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Learning Ukulele Strums - A Recipe for Success
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A strum is the execution of a rhythmic pattern - in a specific style at tempo.
Learning Strums, A Receipe for Success covers how to go about learning the various rhythmic patterns that are strums.
Strumming requires a specific set of skills. They are: 1) Memorization of chords 2) The ability to switch chords smoothly and 3) The ability to choose and execute a suitable rhythmic strum.
This series of lesson's focus is on the execution.
Six Essential Scales for Ukulele
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The six essential scale are: Blues, Major Pentatonic, Mixolydian, Dorian, Aeolian, and Ionian.
There are two scales that can be the memorized and all other essential scales referenced from these two. These two scales are the Major and Natural Minor scales. The Major and Natural Minor scales are traditional scales and common scales in all forms of contemporary music. This lesson explores the Major and Natural Minor scales and their derivations.
From these two scales the Blues, Major Pentatonic, Mixolydiand and Dorian scale can be created.
Core Chords - Creating the Big Six from F7, 1st Voicing
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Taking a movable F7 chord, you can derive each of the 'big six' essential chords. 7, maj7, m7, m7b5, dim7, and aug7.
Featured Books 
Learning the Ukulele Fingerboard - C Tuning
Beyond knowing the names of the open strings most ukulele players find it hard to learn the whole fingerboard.
If your goal is to finally learn the names of the notes on the ukulele fingerboard. Then "Learning the Ukulele Fingerboard" is your answer. "Learning the Ukulele Fingerboard - C Tuning" has a step by step approach to finally mastering the ukulele fingerboard. FREE download.
The Blues Scale
Learn to play the Blues scale on ukulele. Available in "C" Tuning. Scale diagrams in the QuickStart format and chords chart for all keys. This book is a FREE download.
Ukulele Chords
NEW This small (1/2 size) chord book is a great little book to carry with you. Ukulele Chords covers basic open position and basic movable form chords. From these two chord categories a variety of songs and styles can be played.
A Guide to Ukulele Chords
This book is designed as a guide to ukulele (pronounced “oo-koo-lele”) chords. Covering basic ukulele chords that ALL uke players MUST know, movable chord forms, rock uke chords, how to transpose chords, learning the ukulele fingerboard and an introduction to 4-part “jazz” chords and more...
Ukulele For Guitar Players
Ukulele for Guitar Players is a guide to transferring the accumulated experience and knowledge gained as a guitar played to the ukulele.
A Guide to Blues Chord Progressions for Ukulele A to Z
Covers the key of C major and C minor, including a detailed accompanying text explaining the principles behind each progression and the chord substutitions.
Exploring "Jazz" Chords on Ukulele
Exploring "Jazz" Chords takes the core chords from A Guide to Advanced Chords for Ukulele and shows their use over a variety of common chord progressions based on songs from the standard jazz repertoire.
A Guide to Advanced Chords for Ukulele
If your goal is to expand your chord vocabulary, The Advanced Guide to Ukelele Chords Series is your answer. Commonly referred to as "jazz" chords. A Guide to Advanced Ukulele Chords Volume I provides detailed information on voicing 4-part chords.
The Advanced Guide to Guitar Chords
Commonly referred to as "jazz" chords this provides detailed information on voicing 4-part chords.
Harmonic Analysis For Scale Selection And Chord Substitution
Harmonic Analysis is the understanding of the functional sequence of chords. It is the process used to analyze the harmonic structure of a progression, song or composition. This analysis is then used to make scale selections for improvisation and chord substitution.
Ukulele - Reading Music Series
Reading Music in Open Position, Single Note Studies- Primer. Reading music is not as hard as one might think. It may be new and unfamiliar to you but is not hard when you have a proper plan of attack.
Featured Song/TAB
Blue Bossa
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Blue Bossa is an instrumental jazz composition by Kenny Dorham (August 30, 1924 – December 5, 1972). It was introduced on Joe Henderson's 1963 album Page One. A blend of hard bop and bossa nova, the tune was possibly influenced by Dorham's visit to the Rio de Janeiro Jazz Festival in 1961. The tune has since been recorded numerous times by different artists, making it a jazz standard.
Includes: Play-along Lead Sheet, Ukulele TAB of Melody, Melody and Chord Ukulele rrangement, example chords and scales for accompanment and improv.
Over 1800 pages of
ukulele, guitar and music content. And 146 lessons for FREE or any donations.
