Ukulele music has long been linked with Hawaiian culture, but it is getting more and more popular today. Many people are finding themselves hypnotised by its unique sounds and are eager to learn how to play it. Nevertheless just as the case is with any instrument, it is always important to start at the start by learning straightforward songs with just three or 4 chords.
Traditional Hawaiian songs generally use only three or 4 simple chords. Famous Hawaiian songs include “Ku’u Home O Kahalu’u,” “Hene Hene Kou ‘Aka,” “Hilo Hanakahi,” “Aloha Oe” and “Ama Ama.” Where popular music is concerned, it's possible for a beginning player to play the same three- or four-chord songs on a ukulele that she or he can play on a guitar.
Favored songs for new players include “Wipeout” by the Ventures, “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles and “Brown-Eyed Girl” by Lorry Morrison. Most pop and rock songs feature 3 and 4 chords and are drafted in the I-VI-IV-V progression, making them a good kick off point from which to increase performance talents.
Children’s songs are also very simple to play; favored selections in that classification include “Happy Birthday to You,” “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” “Bingo,” “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” Non secular music that's OK for newbies includes “All Things Bright And Beautiful,” “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” “Amazing Grace” and “Nearer My Lord To Thee.” Other traditional songs to try out include “Auld Lang Syne,” “Buffalo Gals,” “Greensleeves,” “You are My Sunshine” and “Cockles and Mussels.”
Getting a grip on straightforward songs is step 1 toward gaining talent in the ukulele. By devoting enough time to practicing technique and developing a stock of simple songs, the start ukulele player can learn new performing skills whilst progressing to more harmonically complex songs. From this point, there are not many limits to what a dedicated player can achieve.
Stephen Heather, owner of www.ukuleletuner.co.uk
Learning to play the ukulele for roughly half a year, an avid pupil of ukulele for beginners and would never be without a ukulele tuner!