Learn three songs on the ukulele

Ukulele for beginners is a gentle place to start with music. The instrument is small, the strings are soft, and a few chords will take you through a lot of songs. You don’t need to read music. The plan here is simple: tune it, learn four chords, then pick three songs you love and practise a little each night.

Before you play

Choose a beginner ukulele. Soprano and concert sizes are the common choices. A beginner instrument in the catalogue’s small-treat range is enough. What matters is that it stays in tune and is comfortable to hold. If a shop is near, hold a few.

Find a quiet spot with a chair without arms, where you can sit up straight. Keep your phone nearby for the tuner and chord charts, but turn off notifications.

Tune it

Standard tuning is G, C, E, A, from the string nearest your chin to the one nearest your knee. Use a free tuner app: pluck one string at a time and turn its tuning peg slowly until the app shows it’s in tune. Turn the peg gently, and tune up to the note, not down from above. New strings go out of tune often in the first days, so check every time you play.

How to hold it

Rest the body against your forearm and your chest, and support the neck with your left hand, without squeezing it. Strum with the right hand, relaxed, using your thumb or the side of your index finger. If you’re left-handed, reverse this, or ask the shop about a left-handed instrument.

Learn four chords

C, A minor, F and G are the classic first chords. Take them one at a time, using a chord chart from the app or from a free site.

1. C: one finger, on the third fret of the string nearest your knee.
2. A minor: one finger, on the second fret of the G string, the one nearest your chin.
3. F: two fingers, with a finger on the first fret of the E string and one on the second fret of the G string.
4. G: three fingers, which is the hardest of the four. Go slowly.

Practise each chord by itself: place your fingers, strum once, and check that every string rings clearly. Then change between two chords, slowly. The change is the real skill, and it improves quickly with repetition.

Pick three songs

Choose songs you already know by heart, so you can hear if you’re right. Search for the song’s name with the word “ukulele chords”, and choose one that uses only a few chords. Many songs need only C, A minor, F and G. Learn one fully before the next.

A practice routine

1. Tune. One minute.
2. Warm up. Play each chord four times.
3. Practise changes. Switch between two chords for a few minutes.
4. Play a song from beginning to end, even with mistakes. Don’t stop to fix them.
5. Stop after 10 to 20 minutes.

Where to find chord charts

Search for a song’s name with the words “ukulele chords”, and you’ll usually find free charts, often with a simple version for beginners. Many tuner and ukulele apps also have chord libraries. Choose a chart that shows the chords above the words and shows how many times to strum, and print it or keep it on a stand so your hands stay free.

What goes wrong

• Strings buzz. Press closer to the fret wire, not the middle of the gap, and press a bit harder.
• A string sounds dead. Another finger is probably touching it. Arch your fingers so only the tips touch.
• Your fingertips hurt. That’s normal for the first week or two. Take short sessions, and it passes as the skin hardens.
• Changes are too slow. Play slower than you think you need to. Speed comes later.
• It won’t stay in tune. New strings stretch. Re-tune often for the first few days.
• You’re stuck on one chord. Skip to a song with different chords and come back.

Make it a winter evening

Winter is a good season for it. Keep the ukulele out of its case on a chair or a stand, where you’ll see it and pick it up for five minutes. After a few weeks you can play a song to a friend, or alongside a winter playlist you made.