How to Play the Ukulele

Posted on May 28th, 2009 by Marck

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading ...

No Comments (Post Comment)

Republish

The ukulele may seem to be a child’s instrument, but it is one of the most fun and lively string instruments that you can play. Anyone can play a ukulele; but like any musical instrument, it takes a lot of practice and skill to make good music with a ukulele. Here are some tips to help you play this lively string instrument.

What is a Ukulele?

The ukulele is a musical instrument similar to guitars, lutes, and harps. The ukulele originated from the Pacific Islands, and is often associated with the music of Hawaii. The ukulele has four strings that make sharp, calm tones. The instrument can be used on its own, with other ukuleles, or as part of an ensemble.

ukulele playing The length and size of a ukulele determines the pitch of its sound. Like a guitar, the ukulele can be tuned, but tuning the instrument can only get you so far. Here are some of the types and sizes of ukuleles you can buy from music stores:

With a 13-inch long scale, the soprano is the most common size of ukulele.
The concert ukulele has a 15-inch scale, and has a louder tone than the soprano ukulele.
Tenor ukuleles have 17-inch scales, and have a wider and more flexible tuning range than other ukuleles.
Baritone is a 19-inch ukulele that is the equivalent of a bass guitar, and is used for low tones.

Chords

A guitar chord book will not work for a musical piece played with a ukulele. Many bookstores and music shops offer books with tablatures and chords designed and written for the ukulele. It’s very important for you to follow the chords in a book first, before you experiment with your own compositions. The neat thing is that most of the basic chords, notes and scales in ukulele music can be accomplished by manipulating just one or two strings on the fretboard.

Plucks, Strums, and Rolls

Playing a ukulele is a lot like playing guitar, with a few subtle differences:

Plucks are quick skips over a single string. You can also pluck a ukulele by pinching the string upward, so that the sound can reverberate along the body of the instrument.
Strums are usually performed by running the thumb across all four strings of the ukulele. Some people use a pick, but it’s best to use your thumb.
Rolls are a series of plucks and strums performed in rapid succession. Rolls make your music routine easy to listen to, and gives the musical piece a livelier feel.

Ukuleles may seem simple, but they can be quite tricky to play. With these tips, you can play the ukulele from sunrise to sunset, bidding your listeners aloha oe, as the humuhumunukunukuwakawaka skip along the blue ocean.