Beginners

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HOW TO GET STARTED

Buy a uke and a book (my recommendations), and teach yourself, using the instruction book, the songs from this and other websites, and Jumpin' Jim Beloff's songbooks.
Come to the mid-month meetings of the GLASTONBURY UKULELE CLUB. The first hour (9:45am to 11:00am) is devoted to teaching beginners (from scratch!).
Contact me (Dr. Uke) to find out when I will be teaching Adult Ed or other group lessons.

Practice the most useful chord progression in several common keys:I I7 IV V7. Play a few songs, then come back and practice them some more!

VIDEOS OF DR. UKE AND DAUGHTERS from various venues in NYC

BEGINNERS' SONGS: (I recommend practicing them in the following order. Start with the slow versions. The "BAR" is a link to the baritone arrangement, for tuning DGBE)
- Lullaby and Goodnight/Guten Abend, Gut' Nacht (Brahms' Lullaby) * s BAR-3 chord song in keys of A and C-added 11/30/14
STRUMMING FOR BEGINNERS

Improve your ability to play songs in the common ukulele keys of C,F,G,D, and A by playing "Amazing Grace" and "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" in those keys. The first set of "Amazing Grace" contains just the basic three chords of the songs. By playing the "fancy" versions, you will learn other important chords (minors, 9ths, suspended 7ths). I plan to add other songs in those common ukulele keys, which will introduce other types of chords.

Amazing Grace-C s   BAR-added 1/3/16

Amazing Grace-F s   BAR-added 1/3/16

Amazing Grace-G s   BAR-added 1/3/16

Amazing Grace-D s   BAR-added 1/3/16

Amazing Grace-A s   BAR-added 1/3/16

Amazing Grace-C-Fancy s   BAR-added 1/3/16

Amazing Grace-F-Fancy s   BAR-added 1/3/16

Amazing Grace-G-Fancy s   BAR-added 1/3/16

Amazing Grace-D-Fancy s   BAR-added 1/3/16

Amazing Grace-A-Fancy s   BAR-added 1/3/16

NEW! I added slow versions of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot."

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot-C* s (slow)    BAR

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot-F* s (slow)    BAR

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot-G* s (slow)    BAR

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot-D* s (slow)    BAR

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot-A* s (slow)    BAR

(More songs below)

LITTLE (BUT VERY IMPORTANT) POINTS TO REMEMBER:

Keep your left thumb low in the back of the neck, and vertically oriented.
Strum over the fingerboard, not over the sound hole.
Keep the fingernails of your left hand short (if you're playing right-handed).
Hold the ukulele so that the right end hits your inner biceps muscle and your forearm crosses the uke's lower right. Then strum where your hand lands.
Practice your strumming away from the ukulele when you can. For example, in the car, on your seat belt.
Practice chord changes when you can. For example, during a television program, or at least during the commercials.
Smile!

More Beginners' Songs:

Abraham, Martin, and John *s   BAR (C)

Achy Breaky Heart *s   BAR (F)

Act Naturally *s   BAR (C)

Already Gone *s   BAR (C)

Auld Lang Syne * s   BAR (C)

Autumn To May s   BAR (D)

Baby, It's You *s   BAR (C)

Back In the Saddle Again s   BAR (C)

Ballad of Davy Crockett * s   BAR (C)

Ballad of Davy Crockett-with key change * s   BAR (C and D)

Barefoot Days *s   BAR (F)

Bird On the Wire s   BAR (A)

Blowin' In the Wind s   BAR (C)

Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain *s   BAR (D)

Blues On a Ukulele *s   BAR (Bb)

Bring It On Home To Me *s   BAR (D)

Bristol Stomp *s   BAR (A)

Bye Bye Love * s   BAR (F)

Bye Bye Love *   BAR (C)-no audio

Cab Driver *s   BAR (C)

Caissons Go Rolling Along s   BAR (C)

Can't You Hear My Heartbeat *s   BAR (F)

Catch the Wind s   BAR (C)

Chains *s   BAR (F)

Chapel of Love-C *s   BAR (C)

Chapel of Love-F *s   BAR (F)

Charlie On the M.T.A. s   BAR (G)

Claudette *s   BAR (A)

Crying *s   BAR (G)

Crystal Chandeliers *s   BAR (D)

Cupid/Another Saturday Night (Sam Cooke Medley)s   BAR (C and D)

Cupid (Sam Cooke)/Diana (Paul Anka) *s   BAR (C)

Deep In the Heart of Texas s   BAR (D)

Devil In Disguise *s   BAR (D)

Don't Say Nothin' Bad About My Baby *s   BAR (D)

Don't Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow) s   BAR (F)

