It can be overwhelming to learn all the chords at once when you’re just starting with the Ukulele. Instead, it’s a good idea to focus on a few basic chords that you can learn quickly and easily. These chords will give you a solid foundation to build upon, and you can use them to play various songs.
Some of the most commonly used basic Ukulele chords include C, G, F, and A, as well as their minor and 7th variations. With just these few chords, you can already play many popular songs and start impressing your friends and family with your musical talents.
So why not take the time to learn these basic chords, and start enjoying the many possibilities that the Ukulele has to offer? We’ve divided the chords by Key and grouped them by progressions so you can have a more logical way of learning them by groups, usually used together in songs. So if we talk about a C major, for example:
0.0.0.3
we will also then talk about its relative minor and its seventh figure.
2.0.0.0
0.0.0.1
One of the reasons that the basic Ukulele chords mentioned above are easy to learn is that they require only one or two fingers in most cases. This makes them much easier to play than more complex chords, which can require multiple fingers on multiple strings.
By focusing on these basic chords, you can quickly build up your finger strength and dexterity and start playing songs confidently. Here are some easy songs to play on Ukulele, have a look below:
What are the most basic Ukulele chords you can play?
The C major and A minor chords are the most basic and easy-to-learn Ukulele chords. They only require a single finger, which means anyone can learn them quickly, even if they’ve never played the Ukulele before.
To play the C major chord, simply place your index finger on the first fret of the third string and strum all four strings. Here’s how the C major looks:
0.0.0.3
Just press the index finger at the third fret of the bottom string, and you’re now ready to go! As long as your Uke is in tune, you will hear a lovely song when you strum down all chords while pressing this particular fret. This chord is generally identified with a happy feeling, a smile on the face, or a bright morning.
Now let’s play a darker chord, the A minor. For the A minor chord, place your index finger on the second fret of the fourth string and strum all four strings. This chord is also as easy as it can get, as it only requires you to press the index finger in one place. It looks like this:
2.0.0.0
It cannot get easier than this! Just press that index finger at the second fret of the top string. This minor chord is usually associated with sadness or nostalgia; a rainy day may be a broken heart and a tear on the cheek.
These simple chords are a great place to start for anyone looking to learn the Ukulele, and they will give you a solid foundation to build upon as you continue to develop your skills. Here are a few more chords that are as easy as these two:
C major and seventh
0.0.0.3 and 0.0.0.1
A minor and A seventh
2.0.0.0 and 0.1.0.0
F major
Once you have mastered the C major and A minor chords, you can move on to more advanced chords that require two fingers. One of the most commonly used two-finger chords is the G major. To play this chord, place your index finger on the first fret of the second string and your middle finger on the second fret of the upper string. Strum all four strings to play the G major chord.
2.0.1.0
From the musician’s point of view, you are placing your middle finger at the second fret of the top string and then your index finger at the first fret of the third string.
This chord may take a little more practice to master than the C major and A minor chords, but you can play it smoothly and confidently with patience and persistence. Be careful not to let your index finger be too low because you will block the sound of the open strings.
How to play these basic Ukulele chords?
With just a few basic Ukulele chords under your belt, you are already well on your way to being able to play many popular songs. For example, with the C major, A minor, and G major chords, you can already play songs like Kodaline’s Love Like This, or Stole the Show by Kygo.
For example, let’s take Kodaline’s song. Listen to this youtube video:
These songs are combinations of the following chords:
0.0.0.3 2.0.1.0 0.0.0.3 2.0.0.0 0.0.0.3
Sometimes they will use a more difficult chord, named G major:
0.2.3.2
Or its counterpart G seventh:
0.2.1.2
If you liked Kodaline’s song, try another one of theirs All I Want. You’ll see the standard 0.0.0.3 and 2.0.1.0 and learn how they introduce a Dm instead of an F. It looks like this:
2.2.1.0
If you want to take a more challenging approach, you might try more challenging songs like Twenty Pilot’s House of Gold, or Come Away With Me by Norah Jones. Twenty Pilot’s House of Gold, or Come Away With Me by Norah Jones.
If you’re looking for a fun and challenging song to play on the Ukulele, you might want to try Señorita by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello. This song uses the A minor chord, which you should already be familiar with if you’ve practiced the basic chords mentioned earlier. In addition to the A minor chord, this song also uses some more advanced chords and playing techniques, so it will be a great opportunity for you to test and improve your skills.
We hope you have enjoyed learning about the basic Ukulele chords and how to use them to play popular songs. These chords are an essential part of playing the Ukulele, giving you a solid foundation to build upon as you continue to develop your skills.
If you want to continue learning and improving your Ukulele playing skills, check out our Ukulele chord finder tool on our website. This tool will help you learn how to calculate chords and play them on your Ukulele, so you can quickly and easily learn new songs and expand your repertoire.
In addition to the chord finder, be sure to visit our Song section to try to learn a few other songs and challenge yourself with more advanced material.
With these resources at your fingertips, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a master Ukulele player in no time!
