I’ve recently brought myself a Ukulele as I fancied learning to do something new and was wondering if anyone has any tips to help me learn or knows of any good online Ukulele instructional videos that could be of help. I can read music well enough, having played brass insturments of various forms since I was a young ‘un, but this black art of stringed insturments, with its chords, frets and what not is juju to me. Any assistance would be gratefully, (as are any George Formby pictures). 😉

Sorry no.

But while you’re waiting for some proper feedback.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFppd2tuqFY

http://ukuleleunderground.com/ has some good instruction videos. I learnt to play the tetris tune off there.

The chords, there is a chord chart pdf somewhere, google for it – it is pretty straightforward. You can work them out yourself if you know your chords, although some of them are slightly odd inversions, and the funny tuning of a uke makes it hard to get your head round. If you learn a few tunes off videos, you can get the hang of the fingering.

Joe

My friend used to play Don’t Look Back in Anger by Oasis, on a ukelele, in the style of George Formby.

Fascinating, frightening, funny and disturbing all at the same time.

Not much help to you though, sorry.

Good luck with learning. If you get a chance, go and see this lot. Bloody brilliant.

http://www.alligatorboogaloo.com/uke/index.html

has lots of chord charts / tabs too.

Also, if anyone happens to read this and can figure out the chords for Ebenezer Goode by the Shamen, please let me know – I saw a video of someone playing it, but I can’t find it any more.

Joe

I bought one a couple of months ago and I found the forum on Ukulele Cosmos to be very helpful. One guy even sent me a decent set of strings for free, quite unprompted.

This online ukulele tuner is also very handy.

I also found a PDF online with just about every chord you’ll ever need. I’ll dig out the link when I get home (though a few minutes of Googling should probably find it).

And finally, YouTube has lots of fun vids. I heartily recommend Gus and Fin playing “Blitzkrieg Bop” by the Ramones and pretty much anything by Julia Nunes.

Enjoy!

To inspire you 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puSkP3uym5k

Update from MRCM…….Knowing how to read music won’t help apparently because most guitar based music is written in tab – a very simple chord chart technique (you prob already know that!).

This is a fun and useful link

http://www.tikiking.com/uke_school.html

Enjoy!!!

My fav Ukelele resource

Thanks very much for all the replies and links to resources to be plundered. Only one question remains though. How long does it take for your fingers to get used to the slight ache that comes from playing a string instrument. My number 3 finger is aching like mad.