One of the most exciting aspects of Ukulele Tricks for me is hearing from you.
I’ve tried to offer a variety of lessons and information about the ukulele on Ukulele Tricks, but I realize with as many people that use the site, I’ve probably overlooked something, and I know for a fact from all of our conversations that you have a lot of really great ideas for what you’d like to learn!
In the comments area below, I want you to answer the following question:
What is your biggest challenge as a ukulele player?
In other words, what do you want to be able to do better as a ukulele player? What do you want to learn? If you could improve one part of your playing, what would it be?
Your answer could be as simple as, “My biggest challenge is fingerpicking,” or, “I can’t remember how to play certain chords.”
It doesn’t matter what it is. I want to hear an honest evaluation of where you feel like you’re at as a ukulele player.
All of your responses will help me continue to create lessons and content on Ukulele Tricks that are extremely helpful and relevant to your current challenges. I want to be teaching you things that you want to learn and that are beneficial to you!
Let’s hear it. Post your comment below. I read every response.
Barred chords…….kind of cliche’, I know, but I have seriously been practicing them daily and they are still not getting easier. It could be the amount of pressure.
Also beginning picking tutorial would be good. A good song to ease into it…..or just some practice licks.
Hi Sandra,
Stick with it, I also play the guitar and bar chords were a massive challenge but opened up another world. Just because the Ukulele is smaller it is no less challenging. I suggest you review how you are holding all the strings down and the position of your finger joints on the neck as it’s easy to align a joint with the neck which curves your finger as opposed to keeping it flat. Thumb position is also very important. Stick with it and you will master it.
Regards
Mike
i’m practising romance de amour now and i have same problem with barre chords
usually the second string cant give a clear sound.
you mentioned the position of the thumb. should it be on the same height as the index finger?
Same here! Got really frustrated sometimes…
I’m right there with you. Sometimes I seem to be making progress, but it is rather hit or miss.
I am a relatively new ukulele player so the things that are challenging to me now may just improve with time. However, I do struggle with keeping a consistent strumming pattern throughout the songs that i play. Also, i transition between chords slowly still so the song doesn’t flow as it should.
outside of that i absolutely LOVE playing my ukulele (which i have affectionately named Delila lol). I love your site, it really does help and it’s fun to watch.
with much love and appreciation,
Candace ( and Delila ^_~)
I have been teaching guitar and ukulele for years now and I have a trick I teach my students for transitioning between chords. At first I require that they slow the beat down and keep it consistent. Then I have the student count 1 ‘&’ 2 ‘&’ 3 ‘&’ 4 ‘&’ for each measure. Once that becomes comfortable I have the student change the last ‘&’ for the word “switch”. 1′&’ 2 ‘&’ 3 ‘&’ 4 ‘switch’ 1 ‘&’ 2 ‘&’ 3 ‘&’ 4 ‘switch’… I encourage the student to land on the new chord on the first beat of each measure and only to speed it up once it is consistent at a slow tempo. I have another trick if you are interested.
@Studio29 I’d like to hear your other trick…
I just started playing the Ukulele about 8 weeks ago, but my biggest challenge continues to be holding the body of the Uke. For instance, when I am sitting down, I rest it on my right thigh while i play, but i find it pretty impossible to hold it independent of resting it there. Also, when I switch between some chords, I feel like I’m loosing my grip and have to reposition to keep going. I’m not sure if that makes sense. I really enjoy your we site, and your downloadable book taught me a lot!
I’m playing about the same number of weeks with the same experience. I do find relaxing and not being tense does help.
Squeeze it gently against your body with the side of your elbow/forearm. Keep experimenting with different playing styles until you find the most comfortable spot to hold it
SQUEEZE – that’s the thing I have found to tune into. At first, I was struggling to hold the uke too. But now, I am not trying to hold it up – the pressure (squeeze) is front to back.
I’ve only been playing about 6 weeks and this realization has made a big difference in my comfort of holding.
As to what I’d like to get help with? barre chords. I know I’m not the only one. I can’t seem to get all parts of my finger to apply equal pressure to the strings.
Try a ukulele strap. Some don’t even require you to install a button.
yes the strap with the little hook which you hook into a soundhole, that helped me MUCH
There are some really nice ones on the web now that do not require any special hooks or buttons. They are made like a newer dog leash. There is a piece that stays attached to the ukulele and the long part of the leash wraps around either your upper arm, around your neck, I believe I saw the link for it on this blog somewhere.
I found that laying a piece of rubber shelf liner across my right thigh will keep the uke from slipping. I finally installed strap buttons and went to a strap. My wife stayed with the shelf liner material. Good luck and enjoy!
I have the same problem and I’m a newbie too! I have never seen anyone play with a strap. Never even heard of it! Wow!
I get my straps from Good will or off ebay for a Kids Guitar hero toy guitar… Its perfect length.. They are only $4.99 on ebay. Most guitar shops sell a martin leather 6″ strap with a button for the head attachment where the tuners are . Hope this helps…
I cradle mine like a baby. Rarely on my knee, usually close to my chest.
Me too Aimee!
My biggest challenge is getting beyond the basics of a song. I’m pretty good at learning chord patterns, but not at extending songs so that they’re not repetitive after going through a few verses. Mixing it up, going up the neck, complimenting chords…that kind of stuff, that’s my holdup or what I’d like to improve.
Definitely! I find that my friend (an experienced guitar player) is able to make songs with repetitive chords interesting through chord inversions, bar chords and whatever else to just break up the monotony. I would love to learn to do the same for the ukulele!
Agreed! I have been playing for about 2 years now, but still can’t progress past the basics because of lack of resources for ukulele theory, and I can’t find more diverse, mixed up tabs rather than repetitive strums. I try to just play around with chords and the CAGFD theory but find it hard teaching myself to improvise like that. I lose motivation and get bored with plain strumming.
I don’t know if it’s because I am left-handed, but I am learning to play right-handed and my neck and left shoulder hurt constantly because I am tense, I guess. I don’t think I can switch to left handed now, because I’ve learned to play right handed. Any suggestions?
I don’t have any suggestions but I thought I’d commiserate. My hands were so sore after my first 3 weeks that I had to ice my hands every night. I thought I needed to take a break from my 1-2 hour per day and then amazingly, I found that playing again made them actually feel better. I realized that I am tensing up a lot and make a conscious effort to relax.
Hi Debbie
I am a lefty, and only have been playing(if you can call it that) for about 4 weeks. i first tried to play right handed but it felt all wrong so decided to go the lefty way, made far more sense. as I have never heard of a right handed person trying to play the lefty way.I have still heaps of trouble with the different strumming patterns and something I would like to see more of is songs that only have 3 chords, as it becomes a bit boring just playing twinkle twinkle. all that said I love playing my new found passion of ukulele. I had never played an instrument before so it is a huge learning curve for me,
Guess I should have logged in first. But anyway: biggest hold up is getting beyond the basic chords laid out in the tab/chord chart and playing something different so that the song doesn’t get too repetitive after a few verses.
I bought a copy of Daily Ukulele, and I love it. Lots of simple songs, and lots of more challenging songs…for later.
Daily Ukulele? What’s that?
My biggest problem is one I don’t think you can do anything about. I live in a small rural area, and while there are guitar pickers and fiddle players and even mandolin players, there are no uke players around. As much as I’m getting from the course I still think it’d be invaluable to be able to play face to face, even if just for a half an hour now and then. Other than that my biggest problem is what I call “fat-fingering”. I mute strings adjacent to the strings I’m fretting, i.e. on an F chord, I wind up sometimes muffling strings 1 & 3. I initially thought my fingers were too fat for the ukulele, but then I watched videos on youtube of all these ham-fisted Samoan and Polynesian linebacker-types tearing it up, so I think the solution is practice, practice, practice!
As for “fat finger” problem, I switched up to a larger ukulele just a week after I bought a smaller one (traded up). So, now I play a tenor instead of a concert size. The difference was amazing! I think there is one bigger than tenor (alto?), so maybe you need a different size. I am cording so much faster now and find holding the ukulele easier too.
That would be the Baritone, however, it’s tuned differently to a soprano, concert and tenor, and has more of a guitar-ey feel. If that’s what you want then that’s great, I love my tenor though and would really recommend it as it has such a rich tone and is perfect for my big hands!
I’m getting a Baritone uke – they don’t get any love, but I’m excited! While I’m waiting for it to be shipped I’m practicing some chords on an old guitar (just the bottom 4 strings) and wow…my fingers hurt.
Yeah! I found a Baratone Uk at a thrift shop for $10! Just playing around with the strumming techniques to get comfortable there. Are there any techniques to combining rhythm with the chords. Or just rhythm period, which is key…
Might sound weird but I think of my fingers on the chords like the legs of a spider. Put your elbow forward and allow you wrist to drop away from the neck so that your fingers clear the strings more easily. Hope that helps.
Strumming!
Count. Count. Count. Count. Use your thumb with a down motion only until you get a consistent beat.
That’s not the problem I have with strumming. I can’t get each of the strings evenly… one of them always rings out stronger. It’s like having a choir with one person singing louder than the rest… not BAD exactly, just not smooth. And no amount of repeating has seemed to help so far. I’ve been playing about two months now so I’m sure if I give it more time it’ll work itself out, but I don’t know how.
After a while my fingers always hurt and when I use a pick it sounds too loud.
I can’t sing.
But other than that, there are certain chord transitions that just kill me. I can play a G 3 different ways and if I choose the wrong one I can’t get into or out of it fast enough for the next chord.
Second most difficult is sticking with a consistent strumming pattern, but I’m sure that’ll just come with practice (like not remembering certain chords)
Fingerpicking is a distance goal for me.
I should add that I joined a local Uke gang about 3 months ago and my playing has improved *dramatically* due to the wide variety of songs they cover and my increased desire to practice.
http://halifaxukulelegang.wordpress.com/
speeding up strumming, I lose the rythme, I also find difficulty in strumming with forefinger as I seem to catch the bottom string (A) and therefor resort to using middle and ring fingers but they sound a bit dead and muted
Any ideas?
Thanks
Bill
Go back and just use your thumb for strumming for a while until you become more comfortable with keeping the beat consistent. Then begin to speed it up when you get better at it. Wait to use your fingers for more stylized playing once you have learned how to make the strings ring with using your thumb. Perhaps you are not using enough pressure with your left hand to hold down the strings before speeding up. Try placing your fingers and then pluck one string at a time until the note is clear. Good Luck.
Gosh – this is my problem too! I just get faster and faster when I play! I am practicing with a metronome now but it seems to me like the metronome is going slower and not me going faster hahah!! I just don’t notice myself get faster until it is too late!
Kim
My biggest challenge is the different strumming techniques and knowing when to use what. Overall I think practice is what is required, but I find it difficult to get in enough practice time. I don’t think you can fix that. Other than that, I think purchasing your strumming techniques was the best thing I’ve bought in a long time. After 9 months of getting nowhere on my uke, I finally was able to play a couple of songs.
Coordinating my strum (needs consistancy and ability to sustain) and cord changes. Some songs change strum every line, yet I am not sure how to tell that from raw music. Thanks for listening. B
Cord is spelled chord!!!
its okay, i think we all knew what was meant.
Making chord transitions. It’s improving with practice, but is still sometimes clunky.
I have the same problem, too. But I hope with more practice the transitions will come smoother.
I think you got it. Learning the fretboard. I’ve been learning chords one song at a time, all strumming. I want to (re)learn to read music and associate the notes with the fretboard to learn to finger picking. I thing it sounds much better to hear the melody along with the rhythm.
Dear Brett,
Your lessons are great and I can assure you that probably thanks to your lessons the ukulele is the first musical instrument I am able to learn and play – within my limitations – rather well.
My biggest challenge are the strumming patterns. The one in lesson 9 (Country Roads, but also Somewhere Over the Rainbow etc) is a challenge for me. On every up-strum the nail on my thumb hits the wood on the ukulele’s neck and it bothers me. Shouldn’t it? I know it’s something that I will be able to overcome with exercise and persistence. Still, I have got stuck for a few months now.
Hi Brett:
)
Changing chords!! My group of seniors play so FAST, and though I really learn the chords …..they leave me behind . I am learning to find a suitable sound using less fingers and that helps.
The web site above was done a few years ago when I had more patience
Mops
Hi Mops – I took a peek at your website and noticed you’re from Sarnia! My in-laws live in Sombra on the river! Nice to meet you!
Happy Uke-ing!!
Hi Judy:
Nice to meet you too. I often drive down the river to Sombra….lovely area. Love to sit and watch the ships going up the river to Lake Huron.
^Take care,
Mops
Hi Mops,
i wonder if there are any pickers from the Ottawa Valley
Best regards
Hi I’m finding D7 chord really difficult to play clearly. Any advice?
Thanks
Barre all the frets above the second fret with the index finger and use your middle finger on the 3rd fret.
second fret hit the c and e strings much easier … highlighted as a tip in the Ukulele songbook someone referenced here .. a great edition to your library
For D7 I sometimes use all four fingers with Index, middle, ring in the second fret and pinky in the third.
Learned some chords, learned some scales, need to be much faster but even slowly with tab it never sounds like the tune or song I can hear in my head (other people can do it – I see/hear them on youtube)!!!
Oh well, more practice I suppose!!!
Having a plan. I seem to bounce all around. Learn a song, practice picking , etc
I feel like I need an instructor to say, ” first learn this, then this, then this” . Sort of a roadmap to follow.
I SO agree with you! I also need a plan. I need to know what I should be practicing FIRST. Then what next?
I agree. I learn some chords, try a song, get frustrated, go back to chords. Switching chords. Get close to sounding good, get frustrated, go back to practicing chords. I never really get to “sounding good” at any one thing.
Ditto!
Jikan(my pinapple concert ukulele) and I are having a ball with the online tutorial. We’re now at lesson nu.9 and our struggle lies in keeping the strumming&rythme going when I start to sing along…but it’s fun to try and so gratifiing when I finally get it. I enjoy recording my first attempts and comparing later on. By the way Brett, rest assured that you’ve established that the saying ”You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is a myth.
playing George Formby style is mine biggest challenge
Definitely muting and changing from or to bar-chords quick enough!
As a new player, I struggle transitioning from open string chord, where I hold the uke with my thumb above the neck, to bar chords, where I press my thumb below the neck, e.g., from a C to Bb.
Trying to learn to play chordal melodies for fullness of sound.
For me it’s strumming. I can learn lots of different strumming patterns in the abstract. But when I start to learn a new piece, I can’t figure out what one to use, or if I have to use the same one throughout. I tend to default to the same one all the time. Boring! And if I’m singing along, too, I’m completely screwed up. Also some chord change fingerings drive me crazy…
Yes, that’s what I was trying to say!
Me too!
I would like to be able to pick (folk style) on the uke.
I would like to learn a lot of reallt good write hand strums/techniwues to add more flare to my playing. Also, I’d like to use some percussion on the uke body in some of those new right hand techniques!
Darn, I hate it when the computer changes words. I really do know how to spell correctly! lol
I’m really enjoying all the lessons Brett. It’d be cool if you did a lesson on the reggae strum and also on chunking with the right hand.
