Ukulele Chords

QUIZIZZ

One of the most popular ways to play a ukulele is to play along with a singer. While the singer sings the melody of the song, the ukulele player provides harmony by playing chords. 

When you play chords on the ukulele, you will be playing all of the strings at the same time. To know where to put your fingers for each chord, we use a chord chart. A chord chart is basically just a picture of the ukulele neck. You will need to be able to identify the strings on a chord chart. From left to right, they are G, C, E, and A. It looks like this:

When you look at the ukulele, the strings are the same as what is shown on the chord chart. When you hold the ukulele, the G-string is the one on top, 2nd from the top is C, and E is 3rd from the top. The A string is the bottom string when you hold the ukulele. To remember the letters of the strings, some people remember the phrase “Goats Can Eat Anything”.

To show how to play a chord, we put numbers on the chord chart that tell which finger to use and where to place them on the ukulele. The fingers of your left hand are numbered like this:

Here are the first two chords we are going to learn on the ukulele:

The C-chord is the one on the left. This tells you to press the 3rd finger of your left hand on the A-string in the 3rd fret of the ukulele while you play all of the strings. 

When you play a C-Chord, it should look like this:

The F-chord is the one on the right. For this chord, you press the first finger on your left hand on the E-string in the 1st fret of the ukulele and the 2nd finger of your left hand on the G-string in the 2nd fret of the ukulele while you play all of the strings.

When you play an F-Chord, it should look like this:

When you are able to make a good sound on the chords and switch quickly between them, you will be able to play a song.  Deep in the Heart of Texas is a song you can play with the C and F chords. It goes like this:

           F                                    F                                F

The Stars at night are big and bright

                                                C

Deep in the heart of Texas

            C                          C                               C

The prairie sky is wide and high

                                                F

Deep in the heart of Texas

For this song, you play the chord above the words as you sing.