Showing posts with label popular ukulele songs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label popular ukulele songs. Show all posts

Thursday, 28 February 2019

7 Fun & Easy Ukulele Songs for Beginners with Simple Chords & Ukulele Tabs

The ukulele has become a hugely popular instrument in recent years. In 2013, sales of ukuleles jumped by over 50% having already hit over a million units sold in 2012.

The reason that the ukulele is so popular is that it is one of the easiest instruments to learn how to play.

Indeed, you only need to learn a few chords to be able to play a number of hugely famous ukulele songs.

So read on as we look at these 7 easy ukulele songs that you can learn to play in no time.

1. "Sweet Home Alabama" - Lynyrd Skynyrd


The first song in our top 7 list of beginner ukulele songs, is one of the most popular ukulele song choices, considered by many to be an absolute classic but is incredibly easy to learn. In fact, you will only need to know three chords.

The first chord you need for this song is D. To play a D chord you just need to hold down the top three strings on the second fret. If you have small hands, it's easy enough to use one finger for each string. If you have big hands and a small ukulele, some people prefer to press down all three strings with the same finger.

The next chord as C which is even easier; you hold down the third fret on the bottom string only. The final chord is a G, which is the second fret on the second and fourth strings and the third fret on the third string. Guitar players will recognize this shape as how you play a D chord on the guitar.

Once you can play those three chords, this becomes a very easy ukulele song that even a beginner can master. The simplest pattern to play is two D chords, two C chords, and four G chords. Repeat this pattern for the verse and the chorus. You've just learned your first song!

Full Chords by Ukulele-Tabs.com

2. "Just The Way You Are" - Bruno Mars


This simple ukulele song only uses three chords, and you already know one of them.

The first chord for this song is C, which we've already learned. Next up is A minor, which also only needs one finger. This time it holds down the second fret of the top string.

To play our final chord, F, you need to hold down the second fret on the top string, and the first fret on the third string. Here is a top tip: when you play the A minor chord, use your middle finger to hold down the top string. When you go from playing A minor to playing F, you can leave that finger where it is and use your index finger to hold down the third string.

Once you've mastered these chords, the song is really simple. Eight lots of C, eight lots of A minor, eight lots of F and eight lots of C. This pattern repeats throughout the whole song, for the verse and the chorus.

Full Chords by UkuTabs

3. "Someone Like You" - Adele


You could already call yourself a “seasoned” ukulele player since you already know all the easy chords we need for this next song. This beautiful ballad by Adele uses four chords compared to three for our first two songs, but is still very simple to play, as the pattern repeats throughout the song.

We start off with four lots of C, then four lots of G, four lots of A minor and finally four lots of F. Keep repeating this pattern for the verse, bridge, and chorus. Once you have the pattern mastered you can experiment with different strumming patterns until you find one that you like.

Full Chords by Ultimate Guitar

4. "Let It Be" - The Beatles


Those same for chords are all you need to be able to play this beautiful song from The Beatles. This one has a slightly more complicated pattern though.

For the verse, you would play as follows: C, C, G, G, Am, Am, F, F, C, C, G, G, F, F, C, C.  Play this pattern twice.

The chorus has a slightly different pattern: Am, Am, G, G, F, F, C, C, C, C, G, G, F, F, C, C.

Full Chords by Ukulele Cheats

5. "You're Beautiful" - James Blunt


The same four easy ukulele chords are all you need here too.

The verse is C, C, C, C, G, G, G, G, Am, Am, Am, Am, F, F, F, F and then repeat the whole thing again. The chorus is F, F, G, G, C, C, C, C played twice.

Then you play F, F, G, G, C, C, Am, Am, F, F, G, G, Am, Am, Am, Am, F, F, G, G, C, C, C, C.

Full Chords by Ukulele-Tabs.com

6. "Stand By Me" - Ben E. King


You've guessed it. It's the same four chords for this classic too.

And the beauty of this song is that it's the same pattern over and over throughout the whole song.

Eight lots of C, eight lots of Am, four lots of F, four lots of G, eight lots of C. Before you long you'll be able to play this one without even thinking.

Full Chords by UkuTabs

7. "Love Yourself" - Justin Bieber


And finally, the last easy uke song we’ll covering today is “Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber. We’ll need one final chord to be able to play this song: D minor.

To play D minor, hold down the second fret of the top string with your third finger, the second fret of the second string with your fourth, and the first fret of the third string with your index finger.

The pattern for the verse is C, C, G, G, Am, Am, Am, Am, Dm, Dm, C, C, G, G, G, G. Repeat that whole thing again. The bridge section is Am, Am, F, F, C, C, C, C (played twice) then Am, Am, F, F, C, C, G, G, Am, Am, F, F, G, G, G, G.

Finally, for the chorus, we have the following pattern: C, C, G, G, Am, Am, F, F, C, C, G, G, C, C, C, C. Repeat it all again, and you've learned the whole song.

Full Chords by Ukulele-Tabs.com

Have You Enjoyed Learning These Easy Ukulele Songs?