I can’t get my fingers in the right place for some chords
At the moment, I am having problems with my barre chords. My playing is coming along nicely, but my strumming seems to fall back on the same rythm each time.I would like to be able to play different patterns.
Great site. Wal
my fingers seem to be too big
Is there an exercise to help beginners improve the speed at which you change chords or does that just come with time of going through the chords and practice? Thanks.
Hi Brett,
My biggest challenge right now is trying to learn chord melody arrangement. Maybe you can provide a step by step guiide.
Thank you so much.
To reach a point when I can work out how songs I like are played without trying to read music which I think is a bit beyond me.
Hi Brett, I am enjoying the lessons so far (to lesson #4) I jam learning and practicing some of the chord sand a couple of songs. Ihave a vision problem have to memorize each chord and the song otherwise I am not able read and play at the same time. My biggest challenge so far is keeping a steady beat while changing chords but I am that will come with more practice?
Pete
1. Chords for which my hands and fingers seem to be too small.
2. To switch to any Barre without loosing control of the neck.
Right now 4 things:
1. Holding the uke. When I change chords, I can’t seem to keep the uke stationary with my right arm. I cannot hold the neck between my left thumb & forefinger & still finger the chords. I need to put my thumb under the neck.
2. Changing chords quickly.
3. Strumming with my forefinger. As others have said, the finger tends to get caught up in the strings, particularly the A string or I don’t strum across all the strings.
4. Consistent & rhythmic strumming.
Gosh, what else is there? Seems like I’m having difficulty with everything! I’m using a soprano uke. Would a tenor size be better?
Bill,
I was having the same exact set of problems, and my husband just got me a tenor uke. It is easier to hold in my opinion!
Also, it sounds amazing
I can strum with a reasonable degree of competence, and I read music, so I can pick things in a limited way if I have the standard sheet music, but… I am never sure, when to pick and when to play a chord in the natural progression of a song. . In addition, If I have sheet music that only has the tabs, or chords on it, how do you figure out what to pick?
I am rooted in home position and really need to know the fretboard and how to move up the neck! Also, my tone is not good. I burr notes and am not clean with a pleasing sound.
hi Brett:
so wanted to learn the fret boards this is awesome .. I love your adult learning concepts; written, demo on video and then resource .. perfect for all learners any level .. please keep these lessons up they were my next step after your strumming patterns course (PS a must do for all) …
I have trouble aiming my fingers accurately on the string at the proper fret even after practice practice practice. Is it me? Or will it still come in time?
I would like to combine picking with strumming. I can’t figure out how to do it effectively.
Like Noel, would like to add percussion as well.
I absolutely second this!
Keep time when strumming and changing from one note to another.
Hi Brett.
This is a great question and it took me a while to think of the one thing but decided there are quite a few. I find it quite difficult keeping to a strumming pattern whilst changing cords. I`m getting much better in general as my family keep telling me but am determined to continue to improve even though I`ve decided to try and be very patient. I`m on lesson 8 now and enjoy it more and more as I improve. I have decided to buy a larger ukulele as I also find it difficult with the saprano as I`ve got very long arms and fingers and find I get cack handed with it. It is my birthday on Sunday and am going to treat myself to a better ukeulele.
Kind regards.
Martin.
I know nothing about music but am enjoying learning music theory with my uke, the biggest challenge as an absolute beginner is understanding all the terminology. People start off simple explaining about notes and chords and the next thing they launch off into octaves, chromatic scales, major scales, harmonics, minor, major, timbre blah and I’m lost.
When you know a lot about a subject it’s often difficult to remember just how much you know.
I’m an expert computer programmer and had a revelation teaching my mum how to use a computer, I had to spend an hour just teaching her how to move a mouse !
Other than that darned Bb [;-)], it’s learning the chords after first position and up the fretboard for little variety.
One of my biggest challenges is to strum & get a clean sound when playing a song that works the neck of the ukulele.
Muting – I have this problem when playing the guitar also. Oh, and confusing guitar chords with ukulele chords when I haven’t picked up the ukulele for awhile.
Currently the biggest challenge is getting the muscle memory down, and rhythm.
The most helpful parts of these lessons have been when you play/sing a song, and I can follow along with you while looking at the worksheet. By doing this over and over, I’ve had great success with learning chords and my strumming patterns. I would love to see you post more videos of new songs along with a simple worksheet with the lyrics and chord changes.
Keep up the great work Brett!
Hi Brett, My Biggest Challenge is to get my fingers close to the stings and frets it’s not easy when I’ve been playing Twelve String Acoustic Guitar for Twenty odd Years It is a challenge but still playing away. ” It’s not going to beat me ” Thanks. All the Best Bill (Whiskey) Walker.
I am a beginner ukelele player and the biggest challenge for me so far is strumming. Trying to keep a steady pace and still get the right strum pattern.
Just started fingerpicking. So far enjoying lessons.
Hello Brett
my greatest challenge is to play chords in second position and to make songs more interesting by switching positions. Also barring chords is difficult . Strumming is Ok but it would be better if I could do the george fornby strum. thanks
Barre chords and strums. I feel like one of the most challenging things is to decide on the best strum to go with the song. Thanks
This is my favorite website and have learned a lot from it and also from reading posts. My biggest problem is barred cords. I noticed others have similar problem so glad it’s not just me. I have problems with not being able to barre the second string. Not sure what I’m doing wrong. I have tried turning my finger so it’s more on its side but that isn’t helping. Anyone with suggestion please help! Love your site Brett! Thanks.
Hey, Brett. Still a challenge for me to sing and get a coordinated strum together. I understand chord changes usually on 1st or 3rd beat but rarely hit them on time. I’m also a left-hander playing standard position. My right hand is still a bit clumsy for fingerpicking and strumming. Love the Ukulele and really appreciate your lessons!
Tony
Strumming patterns and chords above the 5th fret!
Hi Brett, thanks for your course, I’m glad I stumbled onto your site. my biggest issue is changing strumming patterns when the pattern being taught does not exactly fit the changes in chord progression at some point in the song. however it does get better with practice. cheers Rob
Hi Brett,
) UKE ON!!
Been playing the Ukulele for 10 days. I am playing some simple 2 and 3 chord songs and I can’t play and sing yet, so I would like to learn some ways to make them sound more musical with a couple of passing notes, etc. I guess I should learn the fret board. One more thing – Help me know when to put the Ukie down so I don’t annoy everyone in my house
My biggest challenge is moving between chords and fingerpicking. ( I’ve been studying for 4 months)
Thank you so much for your lessons! You are a great teacher!
Remembering and mastering the different strum patterns.
I don’t read music only the chords, so if I’m not familiar with the tune
I can’t play it. Love the uke and want to play in a kanikopila this summer.
They do a lot of Hawaiian music that I’m not familiar with words or music.
Can you help me out?
Carol
Hi Brett,
Thanks so much for your wonderful site and your amazing patience.
I have only being playing for 3 weeks and this is the first time I have ever played a musical instrument.
I thought I was doing ok, playing the chords and “strumming” to the sound of the song in my head. Somewhere over the Rainbow eg. then I tried to follow what you were doing and I just can’t follow the strum patterns or work out when you should pluck a string. Hope that makes sense.
Since I started from absolute zero at age 39, it’s gratifying that the only way to go is up. My strumming, chords, rhythm, picking and singing are all beginner-level, so any and all helpful lessons and videos are music to my ears.
Brett, how about a lesson on changing chords on the fly? For example, I’m really trying to get a clean sound as I strum F/Bflat/F/C7, but my fingers always kill the sound of the strings when I release while a string is still ringing. I imagine I’ll figure it out over time just by doing it, but I’d love to hear some ideas. Thanks for everything!
I would very much like to know how to play the melody and the chords at the same time! Just playing the chords is all well and good but to play solo you need to play the melody as well!
For me, it’s variety- now that I am at a decent level of playing, it’s boring to see mostly C, G and D or A replayed in most songs. How do I add a unique touch to my playing, or what are some ways I can transpose a song to ukulele while avoiding that grind of bland-ness? What can I do to keep challenging myself?
I ‘ve been struggling with keeping a consistent strumming pattern throughout the songs that i play and changing chords
Hi Brett, I’m really enjoying the course thus far.
I have a couple of challenges that seem to be related. First, rapid chord changes continue to be hard. I know the positions, but my fingers don’t land consistently. Second, when trying to move my fingers to a new chord, it seems as though my left hand fingers “stick” to the strings, and make a noise of their own! I think that’s a weird thing I’m doing, but there you go.
Thanks for asking!
I’ve been following your guidance about practicing changes, going slowly and trying to pick up some speed, but this continues to be a challenge.
Kind regards,
Ken
Fingerpicking is a bit of a challenge and barre chords.
I learned the bar-chords by starting to bar the 5th fret. It is more in the middle and so more “loose” and more easy to do. When you have a clear sound you can move down to the 4th and so on. It takes time to develop some muscle!
Hi Brett, Finger position would be my biggest challenge, seems like my fingers are so big and the fret board is so small, so finger position as well as smooth chord changes. Strumming techniques would also be beneficial. Thanks
Have a great day!
Linda
I started playing Uke at 61, now 64, really want to learn more about playing melody with chords or by chords, basically how to use all eight fingers and one thumb at the same time. Exercises, riffs, fills examples seem to work best for me.
Working on the opening note to the closing note to learn a song fret by fret, finger by finger has been more of an attention challenge, than learning phrases in sequence and putting them together like changing freight cars on a train. Thanks for your help…
Thanks for asking, Brett! In order, strumming (I’m taking the lessons, if slowly), fingerpicking, barred chords (I can’t manage to do “E”), varying fingerpicking (I can do one only that I learned on your site and keep going back to it when I try to learn new variations), playing just like you or Jake. {:-{>]
Hi Brett
Maintaining a strum pattern while changing harder (for me) chords quickly, and singing. Argh…
hiya brett.
have been playing now from christmas 2012,,i played 5 string banjo for 20 years so i think that helped me
a great deal. i have two ukuleles my newest one is a beauty from germany sounds brilliant.i was a truck
driver for fourty + years i retired 4 years ago.just before i had a bad fall off my truck and injured shoulder
quite badly.this sort of brings me to my point.[strumming] i can now only strum slowly about 108 tempo so
any fancy speed forget it. i just have to play a song in that sort of speed range.but my new instruments sounds
really great.but i would like to try to learn some double type strums but everything else is fine brett its a great course.best of luck brett derek yorkshire england,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Barre chords, of course, but also being able to match a strumming pattern to a song. I know that comes with practice, but some tips on what I should pay attention to (other than time signature) to more quickly figure out a strum pattern for a song would be helpful!
Finding the right strum mix for a song and then keeping a steady strumming rhythm while singing around it… :-/
I don’t have small hands or fat fingers but some chords , B major comes to mind, seem impossable for me to play cleanly.
Brett. Your strumming course helped a great deal. My problem is I can’t carry a tune in a bucket. So, I really need to rely on playing melody/tabs. I’ll follow along on learning the fretboard with you. That should help. I play clarinet and alto/tenor sax and can certain read music, so maybe the fretboard series will solve it. Thanks, as always. Craig
Hi Brett, I had a ukulele Teacher who just said, “you can play the c chord here, or here or here up and down the neck!” Well, I just didn’t get how he figured that out……except to memorize it and that’s a LOT of memorizing. He was a mathematician and I’m sure that helped him musically. I don’t have that gene. If he showed me and wrote the tab chords I could play the songs, but I could never figure it out by myself. I AM SOOOOO EAGER TO LEARN THE FRETBOARD WITH YOU!!!! THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH! Peace. Gratitude. Kindness. Christina
is there any easy way to practice when changing chords, i am finding it difficult to get my fingers into the
right shape ready for the next chord ? I have only been learning to play for about 8 or 9 weeks.
THANK YOU, Bob.
Getting the timing right to change to the next chord
basic chords and getting the song rythyms down to a strum pattern.
found your site bought a cople of dolphins, learned the tuning pattern (got a snark).
never played the ukele before.
My biggest challenge right now is changing from cmajor to the f major then to the g major. I also have
trouble placing my index finger on the fret where it needs to be. When I put my ring finger goes where it needs to be the index finger moves.
It is easier for me to learn the strum pattern and beat of a song if I can watch a play along video like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcyZzEt4OOE&list=PL186687C71152F6E2&index=6&feature=plpp_video
I have only found a handful of these online but wish you had time to make some up??!!
My hardest challenge learning the ukulele is the 4 finger chords.
I’ve been playing the uke for about a year, and I think the biggest challenge is that there are not many famous guys who play the ukelele. For example, Charlie McDonnell. He plays the uke, so I was inspired and wanted to play his songs too. But not many play the uke and become famous…
The musicality of it all never played an instrrumnet before….ie, Not getting what the different positions of the “C” chord mean? Dense me
First I would like to thank you for all you do. These lessons are a big help. I can fingerpick the picking songs
fairly well, but I have problems with timing and strumming. Counting 1-2-3-4 then a chord change or 1-2 chord change 3-4. Songs like “I’ve been working on a railroad” keeping the timing and changing chords.
I would also like in each lesson some questions that need to be answered so I know I’m getting it right.
Right now I’m working on the C major scale position #2. Doug
Strumming is the biggest problem. I keep loosing where I am in the strum when I go to change chords. I assume that it is practice, practice, practice!
Finding time to practice is #1 but find scales on the internet (free) has been a challenge for me. I do like your site and your tutorials but I am somewhere between novice and experienced on the uke.
Hi
Learning the Fretboard so that I can pick the melody & chord inversions to enhance the strumming part of a song would be great. Also wondering about advice on the best set of strings to use. I have a Kala Concert Mango wood uke which sounds too bright with Aquila strings so use Brown Worth strings which give a more mellow sound but they are very tight and thin and hard on the fingers – any other suggestions for a more mellow sound? Thanks
Hello, Brett,
Your web feed is a source of enthusiasm to me. In a busy retired life I need to allocate time to this new instrument. I am a vocalist of sorts and I aim to be able to strum chords intuitively to “fun” songs to be sung at parties, on golf tours etc. So chord sequences and the ability to glide through them without too much thought would be my objective.
Keep the good stuff coming.
Regards
Alan Senior
Milton Keynes
UK
My biggest challenge is learning to change chords quickly & accurately. Especially going from 1st position to 2nd.
Hi Brett! Lots of ideas already, get back to work now! LOL
Your strumming lessons are great for beginners, and can also help intermediate players take a step back and straighten their basic chops. There is surely a need for these lessons.
Once you master these, however, there is still a lot to learn! For me, I would really like to be able to drift from pop songs to more swing/jazzy songs (i.e. fake book standards) with more complex chords and more frequent chord changes. I believe what I need is a structured and progressive approach to this style. The same for fingerpicking would be great too, especially with high G tuning, that makes it confusing for us converted guitar player.
Thanks in advance!
I’ve been learning on my own with books – I want/need a teacher….interested in strumming and fingerpicking – just want to have fun with the ukulele – which to me means want to sound good and then better and better…. one challenge I have is arthritis in my left index finger – - hard to bar ’cause the finger is a little deformed – don’t plan on letting that stop me though.
