Guitar Tablature: Learn To Play Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star With Guitar Tab

Even if you haven’t played guitar tablature before you can impress or maybe shock your friends by playing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Let’s start playing guitar tab!

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star is a popular English nursery rhyme with the French melody Ah! Vous dirais-je, Maman. You can play this song on the first three strings on the guitar.

The text is from a poem, “The Star”, by Jane Taylor. It was first published in 1806. Here you have the English lyrics:

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!

We will use guitar tablature so you will not need to read sheet music. You will only use the thinnest strings on the guitar. The string with the highest pitch is called the first string or E-string. Look at the following guitar tab:

1. 0-0-0-0—————–
2. ——–1-1-1-1———
3. —————-2-2-2-2-

This is a tablature staff and the four number 0 indicate that you play the first string four times without pressing down any finger on your right hand. This is called to play on an open string.

The four number 1 coming after is played on the second string pressing down your first finger on the first fret. Then you will play the third string four times pressing down the string on the second fret. This is what the previous guitar tablature notation is telling you.

Let’s play the first notes of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star with guitar tablature:

1. ————0–0————————–
2. ——3–3——-3—-1–1–0–0———-
3. 0–0—————————–2–2–0–

If you want to use your left hand in a professional way you can play the guitar tab notes on the first fret with your first finger, notes on the second fret with your middle finger and the notes on the third fret with your ring finger.

Now it’s only one guitar tablature part left:

1. 3–3–1–1–0–0—–
2. ——————3–
3. ———————

After having played this part twice, go back and play the first guitar tablature part and the melody is complete.

Now when you understand guitar tablature notation you can find many songs written this way on the internet. Search for guitar tab or guitar tablature. A complete guitar tablature staff has six lines representing the six strings.

If you have an ukulele hanging somewhere you can use the previous tablature too. The first three strings on an ukulele is tuned the same way as on the guitar.

Just one more thing for you to do. Play the song for your friends! Good luck!

Live and Learn (Ukulele Version)

This one came off of an early Clint Black cassett. Remember cassettes? I think that was another life time (or two) ago. Anyway, I always liked the way Clint did it and, since I can’t come anywhere close to his rendition, I thought I’d break out my still relatively new ukulele and give it a shot. Just a warning, a couple more months and these uke songs will be delivered while wearing one of my many great (or ugly, depending on your point of view) Hawaiian shirts.

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Learn how to play “Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World” on the Ukulele

Well the Copyright Claim against this video has been dropped due to inaction by Range Road Music Inc. Maybe they’re just waiting to sue me, who knows. In my interactions with them (through email), I was very surprised and disturbed by their supposed attitude toward music and copyrights. I explained quite clearly to them that I do not ever intend to profit from this video. It is but my service to people who wish to learn these two wonderful songs. I think they think this is still all about money for me. Frankly, I think it’s all about just money to them, rather than this wonderful legacy that their song (What a Wonderful World) has left. And for the thousands of people who are now able to share in this piece of music as a result of this video. I’m not going to take down this video, but to all my viewers, please remember that as a person going in to Christian Ministry, I will have no means at all to defend myself should a law suit be brought up against me. Please keep in mind how you have been helped by this video, and maybe if I need it some day, you would be able to help me too. Thank you all, once again for watching my video!

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Ukulele Chords: Learn To Play Chord Changes

Ukulele is a great instrument to use when you play chords to songs. Your chord playing on your ukulele can be more effective if you apply a few guitar playing principles. In this ukulele lesson you will find out how you can change between chords better and easier!

First a few easy to follow principles as you play any chord:

1. Fingerings. The left hand fingers you use as you play chords can make chord changes easier or harder.

2. Minimize finger movements. Try to take the shortest distance between two frets if you have to move a finger to change chords.

