How to Learn the Ukulele Fast -Top 7 Tips
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Those looking to learn ukulele will be happy to know that the ukulele is one of the easiest stringed instruments to learn, even though some people find it difficult to progress past the first strumming exercises.
If you feel stuck, you shouldn’t give up on your mission to learn to play ukulele.
Learning to play the ukulele is still a very fun experience.
When you find yourself getting bored and learning becomes a chore, it is time to reevaluate your objectives and learn some tips to make play easier.
With this guide, you will learn some insider tips from ukulele experts. Not only on the best way to learn ukulele but also tips on some easy songs to learn on ukulele to give you a real head start.
These tips will help you to get over the roadblocks on your journey as you learn to play ukulele, these tips will also enable you to progress easier no matter your experience level.
Table of Contents
- Is It Easy to Learn Ukulele for Beginners?
- How Long Does It Take to Self-Teach the Ukulele?
- Easy Songs To Learn on the Ukulele
- What Are the Best Resources for Learning the Ukulele?
- Top 7 Ukulele Tips for Beginners
- Conclusion – How To Learn The Ukulele Fast
Is It Easy to Learn Ukulele for Beginners?
The ukulele is much easier to play than guitars or mandolins, which is why many believe this instrument to be ideal for beginners.
Consider the following to better understand why the ukulele is such a good instrument for beginners of all ages.
- How Comfortable Ukuleles Are to Hold
The soft nylon strings are much more comfortable on your fingers.
You will likely find this instrument does not cause major blisters and calluses like guitars.
- The Size of the Ukulele
The much smaller size of the ukulele is also one of the reasons it is so good for beginners.
Because of its small neck, you will find there is no major stretching to reach chords and no strain on your wrists.
- Ukuleles Dont Have to Cost a Lot! Affordability
Ukuleles are very affordable for beginners, which is why so many people start off learning to play this stringed instrument.
Many beginners do not want to pay a lot of money for an instrument they may not end up enjoying playing.
- Ukuleles Are So Portable
Many beginners like the fact that ukuleles are so portable.
They can carry them practically everywhere they go, for ease in practice.
Their lightweight appeal makes ukuleles a favorite instrument for many.
- The Ukulele Is Easy to Play
With a small amount of practice, beginners can start to play beautiful melodies in a short amount of time.
The ukulele is a very forgiving instrument, and its melodic sounds put a smile on the faces of everyone.
The ukulele is one of the best stringed instruments for beginners because of its size, comfort level, and ease of playing.
Learning a couple of chords allows beginners to start to progress nicely with this instrument.
How Long Does It Take to Self-Teach the Ukulele?
Most people who start playing an instrument want to learn as much as possible, as quickly as possible.
Because the ukulele is such an easy instrument, many beginners learn at home, using various resources.
Although lessons from a professional are almost always beneficial, those who are insistent on persevering will likely find teaching themselves is not overly difficult.
Dedication to Practice
Like with all forms of learning an instrument, dedication to practice is of extreme importance.
You cannot expect to learn to play the ukulele without being dedicated to learning.
The length of time it will take for someone to self-teach to learn to play the ukulele will depend on the level of skill they want to obtain.
If a person simply wants to learn a few easy songs to play for friends and family, they can expect to reach their goals within a few weeks or a couple of months.
Use the Right Resources
Depending on their resources and dedication, most people become proficient at playing the ukulele within six months.
The more seriously you take practice sessions, the faster you will learn.
Strumming
Learning the proper formation and strumming pattern are the most important aspects of learning to play ukulele.
Learning these is integral from the very beginning.
Maintaining proper form and strumming rhythmically will help you to learn to become fluent with the ukulele much faster.
This takes practice but can be mastered fairly quickly.
Easy Songs To Learn on the Ukulele
A great way to get started is to challenge yourself by finding out about the best ukulele songs to learn, and you should be happy to know there are many. I always say that even though there are some easy songs to learn on the ukulele, learning a song that has a special place in your heart is also a good idea because your love of that song will keep you practicing it well into the early hours of the morning!
Generally, the songs to learn on the ukulele which are considered easiest for beginners to learn are songs that have only three chords.
A few Easy Songs to Learn on the ukulele are
- ‘Dreams’ by Fleetwood Mac
- ‘Somebody I Used to Know” by Goyte
- ‘Stay With Me’ by Sam Smith
- Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley
- ‘Just the Way You Are’ by Bruno Mars
- ‘Chasing Cars’ by Snow Patrol
What Are the Best Resources for Learning the Ukulele?