Ginjah, I also have arthritis in my left index finger. About 6 months ago I found that I could no longer use that finger to press down on the strings. At first I was miserable and thought I would end up not being able to play, but then I discovered that I could re-learn all the chords using “creative” fingering. It has taken a while for the new muscle memory to kick in but my playing has actually improved because I have had to re-think each chord. The chord library on this site has helped a lot. Good luck and don’t give up!
I need a plan. I am a beginner. I have learned several chords and transitioning between them. Learned a few basic strums. Learned “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and a few other beginner songs. I need a …. Step 1 then Step 2 then ….. kinda guide.
Thanks for all your help your website is awesome. I’m not really musical and have not ever played any other musical instrument. But I am having a blast with this uke!
Hi Bret
I have been working my way through the ukulele tricks lessons over the last few months. I am on Lesson 15 at this point. I would be interested in the fretboard lessons as well. As far as difficulties I have encountered I would say that finding time to practice is always a challenge, and I would like to hear your recommendations on that point. Thanks for asking this uestion and thanks for the ukulele tips!
Ed
Hi Bret
I have been working my way through the ukulele tricks lessons over the last few months. I am on Lesson 15 at this point. I would be interested in the fretboard lessons as well. As far as difficulties I have encountered I would say that finding time to practice is always a challenge, and I would like to hear your recommendations on that point. Thanks for asking this question and thanks for the ukulele tips!
Ed
I’m a new player and I have very small hands. My enemy is the B….B flat & B major are seriously messing with me. Getting better on bars, but some chords might be beyond reach. Also problems with positioning my strumming hand correctly so that I get a clean “up” strum.
The greatest challenge for me when playing the Ukulele is Ukulele cords written above the words of songs. It is very difficult if one does not know the song and even more difficult when the time signature is not shown and no division of the beat into groupings or measures is shown. I would like to see the time signature on all Ukulele sheet music as well as the music divided into bars or measures with the cords placed in these measures as are the notes for the piano. Because a lot of Ukulele music appears without a time signature one tends to avoid it if the song is not a well known one.
Thank you for your very informative lessons which I very much enjoy.
My biggest obstacle as a new uke player is that it is hard to find other uke players locally to learn from.
mine would be,obtaining a proper ukulele.the fact that im working on a merchant vessel,(im kinda new to this ukulele thing, ahm about a month ago) with limited to almost no chance to go ashore and i cant get one,so in frustration i built one.using scrap wood and fishing line as strings.and i know this isn’t close to the real thing,but its functional, i mean i could practise the basic chords and then some then work on some easy songs,it’s not sounding good though,being made with frustration,and the fret position is not accurate.but what gets me inspired is that even if i played it many times i always imagined myself playing it in the real things.ha! guess who’d be most amazed,gotta be me….im halfway down my contract now,and i hope i could obtain a decent ukulele before i leave my ship.it’s kinda boring here you know… any tips for beginners like me what uke is suitable for me…thanks!
I saw an amazingly beautiful display at a Uke festival of hand made ukes like yours which were made by soldiers during World War II. Be sure to hang on to yours after you get a chance to go ashore and get a “store bought” uke. It may end up being your favorite possession!
when illustrations for fingering chords are confusing because which finger being used is unclear.
Thanks for the questions. I am finishing to build my ukulele. I play guitar but I still have to learn to play the ukulele.
As a beginner, I just can’t get my strumming to sound any good. I keep trying. Just hoping I’ll be able to break through the barrier.
Having just changed my first set of strings – I can now say that biggest challenge is moving from one chord to the next. Not the easy stuff but things like Em to Bb or E toFm7 that kind of thing . It really slows down my playing
Elaine, Ukulele owner since November 2011
No matter how hard I try, I cannot get my fingers to place properly on the chords to get a clear sound and it frustrates me no end.
My biggest challenge so far is trying to speed up my strumming and stay in time. Currently at a standstill on Lesson 9 til I’m able to move on. I find it hard to completely relax my wrist. Your tutorials are awesome – you are a great teacher.
My biggest challenge is fingerpicking and moving from one chords to the next doing fingerpicking.
i struggle to remember the order of chords and when to change during a song, i know the chords just have trouble getting them in the right place.
Hello! I am a very, very beginner player. I’ve just received my ukulele and now I learn to take it in my hands. I just started with the first chords. I am 13 yers old and I don’t know English very well but I like very much your lessons; they are very easy and such well explained for everybody. I am sure will help me. Thank you for all!
I lead and teach a group of about 49 strummers. I find it challenging to lead sucha large group with all levels of skill.
strumming and keeping time (3/4 versus 4/4)
i need to play more hendrix, there are very few tabs and tutorials out there,
I have only had a Ukulele for about 3 weeks now and I would say my biggest challenge is staying focused on the current lesson and not wandering about playing riffs and scales, like its an electric guitar. But, that’s fun too. Over all I am really enjoying the tenor Ukulele and your ukuleletricks lessons are very pleasant to watch and listen too, as well as very informative. Great value too. Thanks for putting so much time into such a useful resource.
Memorzationof songs.Tune lyrics. Never had a good memory, but its geting better playing the uku.
Mine is remembering the words to the songs and what chords to switch to at the chord changes. But it will probably come with practice and time..Thanks..Keith
I’m left handed and primarily self taught . . . and I insist on playing left handed. In the beginning I would scan chords and flip them in Photoshop so they made sense to me. At this point I can do this in my head fairly good. Still have to think about it a bit. Gotten over learning difficult chords . . . I know I will eventually learn exotic chords so I don’t panic or get depressed . . . they eventually just come somehow. My BIGGEST problem is playing in front of other people. When I’m by myself I play fairly OK, but in front of others I’m unable to focus entirely on what I’m doing and I let my concentration drift to what others think of my playing. It’s a real problem. I’m so intimidated looking foolish I fail. ???
My 2 biggest problems are moving my fingers quickly and smoothly on the fretboard and fingerpicking
For me, it is picking a melody. That means having the fingers of BOTH hands doing difficult things with various strings. Very confusing…
My biggest challenge as a very new ukulele player is finger placement for chords. My nails grow really fast and like to press the wrong string LOL.
I am new to playing the uke. I was a beginner banjo player 25 years ago. My interest is finger picking and I am working on learning “Wipe Out”. Practice is key, holding or positioning the uke is a challenge for me.
My biggest problem is moving quickly to the next chord. My next biggest problem is strumming the correct beat.
I’m 75 and have some arthritis in my left hand and fingers. The E chord is driving me nuts.
I used to play in my teens but haven’t touched a uke for 60 years. So I am a real beginner. I am finding Brett’s lessons incredibly helpful and quite well done. Especially the advice on strumming, which I had never before paid much attention to.
I find e hard too!
Me too! So much that I try to skip it if I can get away with it! LOL
My biggest challange is to sing along with the song i am attempting to learn and keep my strum pattern count at the same time. I am still a beginner so i know it will take practice. Once i finish the strumming cource i want to learn finger picking.
Getting my fingers in the right place
Knowing how long to strum for each line of a song
I can’t figure out how to pit chords strumming and words all together
E-chord & fingerpicking
Playing clean chords…my fingers get in the way of the other strings on some of the more complicated configurations…this is holding me back…what can I do
To be able to teach ukulele effectivley to 160 14 year olds who have no interest in groups of 30.
Simple melodies are fine but some students can just not play G chords, D chords, Em chords.
C, F and Am are their limit.
I have been playing for about 2 weeks. I am getting past the ouchy finger end stage. I practise for 30 mins a night, and I have joined the Pudsey Plonkers Ukulele club which meet once a month. At teh end of the meeting everyone gets up and plays together in the “thrash”! I got up and joined in.
My biggest challenge comes in a month: I have challenged myself to get up and do a solo! Gulp! I have chosen “MY old man said follow the van”. I am finding the Bb to Gm transition tricky, but I am getting there.
STRUMING!
Working out the strumming pattens, up strumming etc.
I am able to play many songs on the uke if reading from a song sheet. I can not play one song without looking.I have tried for months now but still can’t do it!
I realize this is a big one, but I want to be able to learn chord progressions by ear.
Hi Brett,
apart from challenges like stedy strumming and changeing chords smoothly I struggle to learn at least ONE song fingerpicking. The ONE (favorite) song is “Here Comes The Sun” by the Beetles. There are lots of video strips on YouTube but all played to fast and it is difficult to figure it out just by waching…
As I am rather a poor singer it would be nice to be able to play (at least this) song whith the melodi and strumming together. Finger picking is maybe not the main purpose of your very nice and well executed lessons. I just answer your quest about challenges (and goals maybe) about ukuleleplaying.
I am a beginner and can’t help practicing, sometimes several hours a day for the fun of it.
Thanks for the willingness to help us all to make progress!
Lene 70+, retired with plenty of free time…
My biggest challenge is being 46 years old, working with curled fingers most of the time (gripping tools, handles, ect..) and not having the flexability in my fingers to reach some chords. I am not even close to being able to play a barre chore, or reaching the E chord. I feel so limited without knowing what if anything can be substituted for barre and E chords.
my biggest problem is finding out where the scales are because of the CGEA tuning, also having the highest note on top is a major bug bear for me, can I reverse the strings so the high G is on the bottom? (top)???
B chord.
I’ve been playing for 6 months and I still can’t do it, drives me insane!
My biggest challenge has ALWAYS been fingerpicking.
I find trying to strum quickly can be very difficult. Also getting some of the rhythms right.
i find practicing new and harder songs a challenge because i want to stay in my comfort zone and not take the time to go over new songs. i find my self playing the same songs over and over :/ strumming is a another big challenge for me too. u can u help me?
Hello – I am a new uke player, like so many here. I just bought a Lanikai LU-21C, electronic tuner, and Ukelele For Dummies. I should also add that I’m 60 and I live in Thailand. I guess I’m too dumb even for the Dummeis book, because I don’t yet read music, so I can’t follow the notation for picking or chords. However, I am learning the chords, a few each week, from the chord chart in the appendix, But that’s as far as I’ve progressed. I tried to find someone to give me lessons, but, as we say here, TIT, (This Is Thailand). It’s easy to find someone to give the lessons, but the instructors really don’t know much more than I do, but they love to get paid anyway. Anyway, it’s still very relaxing to just strum in the evenings. Sure beat watching TV! Any suggestions on publications that will help me along?
Thanks!
How is it going now? I am 61 and we are never to old to play ukulele. Keep playing the chords and adding new ones as you progress and practice switching from one to another starting with 4 beats per chord and slowly reducing that to 1 beat per chord and listen to how the chords sound as you strum them. I usually close my eyes and relax when I do this, soon you’ll be playing by ear instead of relying on tabs or charts. I watch TV and practice chords and ukulele for Dummies is a nice book, keep using it, I have that too but if you use the songs make sure you sing or skat along so you hear when the chords should change, soon you’ll be playing with the best of them.Ukuleletricks is better than any publication that I know of..Cheers.
Strumming is by far the biggest challenge for me. I can’t seem to grasp the strumming pattern for I’m Yours by Jason Miraz. (4 chord version). And apparently that’s supposed to be one of the easier tunes to learn!! :0)
I’ve played guitar for many years and being a newbie to the Ukulele I find myself wanting to use guitar cord patterns. Barred chords especially mix me up triads don’t as much. Playing scales is challenging but I’m learning. I’d say my biggest ukulele frustration is trying to play music I already know on the guitar. I just can’t pick it up and play freely.
You could try a baritone uke. The tuning is the same as guitar — for the first 4 strings — so chords would be familiar. Just a thought.
Thank you so much for the lesson you have posted, they are a great help. My biggest challenge is the strum pattern of a song. Also if you could post more songs on your site.
- right hand techniques in general, a repertoire of strums & fingerpicking patterns
- scale fingering on the reentrant instrument
I have Chronic fatigue syndrome and I struggle to retain chords and note positions on the fret board. I end up enjoying but just playing 4 chord combinations, but never without the music in front of me. I would like to eventually play melody and chord combination. I have the same trouble playing keyboard but not harmonica for some reason. I can play whatever on the keyboard 50 times but take away the music and I cannot play one bar. …(BRAIN FOG) that’s what im battling also with the uke. cheers dave
my biggest problem is dealing with all the different kinds of chords. on guitar, i know all major and minor natural chords, but on ukulele, it seems necessary to know more than just major and minor. and i really can only do something properly if im confident i understand what im doing.. soo playing chords troubles me cuz they are so confusing.. i just think too much i guess.
Hi, reall impressed with site so far (I have no music experience)
and I thought I would throw a few questions to you (hope ok?) really enjoy folk songs and would lime to learn an instrument to accompany sing alongs.
1. What is the best starter ukulele in terms of decent sound, small for travelling but suitable for fat : ) fingers 2. Easily tuned? 3. If I have lyric and gutaire chords, is the gutaire D for example the same as a Ukelule D chord? So I can use Ukelule to accompany songs
4. Are there scales, all web info is on chords?
Thanks and keep up the great work, look forward to your response. M
I have a lot of trouble making my fingers reach all four strings on many chords like the E chord. Even when I can reach, I don’t have a high enough arch to clear adjacent strings.
Agreed! I hate chords that require four fingers. So difficult to hit them all evenly and in time with the song.
Forgot this, I can’t get the hang of the strumming pattern where you fan your fingers down all four strings.
I am very interested in finger picking. I would like to see more lessons on this.
My big challenge is not only learning to strum patterns but than trying to sing over them. I know the rhythm is essential for a singer but doing two things at once is a bit of a challenge right nowl I tend to go back to the old down and up pattern after a few bars. Just got to soldier on I guess.
i have a lot of trouble going from chord to chord… any helpful tips?
Hi Brett,
my biggest challenge is moving my fingers to select chords to produce clear clear sound.
I need more practice time, but I will get there!
thanks for your help.
Charles
The biggest challenge I face is to learn and remember the notes of the fret board. I’m just getting into different types of scales and inversions. It would be a great help if i knew the notes automatically.!
I’ve been playing a few weeks and now I am getting thickening of my finger pads from the strings, which I guess is a good thing because it hurts less. Problem is, I do many activities with my fingers that require touch and dexterity (knitting, sewing, etc) and the numbness of the finger tips is distracting. Will the strange “plastic” kind of feeling I am getting go away?
The biggest challenge for me as a beginner ukulele player is being able to play, say the Bbm chord or the Dbm chord where you have to put your finger (s) across all four strings. No matter how hard I try to play it, I can’t make all strings ring out. If I try to hold the chord and strum across the strings, every time at least one string sounds dead. My finger(s) just aren’t in the correct position I guess.
Switching to the Bbm chord always gets me too!
Dear Brett, this site helped me SO much when I first got my Ukulele. It was the first instument I tried to learn on my own and it was so easy I’m tempted to get more instuments.
Definatly my biggest challenge is learning the stummung patterns or trying to figure out the stumming patterns of a song. I also struggle with playing without a pick. I haven’t figured out how to use my hand yet.
Consistent strumming to the beat and smooth chord changes are the thing that I am working on. Still at the begining though I have learned “I’ll fly away” (kinda).
I can’t strum very well…it’s a huge challenge.
Ukulele is the first musical instrument I’ve ever learnt, so my biggest problem is that, unlike guitar or piano, I can’t find any teaching materials that I can follow and learn it systematically … I keep learning a little bit here and a little bit there… Feels like a lot of scattered skills but don’t know if I’m really making any progress. It may work for people who already know other instruments like guitar or piano, but for a complete music idiot like me, I really need some step-by-step course so that I can make progress everyday.
