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How to Play the Ukulele

Stephen Rampur
One of the most important tips on playing the ukulele is to tune it first. This write-up tells you more about how to play the ukulele...
I think my first instrument was a ukulele that they gave me. I used to know how to play that pretty well.- Don Henley 

The ukulele is a stringed musical instrument which is considered to be from the family of guitars. Just like the guitar, it is also believed to be a traditional instrument.
This instrument is used in a variety of music genres such as Hawaiian, folk, classical, and many other types. If you know the basics of how to play guitar, you can easily grasp playing the ukulele as well. There are few differences in the playing style of both instruments though.
For example, the ukulele generally has four strings, unlike the six strings in a rhythm guitar. The tuning patterns are also a bit different, which is why chord positions vary. Holding and strumming a ukulele is somewhat the same as a guitar.

Playing the Ukulele for Beginners

Buying the Instrument

When it comes to buying the instrument, you need to first consider the types; which are mainly soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. The soprano is the most common one used by beginner musicians.
The sizes of these instruments differ; such as the soprano being the smallest, followed by the concert, and then the tenor and finally the biggest 'baritone'. Once you get your hands comfortably on the soprano ukulele, you can play all types.

Tuning the Ukulele

The tuning pattern of the types of ukuleles can be different. The standard tuning on the soprano ukulele is the G-C-E-A pattern. Some may even change the format to A-D-F#-B. The G-C-E-A pattern is also applicable to concert and tenor ukuleles.
On the other hand, baritone ukulele is normally tuned to the D-G-B-E format which can also be used on the tenor one. For beginners, it is always better to stick to the standard tuning pattern till you are familiar with the instrument.

Chording the Ukulele

The chording on the ukulele is supposed to be done in the same way as on the guitar, but just on different positions of the fretboard. If you are searching for tips on playing ukulele tabs, following are the tablatures. Here are, the numbers denote the frets on which the chording fingers are to be placed.
C Chord
A ----------3----------
E ---------------------
C ---------------------
G ---------------------

D Chord
A ---------------------
E ----------2----------
C ----------2----------
G ----------2----------
E Chord
A ----------2----------
E ----------4----------
C ----------4----------
G ----------4----------

F Chord
A ---------------------
E ----------1----------
C ---------------------
G ----------2----------

G Chord
A ----------2----------
E ----------3----------
C ----------2----------
G ---------------------
A Chord
A ---------------------
E ---------------------
C ----------1----------
G ----------2----------

B Chord
A ----------2----------
E ----------2----------
C ----------3----------
G ----------4----------

Strumming the Ukulele

The ukulele must be plucked or strummed with your fingers or thumb. Similar to guitar strumming, the rhythm code has to be kept in mind when strumming the ukulele. The most basic pattern is the one down and one up. Considering the rhythm and beats, experiment with different rhythmic styles. Remember that the rhythm styles are similar to guitar playing.
Hopefully, earlier information on how to play the ukulele might have been helpful for you in learning about the skill. Guitar players can easily learn to play the ukulele in just a few weeks of regular practice. You'll primarily have to concentrate on the fretboard fingerings. In order to become adept, you'll have to practice at least two hours a day.