3. Keep fingers down on frets that are shared between two chords.

Let us take a closer look at these principles:

Fingerings

As an example of the first principle we will take a look at two common ukulele chords. We will use the common C-tuning. In this tuning the C-major chord will look like this:

C-major: 04 03 02 31

The number pairs tell you how to put your fingers to play the chord. The first number in the pair tells you which fret to press down and the next number which string to play. The number 0 means that you will not press down any fret. For example 04 means play the fourth open string. The number pair 31 tells you to press down the third fret on the first string.

The strings are numbered from the string with the highest pitch. This string is called the first string and is the bottom string when you play your ukulele.

In the C-major chord written out above you can see that there is only one fret to press down. This makes for many fingering alternatives. The easiest way to finger this C-chord is of course to use your index finger. But let us look at the next chord to play, G7, to see if there is another way to finger the C-chord. Here is the G7 chord:

G7: 04 23 12 21

The most common fingering for this chord is using the ring finger for the first string, the index finger for the second string and the middle finger for the third string. Try it out and see if it is this way you have played it.

A common chord progression is to move from C-major to G7. In order to make this chord change as smooth as possible I suggest that you use your ring finger to play the third fret on the first string in the C-major chord. When you move to G7 you simply slide your ring finger to the second fret and add the remaining two fingers and you have the G7 chord.

If you are going from G7 to C you only have to reverse the procedure.

Minimize finger movements

As an example of this principle we will use the chords A-minor and and F-major. Here you have these chords written out:

A-minor: 24 03 02 01

F-minor: 24 03 12 01

Suppose you have to move from Am to F. As you can see there is only one change to make between Am and F. The only thing to do is to put your index finger on the first fret on the second string and you will have the F chord. To make this chord change as smooth as possible you can keep your index finger as close as possible to this fret even when you play Am. This principle applies to other chord changes as well.

Keep fingers down on frets that are shared

In order to illustrate this principle we will use the chords F-major and G7. I have already showed the chords above so I just have to describe how to move your fingers. If you take a look at the two chords you will find that the first fret second string is shared by both chords. This fret is pressed down with your index finger.

As you move from F to G7 you only have to move your middle finger from fret two on the fourth string to fret two on the third string and press down fret two on string one with your ring finger and you are done!

Using the chords and principles we have already discussed you can practice the following sequence that is very common in many songs:

C Am F G7 C Am …and so on.

How to practice

The best way to practice chord changes in a song is to take two consecutive chords and practice them by strumming once on every chord as you move between them. Slowly at first, making it possible to apply the principles we have discussed. In a short time you will find that you automatically will use the right fingerings, minimize finger movements and you will also find that your playing will be more effective and enjoyable!

How can I learn to sing and play the ukulele at the same time?

I’m struggling with playing and singing a song on my ukulele at the same time, i usually get off with my strumming and i end up going a lot slower than the song really is. Anyone have any tips on how I can learn how to do this at the same time? Any good practicing techniques?
P.s. Any guitar players have any tips, its pretty much the same thing so please help

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Will it be hard to learn the ukulele if I have had no prior experience reading notes or playing?

I want to begin learning the ukulele, however I do not know how to read music. I have also never played any instrument. As a teenager, will this be hard to pick up on my own?

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Is it hard to learn to play the mandolin or ukulele?

I have played guitar – how hard is it to learn to play the mandolin or ukulele? Are they similar to the guitar?

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How easy is it to learn to play plectrum banjo if you know how to play ukulele?

I play ukulele and I want to take up banjo. I was thinking of plectrum banjo because it only has 4 strings like the ukulele, but do you think this would make it easier for me to learn?

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Learn To Play Amazing Grace With Ukulele Chords

Even if you never have touched an ukulele before you can today play your first chords. It is a perfect instrument to use when you sing your favorite songs. Let’s take a look at the chords!

Here you have the chord C on ukulele:

C: 0/4 0/3 0/2 3/1

The number before the slash indicates which fret to press down. The number after the slash tells you which string to play.

3/1 for example means, press down the third fret on the first string. 0/2 means, play the second string without pressing down a fret.

