2

Selecting Your Ukulele ...................................................................................................3The Parts of Your Ukulele ...............................................................................................3How to Tune Your Ukulele ..............................................................................................4

Tuning the Ukulele to Itself .........................................................................................4Pitch Pipes and Electronic Tuners ...............................................................................4

How to Hold Your Ukulele ..............................................................................................5Standing .......................................................................................................................5Sitting ............................................................................................................................5

The Right Hand: Strumming the Strings ......................................................................6Strumming with a Pick ................................................................................................6Strumming with Your Fingers .....................................................................................6Time to Strum! .............................................................................................................6

Strumming Notation ......................................................................................................7Beats .............................................................................................................................7Introducing Slash Notation .........................................................................................7The Staff and Treble Clef .............................................................................................7Bar Lines, Measures, and Time Signatures ................................................................7More Time to Strum .....................................................................................................7

Using Your Left Hand ......................................................................................................8Hand Position ...............................................................................................................8Placing a Finger on a String ........................................................................................8

How to Read Chord Diagrams .......................................................................................8The C7 Chord ..................................................................................................................9The F Chord ...................................................................................................................10Introducing the Quarter Rest .......................................................................................10

Ode to Joy ................................................................................................................ 11Good Night Ladies ..................................................................................................12Down in the Valley ..................................................................................................13

Incomplete Measures ...................................................................................................14Clementine ...............................................................................................................14

The C Chord ..................................................................................................................16Tom Dooley ..............................................................................................................17

The G7 Chord ................................................................................................................18Using G7 with Other Chords .......................................................................................18

Aloha ‘Oe .................................................................................................................19When the Saints Go Marching In ...........................................................................20The Streets of Laredo ..............................................................................................20

The G Chord ..................................................................................................................21The D7 Chord ................................................................................................................21

Jingle Bells. ..............................................................................................................22Over the Rainbow.. ..................................................................................................22

Ukulele Chord Dictionary .............................................................................................24

CONTENTS

7

Beats

Each strum you play is equal to one beat. Beats are even, like the ticking of a clock.

Introducing Slash Notation

Each slash equals one beat. The chord name tells you which chord to play on each beat. Keep playing the same chord until a different chord name is shown.

The Staff and Treble Clef

Ukulele music is usually written on afive-line staff that has a treble clef atits beginning.

Bar Lines, Measures, and Time Signatures

Bar lines divide the staff into equal parts called measures. A double bar line is used at the end to show you the music is finished.

Measures are always filled with a certain number of beats. You know how many beats are in each measure by looking at the time signature, which is always at the beginning of the music. A time signature (“four-four time”) means there are four equal beats in every measure. A time signature (“three-four time”) means there are three equal beats.

More Time to Strum

Play this example in time. It will sound the same as “Time to Strum!,” which you played on page 6. Keep the beats even and count out loud.

tick - tick - tick - tick

beat-beat-beat-beat

& 54321

& 44

Count: 1

Strum

2

Strum

3

Strum

4

Strum

1

Strum

2

Strum

3

Strum

4

Strum

& 44CTime signature

slash

Treble clef

Strum all four strings as you did before.

STRUMMING NOTATION

C

Count: 1 2 3 4

notename

Still a C chord

22

Jingle Bells

& 44 œ œ ˙Jin - gle bells!

C

œ œ ˙Jin - gle bells!

œ œ œ œJin - gle all the

wway!

& œ œ œ œOh, what fun it

F

œ œ œ œis to ride in

C

a

œ œ œ œone - horse o - pen

D7

˙ ˙sleigh!

G G7

& œ œ ˙Jin - gle bells!

C

œ œ ˙Jin - gle bells!

œ œ œ œJin - gle all the

wway!

& œ œ œ œOh, what fun it

F

œ œ œ œis to ride in

C

a

œ œ œ œone - horse o - pen

G7

˙˙

sleigh!

C

Û Û Û

Û Û Û Û Û Û

Û Û Û

Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û

Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û

Û Û Û Û Û

Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û Û

Û Û Û Û

AllegroPLAY:

Over the RainbowThe greatest ukulele version of this song was recorded in 1993 by legendary Hawaiian uke player and singer Iz.

Words by E. Y. Harburg Music by Harold Arlen

CHORDS USED IN THESE SONGS

C7

1

OOO O

2 3

1

G7

1

2

O O

FO O

1 2

D7O

1 2

3

G

3

O O O

C

& 44Û Û Û

˙˙

Some - where

CPLAY:

Moderato Û Ûœ œ œ œ œo - ver the rain - bow

G C7 Û Û Û

˙ ˙way up

F Û Û Ûw

high,

C

&Û Û Û

˙ ˙There’s a

F Û Û Ûœ œ œ œ œ

land that I heard of

C Û Û Ûœ œ œ œ œ

once in a lul - la -

G Û Û Û

wby.

C

&Û Û Û Û

˙˙

Some - where

Û Ûœ œ œ œ œo - ver the rain - bow

G C7 Û Û Û

˙ ˙skies are

F Û Û Ûw

blue,

C

&Û Û Û

˙ ˙and the

F Û Û Ûœ œ œ œ œ

dreams thatyou dare to

C Û Û Ûœ œ œ œ œ

dream real-ly do come

G7 Û Û Û.˙ œ

true. Some -

C

© 1938 (Renewed) METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER INC. © 1939 (Renewed) EMI FEIST CATALOG INC.

Rights throughout the World Controlled by EMI FEIST CATALOG INC. (Publishing) and ALFRED MUSIC (Print)All Rights Reserved

& 44Û Û Û

˙˙

Some - where

CPLAY:

Moderato Û Ûœ œ œ œ œo - ver the rain - bow

G C7 Û Û Û

˙ ˙way up

F Û Û Ûw

high,

C

&Û Û Û

˙ ˙There’s a

F Û Û Ûœ œ œ œ œ

land that I heard of

C Û Û Ûœ œ œ œ œ

once in a lul - la -

G Û Û Û

wby.

C

&Û Û Û Û

˙˙

Some - where

Û Ûœ œ œ œ œo - ver the rain - bow

G C7 Û Û Û

˙ ˙skies are

F Û Û Ûw

blue,

C

&Û Û Û

˙ ˙and the

F Û Û Ûœ œ œ œ œ

dreams thatyou dare to

C Û Û Ûœ œ œ œ œ

dream real-ly do come

G7 Û Û Û.˙ œ

true. Some -

C

© 1938 (Renewed) METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER INC. © 1939 (Renewed) EMI FEIST CATALOG INC.

Rights throughout the World Controlled by EMI FEIST CATALOG INC. (Publishing) and ALFRED MUSIC (Print)All Rights Reserved