If learning these fun ukulele songs has given you the musical bug, then you're in the right place.

We have a whole range of great articles to help you along your musical journey. Whether you're looking for advice on playing the piano, guitar, or more, we have plenty of information that can help.

And if you're interested in learning the piano, we have a huge selection of pianos for sale. If you would like to know about the services we offer, then please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Resources: Online Ukulele Tuners & Ukulele Tuning Apps (For Android & Apple iOS)


In addition to providing you with a list of songs we want to help make your experience learning the ukulele as easy and enjoyable as possible.  Here is a list of the top online ukulele tuners and ukulele tuner apps for both Android and Apple iOS.  These apps will help you easily tune your ukulele by providing pitch reference making it so much easier to get your ukulele in tune.
Top 5 Online Ukulele Tuners
  1. Ukulele Tuner by UkuTuner
  2. Web-Based Ukulele Tuner by UkeBuddy
  3. Free Online Ukulele Tuner by Uke Tuner
  4. Another Free Online Ukulele Tuner by Ukulele Tabs
  5. Online Ukulele Tuner by Ukulele Tricks
Top 5 Ukulele Tuner Apps for Android
  1. Ukulele Tuner
  2. Pocket Ukulele Tuner
  3. Ukulele Tuner Free
  4. Master Ukulele Tuner
  5. Strings Tuner
Top 5 Ukulele Tuner Apps for Apple iOS
  1. Tunefor Ukulele Tuner
  2. DoubleTune - Ukulele & Bass
  3. Uke Pal
  4. Tune This!
  5. Ukulele Tuner For Dummies

Resources: Online Ukulele Chord Charts & Tabs


Getting started learning a new instrument is always difficult and it's easy to lose motivation during the process.  All of our articles try to provide as many resources as we can to help make the learning process as easy, and most importantly as fun as it can be.  Below you will find links to the best 5 best sources for online ukulele chord charts and diagrams that we have been able to find.

Top 5 Online Ukulele Chord Charts
  1. Basic Ukulele Chords For Beginning Players by UkuGuides
  2. Complete Ukulele Chord Charts in Standard Tuning by UkuChords
  3. Ukulele Chord Diagrams by UkuChords
  4. Ukulele Chord Chart by TrueFire
  5. Ukulele Chords: Charts w/Diagrams & Pictures by Live Ukulele
Top 5 Online Ukulele Tabs
  1. 99 Most Popular Ukulele Songs of All Time by UkuTabs
  2. Top 50 Ukulele Tabs by Ukulele Tabs
  3. Ukulele Tabs & Tips by UkuTabs
  4. Fingerpicking Tablature by Live Ukulele
  5. How To Read Ukulele Tablature by UkuGuides

More Easy Ukulele Songs with Uke Chords & Tabs


In addition to the 7 easy and fun ukulele songs we have listed above, we decided to provide a list of 26 more that we just couldn't fit into our article.  Check them out and we are sure you will have a blast learning how to play these great songs on the ukulele.

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SONGARTISTUKULELE CHORDS
Over the RainbowIsrael KamakawiwoʻoleChords
I'm YoursJason MrazChords
House of GoldTwenty One PilotsChords
Party FavorBillie EilishChords
RiptideVance JoyChords
Can't Help Falling in LoveTwenty One PilotsChords
Hey There DelilahPlain White T'sChords
Here Comes the SunThe BeatlesChords
The Lazy SongBruno MarsChords
Someone Like YouAdeleChords
Little TalksOf Monsters and MenChords
Sunday MorningMaroon 5Chords
Brown Eyed GirlVan MorrisonChords
You Are My SunshineJohnny CashChords
BlackbirdThe BeatlesChords
FirefliesOwl CityChords
Banana PancakesJack JohnsonChords
Fly Me to the MoonFrank SinatraChords
Octopus's GardenThe BeatlesChords
Sweater WeatherThe NeighbourhoodChords
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking ForU2Chords
The Lion Sleeps TonightThe TokensChords
Ocean EyesBillie EilishChords
StitchesShawn MendesChords
This Is HomeCavetownChords
Stand by MeBen E. KingChords

The post 7 Fun Ukulele Songs with Simple Chords Anyone Can Play first appeared on Merriam School of  Music

Wednesday, 27 February 2019

10 Easy Ukulele Songs for Beginners | Chords & Video Included

The ukulele seems to have made a huge comeback in the music world. More pop artists are using one than ever. Youtube is filled with covers of easy ukulele songs that are absolutely perfect for beginners.

When you get this awesome instrument and want to learn how to play it can seem intimidating. It's not as hard as you think! And learning a musical instrument has benefits far beyond just entertaining a crowd -- it can actually improve brain function.

We've compiled 10 easy ukulele songs that you can learn. Entertain your audience or have a sing-along. The best part is the songs all have five chords or less so there's no need to worry about them being too complicated even if you're just beginning to play.
Let's get this show on the road!

