Ukulele: Expert Guides and Resources

Barre chords form the basis of many ukulele songs. A barre chord (pronounced "bar") is any chord where you fret more than one string with a single finger. They’re represented in chord diagrams in the same way as conventional chords. The only differences are an arch over the strings you press with the same finger, as in the chord diagram for B flat: If the chord is played a long way up the neck, a number at the top right indicates the fret at which the chord diagram starts.

You play a bend on your ukulele by grabbing the string and pushing it across the neck. This action increases the tension in the string and therefore raises the pitch.To play a bend: Fret the note with your ring finger and also put your index and middle fingers on the same string. The additional fingers act as support.

The ukulele may be the patron saint of whimsical instruments, but there's still thought and method involved when it comes to playing! Read on to learn how to strum your uke like a pro. You use your dominant arm (that is, the right arm if you’re right-handed) to strum your ukulele.

On ukulele, you can combine melody and chords in a variety of ways. In this video you see how to fingerpick the melody and strum chords between the gaps.

Ukulele players create more rhythmic interest in their songs by using the "chnking" technique as they strum. Here's how to do it.

Many songs on ukulele are in 3/4 time. Understanding 3/4 time opens up a whole host of songs you can play on ukulele.

On ukulele, when you're picking out melodies, you don't need to play every note. Hammer on and pulling off are two ways to change and spice up the sound of your playing.

Picking two notes on your ukulele at the same time creates a beautiful shimmering effect. As with regular picking, in simultaneous picking, you pick down with your thumb and up with your fingers. In standard notation, the letters for two fingers stacked on top of each other indicates picking with both those fingers, as shown in this nice picking pattern:To play this pattern, pick the g-string with your thumb at the same time as you pick the A-string with your ring finger, then the E and C strings separately.

Shifting hand positions on ukulele can seem daunting, but after this quick video you'll have it down in no time.