This course teaches the bridge between Venezuelan cuatro and ukulele. Both use four strings with the same interval pattern. The finger shapes transfer. The chord names sit one whole step apart.
Who it is for: cuatristas who want clean ukulele names and charts, and English-speaking ukulele players who want to understand how those same shapes map onto cuatro. What you need: a soprano, concert, or tenor ukulele in standard G C E A for the uke path, or a cuatro in A D F# B when you flip the map. How long: short lessons. Stay in order.
The one rule
Cuatro standard tuning is A D F# B. Ukulele standard tuning is G C E A. The intervals between strings match. Put the same fingers down and the chord name moves by one whole step.
- D major on cuatro ↔ C major on ukulele
- G major on cuatro ↔ F major on ukulele
- A major on cuatro ↔ G major on ukulele
- B minor on cuatro ↔ A minor on ukulele
If you already play cuatro, you learn the uke names. If you already play uke, you learn the cuatro names for the shapes you already hold. Same map, two directions.
Course order
- Who this course is for
- The one rule: same shape, new name
- Tune the ukulele to G C E A
- How to read ukulele chord diagrams
- First chords: C, F, G, and Am
- Strumming that feels familiar
- Progressions and first songs
- Clean chord changes
- A practice loop that fits real life
- What to practice next
How to take this course
Stay in that order. Tune before you chase chords. Play the diagrams slowly. If a string buzzes, fix the finger before you add speed. Sharp pain is a stop sign. Sore fingertips that fade are normal at the start.
In the lessons you will see shapes written like this. The site turns them into fretboard diagrams:
0.0.0.3
2.0.1.0
0.2.3.2
2.0.0.0
Those are open C, F, G, and Am on ukulele. The same numbers are D, G, A, and Bm on cuatro.
When C, F, G, and Am feel stable on uke, open the song library and switch the instrument selector. Keep both instruments close if you have them. You are learning a bridge between two instruments that share a left hand and disagree on the name of the chord.
The course is free. If you want a live hour with a TuCuatro professor after the lessons, book a class on ukulele or cuatro. That is how we keep the school open.
