and IV chords in the key of G major are G, Bm, and C.

We have successfully transposed the first four chords of Somewhere Over the Rainbow from C major to G major! I’ll let you transpose the rest of the chords for the song from here.

Transposing Cheat Sheet

Learning to see chords as roman numerals is the best way to be able to transpose a song. If you’re just beginning to get a feel for all this, it can be a bit overwhelming to try to figure out the notes and chords for every major scale (there are a total of twelve!).

This is why I’ve created this cheat sheet for you to reference whenever you need to change the key of a song. Enjoy!

Key      |  I   ii   iii   IV   V   vi   viiº
C major  |  C   Dm   Em    F    G   Am   Bdim
Db major |  Db  Ebm  Fm    Gb   Ab  Bbm  Cdim
D major  |  D   Em   F#m   G    A   Bm   C#dim
Eb major |  Eb  Fm   Gm    Ab   Bb  Cm   Ddim
E major  |  E   F#m  G#m   A    B   C#m  D#dim
F major  |  F   Gm   Am    Bb   C   Dm   Edim
F# major |  F#  G#m  A#m   B    C#  D#m  E#dim
G major  |  G   Am   Bm    C    D   Em   F#dim
Ab major |  Ab  Bbm  Cm    Db   Eb  Fm   Gdim
A major  |  A   Bm   C#m   D    E   F#m  G#dim
Bb major |  Bb  Cm   Dm    Eb   F   Gm   Adim
B major  |  B   C#m  D#m   E    F#  G#m  A#dim


How’s the transposing going for you? Do you have any questions? What tips do you have for transposing songs? Post your comments below.

Just a couple days ago, we learned a fingerpicking pattern we can use for the 12-bar blues. In this lesson, we’re going to learn a second fingerpicking pattern. As much as these patterns can be used for the blues, they can also be used for other popular songs.

Video Lesson: Blues Fingerpicking Pattern #2

This is a video for this lesson showing you how to play the fingerpicking pattern in the 12-bar blues form as described below.

A Change In Fingerpicking Technique

In the previous lesson, we learned a fingerpicking pattern that used our thumb, index, and middle finger to pluck the strings. In this lesson, we’re going to learn a fingerpicking pattern that uses our thumb, index, middle, and ring finger.

For this pattern, our thumb will pluck the top string. Our index finger will pluck the second to top string. Our middle finger will pluck the second to bottom string, and our ring finger will pluck the bottom string.

As I mentioned in the previous lesson, in general, one technique is not necessarily better than the other–just different. It’s best to practice both ways because some patterns do lend themselves better to one technique over the other.

Ukulele Blues Fingerpicking Pattern #2

Again, we will be playing this pattern to a count of four. Each note in the pattern gets a length of an eighth note. The first chord we will be playing over is an A7 chord (click to see the fingering).

On the first beat, we are going to use our index finger to pluck the second to top string. On the “&” of the first beat, we are going to use our ring finger to pluck the bottom string.

On the second beat, we are going to use our middle finger to pluck the second to bottom string. On the “&” of the second beat, we are going to use our thumb to pluck the top string.

We will repeat this exact pattern for the third and fourth beats.

Blues Fingerpicking Pattern #1: A7 chord

-     I   R   M   T   I   R   M   T
a |-------0---------------0----------
e |-----------0---------------0------
c |---1---------------1--------------
g |---------------0---------------0--
-     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &

As you can see, the pattern repeats over the third and fourth beats.

Blues Fingerpicking Pattern #1: D7 chord

-     I   R   M   T   I   R   M   T
a |-------3---------------3----------
e |-----------2---------------2------
c |---2---------------2--------------
g |---------------2---------------2--
-     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &

Because we’re playing the 12-bar blues, let’s practice this pattern over a D7 chord too.

Blues Fingerpicking Pattern #1: E7 chord

-     I   R   M   T   I   R   M   T
a |-------2---------------2----------
e |-----------0---------------0------
c |---2---------------2--------------
g |---------------1---------------1--
-     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &

And finally, let’s practice this pattern over an E7 chord.

Your Turn to Fingerpick the 12-Bar Blues

Once you get a feel for how the fingerpicking pattern goes with these chords, it’s time to play the 12-bar blues. Here is one example of the 12-bar blues.

If you’re wondering how I played the blues lick at the end of the 12-bar phrase, go to the previous lesson where I explain how to play it.

I Want To Hear From You

How’s the fingerpicking going? What types of patterns have you come up with?

If you’re having any difficulties, please post your questions and comments below. Something I’ve really enjoyed about Ukulele Tricks is all the participation that happens in the comments. It’s not uncommon for someone other than myself to post some helpful tips and give advice to those who have questions. For this, I thank you all!