I find it very hard to play a more advanced Rhythm. I only succeed when the chords are easy.
I guess my biggest challenge is changing to certain chords in time. I’m getting better but some chords just totally stop my mojo. I also still worry about strumming patterns. I’m better at figuring them out but I sometimes have a hard time being consistent with it.
Rhythm. Strumming is difficult for me. Syncopation is very difficult.
I would say my biggest challenge is trying to be impressive.
My friends are like “oh sweet a ukulele play something” but Mary had a little lamb and twinkle twinkle little star (while awesome learning fundamentals) don’t wow the crowd.
Some really simple finger picking techniques or patterns that could show a little flare while not being too complicated would be awesome!
I don’t know if you’re into this type of music, but I just bought a book called “Easy Classical Music for Ukulele” It is easy to get the concepts… just takes a lot of practice to sound impressive!
ReMembering the chords n stretching the fingers to play certain chords
I can’t strum, I am hopeless at. I would love some tips on that!
I have extra small hands, so some if the chords are a bit of a stretch. I’m not sure that I can pull.some of them off. Any suggestions?
Barred chords, singing and playing at the same time
I have just begun to learn to play and I have trouble fingering “complex” chords. Are there any exercises an older [I'll be 80 in five days] person might do to increase dexterity ? I’m realy enjoying learning. Thanks for any suggestions. Pop Pop
Hola gracias por permitir esto, mi mayor problema son los arpegios no los puedo sacar y no se de que manera puedo hacerlo, si bien soy nuevo pero me gustarÃa poder hacerlos y los distintos ritmos pero toda clase de música!!!!
gracias
My biggest problem is finger picking and remembering chords
well i just emailed you and kinda said this, but i am finding it hard to make the next step from your fantastic beginners course….i guess especially i find it hard to translate a set of chords into a song, to work out the structure and the strumming pattern etc i can find heaps of songs i’d love to play as a list if chords, but i can’t do much with that info…
keep up your general awesomeness brett,
rosie x
Training my fingers on my left hands
I find it hard to play intros and solo sections within a song. Most sheet music to do show the number to strums for each cord.
I just got a uke today. My biggest challenge so far is the continual tuning that is required on new strings. My strings slip in and out of whack in a matter of several strums. After a few minutes of continual tinkering, I decided to play it out of tune. I don’t mind it right now; I’m only practicing cord patterns. It could sound like a metal trashcan bouncing down a flight of stairs for all I care. I am tuning periodically, although not obsessively.
If you have friction tuning pegs then this will be a continual problem for you. I don’t know of any products to keep the friction tuners from slipping (doesn’t mean it’s not out there) so try converting to gear based pegs or just buy a ukulele with the gear pegs on there already.
My biggest problem is trying to play the correct uke strumming pattern and singing the words at the same time. Always I end up stumming to the pattern of the words. I’ve started at 70 yrs old and think it may be a case of being unable to teach an old dog new tricks.
I’ve playing ukulele for about 5 or 6 weeks now and I’ve been playing 1-2 hours most days. I’m loving it. I am still learning the chords and obviously there are some tricky ones (especially for my tiny hands!) but my biggest issue is strumming. There is information about chords everywhere but you are rarely told how to strum it. I have gotten into the habit of just playing a very basic strum and now I’m getting frustrated because while my songs sound “good”, I’d like them sound BETTER. I get the concept of strumming in a pattern and I can play a pattern without changing chords but doing both is difficult for me – especially change the chords before I’ve completed one full pattern. I don’t know if I’m supposed to start the pattern over or continue on where I am in the pattern. And it seems that no one talks about strum patterns. Even your basic strum pattern video is great but it leaves me saying “How do I apply this to what I already know? What sounds would this pattern be appropriate with?” I hope that all makes sense.
I cannot physically reach all the notes in E major
Remembering the notes for the different chords
Quick chord changes throw me and I still have problems doing playing chords without looking! This is after 5 weeks of lessons.Have to keep practising. Cheers from Rosie
1) to play barre chords, especially on the 1st fret.
2) Rhythm and timing, how to change chords at the right beat
3) How to find the correct chords for songs, am never quite sure whether they sound right.
4) Remembering the sequence of chords the songs that you are playing
Hey Brett,
I think my biggest challenge is probably switching from a barre chord to a regular chord and back again. Will it become easier with practice? Any tips?
Charlotte xx
The problem for me is changing cords especially from C to G, I can’t do it fast enough for songs like ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’
A trick I learned is to play the open strings inbetween chordes if i can’t switch fast enough.
I’ve been playing for a few months, and taking lessons. Felt pretty encouraged until I came to the b flat chord. I just don’t see how it will ever be possible to play it . Any helpful tips?
My problem is probably finding the right strumming pattern for a song.
As a beginner, who’s never played a string instrument before, I’m struggling to convince my fingers to do a G chord! they just don’t want to bend that way, especially not in a hurry.
I think that I would practice more if I could sing better! Any help in that area?
I have a hard time strumming correctly too. I can get the chords, but strumming and singing are the problems.
I guess the biggest challenge to uke playing is which one to get! I’ll be going to Hawaii in the fall and want to replace a very cheap one with a good quality instrument. Who wants to get in and give their opinion?
Thanks- bookmark
Right now I’m having a tough time playing bar chords! It’s a bit frustrating!
Hi Brett, my biggest challenge at this point is what Ukulele would suit me. I have never played an instrument. I am a mature age Australian woman, living in Adelaide S.A. Perhaps it is a pipe dream but I would love to succeed with the Ukulele, I love the happy sound & every time I hear one being played I smile. Any advice would be appreciated, particularly where in South Australia to purchase one.
As a Leftie playing a right handed strung Uke upside down ( it just seemed natural) finger picking and even some strumming can be a major pain !!
I really concern about how to remember every chords and how to change chord to chord quickly.
i love to try out different songs mostly what i learnt on guitar i have a few issues with being left handed
but i just persevere and plod on finger picking is a biggie not accomplished that yet thank you for your free book Brett and for helping us all out there
Brett, I just purchased some ukuleles for myself, my daughter and her family. I have a background in music and with your lessons feel that I can get them started learning music. I just realized yesterday that my 7 year old right-handed grand daughter wants to hold the uk as a left hander and strum with her left hand. What do you think, should I restring the uk for a left hander and teach her how to learn the chords as a lefty? Thanks
My comment went away? My 7 year old right-handed grandaughter wants to play the ukulele, but she’s playing it left handed. Do I restring it and get a book for leftys?
i can get most of the chords right, but they dont sound as clear.
buzzing sound :/ especially when i have to press more than one strings with one finger, like B, D,
Learning barre chords further up the fretboard.
Thanks!
Hi, my biggest problem is trying to find out the position of the fingers when performing a cord. This is the first instrument i have played and i really cant get the hang it.
I am new to ukulele as well and have started practising for about a few weeks. Luckily have found out Brett’s blog and got his strumming course and I have found it easier to get along with this interesting instrument.
To me, I found my biggest challenge is about the way my fingers of the left hand holding chords. I cannot produce clear chord sound by touching strings nearby. Also I cannot change chord precisely. Should my left hand share the weight of my uke or I should use only my right forearm to press against my chest? Can Brett show me a closer look about your way to use your left hand fingers?
kui
My biggest challenge that I am coming across is not just reaching the fourth string but really moving all of my fingers. I can get some strums but whenever I have multiple fingers touching two or more strings at once like I have to do for the song “Somewhere over the rainbow / What a wonderful world” (The one I am trying to learn) I just end up muting the sound and can not get a note out for the life of me! HHHEEELLLPPPP!!!!
As a left handed player trying to learn my first musical instrument I find trying to get my fingers in the right position on the frets physically difficult as well as mentally difficult. Having to allow for looking at a right handed illustration!
Try printing a chord shhet out in reverse on a printer? It might work
gday brett,ive only been playing for a little while but the thing i have the most trouble with is changing chords easily,hopefully this will come with time,cheers scott
This may sound silly , but one of the biggest problems I have a beginner (less than a month) , is holding it. I have an issue that when changing chords (especially from an open to a bar chord) I often drop it slightly (only enough to break the rhythm, not onto the floor!
) as I rely on my left hand to help hold it. I notice that more experienced players keep the weight of the Uke under their right arm, clamping it to their chest, meaning that in theory they can still strum with their left hand in their pocket.
I have a concert uke with a very shiny finish and I found it hard to hold onto, so I got a shoulder strap for it like people use with guitars. Mine is a leather mandolin strap. I used to have a neck strap with a hook that hooked into the tone hole and it worked pretty well ’til it broke
Thanks for the reminder…I will be continuing shortly. In the meantime, I am toughening my fingers by playing the chords. Its amazing how much muscle memory comes back.
Thanks, Brett.
I didn’t buy the ukulele for me, but as a gift. I forwarded everything to my nephew.
He is thankful and really enjoying the classes, but no one in our family isa musician so…
Thanks for the great help,
Sonia.
I have little trouble remembering the chord shapes, but have trouble fingering some chords such as Bb
Hey Brett,
Love the web site, great tips.
- I’m having trouble figuring out when singing a song when a chord ends and a new one begins and what is the strum pattern?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike
Example below:
http://www.doctoruke.com/thislandisyourlandcomb.pdf
The hardest thing for a bveginner like me is to press the strings for commonly used chords like D, E, B
I have trouble strumming but problem with chords at all. Is that weird?
I mean not with chords at all. Oops.
my biggest challenge is the strumming pattern (especially the “UP” stroke sounds funny) and some of the chords like D or Bb sounds very different from what i hear on youtube.
I do not know how to tune my banjo uke so I can be in tune with a guitar
I don’t understand simple music theory. Notes, circle of 5ths etc.
My biggest challenge is putting the strumming and chords with a song and have it sound good!
It’s hard for me to use different strummings
regarding the “9 chords a person must learn”, I find it very difficult to get clean, on-pitch” sounds from some of them
My biggest challenge is trying to keep my thumb in a consistent position at the back of the neck of the ukulele.
Hi! The ukulele is a new experience for me, and my biggest challenge (except practicing at strumming, picking and chords and all those things that’s quite hard when you’re a newbie) is to get a more teoretical understanding of it, how a chord is constructed and so on. I think it would really help me to take my ukuleleplaying to a different level.
I have learnt 4 chords – just have probs with what fingers to use and how to place them. Particularly have problems with G7. What fingers are recommended as being the easiest .
I use my index finger on the second string, middle finger on third string and ring finger on first string
I am really stuck on strumming i just cant do it and when i tried going on your videos idk what to do on strumming you only show the chords.
I believe you said that I can take your course at my own pace. How long do I really have to complete it?
Len
I can’t remember the cord formations or the best way to finger them when I see them written in you lessons.
I have a good ear and can eventually find a cord that works, but I don’t know what I’m playing.
My biggest challenge is the strumming, I simply struggle a lot, I’ve never played an instrument and I’m learning by my own and its really difficult because where I live nobody plays the ukulele :S ‘though you have been very helpful
tnks
Fingure picking is biggest challangr. Also finding Ukulele Tabs
I find it most difficult to figure out the strumming pattern for any song. Hey the chords can be found online, what they don’t tell you is the strumming pattern. And if so, how am I to play the song??
B flat — cannot play it, have tried and tried. Many barre chords are fine, but B flat is my nemesis!
For me, if I know the song and have a sense of the rhythm of it, I find it not so difficult to strum. If I don’t know the song, and don’t have a score, well, all is lost. Are you playing songs you know?
Try plaing the same Bb shape two frets up I.ie you will be playing C. When that is ok the move to Bb
My biggest challenge is changing my left hand position while transition between certain chords. For example, when I transition from F to D7 I find that I have to reposition my thumb and overall grip on the neck of the Uke in order to get in a comfortable and effective position to bar for D7. Another challenge is sticking to Strumming Patterns while singing – it’s a very coordination-demanding endeavor, much like starting out with both hands on the piano. But, practice makes perfect.
My biggest challenge, weirdly enough is the notation. I learned to read music in french so ‘do ré mi fa sol la si do’ and learning the ukulele using using G C E A notation. So I’m having trouble to reconcile the two. I guess it’s more common to use the letter notation if you learn the guitar. Unfortunately, I had decided to play the violin all those years ago
Finding the rhythm to strum to is super difficult for me
I have trouble matching strum patterns with songs. It’s also difficult to make quick chord changes, even though I remember where to put my fingers. I guess I’ll just have to work on muscle memory. =)
But some chords are more or less impossible to play – my hands just aren’t flexible enough!!
I forget some of the chords. Any ideas on helping one remember?
Keep practising and eventually it will come naturally and you won’t have to think about them
The hardest part about learning the Uke for me is the strumming. Getting the timing right. I can get the strumming pattern, but the timing is challenging. Also, when I play the cords trying to get them along with the strumming to match up with the words. Most Utube videos go to fast when it comes to a certain part.
Dear Brett, I have difficulty in remembering the chords and words in a song. I am new to ukelele playing. I really am enjoying the lessons. Thanks.
There seems to be a lot of people having trouble with barre chords ect. I have only been playing for about 18 months, but I have been making ukuleles for the same amount of time. To be honest I have spent more time and research on making them than playing. The biggest problem with ukuleles that come straight out of the box is that they are not set up right. By that I mean the action ( height of strings above the frets) is far to high making it very difficult to play. Its a shame that many people take up playing only to give up because they are not able to play because of poor setup. Find a luthier or local music shop who can do the adjustments and you will find your uke will be much easier and fun to learn. Hope this helps,
Hmm… do you know a good one in the Philadelphia area?
My biggest challenge is switching chords. Some are easier to switch than others, but it is always still a struggle.
My biggest challenge is adding the melody notes while strumming the chords up to speed.
I tried to learn several years ago, but did not do well. Since then my grandson has expressed an interest, so I’m getting back into it. I’ve learned the words “PRACTICE-PRACTICE-PRACTICE, since my retirement and I’m doing much better. I would appreciate a lesson oe info on proper terminology for the different cords i.e. Em,C7,B dim.,Bbm, etc. I figure, if I repeat and practice the correct standard terms each time I play a cord, it will help me to remember the cords in songs better. You have been extremely helpful and have brought joy to our lives, Thanks Walt
My biggest challenge is my age (73).
Some chords are difficult for me to finger.
Hang in there John, I’m your age. Start with the basic chords i.e C & G7, there are many songs to play with just those two chords – add an F chord and you’ll have hundreds more.
suck at controlling the rhythm of playing.
can’t afford a very best ukulele…
can’t figure out which is the best strum of the song.
let me see… I’ve only been playing for a few weeks… soprano Ukulele…
1- How to figure out an Intro and an ending for a song … most sheet music jumps right in to the song, but I know all songs you listen to has an intro and ending…
2- getting my strumming to continue when I start singing/changing cords…
3- alternative finger placements for hard to reach cords… like I’ve discovered sometimes it’s easier to play the G7 than the G depending on what chord I’m playing before or after… and it still sounds good…
4- chucking… I watch a few ukulele players on youtube who where chucking, but I couldn’t figure that out at all…
I uploaded my first ukulele songs here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bURldo2Ywo
I’m sure you can see what my problems are… lol
My biggest problem is finding a chart with all the chords and also finger-picking
switching chords faster
I have smaller hands and short fingers, so for me it really is the ability to reach the needed strings to form the chords. In addition to that, I don’t seem to have the dexterity to move the ring and little finger independently, or as freely as I need to right now. By that I mean, if the middle finger is planted on a string, I have a hard to moving the ring finger to where it needs to go without it affecting or moving the other finger (s) as well. I can do the easier chords like F,D,G7, but a G starts to get a little harder with that ring finger needing to be out a bit, so I cheat and turn my hand a bit more than is proper to do it.
