Curt Sheller • All Things `Ukulele and Jazz Guitar

The Basics and Beyond!!! Take your playing to the next level.
The Internet's largest collection of information for ukulele and jazz guitar.

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Getting Started with Ukulele

Getting Started with Ukulele?

toon_UkeleleBearFirst thing is to get a ukulele. Get a few, they come in four sizes and all different shapes, wood, finishes, acoustic, electric, solid body, archtop. There is even a banjo and bass ukulele.

Plus they are fun!

You can take you ukulele playing to any level. From a few simple basic chords to complicated solo ukulele arrangements like I have available right here.

I have a great page listing over 100+ ukulele manufactures and builders. And, a page of dealers I recommend.

The ukulele community is a great, accepting communication of people just wanting to have fun with ukulele.

Here are a few ukulele lessons to get you stated. Lessons on the possible tunings of ukulele, the various sizes, bais chords, strums and more...

Selecting a Ukulele

Lesson Code: UL128
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2011-12-09

Lesson Info

The ukulele (pronounced oo-koo-lele) comes in four sizes: Soprano (sometimes called Standard), Concert, Tenor and Baritone.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Common Ukulele Tunings

Lesson Code: UL101
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2012-04-11

Lesson Info

Any tuning is possible on a ukulele as long as the construction supports it and a string is available. Here are the most common tunings for the Ukulele shown in concert pitch.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Reading Ukulele TAB - Alternate Notation

Lesson Code: UL22
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2005-01-02

Lesson Info

TAB or Tablature Tablature is a form of musical notation, which tells players where to place their fingers on a particular instrument rather than which pitches to play.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Basic Ukulele Chords - C Tuning

Lesson Code: ULM40
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2012-01-04

Lesson Info

The art and science of chord fingering. Learning your basic open position chords in common keys.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Natural, Sharp and Flat Notes of the Ukulele Fingerboard - C Tuning

Lesson Code: UL23
Published: 2005-09-23
Updated: 2005-09-23

Lesson Info

Standard music notation, the natural, sharp and flat notes of the ukulele fingerboard for C tuned ukuleles. Covers both high C and low G tuning variations.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Which Way Is Up? - Up, Down, Ascending, Descending, etc...

Lesson Code: UL32
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2011-07-05

Lesson Info

What is up, down, higher, lower, top, bottom, ascending, descending on a ukulele? Up, down, higher, lower, top, bottom, ascending, descending should refer to musical pitch and not to direction as we know it.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Learning the Ukulele Fingerboard (Finally!!!)

Lesson Code: UL07
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2011-03-13

Lesson Info

Most players struggle with learning the names of the notes of the ukulele fingerboard. There doesn’t seem to a pattern and notes repeat. There is an easy way and...

...it’s easier that you think!

Most players know the names of the open strings for their tuning. In “C” tuning the open strings are named G C E A, no sharps or flats.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Naming Chords on Ukulele

Lesson Code: UL20
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2005-01-02

Lesson Info

A Chord can have alternate names based on how it is being used. A chord's function is an important determining factor in naming a chord.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Dominant Seventh Chords?

Lesson Code: UL108
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2011-11-20

Lesson Info

Not all seventh chords are actually "dominant" seventh chords. This lesson covers when is a Dominant Seventh Chord NOT really a Dominant seventh?

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Fingerstyle Basics for Ukulele - t i m r, ( p i m a )

Lesson Code: UL112
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2011-10-17

Lesson Info

Exploring fingerstyle on ukulele. This lesson covers the common terms used for identifing the fingers used. And, presents a series of single string exercises for exploring and developing the techniques needed for this style.

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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The Major Scale

Lesson Code: UL124
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2011-09-05

Lesson Info

The Major Scale or Ionian scale is a diatonic scale, made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first one octave higher. In solfege these notes correspond to the syllables "Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti/Si, (Do)",

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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The Trouble with TAB

Lesson Code: UL43
Published: 2005-01-02
Updated: 2010-12-12

Lesson Info

TAB, short for tablature is a form of musical notation using numbers and letters on a staff that that corresponds to the number of strings of fretted string instrument. Theses number tell a player which fret to place their fingers on rath

Lessons Link

click on below link for complete lesson.

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Thanks for visiting and checking out the site!

Content is always being added and updated. So check-in often. Thanks, Curt

Over 440 lessons, 54 songs and TABS, 240+ archtop luthiers, 180+ ukulele builders, festival information, ukulele links on the web. On the web since the early 90's and growing everyday.

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GETTING_STARTED.PHP | Updated: Sunday, 09th June, 2013 @ 10:56pm

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