We will need two more chords in order to accompany this song. Here is F-major:

F: 2/4 0/3 1/2 0/1

The last chord for you to learn is G7:

G7: 0/4 2/3 1/2 2/1

Here are the lyrics to the first verse:

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost, but now am found

Was blind, but now I see

I will place the chords in parenthesis immediately before the syllable where you shall play the chord. Let’s take a look at the first line:

A-(C)mazing Grace, how (F)sweet the (C)sound

One way to play the ukulele chords is to strum the chord once everytime you will see a new chord in the lyrics. This will create a peaceful background to the song.

Now it is time for you to play the rest of the song:

That (C)saved a wretch like (G7)me

I (C)once was lost, but (F)now am (C)found

Was (C)blind, but (G7)now I (C)see

In this chord version you are playing the song in the key of C assuming that you have tuned your ukulele in C. This means that the strings are tuned in the following pitches:

First string: A

Second string: E

Third string: C

Fourth string: G

The first string is the string nearest your feet if you play your uke the ordinary way.

You can strum the strings with you left hand thumb. For your left hand I suggest the following fingerings:

C: 0/4 0/3 0/2 3/1(ring finger)

F: 2/4(middle finger) 0/3 1/2(index) 0/1

G7: 0/4 2/3(middle finger) 1/2(index) 2/1(ring finger)

If you want to sing the song in a higher pitch we can transpose the song up one whole step to the key of D. Here are the chords:

D: 2/4 2/3 2/2 0/1

G: 0/4 2/3 3/2 2/1

A7: 0/4 1/3 0/2 0/1

Now you only have to replace the C-major chords with the D-major chords in the following way:

C becames D

F becames G

G7 becames A7

As the most difficult part is not to hold down a chord but to shift between them I suggest that you practice shifting between two chords at a time by strumming one stroke on each slowly until you can do it easily.

Learn To Play Tom Dooley With Ukulele Chords

This song can be played with two chords on your ukulele. You will learn this song in a few minutes time without the interference of sheet music. Here are the chords!

The first chord we will learn is C-major:

C: 0/4 0/3 0/2 3/1

I have to explain how to read this tablature notation. 3/1 means that you press down the third fret on the first string.

What then is the first string?

The first string is the string nearest the floor when you hold your ukulele the ordinary way.

The first string should be tuned to an A for the chord names to be correct.

The tuning of the ukulele will be:

First string: A

Second string: E

Third string: C

Fourth string: G

The next chord to learn is G7:

G7: 0/4 2/3 1/2 2/1

Now it is time to take a look at the lyrics of the first verse:

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Hang down your head and cry

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Poor boy, you’re bound to die

I will put the chords in parenthesis before the word you shall play the chord or change to a new chord.

Here are the lyrics with the chords attached:

(C)Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Hang down your head and (G7)cry

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Poor boy, you’re bound to (C)die

This song was not too hard to play, I guess. With these chords you will start the melody as you sing on the note G. It is on 3/2 on your ukulele but maybe not in the same octave.

Maybe you feel that the song is a little bit low pitched. Some people like to sing in a low key because it can be comfortable if you are not a professional singer.

We will now transpose the whole song to a higher pitch. Let us try the key of F. Here are the chords to use:

F: 2/4 0/0 1/2 0/1

C7: 0/4 0/3 0/2 3/1

The song will start on the note C(0/3)

Here are the song in the key of F:

(F)Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Hang down your head and (C7)cry

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Poor boy, you’re bound to (F)die

The hardest thing is not to hold the chords. The difficult part is to change chords without losing the tempo. For example practice strumming four times on C and four times on G7 and start over again. Strum in an even but slow pace trying to change chords without losing tempo.

Another thing that can help you change chords is to use a left hand fingering that will help you shift between the chords smoothly. Here is a suggestion for the chords C and G7:

C: 0/4 0/3 0/2 3/1(ring finger)

G7: 0/4 2/3(middle finger) 1/2(index) 2/1(ring finger)

To change chords from C to G7 just slide your ring finger from fret 3 on the first string to fret 2 and then place the rest of the fingers in place.

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