I know with practice it should get better and improve (I hope) but It would really help if there was a device that helped one improve this needed dexterity. Knowing where the finger needs to go doesn’t get it there, so if you can’t get it there then you can’t get better at the stretch needed. A viscous circle indeed…lol.
One of my biggest struggles is learning how to transition from one chord to the next. It is also very difficult for me to strum. I am not sure if I am holding my fingers or hand in the most optimal way. Because I am finding it difficult to strum it is hard for me to get the hang of a strum pattern. This is the first instrument I have ever attempted to play so I have no musical background. I am very excited to learn the ukulele and am ready to play like a master! I got my first ukulele 2 weeks ago. I have practiced I think 6 days out of the 2 weeks…
Personally I would say strumming is my biggest challenge. It seems to be the area where I mess up especially since it’s not something most online tutorials focus on. It messes up my groove.
1. Brett – Great Job! I’d be nowhere over the rainbow without your help!
I seem to always want to strum to the vocal pattern of a learned song vs. being able to play the rhythm in the background. Then when I hear someone else play the song… I am nowhere near what I should be sounding like.
I know exactly what you mean! i am a soprano vocalist, so when i sing, i almost always have the melody. when i try to do not the melody, my brain gets confused. I guess its just something with no easy quick fix. Practice practice practice
Well I’m really new and still struggling changing chords. Barr chords are also a struggle but I’m loving learning the ukulele.
Hi
My biggest problem is mastering some difficult finger placings to what are essential chords. In particular (at this stage) E’s and B’s. I know it must just be persistence and practice but because I have NO music theory knowledge I am at a disadvantage in being able to maybe choose alternate chords. I don’t want frustration to make me lose confidence! I hope that makes sense?
Paula
My biggest challenges are fingerpicking and strumming order.
My challenge is moving on from just strumming songs to more “serious” ukulele music. I’d love to be able to do more solo stuff. I’m trying some, but I can only play very slowly and I don’t always get a very good sound.
What I would really like to learn is how to create free form complex chord progressions so I guess learning which chords go together and why would be a good start. Also I need to expand my chord “vocabulary” as well in order to do this.
my biggest problem is huge, i normally plat a full size electric bass, i have to admit i did have a bit of fun restringing the uke to bass, it sounded too strange, it has shown me one problem though i cannot differentiate from one chord to the next if i am playing, if someone else is playing i can easisly make them out, well you asked. xx Alison.
Alison, I played electric bass, (mostly Upright) and I decided to play soprano, folks laugh and giggle to see me play lead with my pinkie, still holding chords. Re-stringing or tuning would loose the ‘Charm’ of ukulele ‘for me’. It really helps to deal with the differences as they are. Many have tried to steer me to a tenor…(I’m six foot two, and can play violin in a single position) but even that has taught me a lot. My high register, and thumb position, (Cello position) has improved a lot. If you look at some of the George Formby style strumming, the use of the high string on top will make more sense.
My biggest challenge as a uke player is the B flat chord. Cannot play that!
My biggest challenge is now learning fingerpicking and new strumming techniques
My biggest challenge is to master the various strumming sequences. it would be nice to have 2 or 3 basic strum sequences to learn that cover a lot of song types.
say
up-down repeat
down-down -up repeat
or whatever
Bar Chords!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My biggest challenge is not enough material for baritone ukuleles. Yeah, I know about Dr. Uke and chordie, etc, etc. But there just is not enough ‘good’ stuff out there for the baritones. I also realize I can go to the guitar sites and try to make that work, but it doesn’t always and it can be so much work if you want it in a different chord, blah, blah. So anyway….there just isn’t enough for us baritone uke players.
Hi, I have been learning the uke for about 3 months now and have got the basic chords sussed but my main problem is the strum patterns and making the song sound recognisable, especially when there are 8 or 12 C chords in a row. The one song that I have mastered to the extent that the children at the school where I work will sing along with me is The Marvellous Toy.
Firstly great website. Just started to learn the ukulele and your resources really kicked things off.
Biggest challenges for me:
1) strumming pattern and the different types of rhythm 3/4 etc theory and prac.
2) reading music or musical theory.
3) finger picking.
Thanks Brett.
Regards
Madhava
hi, great website, i find singing along i seem to get all out of tune, i must be going too fast or too slow.
One day after getting and reading the free ukulele lesson from you, I bought my first uke & managed to play immediately. Thats partly because I had had years of experience with the guitar. But this first uke is a low quality one, for which I only paid US$40. A few days later I had the opportunity to try (without buying) some better ones at about double the above price at a couple of more prestigious stores, and was able to feel the difference in sound quality. No regret because I have the belief that a poor instrument can be one way to train up a player. At the moment, with my present uke, I can produce OK sound using slow strumming, kind of beat by beat, and all in one downward direction. To strum down and up in quicker tempo would immediately spoil the whole thing. On second thought, perhaps the problem is not so much with whether I have a good or bad uke, but with my strumming techniques. What do you think, Brett?
An absolute beginner my bigest problem is getting my Ukulele to stay in tune. How do I figure out if the strings are just keep stretching or the tuning mechanism is maybe slipping back loose again?
Biggest challenge is finding current chart songs that I can teach my secondary school boys.
I’ve just started learning how to play the ukulele – and I’ve made much progress thanks to you, Brett! But, I still have difficulty with strumming rhythms consistently. Hopefully practice and time will lead to improvement!
Herzlichen Dank für deine Lektionen, sie helfen auch ohne gute Sprachkenntisse.
Wie finde ich das passende Schlagmuster? Gibt es einen Weg zu einem einfachen Intro, passend zum Lied.
Thank you for your lessons, they also help without good language skills.
How to find the right beat patterns? Is there any way to a simple intro to match the song.
Sorry translated with Google.
Hello
My biggest challenge is changing chords without looking, and playing EMajor.
by tomorrow I will have owned my ukulele for three weeks
Great classes!
wow, biggest challenge(s):
-not pissing off everytime people ask if what I play is a cavaquinho (very common here in Brazil);
-trying strumming patterns that don’t sound like a Hawaiian song;
-transporting a music sheet into a tab;
-having in mind “somewhere over the rainbow”, only music played in a uke that everybody heard once,
oh, great blog, by the way
x
great blog/website/miracle-worker-for-new-uke-players (:
I am left handed. Is there a way to learn
to play left handed. I find it hard to play right handed.
I’ve only been playing a few weeks but my biggest challenges are doing Bm and E I also am finding it hard to get the strumming rhythm right.
Would love some easy tabs, fingerpicking songs as well.
Fantastic site
Hi Brett, overcoming shyness in front of people is my biggest challenge, I feel I’m ready but that NEXT BIG STEP !…
I have just received a 50 plus year old ukulele. It is a Roy Smeck. I have no idea how old the strings are and whether or not to unscrew the screws on the tuners, or just turn them as they are. Secondly, I just got a chromatic tuner and have not tried to use it yet. I want to learn to play this instrument. Unfortunately, at presnt I have no where to play. But these are my first questions or first and second challenge.
I find it really hard to do strumming patterns.
I dont know much when it comes to reading music, but, arent certain chords used together and others not, depending on what key you are playing in? If those combinations were grouped together, it would be easier to practice chord changes, instead of spending time practicing combinations that would never be used.
P.S. Fantastic web site!
Tremolo picking – trying to get a smooth consistency. Is it better with fingers or a pick?
Brett,
My biggest challenge is keeping a steady rhythm. My second challenge is finger picking while singing. I know all of this will come with practice as long as I build a strong foundation.
Judy
The arthritis flareups
All my joints from the elbow to my fingertips are in so much pain even an E7 chord makes me wince. I’ve stopped doing barre chords altogether because of this.
I have the same problem. I find that I tend to press too hard with my left hand. When I have a flareup, I stop playing for a few days and when I start back, I keep reminding my self to press only as hard as it takes to make each string ring out clearly. A friend told me to imagine that I had a grape under each finger and I was to press softly so as to not squish the grape! I hope this helps!
My biggest challenge is just finding the time to play/practice. I also play guitar and like to do the same but with 3 kids, work etc. that’s the biggest challenge. Can’t tell you how much I enjoy it though. I’m in the process of teaching my 11yr old daughter who wanted to learn guitar, but I chose to start her out on the Uke first. I’m trying to find songs that she’ll like that are simple enough for her to play. Thx! j
my biggest challenge — placing my fingers correctly on the frets without looking at where to make a chord
My soprano seems small even though I have small to medium size hands
Do you think a tenor would help ? (as there is more fret space ? I am most comfortable resting the uke on my lap but that is somewhat awkward too since uke is small. My thumb gets uncomfortable doing a G7 Challenges, challenges ! I thought since I play piano it would be easy to pick up uke-playing fast, but so far it isn’t.
Hey Brett, your lessons are great, so clear with well designed graphics. Thank you.
Hae Brett it’s been gr8 learning your lessons my biggest challenge is keeping focus on my strumming I get the 4/4 I start off really good but as I start gettin to the middle I’ve come up short or gone to long and I start playing island stylz I’m sometimes losing my sequences of chords and as I go from over the rainbow to Slim Shady I’m not afraid and then JBieber as long as u love me lollz
Transitioning from one chord to another is my challenge. As a totally new player of a stringed instrument at age 60, getting my fingers going is fun but tough. I love most of all your “12 bar blues”, and that is my first “song”. Thanks for it, really like the sound.
My biggest challenge is teaching old fingers new tricks. A gal is not supposed to reveal her age, but these digits are over 50 years old, and not as quick or flexible as they once were. Its taking some extra warm up before I can dive into a lesson!
I am just beginning to play the baritone uke. The vast majority of info available does not tell the tuning beinning uses, If you are using tab it is very important to know what tuning is used, All material should show if the tuning i C or G.
I am a beginner with no musical ability – so a challenge for me is to play a chord without having look where my fingers are!
Only had 2 lessons so far and only just bought a uke!
My biggest challenge is actually remembering the songs I have learned! Since I am not a performer and play the ukulele for my own entertainment this isn’t critical, but it can be frustrating. I have learned quite a lot of tunes and should have a fairly large repertiore, but if I let much time pass without playing a song it can be really rough trying to play it through. Of course, it could be an age thing!
I am currently working on lessons 8 and 9. I am a total beginner. Being able to play the songs so they sound like I know what I am doing is taking time. I’ve probably spent more time on 8 and 9 than I spent on the first 7 lessons. My other challenge is placing my fingers on the strings to get a good sound. I guess this will come with practice. I’m retired so I have plenty of time. I like your course, I started a different one but got tired of all the harmonica playing.
Switching chords fast enough to keep up with the beat….although it is slowly improving. With some chords my fingers won’t automatically get into position before pressing down. It’s like one finger has to be on first, then the second, and so on.
Definitely strumming. I don’t want to use a pick, but I keep shredding my fingers (my cuticles in particular).
I don’t always make the chord changes in time due to lack of attention. Practicing the chord changes several times seems to help though.
I found that trying to find decent free TAB is difficult.
Can’t finger the E cords. Seems to be to far of a stretch. I have only been playing for a few weeks after having a couple of lessons in Hawaii and loved it enough th ship a uke home
knowing a song completely and knowing when to hesitate or rest if you only have the words and chords
I found challenging to sing and to strum the right pattern in the same time. I learning Ukulele for 2 months already.
My biggest challenge is getting the time to have fun with my new uke as I have just had a new baby and time is precious but keep on pluckin and stumin
I feel like I’ve got a good handle on chords, but I struggle with the transition from some chords to others; my fingers and my brain don’t always work together. Ditto for strumming patterns. Repetition is my friend, and so is this website!
Hi Brett
I am just starting ukulele, but battled with guitar for years. My challenge is in my left hand, to do with the thumb hold and wrist movement to be able to change chords easily. Any help with this would be really welcome
How do i stop the felt pick from turning and twisting in my fingers when strumming the uke?
The felt is quite smooth in comparison to a guitar pick that has dimples on both sides allowing for a non slip action.
Hi
The moving between chords and sustaining a rhythm with the left hand is hard. Also I tend not to understand 4/3 3/3 time signatures.
Changing chords with speed and accuracy. It’s coming slowly but all my songs sound disjointed.
Hi Brett, my daughter persuaded me to buy a ukulele for both her and me. We bought the soprano, Mahalo. Been learning the 11 chords you recommend for 5 weeks, fingers getting hard and sore, but great fun and really enjoying it. Starting to play short melodys, its great. I am finding that my fingers find it difficult with some chords, because there is not much room on the Mahalo Uke, particularly E7. I notice your Uke has more room on the neck, can you tell me what type it is. Many thanks, great web site, Tim
My biggest struggle with the ukulele is scales. Not so much doing them, the real struggle is finding a decent site to discover new patterns.
My biggest challange is finger picking and remembering how to play the notes. I also have a hard time with the notes that cover all the strings like D7 and D6. Is there an easy way to get them to sound good?
Thanks for your help.
holding uke with right arm
sharp edge not comfortable will have to tough it up……
My biggest challenge is remembering where all the chord positions are. Got C,G,B AND E but that’s it without looking at a picture guide.
getting to the next level, playing more difficult songs, the easier ones can be boring
Im actually dealing with two dificulties:
Bb Chord – It keeps sounding as Im muting the first two strings
Songs that I have to keep muting strings, like YMCA. My gf tryied to teach but it was a total disaster :/
I’d like to learn finger picking. I’m doing okay with chords
Just finding time ane getting the ukulele out of the case and setting up in a quite place away from my wife and family ie “‘where we’re you now, put that thing down and talk to us ” that sort of thing.
I have quite large hands and am struggling with fretting – maybe I have to trade up to a tenor version?
My biggest difficulty would be strumming correctly, I feel that I am not doing it correctly all the time because when I strum it doesn’t sound right to me.
So here’s one for you. I drop the Uke. The problem is that when I am changing chords with my left hand, the Uke is likely to fall away. This is slowing down my chord changes as I always need to hang on to the bloody thing.
I do keep it tucked up under my right arm but not so far as to be really holding on to it or I’d be strumming directly over my F chord!
The result is that I am now playing it best when its sort of laying back on top of me in a way that means I can let go to change chords and not have it fall too far away! Have considered a neck-strap, but that cannot be the only answer… and my Uke has no knob for attaching one…
Hi, Brett
Thanks for your helpful reference docs and emails. I’ve been playing the uke for just over three weeks now and I found most of it challenging at first! Some chord changes are easier than others, of course, but I’m still struggling with Bb and B chords and some of the chords involving barring when adding the third finger (ring finger – I think mine’s too short!). Anyway, I find that playing actual songs is very motivating (rather than just practising chord progressions) and encourages me to keep at it to master the chord changes. Of course, I’m careful to try to find songs with chords that I can actually play (using a transposer where necessary) – makes it a bit of a challenge but I have quite a set of songs now to keep me entertained.
