How to Play the Ukulele

Overview

Course No. 40210

Small Instrument, Big Impact: Discover the Ukulele. With roots in the Portuguese braguinha and Hawaiian origins dating back to the 1870s, the ukulele is an instrument with a vibrant and storied history. Initially introduced to Hawaii by immigrant laborers on sugar plantations, the braguinha was transformed into the ukulele, meaning “gift that came here.”

The ukulele was favored by the Hawaiian royal family and became a staple of traditional Hawaiian music. With only four strings and a manageable size, the ukulele is a versatile instrument, making it ideal for every occasion. Dive into the magical world of this instrument with Michael Poupko, a professional musician and instructor.

In How to Play the Ukulele, Michael’s patient, easy-to-follow approach takes you from novice to master in 24 lessons. The course combines music theory with hands-on examples, allowing you to explore the ukulele for years to come.

Video Lectures

01: The Musical World of Ukulele

Meet your instructor and learn the basics of the ukulele, including navigation, tablature, and tuning as you begin your musical journey.

Duration: 21 min

02: Learning Your Way around Your Ukulele

Expand your understanding of tablature while practicing frets and finger placement through several short exercises.

Duration: 12 min

03: Six Starter Chords for Ukulele

Play along as you learn fingering charts and six starter chords on your ukulele, enabling you to access hundreds of easy songs.

Duration: 21 min

04: Strumming Techniques for Ukulele

Practice chord progressions and various strum combinations, culminating in the songs “When the Saints Go Marching In” and “One, Five or Six to Four.”

Duration: 17 min

05: C Major Scale and Melodies for Ukulele

Learn about major scales and apply your knowledge by playing the C Major scale and melodies like “Ode to Joy.”

Duration: 20 min

06: Playing a Ukulele Melody with Chords

Combine what you’ve learned to play a chord melody for the songs you’re practicing, marking a significant leap in your skills.

Duration: 19 min

07: Ukulele Chords in the Key of G Major

Dive into the key of G Major, learning your first song, “Aloha Oe,” while revisiting several earlier strum patterns.

Duration: 16 min

08: G Major Scale and Melodies for Ukulele

Learn the G Major scale and practice playing melodies for “Aloha Oe” and “Drifting.”

Duration: 17 min

09: Playing with Suspended Chords for Ukulele

Expand your repertoire by learning suspended chords in both G and C major, applying them to the composition “In the Air.”

Duration: 18 min

10: Starting to Fingerpick Your Ukulele

Develop your skills at fingerpicking, allowing you to play individual notes in a sequence for a more nuanced musical expression.

Duration: 16 min

11: More Ukulele Fingerpicking Patterns

Apply your fingerpicking skills to new chord progressions and songs, enhancing your musical versatility.

Duration: 15 min

12: Ukulele Chords in the Key of D Major

Explore chords in the key of D Major, practicing the D, G, G7, A, and A7 chords while learning the Bo Diddley Beat.

Duration: 15 min

13: D Major Scale and Melodies for Ukulele

Master the D Major scale and practice playing the “D Ditty” melody in harmony with chords.

Duration: 14 min

14: The Feel of Time Signatures on Ukulele

Learn about new time signatures (3/4 and 6/8) while practicing songs like “Amazing Grace” and “Moonset.”

Duration: 18 min

15: Introduction to Minor Keys on Ukulele

Shift your attention to minor keys and understand the relationships between them while learning new songs.

Duration: 14 min

16: Twelve-Bar Blues on Ukulele

Explore the 12-bar blues progression and learn new strum patterns in different keys.

Duration: 15 min

17: Blues on Ukulele with Pentatonic Scales

Learn the minor pentatonic scale and apply it to create melodies and riffs over the blues progression.

Duration: 14 min

18: Ukulele Songs with Sliding Chord Shapes

Add excitement to your playing with sliding chord shapes, practicing the song “Easy Peasy.”

Duration: 16 min

19: Chords, Melody, and Fingerpicking Combined

Practice a chord melody arrangement of “Aloha Oe,” both in a traditional and solo version.

Duration: 16 min

20: The Freedom of Ukulele Barre Chords

Learn to use barre chords to create moveable shapes that allow for quick transitions along the fretboard.

Duration: 14 min

21: Ukulele Songs with Movable Chord Shapes

Apply your skills to more complex songs using movable chord shapes and various strum patterns.

Duration: 15 min

22: Latin Groove for Ukulele with C Minor Scale

Explore a Latin Bossa Nova style rhythm and learn to apply chords with smooth motion.

Duration: 15 min

23: Percussive Strumming for Ukulele

Discover how to use the ukulele as a percussive instrument, blending strumming with rhythmic techniques.

Duration: 14 min

24: Combine Your Ukulele Skills: “The Doozy”

Bring together all the skills and techniques learned throughout the course in this final lesson featuring the song “The Doozy.”

Duration: 15 min