The ukulele has become a hugely popular instrument in recent years. The reason that the ukulele is so popular is that it is one of the easiest instruments to learn how to play. So read on as we look at these 3 easy-to-play ukulele songs that you can learn in no time.
— January 8th, 2021
1. Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
The first song is one of the most popular ukulele songs out there! It is considered to be a classic and super easy to learn tune. In fact, you will only need to know three chords to be able to play it.
The first chord you need for this song is D. To play a D chord you just need to hold down the top three strings on the second fret. If you have small hands, it’s easy enough to use one finger for each string. If you have big hands and a small ukulele, some people prefer to press down all three strings with the same finger.
The next chord is C which is even easier; you hold down the third fret on the bottom string only. The final chord is a G, which is the second fret on the second and fourth strings and the third fret on the third string. Guitar players will recognize this shape as how you play a D chord on the guitar.
Once you can play those three chords, this becomes a very easy ukulele song that even a beginner can master. The simplest pattern to play is two D chords, two C chords, and four G chords. Repeat this pattern for the verse and the chorus.
2. Just The Way You Are – Bruno Mars
This simple ukulele song only uses three chords, and you already know one of them.
The first chord for this song is C, which we’ve already learned. Next up is A minor, which also only needs one finger. This time it holds down the second fret of the top string.
To play our final chord, F, you need to hold down the second fret on the top string, and the first fret on the third string. Here is a top tip: when you play the A minor chord, use your middle finger to hold down the top string. When you go from playing A minor to playing F, you can leave that finger where it is and use your index finger to hold down the third string.
Once you’ve mastered these chords, the song is really simple. Eight lots of C, eight lots of A minor, eight lots of F, and eight lots of C. This pattern repeats throughout the whole song, for the verse and the chorus.
3. Let It Be – The Beatles
Those same chords are all you need to be able to play this beautiful song from The Beatles. This one has a slightly more complicated pattern though.
For the verse, you would play as follows: C, C, G, G, Am, Am, F, F, C, C, G, G, F, F, C, C. Play this pattern twice.
The chorus has a slightly different pattern: Am, Am, G, G, F, F, C, C, C, C, G, G, F, F, C, C.
To discover more easy-to-play Ukelele songs, click here!
This article is a re-post, with small modifications, of “15 Fun & Easy Ukulele Songs for Beginners with Simple Chords & Ukulele Tabs” an article published on merriammusic.com