Hope this is helpful to you and thanks once again for all your good work; we newbies appreciate it!
Warmest regards, Annie
My biggest challenge as a new ukulele player is my left hand becomes VERY sore after playing for a time. I think I must be too tense and holding my hand in odd positions to reach the cords. My thumb joint kills me after practicing.
A beginner with no talent trying to learn on my own. I find strumming amazingly hard. I am never sure exactly how to position my finger to get a good sound. I can get a better sound with the thumb down and index finger up but it is awkward to switch. I know some recommend the nail side down, but it makes a clicking noise. I try and watch videos but good players are too fast.
I’ve only had my first little uke for two weeks so everything is new and a bit challenging but the hardest things so far are the E chord (without using my other hand to position my fingers) and following where i am with even basic written music. Practice practice practice!
I took ‘lessons’ from a neighbor when I was 8. She used numbers for the chords rather than their letters. I then went to playing guitar, and learned the chords by their ‘real’ names. I am finding now that it is SO hard to remember the chords, as a C for uke is G for guitar. I keep having to look back at the charts! I wish I could memorize them so that I would just know instantly what the chord is, but that takes time out from playing! ;->
My biggest challenges are mastering strumming and barre chords.
Keep up the good work, love your website.
My biggest challenge?
When I acquired a ridiculously cheap ukulele, tightened the fishing line strings and got it in tune, I realized that even though open strings were in tune, picking on frets left the strings horribly out of tune, sometimes even by an entire half-note. Chiseling the saddle and nut wasn’t too much of help.
I considered buying Aquila strings, but I’m not too sure if it is going to fix this issue.
I’m a beginner and I find strumming patterns incredibly hard. My dancing skills have proven that I have minimal rhythms, but I’m finding learning the strumming pattern of songs to be really frustrating. And I find it hard to look at chords and try to learn how the strumming should go.
I can’t figure out how to position my left thumb & hand so that I’m supporting the uke while allowing my fingers to change positions easily. Should my thumb press the back of the neck or hang over the top? Somerimes my hand presses against the A string…
At the moment my biggest challenge as a beginner is indeed finger picking. Also bridging. And (with some tunes) getting my voice to match the pitch of the music.
Thanks
Claire
Oh and while I’m on about difficult chords, I’m finding that ‘E’ chord a right bugger (can I say that?!). I don’t know whether I need to grow another finger or learn to make a noise like an e chord; both equally impossible. I do, however, have a suggestion for a strap. I used an old belt (made of plastic stones knotted onto strings, about 4’6″ total). One end is tied round the neck and I loop the other round my own neck. Because it’s plastic, it kind of sticks to my skin and I don’t need to loop it round my arm or hook it into the sound hole or anything. It holds the neck up really effectively and means I can concentrate on what my fingers are doing rather than on hanging on to it as well. Get into that wardrobe! (PS it’s a double row so doesn’t throttle me..!)
Hello, Brett!
I am a newbie with the uke. I took it up after I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It is very therapeutic for me; it is “de-stressing”. I realized that I enjoyed it so much because I also like singing. I enjoyed your lessons and I learned so much from it. I wish you would post more songs with chords and tell me what strumming technique to use. I am ok with the chords but, I have a hard time figuring out what strumming technique to use on a particular song. This is my biggest challenge. Hope you can help me. Thank you very much.
My biggest challenge is hearing the strum and trying to co-ordinate between chords, strum, and vocal. Some songs are easy some really get me finger tied.
Strumming patterns and changing chords quickly.
Hi Brett, as a beginner ukulele player, one of the biggest problems I have is actually getting my fat fingers into the right place on the fret board.My uke is a concert variety.I am working hard to learn my chords, and I understand more each day about chord progressions. I love the challenge, and I love my uke.My buddy David is a veteran musician, and suggests that I probably need the next size up uke.What do you think?Thanks for the free lessons, they are really helpful. Best wishes, Ben.
my biggest challenge is actually finding time to practice, so obviously i kindof suck right now. I havent been able to get my fingers to go where i want them to in chords. I guess it just takes muscle memory, but i havent practiced enough to build that up. I’m a vocalist so i alway sing along, but im not a multitasker apparently…
would like to play the ukulele so it has more depth than just chords. would like to learn runs and fingerpicking techniques to fill the music a bit. i ‘m not a singer. would like to play rags, bluegrass and blues.
My biggest challenge is moving to the next chord without breaking the rhythm, especially a more difficult chord that requires looking at the frets.
Biggest challenge …. the smooth transition between chords.
My biggest challenge is trying to remember the chords no matter how many times I try to memorize them, and trying to work out what chord/s to use when singing a song because I play by ear and tune my uke by ear…
Hello the Claw Technique
My biggest challenge is to coordinating : strumming-chord change- and singing. I think it will take me a very long time. Do not even talk about fingerpicking as I am not up to that yet
My biggest challenge is playing a strum pattern(s) thru a song. While practicing, I can strum the patterns and change chords (slopply) but when playing a song, I tend to strum on the word or sylable of the song and not carry thru on strum patterns. Any advice?
Chord/melody and fingerpicking seem to be the areas where there is the least amount of information available. Lessons on either or both of those areas would be nice. The video lessons I purchased from you are really well done. Thanks.
My biggest challenge so far is remembering the chord changes. I often cannot get my fingers there quick enough and for the more harder ones (like D7) my fingers do not cover the strings properly and so I go out of tune. This makes me pause sometimes and affects my timing. I know practice, practice, practice is the way through this.
I am a very very beginner with no prior experience playing any instrument at all. My biggest challenge so far has been getting my pudgy little fingers to hold down on the fret to make the note not sound “buzzy”, and figuring out what to do with my thumb. So basic, but I will get there.
lost a third of my ring finger find it hard to stretch up to G + C strings usually it can cover E + A okay cheers db
My two challenges are related:
(1) Changing chords quickly and accurately
(2) Maintaining a grip on the ukulele (not dropping it!) while I change chords.
I do think I figured out the solution.
Frankly, I personally find playing the ukulele only works when playing in a small room, where the sound can come across as decent music. once the room get over a certain size or if there is a larger crowd present the sound get distorted and doesn’t come across well. This is also true when you are playing along with a guitar. The uke becomes overwhelm n end up only hearing the guitar sound n the uke becomes out of place. This off-course is just my own opinion.
I am ok playing songs as long as I have the lyrics with the chord in front of me, but I am lost if I try to play to memory. Fingerpicking is another area where I fair miserably. I really find difficulty memorizing the chords change, and the sequence in picking. I need lots of practice in this respect, and maybe a method designed for this sort of problem would help.
Hi Brett.
I’ve been playing now for about 2 weeks and I’m managing to pick up the chords and rhythm pretty well.
The biggest challenge I have is barring chords (especially B and Bm). They just don’t suit my rather thick fingers! Perhaps there’s a way of cheating these chords?
Love what you’re doing for us budding players, by the way. Keep it up!
My biggest challenges are bar chords, strumming, and fingerpicking.
Switching cords. Keeping the same strum rythm.
I think singing while playing the ukulele is pretty hard.. It takes so much time to be able to play a song automatically, so you can sing while playing.. But that might be because i’m not very very musical, and I don’t play it for so long.. Biggest challenge is to keep the rhythm and melody in playing, when I’m singing at the same time. It’s hard to hear both things (playing and singing) the whole time, I got the tendency to strum with the flow of the words. Creating a good sound with the strumming, while singing is difficult too.
Also, my hands quite small, so the complex chords (with four fingers on three different frets) are practically impossible.
Haha okay clearly I’m not an ukulelewonder.. But I still like to do it, though (:
I play music by ear and to discipline myself to learn the scale of the ukulele and totally understanding the theory is a challenge and takes discipline because instead of knowing what the notes are I just play it. I would like to learn the scales better so that I can play the notes on the higher parts of the ukulele and be able to pick the notes without having to always guess. With playing by ear I am limited to my picking and playing the chords on the higher scales.
The challenge is very exciting. I’m retired and I am a BEGINNER. I just purchased my UKE and my first lesson is to master strumming and the set of major/minor chords. Once I am comfortable with chord changes, I will then attempt a few songs.Thanks for the motivation.
I am trying to learn baritone uku the F and B chords give my biggest problem
Strumming and singing at the same time! It’s difficult to strum a rhythm and sing a different rhythm at the same time.
My biggest problem is two-fold. remembering the chords and getting my fingers to cooperate and not touch the other strings not used. I am a beginner.
Holding de Uke while changing some chords at the same time.
Hi! I just purchased my first Uke- a solid Acacia Tenor Kala! I’m so excited to start playing- I’ve been doing quite a bit of research online for lessons and find the this site seems to be the one I connect with!
I’m new to playing any musical instrument- so I’m looking forward to enjoying the process!
My biggest challenge is that I’m a lefty- so I’ve had the Uke set up and have my lefty chord chart hanging in my studio!
All the best!
Nancy
My biggest challenge is how to recognise which chord to use. In other words how to play along with a piece of music without a chord chart in front of me.
Learning how to strum. Index finger, or thumb, or ring/middle. Cannot get comfy with one.
I have small hands & difficulty reaching some chords
Singing while playing at the same time!!
Hi Bret
I have really enjoyed your lessons and have learned much. I am brand new to the ukulele and for that matter have never played a musical instrument. For now I am trying to learn the cords and how to strum. One challenge is hand position of each of the cords. I know where the cords are, but they often times are not clear probably because I am not positioning my left hand properly.
Biggest Problem(s)
1. The dread E chord or any other chord with the same pattern.
2. Keeping the strum pattern in sync in faster time.
3. A proper training regiment, one that allows me to measure my improvement and gives me a good foundation but is still fun.
I’ve only been playing my Uke since Christmas. So far im finding the strumming and chord changes to be pretty easy to get right, but as soon as i add in some singing everything goes crazy. Definitely my biggest challenge so far is keeping my strumming consistent while i sing.
I play piano and read music, but this is my first experience with a string instrument. I am finding it difficult to know when to pick and when to strum. I am used to playing “lead” and I feel like with the Uke I tend to play rhythm cords but I long for the melody line. Does that make sense?
One other thought, Brett, is I wish I had a “Dozen a Day” exercises for the Uke. If you are familiar with that piano daily exercise series it is a real skill builder. I have created my own but tend to repeatedly use chords and rhythms that are the most comfortable.
Hi Brett,
Firstly THANK YOU for this website. I have owned my Uke for over a year and always put learning to play it into the ‘too hard’ basket as I’ve always struggled to learn music in the past.
I have now been playing for 3 weeks and am whizzing through your strumming lessons and having a blast!
I’m progressing really quickly and totally surprising myself
My biggest challenge at the moment is remembering the strumming patterns….. I’m not sure if it’s my crazy brain, but even when I’m feeling really comfortable with a song, when i come to play it the next time I can’t remember the appropriate strumming pattern… rhythm seems to drop out of my head too easily and I find I have to listen to you playing the tune all over again to recall it.
Grrrr…. it’s very annoying!
I also find it very challenging to sing along to songs and keep the strumming pattern up but found your advice in your comments (building up to it via humming etc) and that’s really helpful too.
Once again, cheers for a really awesome and affordable series of lessons!
Brett,
There is so much for me to still learn after roughly a year of playing. There are so many teaching resources too. How do I maximize my limited practice time to create balance in my sessions and allow me to play songs (which is my primary goal)? Thanks.
LOL, there sure are a lot of responses to your email… At this point I find getting a smooth consistent strum to be hard. It seams like I will always peg one string harder than the rest on the up stroke. That and switching from say G7 to G and back again.
Hey Brett, my biggest challenge is getting my fingers on the chord changes quick enough. So, i practice chord changes all the time and it is getting better. Practice, practice, practice, that’s the key I guess! Also, i don’t seem to hold it consistently so it slips sometimes. Absolutely loving learning the uke though!
One of the biggest challenges I face is coordinating vocals. I can play the song well when I am not trying to sing, but as soon as I try to jump it that’s when it all falls apart.
As a total beginner as of Christmas, and never having played anything, a challenge I’m having is holding with my right arm while strumming with my left hand.
Whoops I mean while strumming
My biggest challenge is to take a simple piece of music and bring it up to performance standard. By that I mean I need a step by step process that allows me to move a piece forward to being able to play it in public. What is the difference in practicing a piece to perform vs practicing in general. What things do I need to pay attention to and what will aid me in nailing down a piece and becoming confident in playing it in front of others. Even if that piece is a simple as Twinkle, twinkle little star. I need a soup to nuts method.
I started playing two months ago, and I have a Kala tenor uke, which I really like.
I know this will come with practice, but I am really challenged by the bar chords. Sometimes I can do some, and most of the time 3/4 strings sound like duds. I can’t seem to get my fingers right and sometimes I will hold the bar with 2 fingers. My fingers need to be stronger, I suppose. And sometimes I can’t get regular chords to have a clear sound. And I am still having a grand time discovering the uke. I am going through the Strumming videos. Brett, thanks for the lessons and having these forums.
The biggest challenge for me is sometimes finger picking. Of course let me remind you, I’ve only had a ukulele for a month so yeah. Then the other challenge is when barring some chords. Cause my fingers are too small for a guitar, of course compared to a ukulele my fingers are just normal size unlike other people whose fingers are too big for a ukulele which I would actually prefer. Yep that’s all. Hope I hear back from you brett. I really need tips concerning my problem.
I’ve only been playing for 3-4 weeks now and my biggest problem is strumming I just cant seem to get it right no matter which fingers I use xD
I am learning to play quite a few melodies by ear and have worked out a few breaks to songs I know well. My biggest challenge is knowing how to switch from playing rhythm during the verses to fingerpicking out the break. I go to a Ukulele Club twice a month and keep thinking I will take a break when the time comes but I can not get the timing right. How do I jump in?
I definately find the strumming the most difficult aspect. I guess it gets easier as you go. I’ve only been learning since Xmas! I can get most of the chords sounding good but remembering which is which is hard. I’m getting them mixed up all over the place.
I have found your tutorials really helpful.
my biggest challenge is learning to strum whilst counting, remembering the strum pattern required and the song. I find when i try and sing along or indeed hum the tune to the song, my strumming goes to pot. i almost need to have someone sat next to me be telling me when to change the chord, so i can concentrate on the strumming without also trying to remember the song, or thinking of the words. its a bit like the age old rubbing your tummy whislt drawing circles on your head! Hope that makes sense!
I’m sure with more practice it will get better, but it appears to be a major stumbling block for me at the moment!!!
Chord ‘D’ how do you do that? ??
I battled with D too , then decided to use my short fat fingers to my advantage. I plonk my middle finger on both 2nd and 3rd string and index on top sttring and works well for me – sometimes need to “roll” middle finger back a tad to ensure decent pressure on both strings….