Down In the Valley * s   BAR (C, D, and F)

Down On the Corner *s   BAR (D)

Dream Baby-C *s   BAR (C)

Dream Baby-Bb *s   BAR (Bb)

Easy To Be Hard *s   BAR (G)

Fiddlin' Dan (Arkansas Traveler tune) *s   BAR (D)

(Counting) Flowers On the Wall *s   BAR (F)

Follow Me *s   BAR (C)

Fooled Around and Fell In Love *s   BAR (G)

Fool On the Hill *s   BAR (G)

For He's a Jolly Good Fellow * s   BAR (C)

For Me and My Gal s   BAR (F)

For What It's Worth *s   BAR (D)

The Frozen Logger *s   BAR (C and D)

Funny How Time Slips Away *s   BAR (D)

Games People Play *s   BAR (D)

Garden Song * s   BAR (C)

Girl *s   BAR (Gm/Bb)

The Girl That I Marry *s   BAR (G)

Good Morning Starshine *s   BAR (F)

Goodnight, Irene s   BAR (F)

Grandfather's Clock s   BAR (F)

Greenback Dollar *s   BAR (F)

Help Me Make It Through the Night s   BAR (C)

Here Comes My Baby *s   BAR (D)

Hey Jude s   BAR (A)

Home On the Range s   BAR (C)

A Horse With No Name-Am s   BAR (Am)

A Horse With No Name-Dm s   BAR (Dm)

Humble and Kind s   BAR (G)

I Almost Lost My Mind *s   BAR (C)

I Can Help *s   BAR (G)

I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) s   BAR (D)

I Dig Rock and Roll Music s   BAR (A7)

I Like It, I Love It *s   BAR (G)

I Like It Like That *s   BAR (D)

I Love the Flower Girl (The Rain, the Park, and Other Things) *s   BAR (D)

I'll Be Your Baby Tonight s   BAR (D)

I'll Fly Away *s   BAR

I'm a Believer C * s   BAR (C)

I'm Leaving It All Up To You *s   BAR (D)

I'm Walkin' s   BAR (F)

I Never See Maggie Alone s   BAR (C)

I Never Will Marry *s   BAR (C)

I Think We're Alone Now *s   BAR (D)

I Walk The Line * s   BAR (C)

I Want to be Happy-easy * s   BAR (G and C)

I Want To Hold Your Hand *s   BAR (C)

I'm Gonna Make You Love Me *s   BAR (G)

I've Been Working on the RailRoad * s   BAR (C)

I've Got a Home In That Rock *s   BAR (C)

I've Just Seen a Face *s   BAR (D)

I've Told Every Little Star s   BAR (C)

Imagine *s   BAR (G)

In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree * s   BAR (C)

In the Summertime * s   BAR (C)

Island In the Sun s   BAR (C)

Isn't She Lovely s   BAR (F)

It Never Rains In Southern California s   BAR (F)

It's Only Make Believe-No key change s   BAR (F)

It Was a Very Good Year *s   BAR (D)

Jailhouse Rock-D *s   BAR (D)

Jailhouse Rock-G *s   BAR (G)

Jamaica Farewell s   BAR (C)

Jambalaya *s   BAR (A)

Jenny (or Jimmy) Mack *s   BAR (C)

Jingle Bells *   BAR (C)

Jingle Bells *   BAR (D)

Juanita s   BAR (C)

Just Walkin' In the Rain *s   BAR (C and D)

Kansas City s   BAR (A)

Kentucky Woman *s   BAR (G)

Lavender Blue *s   BAR (C)

Laws of Nature *s   BAR (C)

Lean On Me *s   BAR (A)

Lean On Me-G *s   BAR (G)

Let Me In (Whee-ooh)-A s   BAR (A)

Let Me In (Whee-ooh)-G   BAR-no audio (G)

Little Bitty Pretty One s   BAR (C)

A Little Bitty Tear s   BAR (C)

Little House On the Hill s   BAR (C)

Little Richard Medley * s   BAR (G)

Long, Long Ago s   BAR (C)

Look To the Rainbow *s   BAR (C)

Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)-no key change *s   BAR (D)

Love Is Blue *s   BAR (Dm)

Make the World Go Away *s   BAR (A)

Making Love, Ukulele Style *s   BAR (F)

Mama Look A Boo Boo (I Wonder Why Nobody Don't Like Me) *s   BAR (C)

Man (or Maid) of Constant Sorrow s   BAR (Bb)

McDonald's/Don't Eat the Liverwurst (parody-sung to the tune of "Down By the Riverside")* s   BAR (C)

Monster Mash s   BAR (G)

Moscow Nights (English version)-no key change *s   BAR (Am)

