UKULELEFIRST LESSONS

In 1879, a ship called the “Ravenscrag” sailedfrom Portugal to Hawaii.

The sailors brought a small guitar likeinstrument with only 4 strings. The Hawaiians loved the little instrument, and named it the “UKULELE” which means“jumping flea” referring to the fast strumming of the right hand!

OPEN STRINGS

The strings are numberedfrom the floor upwards.

The string nearest your nose iscalled “G” and is string 4

The next string down is called“C” and is string 3

The next string down is called“E” and is string 2

The string nearest the floor isCalled “A” and is string 1

Pluck the strings with your thumbfrom the top down – G C E A

G C E AFour strings we

playAs we tune our

UkulelesEvery day

STRUMMING

PRACTISE DOWN STRUMS

Use NAIL of pointingfinger

Point to your nose withyour RIGHT HAND finger

Brush nail of pointing fingerdown across the strings

Left hand finger

numbers

A Chord is a group of notes

played at the same ti me.

We will be playing chords which have

4 notes, as ukuleleshave 4 strings.

Chord Box

This is just adrawing of the top of the FRET BOARD

The 4 strings G C E A

Fret

The LEFT hand fingers Press the strings on the FRET BOARD

RED DOTS - THIRD finger

3

STRUMMING

Practise DOWN STRUMS

on C Chord

Point to your nose withyour RIGHT HAND finger

Brush nail of pointing fingerdown across the strings

3rd finger RED dot

Starting note “C” = Open string 3 Finger a “C” Chord with 3rd finger - (Down strums on the beat) ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Strum strum strum your uke ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Every single day ------ ↓ ↓ *Strummin’ it strummin’ it ↓ ↓ Strummin’ it strummin’ it ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ That’s the way we play Hey! Extended activity - Add ostinato - Alternate open strings C and G on the beat. (Works as a round. 2nd part enters*)

Frere Jaques

C chord / Starting note “C” (open string 3) (French, English, German) Down strums on the beat. (Can be sung as a round) ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Frere Jaques, Frere Jaques ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Dormez vous? Dormez vous? ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Sonnez les matines. Sonnez les matines. ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Ding dang dong. Ding dang Dong. Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping, Brother John, brother John? Morning bells are ringing. Morning bells are ringing. Ding dang dong. Ding dang dong. Bruder Jacob, bruder Jacob, Schlaefst du noch? Schlaefst du noch? Hoerst du nicht die Glocken, Hoerst du nicht die Glocken. Ding dang dong. Ding dang dong. Extended activity - Add ostinato - Alternate open strings C and G on the beat.

SHUFFLE STRUM

Down up down up down up down up Te – te te – te te – te te – te

Ten in the Bed – SHUFFLE STRUM

C Chord – Du du du du (te-te rhythm)

Starting note:“C” open string 3

Revise FRERE JAQUES with aSHUFFLE STRUM.

BLUE DOTS –First and second fingers

1

2

STRUMMING

Practise DOWN STRUMS

on F Chord

Point to your nose withyour RIGHT HAND finger

Brush nail of pointing fingerdown across the strings

BLUE dots

X 6

X 8

X 8

One Man Went to Mow Aims: Changing from F to C chord, with down strums on the beat . Starting note “A” – open first string (nearest the floor) Play four open “A” strings to start. F C ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ One man went to mow – went to mow a meadow C F ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ One man and his dog - went to mow a meadow F C ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Two men went to mow - went to mow a meadow C ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Two men } one man and his dog F Three men } ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Four men } went to mow a meadow

SHUFFLE STRUM

Down up down up down up down up Te – te te – te te – te te – te

Revise ……..One man went to mow

WithShuffle Strum

Have you added“WOOF’s”??

First finger-first fret-first string (nearest floor)

1

X 4

X 8

X 8

Shuffle strum-Down Up

Slow Thumb Strums

Practise slowly brushing right thumb down the strings 4 3 2 1

You can hold the body of the ukulele with your right hand

Make sure you can heareach string separatelyTo give a “harp” effect

The slower, the better…

X 6

X 8

X 4 X 4 X 4 X 4

X 4

X 4

X 4

LORD OF THE DANCE

X 2

X 2

Practiseslowthumbstrums -(Verse)

X 6

X 2

X 4

LORD OF THE DANCE

Down down down

X 2

PractiseSHUFFLESTRUM (Down-up)

Chorus

Lord of the Dance

FI danced in the morning when the world was begun C7And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun FI came down from heaven and I danced on the earth C7 FIn Bethlehem I had my birth

FDance then wherever you may be

C7I am the Lord of the dance said He

FAnd I’ll lead you all wherever you may be

C7 FAnd I’ll lead you all in the dance said he

VERSE: Slow thumb strums: 3 X Open C string to start.

CHORUS: SHUFFLE STRUM – Fast DOWN -UP

LA CUCARACHA

X 12

X 16

X 4 STOP

Practise SHUFFLE STRUM

La Cucaracha

FLa Cuca-racha, la cucaracha CIs our fav’rite little song

It’s only two chords, yes only two chords, FAnd it’s fun to play a-long(te-te-te-te-te-te STOP)

FFirst you start it with an F chord - -

CThen you change it to a C - - - -

And you stay a while on C chord - - F

Then you finish with an F (te-te-te-te-te-te STOP)

(Chorus..La cucaracha….)

3 X Open C string to start…(Shuffle strum)

NEW STRUM STYLE

COUNTRY STRUM -----

Down – down up Down – down up

D du D du 1 2& 3 4&

Practise this on a simple“C” chord first.

Then go back and try it for the Chorus of Lord of the Dance(Slide 26)

1

32

Be sure to use the correct Finger numbers…(F with a “Tuck Behind”)D minor chord has a SAD sound

DRUNKEN SAILOR

X 4

X 2

X 4

X 4

X 2

PractiseSlowThumb Strums -(Verse)

DRUNKEN SAILOR

X 4

X 2

X 4

X 4

X 2

PractiseSHUFFLE

ORCOUNTRYSTRUM

(Chorus)

Drunken Sailor

Starting note “A” first open string X 4 Verse – Slow thumb strums Chorus – Shuffle Strum or Country Strum

Dm What shall we do with the drunken sailor? C What shall we do with the drunken sailor? Dm C What shall we do with the drunken sailor earlye in Dm the morning? (Shuffle or Country Strum) Dm C Hey ho and up she rises. Hey ho and up she rises Dm C Dm Hey ho and up she rises earlye in the morning. V2. Stick him in a longboat till he’s sober. V3. Give him a dose of salt and water.

We can count in fives to sixty x 3 Mental maths is easy. Five, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty five, thirty, thirty five, forty, Forty five, fifty, fifty five, sixty. Mental maths is easy.

What shall we do with a ukulele? x 3 Strumming styles need practice. Down/up, down/up, down/up, down/up Down/up, down/up, down/up down/up Down/up, down/up, down/up, down/up Strumming styles need practice.