Gentle Music Theory for 'Ukulele Players
Week 1
The two chords we learned this week were Fadd9 (F-ish, as in almost an F chord) and C7. Both use only the index finger of the left hand in the first fret.
We played the following songs using these two chords:
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Three Blind Mice
Are You Sleeping
Sing Wheels on the bus
Lime in the Coconut
Jambalaya
Alouette
Dance the Night Away
The YouTube playlist below has the play along videos we used. I will update it as we learn additional tunes.
You can search for play along videos on YouTube by entering the name of the song and "ukulele play along." Any song with mostly F and C should work for you. For now ignore any extra numbers with the letters like C7 or F7. If a song has additional chords, then just smile when it's time to play those and wait for a chord you know to come along.
Click on Resources at the top to learn about tools, websites, books, and more to help you learn to play.
Weeks 2 and 3
We learned four chords: C, Am, F, and G. See the chord diagrams below.
After practicing changing from one chord to another, we played the following songs using our new chords:
Row, Row, Row Your Boat (C)
Hey Ho Nobody Home (Am)
Jambalaya (F and C)
Eleanor Rigby (Am and F) *
Stand by Me (C, Am, F, and G) *
The songs with asterisks can be found on our YouTube playlist. I handed out "Achy Breaky Heart" and put it on the playlist.
You can access all of the handouts below or by adding this Google folder to your Google drive.
Starting Thursday, 8/28, I will be holding jam sessions every other Thursday at 5:30 pm throughout the fall. Bring your friends! Beginners are always welcome--I'll help them learn the basic chords so they can play with us.
Week 4
We reviewed C, Am, F, and G and learned G7.
We played the following songs using G7:
Buffalo Gals
Clementine
Jamaica Farewell
59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
I Walk the Line
Next jam session is Thursday, 9/11 at 5:30 p.m.
Week 5
We reviewed C, Am, F, G, and G7 and played:
Stand By Me (play along)
59th Street Bridge Song
Best Day of My Life (play along)
You Are My Sunshine
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Cecilia
Take Me Home Country Roads
All song sheets are in the Google folder below.
Next jam session is Thursday, 9/25 at 5:30 p.m.
Week 6
We reviewed, C, Am, F, G, and G7 and played:
59th Street Bridge Song
You Are My Sunshine
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Cecilia
We learned the Hawaiian D7 chord and played
You Are My Sunshine in G major
12-bar blues using Strum Machine
We added Sweet Caroline to our repertoire this week.
All song sheets are in the Google folder, along with a chord diagram sheet.
Next jam session is Thursday, 10/16 at 5:30 p.m.
Week 7
After reviewing a few of the songs we know, we played When the Saints Go Marching In printed in 4 of the common ways that you'll see chord sheets in books and the Internet.
We reviewd the D7 chord and played This Land Is Your Land and learned Ring of Fire.
We ended with Surfin' USA.
Some folks stayed and we rehearsed the hymns that we played on Sunday at the Fraconia Community Church.
We'll be providing some entertainment for the community supper at the Franconia Community Church on Wednesday, 10/22. Meet at 4:45 at the church so we can set up. We'll decide at that time which songs we want to sing.
Next jam session is Thursday, 10/23 at 5:30 p.m.
Week 8
Warmed up with a few selections from our repertoire.
Learn the D and A7 chords.
Played songs we already learned but using D, G, and A7
Jamaica Farewell
You Are My Sunshine
This Land Is Your Land
Learned
Angel from Montgomery
Wagon Wheel
Margaritaville
Next jam session is Thursday, 10/30 at 5:30 p.m.
Week 9
Plan
Review D chord.
Jamaica Farewell
You Are My Sunshine
This Land Is Your Land
Practice
Angel from Montgomery
Wagon Wheel
Magaritaville
Learn A chord
These Boots Were Made for Walking
I'm a Believer
Eight Days a Week
Next jam session is Thursday, 11/20 at 5:30 p.m. We'll learn some Christmas songs.
Week 10
Christmas Caroling on December 4 at 5:00 p.m. for the Old Thyme Christmas in Lancaster. More details to come.