Good morning
My biggest challenge so far is the ability to get my fingers wrapped around some of the chords …. I have slightly arthritic hands and it can be a challenge.
got my ukulele for Christmas so I am a new comer. . . can’t seem to find the best way to hold it so the neck stays stable as I try to transition chords/finger placement
I’m 51 and started playing the uke in November. I absolutely love it! I’m always searching for new songs to download. My challenges are trying to stretch my fingers to reach certain chords and smooth chord transitions, but I know that practice, practice, and more practice will make it easier over time.
You know, something that was really ‘psyching me out’ was holding the uke and playing / changing chords. I’ve recently bought a little strap that hooks onto the soundhole and that helps a lot. I know the purists hate them but it works for me! Other than that, from a playing point of view, the ‘E’ chord and similar barre’s are always a challenge!
Hi Brett,
My biggest problem with playing my Uke is, strumming when i’m playing the chords.
It seems to drown out the tune, and cause it to sound scratchy.Also, I’m having trouble using all 4 fingers
to play chords.I am a very new player and i’m attempting to teach myself.Wish me luck!
I have been ‘playing’ with a poor quality uke for about 20 days now so muscle memory is in training!
I will buy a uke with a better action and probably a concert with a low G which will give me a better sound.
I have recommended your site to other budding uke players.
I recognise that I want to run before I can walk and much prefer picking the melody as I do not sing. In light of this I would appreciate more instruction on picking simple classical tunes. I practice a lot which speeds the process but is probably irritating the neighbours!!
Thanks for all your help Brett
I just got a ukulele for xmas and downloaded your beginner lesson book. I learned the two songs “ive been working on the railroad” and “twinkle, twinkle little star” and i can play them pretty well for only three weeks of practice but i need more songs written out like you have them in the book. I go to different websites but no one has them written out with all the chords written above the words. I dont know how to learn songs without the chords written . Everybody on line plays them too fast! I also have a problem with the barred chords. So far those are my biggest problems in playing. Thanks for the beginner book i dont know what i would have done without it!
My biggest challenge is simply playing the Ukelele. I have played it for 2 yrs now and until I started your course I didnt seem to progress. I find changing chords and strumming to the beat difficult. Dont get me wrong, I play thru whole songs, but my son who is a guitar teacher tells me I am playing to match my singing. The advice he gave me before he left for Melbourne was to listen to the song, tap out the beat, then sing the words. When I saw you advocate the same teachings I knew then to sign up with you and I have learnt more in 7 lessons than I have in two years. I will stick to these initial lessons till I have that beat conquered and every night I do my chords watching Tv.
Hi Brett,
I have 2 major challenges for myself, the first is going from a D chord to any other , after bridging the frets I seem to lose grip moving to another chord, the second is finger picking, I can do it a bit, though, if you have an exercise I can do to help me I would really appreciate it. Tell me, do you have a CD of you playing and singing, not for lesson, you have a great style, would like to hear more.
Cheers Bud
Craig
Scotland UK
Sorry Brett my last post said the D chord, I meant the Bm chord.
Cheers Bud
Craig
Scotland UK
Dear Brett,
my grandchildren, aged 7 and 8, have a soprano and a concert uke respectively and want to learn how to play. I bought some good strings for both ukes and they have become well tuned. The strings are now, however, so tense in the first fret that small fingers cannot press them down properly. Would it help if I got them a tenor uke instead of the tiny instruments? – Thanks for your inspiring website. Lene
Have only been playing my Tenor Uke since Christmas. I think, going forward, the most difficult thing will be finding a style that does not require singing. I have a terrible voice, and didn’t get in to playing in order to sing. It seems, thusfar, that most of the beginning songs are meant to be sung over (otherwise, they don’t sound much like the real tune). This is proving to be the most difficult aspect.
Before enrolling in the course, I found some basic fingerpicking tunes, which I enjoy more than strumming at this point. Maybe this will be my “style”?
Single not melodies. I tend to want to only play chords because they sound prettier. Also I play alone, and the single note melodies are not as exciting to practice. I guess i could record the chords, then play the melodies on top?
Oh. Also figuring out the chord names, and the key. I make up my own song by messing with different “chords” just by playing the uke, not by looking them up. I then have to figure out the names of these “chords” I like.
I’m a pretty new uke player. My biggest challenge is strumming. I have a hard time keeping the strumming consistent and knowing what strumming patterns to use.
Biggest Challenges As a Ukulele Player. (1) I find it hard to remember the chord names, I seem to place my finger on the correct chord positions but I stumble on the name of the chord. How do you do your practicing? i.e. say 5 mins on strumming, 5 mins on chord changes etc. Getting the most out of your practicing.
Thanks Bill
My biggest challenge is ritm. People are giving strumming pattern and chords. But they dont tell in which ritm should i play. Theres lots of version of down down up.. Exmp:
Down (wait) down up (Together very fastly)
Down down (Together very fastly) wait and Up
Sometimes i need that information:(
I just started playing the ukulele for about 2 and a half weeks, but it’s relatively simple, probably because all of those year long violin lessons i’ve had. So placing and strumming, fine, but I want to try playing song chords at the same time the correct strings that would follow the lyrics to songs. I know of people who can do this but I just can’t figure it out.
Deciding which two songs to learn completely so that I can feel confident to build on my skills( I am a complete beginner and only just getting some sort of pleasant sound out of the ukulele)
`Hi Brett, thank you so much for the free book download. Its been very helpful so I went ahead and bought the strumming tricks. My biggest challenge is learning to use my right hand. My rhythm is awful. I would also love to learn a song and be able to play it for somebody. That somebody is a friend who says I’ll never learn to play the ukulele. My biggest challenge is to prove her wrong. I hope you can help me do this. Thanks for being such a great guy in helping so many people learn what they always wanted to do.
Making my Travis picking fit with the melody. Most songs I play sound like I am playing one note too many!
Since I have arthritis in my fingers and since I am 73, I have just taken up the Ukulele last October 2012. In order for my to play it I have to treat it like a dulcimer and come to grips with new way to hold the chords not only for an isolated note, but in view of what they next note may be. The tuffest fingering for me, after three different approaches, has been B7 as I cannot seem to get a comfortable feel that also allows those strings to make sounds.
My biggest challenge is keeping the uke on its place while changing chords and strumming at the same time.
No such problems with the guitar…. but uke just falls down out of my hands.
It drives me creasy!
my biggest challenge in ukulele is rolling and fingerpicking.. uker newbie here..
Hi, I am really new to the Ukulele but have played acoustic and electric guitars for over 20 years.
The most challenging thing for me is being left handed. I have purchased a really cheap Ukulele just to see how I get on with it. Using MS Word, we have just produced a great “table” document with blank ukulele chord boxes on it but, labelled/numbered up for left handed so, I’m quite busy transposing right handed chord shapes onto the new, lefthanded ukulele chord boxes at the moment! If I get better and enjoy it more, I may well purchase a more expensive instrument. Thank you for all the very useful information and tips on your website, it is very good especially for the learner player like me.
I’m still a beginner and I just feel “”stuck” like there’s something I’m not “getting”…like there’s something basic, or not, that I’m not understanding. Maybe it’s a music theory basic I’m supposed to know. I just can’t seem to get past a certain point in learning. Maybe I’m just making it harder than it has to be! Thanks!
hi brett! my biggest challenge so far as a ukulele player is to change chords. i feel a little bit frustrated sometimes, like changing from an A chord to an E or Bb, it’s pretty tough. =(
but i’ve just started playing. my first uke ever arrived last friday, and i’m loving it! i got the basics, just gotta practice a little more.
cheers from brazil! =)
rhythm rhythm rhythm
Hi Brett, I really enjoy your site. Thanks for your help. I just got a ukelele two weeks ago. I used to play guitar but it just gathers dust. . My biggest challenge is strumming. I like the pasifika sound, but i get stuck in the jing-ga-jick strum style like I did with guitar. maybe its a left-handed thing, but i reckon for left-handers its harder because you have to make your right hand do the tricky stuff like strumming and picking in a loose and rhythmic manner. having said that, i like the way you introduce how to strum, for example Israel whats-his-names version of somewhere over the rainbow. I’d like to play like that. Keep up the good tutoring. You’re great!
I’ve been playing guitar and songwriting for over 30 years (avocation, ont profession), and have just recently started writing with the Ukulele. I find it challenging to make a fast transition to b-flat, with it’s partial barre, and still get a good crisp initial attack without any muting…
love your site by the way – great service to the community!
The biggest challenge that I see is committing the time
that it is going to take to learn to play.
My biggest challenge is unlearning my guitar style and learning rhythms as well as chords.
After practicing a few hours the transitions between chords, the next day brainfreeze and I get stuck on the one I’ve practice the day before. Keeping the beat while changing chords is also a bit of a challenge. I have faith in practicing…
I have a hard time doing E and B. i’ve had mine for almost a year now so i’ve got the rest down.
E chords
I am new to playing the ukulele. I have been playing for about 8 months. And right now the things I would like to learn is how to make quick chord changes, and the different strumming patterns . That with tryimg to remember the chords is hard for me right now.
Thanks for asking.
Cliff Wemp
I have heard all my life that some people have it, and some don’t. You’re either born with it or not. What I am speaking of the ability to play music. I have tried for years to overcome this myth. I hope it is a myth anyway. I think for you to encourage people and tell them they can do it would go a long way in giving people confidence that they can do this thing called “playing the Ukulele” I have a rhythm problem and I battle this daily and sometimes think, “maybe they are right” you either have it or you don’t
My biggest challenge is to get started. I now am going to set aside a certain time every day and spend at least an hour to get started. I have already tried, but I must really concentrate on where to put my fingers, and remember. I am a bit on the ancient side in life but not in mind. Once I get going I will be in touch with you Brett. Most important to me at the moment is visiting my husband, as he has dementia, bit I also need something different to concentrate on. Sorry I seem to be going on and on.
I was given my uke for my 61st birthday by my brother. Problems? well, quick transitions for one…I found a song with a F, G, C transition. Cheating by using F, G7, C is easier (will anyone notice?); On your advice I’m practising barre chords from the getgo…this seems to be getting easier; The only other thing I’d mention is the insensitive callouses of have on my finger tips… I guess my career as a left handed safe cracker is over!
I’d love to see a video course on fingerpicking. Thanks for a great website, Brett. It’s a tremendous resource.
Honestly, my biggest challenge in playing the ukelele right now is holding the instrument steady while changing from one chord to another. I’m very new at it, having received the ukelele as a Christmas gift, and I really am enjoying learning, but I don’t quite feel that I have the hang of holding it yet.
Hi Brett, thanks for all the wonderful info!
Probably most people would find it boring but some suggestions for finger exercises to improve agility and speed would be useful and secondly strumming patterns seem to be a mystery to me ! I don’t know which one I’m meant to be using.
Many thanks, June
My biggest problem is chord changes. I just can’t seem to get my fingers into the right places!
Hi Brett. I was originally very keen to learn to play my soprano ukelele. However, because my fingers are short and stubby I am really struggling to fret the chords. I know you have referred to many people having ‘fat fingers’ and managing to play. However, I’ve noticed their fingers are fat at the bottom but taper off nearer the tip. My fingers, unfortunately are the same thickness from base to tip. This makes it really difficult for me to fret one string without touching another. This problem has put me off learning to play the ukelele for the time being.
Been playing ukulele for a couple of years now. I strum with various groups, and I practice daily on my own. I’d like to begin to incorporate some fingerpicking and uke rifts in my playing, but don’t know how to get started. Maybe you could offer a “Rift of the Month” club?
1 & 2 & 3 & switch – Thanks for the tip. I’m gonna try it! One of the best things about ukulele is that most uke people wasn’t to help others get better. Love that. Thanks again!
Being 70 years of age and not very musical at all, i am finding it difficult playing the right chords at the correct time when singing even the simplest song e.g. twinkle twinkle little star but i am still enjoying practising the chords and changing from one to another without stopping, i am joining a ukulele group tomorrow night which i found out about so will no doubt pick up a few tips, i have only had my uke a couple of weeks but am really enjoying getting a bit of a tune out of it and even tuning it is fun, the snark tuner is brilliant as it is so easy to use, great website Brett and i really appreciate it
My biggest problem playing Uke is Having to sing !! Wife says I have a great voice but when I sing my hands turn to rubber !!! Is it true BB King cant sing and play at the same time ?? Thanx for your response.
Learning how to strum, doesn’t come naturally to me
Hi Brett
Received my ukulele as a birthday pressent last December (I am 86). My biggest problem is pressing strings on frets without pressing 2 at a time adjacent – my fingers are quite wide. I can manage some chords such as C, F and G but a many are unplayable. At present I cannot practice at all because I have chilblains on my fingers because of the cold weather here. Roll on Spring so I can get back to some practise.
My biggest problem apart from having a decent Ukelele and not having a job to buy one..is the strumming and finding somewhere to position my UKE and keep some level of control. I am an old beginner and it has taken almost 5 weeks with lots of practice to remember cords the ones I continue to struggle with the change of cord G and G7. Thanks Lisa…
This is so lame but…my biggest – and only – challenge at present is to actually pick it up and try to play. I just bought it, enrolled in your course, tried to tune it with a Snark that I also bought, and now it sits on the kitchen island, staring back at me. I had delusions of plucking and singing old-timey songs that i love (Red, Red Robin, Happy Trails, etc.) but am so intimidated. I couldn’t even tune the thing properly. I get inspired by your lessons, but then feel like it’s just beyond me. And since I’m 65, it’s not like I have all the time in the world to get past this ‘block’!
Hi Brett,
I have only had your lessons for a COUPLE OF WEEKS AND WHILE I HAVE IMPROVED OUT OF SIGHT, I STILL STRUGGLE WITH SMOOTHLY CHANGING CHORDS WHILE STRUMMING CONSISTENTLY. I GUESS I NEED TO PRACTICE MORE & KEEP WITH THE LESSONS.
tHANKS,
bILL
Hi Brett and thanks for your site
My main challenge as a new player is getting my arthritic fingers not to hit two strings at a time. Also sore fingers
Regards
Pam
My toughest problem is going to be estblishing enough practice time with my children. Once I finish building the three Ukuleles, all three of us are going to be off on our way to learning how to play.
I just can’t stretch my fingers far enough to play some of the chords! I’m at work right now and can’t recall, but I think it’s some of the Es and Bs that just won’t happen.
I’ve only just begun about 2 weeks ago, I’m struggling changing my fingers to the G7 chord, tricks me each time are there any tricks to get your fingers to go there…..I’ve memorised F chord and C chord…I’m teaching myself so I can teach my 7yr old son, whom has working memory issues….
My uke, or Buke, is my first instrument and I’m a newbie with 6 weeks practice behind me. I’ve hit a block with holding the uke now I’ve moved beyond thumb strumming. It slides all over the place making shaping and changing chords much harder. I’m wondering if I can glue something to the base to attach a strap and then tie the other end round the neck? Timing is a real toughie too when learning a new song. I’ve seen some songs with strums marked in between chords – massively useful. Finally it’s hard to get Baritone uke specific info like scales which I’d like to practice at the beginning of a session. Superb site by the way – loads of useful resources, and the theory is brilliantly explained. Big thanks.
My biggest challenge in playing is not having a ukulele!! I pulled 4 strings off of my mandolin of sorts and it is working ok, I guess. I would really like to find one that needs work, or build one. I think that I will really enjoy this instrument. I am a guitar player, so this was pretty easy for me to pick up.