1. Cups (When I'm Gone) - Anna Kendrick

Chords: Am C F G

The movie Pitch Perfect made the Cups song popular but it was actually written and first recorded in 1928 and released as the single "When I'm Gone" in 1931 by The Carter Family.

The movie inspired many to learn how to do the rhythm with plastic cups but you can wow your listeners and get them to join in singing as you strum away on your ukulele.

The chords are fairly easy for this simple ukulele song and made even easier for the novice player because chord changes are several bars apart. There's no feeling rushed between ukulele chords.

2. Somebody That I Used To Know - Gotye

Chords: Bb C Dm

Belgian Australian singer-songwriter Gotye got a lot of airtime from this song off his third album Making Mirrors in July 2011 and went to number one in August.

It's been covered by everyone from the acapella group Pentatonix to Darren Criss on Glee. Even Weird Al Yankovic got in on the action. In fact, hundreds of versions of "Somebody That I Used to Know" have been recorded.

Gotye was so impressed and honored that he put together a video mix called "Somebodies" of hundreds of online covers of it. Every instrument you can imagine has been used in covers of this song but the ukulele is definitely among the favorites.

3. Bubbly - Colbie Caillat

Chords: A Amaj7 C D

This song from Colbie's debut album in 2007 is perfect for the ukulele. It's like they're meant for each other. They both make your foot tap and your soul smile.

No matter what mood you're in when you start, playing this simple ukulele song will put you in a better one. You'll find yourself singing it long after you put the ukulele down and go about your day.

4. Ho Hey - The Lumineers

Chords: Am C F G

This folk rock song released in June of 2012 is sure to get everyone singing along at least for the "ho hey" parts. It topped the charts for 18 weeks and is pretty recognizable.
"Ho Hey" has been used in commercials, video games, TV shows, and movies both in the U.S. and the U.K.

The bonus is it's pretty simple to learn on the ukulele or on the guitar.

5. Royals - Lorde

Chords: Cadd9 D G

You'd never know that New Zealand singer Lorde was just a teenager when this song hit the charts in 2012. It got released for free on Spotify and Youtube. Lorde was 13 years old when she started writing songs.

Royals is a song that gets stuck in your head, which explains the warm reception it got from critics and listeners around the world. Musicians like David Bowie, David Grohl from the Foo Fighters, and Moby all sang its praises.

6. Stand By Me - Ben E King

Chords: A D B Gbm

It's hard to find anyone who doesn't know the song "Stand By Me," released in 1961 by Ben E. King and the Drifters. It's a classic that has been redone many times including versions recorded by John Lennon of the Beatles, Prince Royce, Tracy Chapman, Seal, Aaron Neville, and most recently by Skylar Grey.

No matter what version is your favorite, "Stand By Me," it's a great beginner ukulele song to add your own flare with the ukulele.

7. Sunday Morning - Maroon 5

Chords: C Dm G7

While "Sunday Morning," recorded in 2002 and released in 2004, may not be the most well-known song by Maroon 5, it is one of the easiest of theirs to learn to play on the ukulele.

"Sunday Morning" did make the charts in several countries including ranking 4th on Billboard's Adult Top 40 and taking the #1 spot on Ultratip Flanders list in Belguim.

8. Budapest - George Ezra

Chords: Bb C F

George Ezra's debut studio album Wanted on Voyage in 2014 introduced the song "Budapest" to the masses and received tons of airtime. It has gone 4x Platinum in Australia, and 3x Platinum in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Italy.

Budapest is an easy beginner ukulele song that can be mastered with the use of only three chords and friends and family are sure to request it every time you start to play.

9. Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen

Chords: Am C Em F G

Canadian Leonard Cohen was an acquired taste, but a poet and songwriter that could sing hauntingly beautiful songs like "Hallelujah" with ease. While there are five ukulele chords to conquer in this one, it had to make the list.

Originally released in 1984 on his album Various Positions, there are over 300 known versions recorded by various artists and groups since. It was even used in the movie Shrek in 2001. It is a popular beginner ukulele song for players of all ages as almost everyone will know it from somewhere.

10. All About That Bass - Meghan Trainor

Chords: A Bm D E

This Meghan Trainor song may be entitled "All About That Bass" but don't let that discourage you from learning it on your ukulele.

More than 10 million copies of this 2014 hit were sold in the U.S. alone and it topped the charts in 19 countries around the world. No matter where your audience is from, they're probably going to be singing along.

"All About That Bass" was even called a cultural phenomenon by the New York Times.
The easy four-chord progression has the feel of a 1950s-60s song and its body image message of youth accepting themselves as they are has been applauded.

These Easy Ukulele Songs Will Make You Feel Like a Star

You don't have to be a professional musician to wow your audience. All it takes is a few easy ukulele songs and a willingness to learn.

If you're interested in learning other instruments or want to give the gift of music to a loved one, be sure to get in touch today.

The post 10 Easy Ukulele Songs for Beginners | Chords & Video Included first appeared on Merriam School of  Music