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Learning Bass Guitar
Chord Substitution Principles
Lesson Code: MLRMA08
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969
Lesson Info
A substitution is when a chord replaces or is used in addition to an existing chord.
Chords can have a active or passive quality to them. Active chords tend to be restless and want to move on to other chords. Passive chords tend to offer a feeling of rest and resolution. This cycle of active and passive chords are what gives chord progressions their feeling of movement.
Lessons Link
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Demystifying Cut Time by Chuck Anderson
Lesson Code: ML04
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969
Lesson Info
Cut Time is a source of confusion for many musicians. What exactly does it mean and how do you apply it?
Too often cut time is thought of as having two beats in a measure. There are not two beats in a measure of cut time - there are four beats in a measure of cut time. So what makes cut time any different than common time 4/4 time?
Lessons Link
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Lesson Info
An Enharmonic Equivalent is where a musical pitch can have different names depending on the context in which it is functioning. An example is G# produces the same pitch as Ab.
Enharmonic equivalents will sound the same but are notated differently using standard music notation.
Lessons Link
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Lesson Info
Common and not so common music terms.
Knowing the language and terms used with music aides in your own understanding when exploring your music potential.
Lessons Link
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- Go to full lesson: Glossary of Music Terms
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Harmonic Analysis - Full Diatonic
Lesson Code: MLRMA09
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969
Lesson Info
Harmonic Analysis is the understanding of the functional sequence of chords. It is the process used to analyze the harmonic structure of a progression, song or composition. This analysis is then used to make scale selections for improvisation and chord substitution. This lesson covers the Full Diatonic harmonic principle..
Lessons Link
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Practice Cycles and Sequences
Lesson Code: UL18
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969
Lesson Info
Sequences and cycles for practicing scales, intervals, melodic sequences and arpeggios.
These sequences also help in learning where any interval is of a given note, the chord tones of chords and aides in memorizing scales.
Lessons Link
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The Learning Process - The Mind, Hands and Ears
Lesson Code: UL450
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969
Lesson Info
For music and learning an instrument like the ukulele or guitar, it's all about the making the connection between the Mind, Hands and Ear.
When listening to music, we enjoy it at the tempo the composer or artist intended, in real time. Only the ear is involved in listening. This is passive listening and enjoying the music. This is what we do everyday. It's what draws us to want to learn a musical instrument.
Lessons Link
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Understanding Chromatic Intervals
Lesson Code: UL31b
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969
Lesson Info
An interval is the distance between two notes. An interval has a name and a type.
Chromatic Intervals are NOT taken from a major scale. They are derived from the diatonic intervals.
Lessons Link
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Understanding Interval Inversion
Lesson Code: UL31c
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969
Lesson Info
Inverting intervals using the Rule of Nine.
Lessons Link
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Lesson Info
An interval is the distance between two notes. An interval has a name and a type. They can be played melodically or harmonically.
Simple Diatonic Intervals are taken from a major scale.
Lessons Link
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- Go to full lesson: Understanding Intervals
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What is the different between a Scale and a Mode?
Lesson Code: UL110
Published: December 31, 1969
Updated: December 31, 1969
Lesson Info
A scale and mode can contain exactly the same notes. So when it is a scale and when is it a mode?
This lesson explores the content that determine when a scale is a mode.
Lessons Link
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“A strum is the execution of a rhythmic pattern — in a specific style”
A Guide to Ukulele Strums
One of the first skills a ukulele player learns is the art and craft of strumming, playing rhythm. This refers to an accompaniment technique suitable for the singer, singer - songwriter or someone who plays a support role for another instrument.
Strumming requires a specific set of skills. They are: 1) Memorization of chords 2) The ability to switch chords smoothly and 3) The ability to choose and execute a suitable rhythmic strum. It is this 3rd skill that is our focus in “A Guide to Ukulele Strums & Rhythmic Patterns”.
Though strumming looks natural to the casual observer, it is anything but natural to the beginning ukulele player. Even experienced players have difficulty in identifying and executing certain strums. Though this is one of those topics that is typically taken for granted, there is much to learn about rhythmic feels, accents, dynamics, strum direction, feel, percussive accents, idiomatic styles and tempo variation.
First and foremost, the subject of strumming is inseparably linked to rhythm. Though an ability to read rhythm is helpful, it’s not necessary to profit from this material.
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