1. Beginning Ukulele
Feb. 9th,
2017

2. 1. History Of The Ukulele 4. Useful Resources 2. The Tuning Debate
Some General Information:
1. History Of The Ukulele
4. Useful Resources
2. The Tuning Debate
3. Ukulele Brands

3. The first steps of ukulele playing:
1. Holding and Strumming
2. Playing Open Strings
Index finger
under the 
neck
Thumb plays
where the 
neck meet 
the body

4. Early Ukulele Experiences
Grade K to 2
Tune ukes to open C chord. Have some 
students strum the open chord while the 
others sing. In a circle you can have them 
stum and then pass it along the circle.
Grade 2 to 3
Have the students play with open string 
notes. They can come up with melodies 
based on their names or other speech 
cues.

5. Open 
Strings

6. Open 
Strings

7. C E D G A

8. D F# E A B

9. 2 3 G A C D E

10. C A 3 A 3 F# E D 2 2 B A

11. E F# D C A G A G E D B A B A Alligator … D C But If … Give … 3 3 3 3 23 3 B D A C
If … 3 3 A E G F#
Give … 2 2 D E C D
But B A A 2 G 2

12. Pentatonic
By String 2 3

13. Pentatonic
By String 2 3

14. Integration with a
Textbook

15. 5. Independently sight-reads simple pentatonic melodies.
4. Independently plays melodies learned in class.
3. With minimal levels of support, plays melodies learned in class.
2. With high levels of support, plays melodies learned in class.
1. Despite high levels of support, having difficulty playing melodies learned in class.

16.
Magic Ukulele Book Picture

17. 1. Remind students of the name activity - clapping the name and making a rhythm out of it
2. Invite students to choose one or two strings and then make a rhythm using their name
3. Practice it with "will you be my friend"
4. Hear different student's ideas
5. Combine different students ideas

18. 1. Remind students of the name activity - clapping the name and making a rhythm out of it
2. Invite students to choose one or two strings and then make a rhythm using their name
3. Practice it with "will you be my friend"
4. Hear different student's ideas
5. Combine different students ideas

19. G C E A g c e a

20. A D F# B

21. Left Hand Fingering If this were the back of your hand Thumb Pinky
Middle
Index 4 3 2 1 T
Left Hand Fingering
If this were the
back of your hand

22. nut fret 1 fret 2 fret 3 Reading Chord Diagrams G/A C/D E/F# A/B
String 1
String 2
String 3
String 4
Strings numbered starting
closer to the floor.
Reading Chord
Diagrams
G/A
C/D
E/F#
A/B

23. F C7 2 F and C7 introducing I and V chords. 1C7
First Finger is the "guide finger."
Have students
"plan" the 

movement with 

the first 

finger.
Song: Everybody Loves Saturday Night 

or Lukey's Boat

24. G D7 2 G and D7 introducing I and V chords. 1
Song: Everybody Loves Saturday Night 

or Lukey's Boat
Have students
"plan" the 

movement with 

the first 

finger.
First Finger is the "guide finger." G 1 2 D7

25. G D7

26. F C7

27.
Source: Library of Congress AFC 2630 B3 Collected by John and Ruby Lomax
Accessed from:

28. Source: Library of Congress AFC 2630 B3 Collected by John and Ruby Lomax
Accessed from:

33. F 1 2 C7

34. G 1 2 D7

35. 4

36. 4 C7 1 F 1 2

37. I-V in C major C 3 G7 2 1
Practice with the third (ring) finger as the guide 

finger. It anchors the left hand and makes it 

easier to be fluent changing chords.

38. I-V in D major D 3 A7 2 1
Practice with the third (ring) finger as the guide 

finger. It anchors the left hand and makes it 

easier to be fluent changing chords.

39. C G7

40. A7

41. F 1 2 C 3 G7 I IV V
I-IV-V chords in C

42. G 1 2 D 3 A7 I IV V
I-IV-V chords in D

43. A
Small trio of 
feathered friends C 4 F C

44. G7 C F B

45. A
Small trio of 
feathered friends D 4 G D

46. A7 D G B

47. D6 C6 Bm Am 2 2

50. Am F Bm C D G A I- vi - IV-V chords in C I- vi - IV-V chords in D 2 I1 2 C 3 G I IV V
I- vi - IV-V chords in C vi Am D A
I- vi - IV-V chords in D Bm

51. I vi IV V songs (in C)

52. D A Bm G C Am F Super famous song by U2 D A Bm G C Am F
Super famous song by U2
(score a point for D6 fans: this is the original key)

53. I IV V7 F 1 2 C7 Bb 3

54. I IV V7 G D7 C 2 1 3 1 2 1 1

55.
Hawaiian Song

56. C E A D G
Pentatonic
Scale

57. A B D F#
Pentatonic
Scale B E A D

58. 3 2 1 2 3 C E G D A C A G E D C 3 3 2 2 3

59. 1 3 2 2 3 B F# A D B A E F# E D D 3 3 2 2 3

60. C E A D G
C Major
Scale B F

61. D F# B E A
D Major
Scale C# G

64. 3 2 1
C Major Scale
D Major Scale

65. C Major Scale 2 1 2 3 3 3 1 2 3 1 2 2 3 2

66. 3 2 1
D Major Scale

67. 2. Call up your men, dilly, dilly, set them to work, 1 3 3 3 3 1 2 2 3 3 2 3 3 2 2 1 1
2. Call up your men, dilly, dilly, set them to work,
Some to the plough, dilly, dilly, some to the cart.
3. Some to make hay, dilly, dilly, some to cut corn,
While you and I, dilly, dilly, keep ourselves warm!

68. 2. Call up your men, dilly, dilly, set them to work, 3 3 2 3 1 3 2 1 3 3 2 2 3 1 3 1 2 2
2. Call up your men, dilly, dilly, set them to work,
Some to the plough, dilly, dilly, some to the cart.
3. Some to make hay, dilly, dilly, some to cut corn,
While you and I, dilly, dilly, keep ourselves warm!

69. C E A D G
G Major
Scale B F#

70. D F# B E A
A Major
Scale C# G#

71. Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you G D7
Happy birthday dear , happy birthday to you! G D7 C 1 3 2

72. Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you A E7
Happy birthday dear , happy birthday to you! A E7 D 1 3 2

73. m E 1 2 3 A m 2

74. m F# 1 2 3 B m 2

75. 2 4
2 +
3 +
4 +
1 +
1 +

76. 2 4
1 +
2 +
3 +
4 +

77. C/D D
m/Em 2 3 1 3
C/D
F/G 2 1 3

78. 4 4