I’m just picking up the ukelele after many, many, years. I took lessons and played as a child.
Some things come right back, but I’m having trouble changing chords smoothly. My fingers aren’t as nimble as they used to be!
I’m going to keep practicing. This is fun!
Two main things:
1. Making my strumming sound good
2. How much my left hand seems to ache after even a short amount of play time – does it ever get less painful or am I doing it wrong?
My brain knows the chord shape but the information takes a long time getting to my fingers!!
I have several challenges, but they all stem from one issue: finding time to practice. Working full time and teaching part time doesn’t lend itself to much spare time, but my goal this year is to MAKE time. Also, I am a self taught – had a uke when I was a girl (my dear Great Aunt brought one home from Hawaii!), but got away from it. A few years back, for my husband’s 50th birthday, his only wish was for a simple celebration where his musical fiends got together, and each would perform a song chosen just for the “birthday boy.” With only a few months to prepare, I picked up my uke, figured out some chords and spent every waking hour sneaking away from him to practice Ingrid Michaelson’s “The Way I Am”. Turned out OK! Glad to have your lessons available: it will make my return to playing so much easier. Thanks!
Dear Brett.
Firstly I like to thank you for all the help you provide for learning to play my uke.
I received a uke more than a year ago and learned to play the main chords and strums. Really enjoyed it! My husband is a great (he doesnt want to hear this) guitar player and he was doing finger exercises,
So…. I thought maybe that would be good for me too as I wasn’t being very accurate and I started. That has been a good decision but a massive challenge. But…. results are there!. I can now properly play ‘youve got a friend in me’ and feel a lot more comfortable on the strings. Could you find out some good sounding finger exercises? On the guitar it sounds nicer. Thanks again from far-away-Netherlands, Dimphna
Hello Brett my biggest challenge is that I was practicing in a Soprano uke and I just bought a concert and who I strum my finger hits de wood, if I strum up or down my finger hits de uke and I form know if my uke is wrong or a don’t have other choice I am really concerned and I would like help of anyone, thank you.
My biggest issue is switching chords quickly.
My biggest challenge is timing and rythmn. I can’t keep beat with my foot. If I have an outside source like a metronome I can do ok. Your Strumming Tricks lessons have helped immensly! Also I’m looking forward to fingerpicking. I played with my dad’s uke and banjo while growing up and can do the fingering with my right hand. Do you have a separate set of lessons on fingerpicking?
My biggest challenge so far is learning how to play the chords for a song and sing it without one messing up the other. I typically hit a spot where the lyrics speed up so in turn my strumming will but it may not be the right time for that, then I struggle to keep up on the chord change in time and it all falls apart. I am realizing that it is very helpful to just sing the song without the ukelele for a day or so, and then strum it without singing. Then they actually do come together a bit better, it just takes longer than you think. It is also helpful to watch YouTube and see a variety of people play and sing the song, that seems to help a bit.
Fingerpicking!!! This is my biggest challange!!!
I have 2 challenges with learning the Uke. One is getting my fingers in the right position with the right pressure so the chord sounds right and two, going from an “F” Chord to a “G” Chord. I know that practice is the key, but my fingers just don’t want to co-operate!
Thanks, Barb
My biggest challenge is to keep the constant rhythm in strumming or picking.
My biggest challenge: Is the FACT they my ring finger on my left hand is SHORT due to a genetic issue that my knuckle is set back further than my other fingers. I just CAN’T reach the top string on any of the chords and I don’t know how to overcome this problem. I bought a soprano ukulele. That helps a very small amount. I end up popping my carpel tunnel ligaments in my wrist causing much discomfort. Do you have any tips and tricks that you can show with a video or images on how to adjust for this malformation? Otherwise, I’ve wasted my money on this ukulele and it will just sit, unless my husband who knows how to play the guitar can use it. But it makes me sad because I really wanted to learn and be good at something and would have liked it to be this. Thanks for your help!
Having time to practice is a big challenge. I am a wheelchair user and tire
Easily in a sitting position, Also with short fingers barring chords and some
chords are difficult to do, which is why I gave up on guitar and decided to try
Ukulele; and that’s after playing violin in earlier years.
My biggest changllenge is so far is the “E“ chords. The finguring is difficult. I avoid it at this time but I know I will eventually have to get trough tem. There seem to be lots of song using the E chord.
Knowing how, what and when to practice.
My biggest challenge is when I try to play chords that require more that one string to be covered by a single finger my finger isn’t big enough to cover both of them enough to not make it sound muffled.
The biggest challenge for me right now is teaching 30 middle school age kids to love playing the uke as much as I do. What to give them first? How to keep them excited. Their songs are different than mine so trying to find common ground is difficult.
Teaching keeps you working hard to stay ahead of your students…I guess that’s a good thing!
Brett i am a beginner who has actually played at a gig (after 3 weeks of learning masked by other uke players mind you) But my biggest obstacles are getiing to the awkward chords on time and strumming my strumming tecnique is good sometimes and not others i cannot strum with thum and finger so i strum with all four fingers and find this much easier but i do not always hit all the strings so not good. My strumming is in time. I use my nails to strum is there a perfect way to strum with all four fingers.
I am a guitarist. I’m very knowledgeable of music theory. I gave my ukelele to my 9 year old grandson for Christmas.
I refer to your sight for knowledge and guidance while teaching him. I think changing keys, temporary key charges are a bit difficult on this instrument. Is there a series of hand positions or patterns that work in different keys? Must you memorize a bazillion different chords or is there a simple approach?
I am so frustrated. I have my uke tuned nicely but when my fingers try to sit on the correct places I seem to have such a hard time getting them to move, stay, play. I have tried the mountain dulcimer, hammered dulcimer, pan pipe (ha), indian flute and now a uke. I’m just not any good at any of it. It’s like I’m doomed to never be any good at playing any instrument. Oh well I tried.
Finger-picking
small uke, strings close and “fat” fingers means that when i put the tips of one finger on a string i am laying/resting/obstructing another string .. is the uke too small for me?
I have always found strumming patterns the hardest, putting them together with cords and song lyrics and getting the correct rhythm.
Hi, I have only been learning to play for 8 weeks. I am experiencing many challenges on many fronts (smooth chord changes, speeding up, etc) however I think my biggest challengs is identifying a strumming patterns to fit in with the tune I am trying to play. Hopefully practice makes perfect!!
Fast, precise chord changes, playing a credible barred D.
Biggest challenge? Hmmmmm.
learning licks.
that is after I figure out how to remember chords!!
my biggest challenge is changing one chord to another for some chords, without looking at the fingers. I realize that doing this should be automatic, and in some cases it is like going from c major to f major or g7 etc but I always have to look at the fingers to find the g major chord. Will more practice make this easier, or is it just the fingering?
Biggest challenge: finding time to play and practice. Chords are another challenge, getting my fingers in the right spot. Some chords seem impossible to contort fingers into position and not mute other strings.
So I’ve read though most of the comments and I find I keep saying me too! lol I’ve been playing for about a year but only been really consistent (daily) for the past four months or so. I find that I jump around in my practice (as some have mentioned) and as others have mentioned, I would love to know ways to change up songs, add in melody notes to make it more interesting.
i wanna ask u a question is about ur new book “Exerciese for Dummies “.isn’t it all the pattern example is have the audio in book ?
My biggest challenge is the different strumming patterns for different songs.
My fingers hurt!!!! It slows me down. Any hints?
I have no trouble with the strumming hand.
Surely there must be an easy way to play melody. I play most of the chords well enough to sing a song with, but some melody would enhance the performance. HELP
Getting Old fingers to move quick enough but I like a challenge.
Hi Bret., I can not figure out the strums patterns after listening to any of the songs I like. I try various strums for these tunes but nothing sounds the same as the original song. I’m. Only been learning ukulele about a year. I never played anything before and didn’t even know how to read music. Your lessons and books really help, but I want to play correctly and stum with the songs. Thanks Holly
Tuning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Brett,
Changing smoothly between certain chords – you know the ones I mean!
Strumming (as mentioned above) and finding songs I like to play/sing. I don’t really enjoy all the ones people seem to be really jazzed about. I love the old folk-y type tunes and I chorded out a Mr. Roger’s song myself that I like but I want to find more songs like Puff the Magic Dragon that I’ve loved to sing since I was a kid. I skipped ahead several lessons to learn that one.
I guess my biggest challenge is not knowing how to tune it and remembering the fingerlings are difficult for me.
I find it hard to remember the chords. Frustrating! !
To play more evenly and louder.canyou uae a pick and what kind do I need
honestly my biggest problem is being too excited about playing I wanna do too much too fast. I never played a stringed instrument b4 and I seem to be picking it up pretty quickly. Perhaps I’m just posting this to encourage new players to just slow down and learn the basics, strumming patterns especially in my case. But it’s just so much fun
totally love the site McBrett 
im just a beginner and im now working with each chords. E major is kind of tough for me because of the finger stretch. the other challenging thing is to effortlessly change the chords without a break while playing a song. the barred chords also at times becomes difficult
I have been playing if that’s what you can call it for about 2 months and the chuck strum is still giving me problems as well as the more interesting strum patterns.
Biggest challange is getting my 57 year old fingers on the strings without running out of room.
biggest problem is positioning fingers to play the chords and shift from one to the other
My biggest challenge is that my fingers always prevent me from strumming the music out perfectly.
Strumming! I end up doing the same pattern for every song and it sounds so boring!
I’d like to learn strumming patterns and ways to distinguish what strumming pattern should be used.
I find it very hard to move my hand along the neck of the ukulele to play chords and i can not read the tab clearly when i tend to learn a complex fingerstyle song! Can u explain the ukulele scale again, i still don’t under standand though i have read your post about that. But McBrett’s site help to improve me alot. And i have a question that ukulele have steel string? and should we play ukulele inplastic or steel? Thanks!!!!
I’m a raw beginner, also 77 years old. I can’t seem to hold and balance the instrument in my right arm. The ukulele head slides down and so my left hand is not free to make clean or rapid chord changes. I’m still at the C-G-F stage, but I am sure I’ll have more posts.
I’ve Been playing Uke for only one month. I really love this instrument. I still didn’t figure out to fingerpick correctly. I’m desesperatly looking for REALY easy songs to learn a little bit of technique.
Just starting out; a couple of weeks in. Still learning basic chords and practicing strumming, but I think it would be helpful to be able to focus on a song and feel better about practicing. What’s a good, simple one that you can share with both chords and strumming pattern instructions?
Many thanks for all your help; really enjoying the learning process and can’t wait to get better! If only more time…sigh.
My hands fight with arthritis and diabetic nerve damage and although I have played the easy stuff for years, now I have trouble with barre chords and ones like the Bb..Keeping constant pressure on all the strings at once is difficult. Are there more alternate chords for Bb, D etc? One suggested chord I saw yesterday really helped. Thanks…Your teaching is very direct and easy to follow!
I’m very new at ukulele so I find it very hard to get my fingers over the strings properly. They get cramped easily and the pressure isn’t even over the strings. Not always a good sound.
The fingering is the hardest to learn… scales help though. Learning to move your fingers fast!
Finger picking melody or just playing solo melody
I think right now keeping up a steady strum is a challenge, especially while singing.
I have a hard time keeping pace with strumming and knowing when to change to the next chord. I have only just begun learning and unless I know how a song goes I struggle knowing the strumming pace.
My biggest challenge is strumming. I don’t have an ear for music whatsoever, so I can’t just “go along with the song.”
The hardest thing I am finding as a beginner is getting the strumming rhythm and pattern going
My greatest challenge is to get my fingers to do what my brain is telling them!
My biggest challenge as a newbie is strum patterns and sometimes changing chords. Some of the chord changes are just awkward and I know that a lot of chords have different ways of playing them, but learning all those different ways is tough.
The hardest issue for me is finding uninterrupted time to practice!
Where do I place my thumb while playing the cords.
My biggest challenge is how to find reliable sources to teach me how to play songs, as well as strumming up.
My biggest challenge is make my own arrangement.
I am totally new to ukulele got my first about 3 weeks ago. I have pretty good handle on the basic chords and strumming patterns. By far my biggest challenge is tuning. Every time one of my keikis gets a hold of my ukulele they mess wit it and it takes me FOR ever to tune it and even then I feel like it’s not quite right. Any advice?
i struggle to move to the next chord, like it’s mainly from anything to a G, i struggle to get there in time
Holding the ukelele in place while shifting chords! Just can’t get it right
My biggest challenge is coming up with good strumming patterns to drive the song along. it’s so easy to fall back on the calyspso strum, but it gets boring for the listeners!!
Hi. I started playing about 6 weeks ago. I am just loving it and I am totally addicted but as I am old I have arthritic fingers and I find it difficult to reach certain chords. Is there any way round this please. many thanks Linda
Being a new player the thing that is that most problem at this time is keeping time. Keeping the strumming and cord changes in tune with other. I know this will come because a little while ago the biggest problem was remembering the cords.
My biggest challenge – as a beginner – is to not be a beginner anymore !!! Mainly to be able to UNDERSTAND the logic of the chords, enough so to figure out on my own how to use them to tag along my humming and singing…second challenge, be able to fingerpick on a few songs ( sooooo much fun ! and makes you feel and look like a pro…definitely not quite ready for that ! I find finger picking pretty DIFFICULT, any tricks ? ), AND I’d love to be able to play a dozen songs by HEART without the help of a tab sheet. That’s three challenges…OUPS. Thanks for your terrific and friendly tutorial.
Strumming Patterns that work with the songs I play.
Hi Brett, thks for the lessons/guides. Actually I started with ukulele after making a “storm’ ukulele myself by following a guidebook. Everything in this ukulele from neck, fret dimensions, head, turning pegs are original except I use local malaysian wood. The body is taken from a metal breakfast kellogs cereal can. It will not sound as good as the professionally make ukulele. I try to learn to play it when time available by following your lessons.
Best regards
Frank
I find fingerpicking difficult, especially if there is a chord change mid bar. I also find playing quickly difficult.
my biggest challenge is i cant remember certain chords especially E,Bbm,Bb.i stuck le with those chords.
I just started about 6 weeks ago, I still have trouble holding down the chords to get a nice sound, like the B flat for starter. Not sure if it is because of my uke, I got a Kala tenor travel uke, and the strings may be higher than some other ukes. Also, I have small hands. I’ll drag out my “Gripmaster” and work on stronger fingers. Now that I have played for a bit, maybe I’ll look in a soprano…
At this point my greatest challenge is not touching other strings when I’m playing chords. I expect I’ll get better with practice. I have short fingers and it is difficult to reach sometimes.
I feel my hands are wayyyy too small because I cant get the more separated chords, nor can I bar a chord without having a string end up sounding muffled. And my thumb on my left hand is always being positioned weirdly, is that supposed to happen? xD
And, while I’m writing in a comment on here, (and hopefully you’re actually reading our comments) thank you so much, Brett, for actually understanding us beginners and helping people all around with our ukuleles. Seriously, I don’t think I would have learned anything correctly right now if it weren’t for your website, videos, and just YOU.
T H A N K Y O U
Adding melody notes to strumming. Would seem to me to be a logical step following your strumming course and would be what I would most like to do.