Let me know how it’s going.

Now that we’ve learned the 12-bar blues on ukulele, it’s time to learn a couple fingerpicking patterns that we can use with this form. These fingerpicking patterns are great if you are a beginner to fingerpicking, but they are just as useful if you want to get some new ideas.

Video Lesson: Blues Fingerpicking Pattern #1

This is a video for this lesson showing you how to play the fingerpicking pattern in the 12-bar blues form as described below.

Ukulele Fingerpicking Technique

There are two common ways to fingerpick on the ukulele.

The first way uses your thumb, index, and middle finger. Your thumb plucks either of the top two strings, your index finger plucks the second to bottom string, and your middle finger plucks the bottom string.

The second way uses your thumb, index, middle, and ring finger. Your thumb plucks the top string, your index finger plucks the second to top string, your middle finger plucks the second to bottom string, and your ring finger plucks the bottom string.

One technique is not necessarily better than the other. For example, I like to use the first way when I am doing patterns that have an alternating bass feel to them. For other patterns, I like to use the second way because each finger is assigned to a string. My thought is that I can do a lot more if I’m using four of my fingers versus three. I recommend practicing both ways.

For this lesson, we’ll be learning a fingerpicking pattern that uses the first way.

Ukulele Blues Fingerpicking Pattern #1

For this picking pattern, we are going to be playing to a count of four. The chord we will be playing over is an A7 chord (click to see the fingering).

On the first beat, we are going to use our thumb to pluck the C string on the 1st fret. On the “&” of the first beat, we are going to use our middle finger to pluck the bottom A string.

On the second beat, we are going to use our thumb again and pluck the top G string. On the “&” of the second beat, we are going to use our index finger to pluck the E string.

That’s our pattern. We repeat the pattern all the way through the third and fourth beats.

Blues Fingerpicking Pattern #1: A7 chord

-     T   M   T   I   T   M   T   I
a |-------0---------------0----------
e |---------------0---------------0--
c |---1---------------1--------------
g |-----------0---------------0------
-     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &

We can play this pattern over any chord. Let’s practice it over a D7 chord.

Blues Fingerpicking Pattern #1: D7 chord

-     T   M   T   I   T   M   T   I
a |-------3---------------3----------
e |---------------2---------------2--
c |---2---------------2--------------
g |-----------2---------------2------
-     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &

For our 12-bar blues progression, we also need to be able to play this pattern over an E7 chord.

Blues Fingerpicking Pattern #1: E7 chord

-     T   M   T   I   T   M   T   I
a |-------2---------------2----------
e |---------------0---------------0--
c |---2---------------2--------------
g |-----------1---------------1------
-     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &

Be sure to watch the video lesson above to hear how this fingerpicking pattern is played.

Let’s Fingerpick the 12-Bar Blues

We can take this fingerpicking pattern and these chords and play the 12-bar blues progression. In the example of me playing in the video, I use this variation of the 12-bar blues:

Blues Lick & Turn Around

If you watched the video lesson above, you’ll notice that I add a blues lick on the second to last measure of the 12-bar phrase. It’s really easy to play.

On the first beat of the measure, I do a down strum on an A7 chord. On the second beat, I start into the lick. I count the lick in triplets through the second, third, and fourth beat.

For the second beat, with my thumb, I pluck the 2nd fret on the C string but quickly slide up to the 4th fret. On the “trip” of two, I pluck the 4th fret of the bottom A string with my middle finger, and on the “let” of the beat, I pluck the 4th fret of the C string with my thumb again.

I repeat this pattern for the third and fourth beats by walking down the frets. Be sure to watch the video lesson above to see and hear how I play this lick.

-         T   M      T    T   M      T    T   M      T
a |---0-------4---------------3---------------2----------
e |---0--------------------------------------------------
c |---1---2/4--------4----3----------3----2----------2---
g |---0--------------------------------------------------
-     1   2   trip - let  3   trip - let  4   trip - let

It’s Your Turn to Give It a Try

The best thing to do is to start off practicing this fingerpicking pattern over only one chord. If you’ve never fingerpicked before, it will take some practice to get your fingers used to the motion of fingerpicking. Go slow at first, and try to keep your timing as consistent and steady as possible.

As I mentioned in the video, you might want to plant the pinky of your fingerpicking hand on the top of the ukulele to stabilize your hand. Remember to be as relaxed as possible.

Once you get used to the pattern, try adding a chord change. Then, once you’re comfortable with that, you’re ready to play the 12-bar blues!

How’s the fingerpicking going for you? Do you have any questions? What tips do you have for those who are learning how to fingerpick?