Although working with a teacher is undoubtedly one of the best options, not everyone has the time or money to seek a one-on-one instructor.
If you are looking to learn to play ukulele you are automatically at an advantage, the popularity of the ukulele means there is a wealth of free information out there that touches on the basics of learning to play ukulele.
The problem is, a lot of the free information mainly found on YouTube has the goal of leading you towards paid content!
There are a tonne of YouTubers who will show you the basic songs to learn on the ukulele such as ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ or any current and popular song that many people associate with the ukulele, but to get more in-depth and learn more they may want you to sign up to their course which sometimes can end up quite expensive for a beginner.
If you like the YouTuber and their course is reasonably priced for you, then definitely go for it.
A good alternative that I recommend is to find a fun ukulele course for beginners on a site such as Udemy With Udemy you have the advantage of reading reviews before you commit and a lot of the time the teacher is happier to respond to questions you have about the course and learning in general.
If you do go for a YouTuber…
Make sure they offer sound guidance and spend time explaining parts that are difficult to follow.
I highlight this because nothing is more frustrating than a teacher skimming over something that you don’t understand and moving on to the next part of the course.
It’s enough to discourage many from continuing.
YouTube Recommendation
Nurse Baks doesn’t offer a complete training class, but her videos are good for the more adventurous who like to experiment a bit more. These are great for getting you started on learning how to play the uke successfully.
Top 7 Ukulele Tips for Beginners
If you are a beginner to the uke, you may be feeling a little overwhelmed and unsure of how to get started.
Thankfully, the ukulele is a very forgiving instrument.
The following offers some tips for beginners that can help you begin to better understand this amazing instrument and how to create beautiful music.
1. Always Tune Your Ukulele Before Playing.
While this may seem like an obvious tip, many players forget to tune their instruments, which can lead to problems, especially if you are new to playing.
If you are learning chords while your instrument is not tuned properly, you are wasting your time.
Make it a habit to tune your instrument each time you get it out to practice.
2. Hold Your Ukulele Properly.
As briefly mentioned above, the form you use is integral for getting the right sound from a ukulele.
Holding your ukulele awkwardly will lead to discomfort.
If you are sitting while playing, make sure to sit upright, with good posture.
Support the instrument right below your chest. Your forearm should hold the body of the instrument.
Your other hand offers support and frets the chords.
3. Learn the Most Common Chords.
While there are others, learning the top five chords will allow you to play many songs as a beginner ukulele player.
The following are the chords you should focus on learning first.
- G Chord
- C Chord
- F Chord
- D Chord
- A Chord
Learning these chords takes practice.
Once you learn these five, you can play almost all songs for the ukulele.
4. Muscle Memory Is Important.
Some people do not realize there is science behind learning to play any instrument, including the ukulele.
Developing muscle memory can train you to play more easily.
Practice chord progression and then take breaks often.
Repeat the process, and each time, you will find you get faster at playing chord combinations.
The process will start to feel effortless after a while.
5. Perfect Precision Using a Metronome.
Timing is everything when it comes to learning to play any instrument.
Using a metronome will help you to keep a perfect rhythm while learning to play the ukulele.
Set your metronome to tick at a slow and steady beat. To learn to play the ukulele quickly, you will want to learn to play slower.
Learning to play slower will help you to stay on track and begin to progress rapidly.
6. Hum While You Play the Uke.
You may think this sounds silly, but it can actually train your brain to learn to play faster.
If you hum the song while learning to play, you will find you grow accustomed to using your voice while playing, which will allow you to play more proficiently.
7. Progress to Singing While You Play
The more ways you engage your brain while learning to play the ukulele, the faster you will become proficient at this instrument.
Use a basic down-strumming technique that is slow and steady, while singing the words of the song you are learning.
Conclusion – How To Learn The Ukulele Fast
Do not fear playing the ukulele. It is not as difficult as you might believe, though it does require faithful practice.
With the tips and resources you have learned about, you will now be empowered to get started. It will not take long before you create beautiful music.
Author Profile
-
Daniel Johnstone is an English writer with a love for stringed instruments from around the world.
He shares his love for these instruments through his writing for folkstrings.com, a website dedicated to all things related to folk string music.
Daniel's passion for music started at a young age, and he has since become an accomplished musician, playing guitar, cavaco, and recently, the harp.
His dedication to learning and sharing his knowledge of stringed instruments is evident in his insightful and engaging blog posts. Whether you're a seasoned musician or a beginner, Daniel's writing is sure to inspire and entertain you.
When he's not playing music or writing, you can find Daniel exploring new instruments and seeking out new sounds to share with his readers.
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