Moscow Nights/Dark Eyes (Russian songs-in English)*s   BAR (Am)

My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean -slow * s   BAR (F)

My Maria *s   BAR (G)

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down s   BAR (F)

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da *s   BAR (D)

Octopus's Garden *s   BAR (C)

Oh, Boy! *s   BAR (D and F)

Oh, Lonesome Me s   BAR (C and G)

Oh Lonesome Me/O Susanna Medley s   BAR (C)

Old Man *s   BAR (A)

On Top Of Old Smoky s   BAR (C)

Papa Loves Mambo *s   BAR (Bb)

Paper Roses-no key change (Marie Osmond/Loretta Lynn/Connie Francis)*s   BAR (G)

Party Doll/At the Hop/Do You Wanna Dance s   BAR (F and D)

Peggy Sue s   BAR (F)

Put Your Arms Around Me, Honey * s   BAR (Bb and C)

Ramblin' Rose s   BAR (A)

Red River Valley * s   BAR (C)

(Sinking of the) Reuben James *s   BAR (A)

Rock and Roll Is Here To Stay *s   BAR (F)

Rock and Roll Music *s   BAR (C)

Rock Around the Clock * s (slow)    BAR (C)

Rock Around the Clock-a little fancier s   BAR (C)

Roses Are Red s   BAR (C)

Sad Songs (Say So Much) *s   BAR (D)

Save the Last Dance For Me s   BAR (C and D)

Save the Last Dance For Me-no key change *   BAR (C)-no audio

Scarlet Ribbons s   BAR (D)

Searchin' * s   BAR

She'd Rather Be With Me-no key change *s   BAR (D)

She's Got a Way (About Her) *s   BAR (D)

Side By Side * s   BAR (C)

Since I Met You, Baby s   BAR (C)

Sister Golden Hair *s   BAR (C)

Solitary Man * s   BAR (C)

Songman s   BAR (A)

Song Sung Blue * s   BAR (C)

Spanish Eyes *s   BAR (F)

Splish Splash * s   BAR (G)

Stand By Me *s   BAR (C)

Starwood In Aspen s   BAR (C)

Stop In the Name of Love *s   BAR (C)

Sugar Town *s   BAR (G)

Summertime Blues s   BAR (C)

Sunshine s   BAR (F)

Sunshine On My Shoulders s   BAR (F)

Sweet City Woman *s   BAR (C)

Sweet Nothin's s   BAR (G)

Take a Message To Mary *s   BAR (C)

Take It To the Limit-C *s   BAR (C)

Take It To the Limit-D *s   BAR (D)

Take Me Out to the Ball Game s   BAR (A)

Takes Two To Tango (Pearl Bailey/Louis Armstrong)s   BAR (D and F)

Takes Two To Tango-no key change (Pearl Bailey/Louis Armstrong)s   BAR (D)

Take These Chains From My Heart *s   BAR (C)

Teach Your Children Well *s   BAR (C)

There Is a Tavern in the Town * s   BAR (C)

Things-no key change s   BAR (C)

This Land Is Your Land *s   BAR (C)

Time of the Season *s   BAR (Am)

Tired of Waiting For You *s   BAR (C)

Twistin' the Night Away s   BAR (C)

Two Brothers *s   BAR (Am)

Up On Cripple Creek *s   BAR (D)

Wagon Wheel *s   BAR (F)

Was a Sunny Day *s   BAR (C)

Well, Well, Well *s   BAR (Am)

When *s   BAR (D and Eb)

When a Man Loves a Woman s   BAR (C)

When the Red, Red Robin Goes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along * s   BAR (C)

When the Saints Go Marching In *   BAR (C)

When the Saints Go Marching In * s   BAR (A)

Where Have All the Flowers Gone s   BAR (A)

The Whiffenpoof Song *s   BAR (A)

Whistle While You Work *s   BAR (F)

The Wild Rover s   BAR (D)

Windy *s   BAR (C)

Wishin' and Hopin' s   BAR (C)

Witch Doctor-no key change *s   BAR (F)

Won't You Be My Neighbor-easier s   BAR (C)

Yankee Doodle s   BAR (F)

Yes Sir, That's My Baby * s   BAR (C)

Yesterday's Gone *s   BAR (D)

You Are My Sunshine -slow * s   BAR (C)

You Don't Mess Around With Jim *s   BAR (C)

You Never Can Tell *s   BAR (A)

You Raise Me Up *s   BAR (C and D)

Your Cheatin' Heart * s   BAR (C)

You're Only Lonely *s   BAR (C)

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy (I Got Love In My Tummy) *s   BAR (B and C)

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy (I Got Love In My Tummy)-no key change *s   BAR (B and C)

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