Youwill be learning in this lesson how to play Over the Rainbowon the ukulele.

Here is what it will sound like:

Ready? Let’s get started!

Let’s first get you acquainted with the ukulele.

You are going to start off holding the ukulele in your left hand, with the neck of the ukulele in the palm of your hand and your fingers poised over the strings. You will be using your left hand to hold down certain strings when you are playing to make different notes and sets of notes, called chords.

Understanding the Ukulele

Look at the ukulele, it has four strings, and a wooden neck. On the wooden neck there are metal bar embedded into the wood. The metal bars divide the wooden neck (which is called a fretboard) into frets. the first section is called the first fret, the second section is called the second fret…etc.

Each string has a different letter, based on what note it play when you pluck it. The leftmost string is the G string, the next string is the C string, the string after that, the E string and the far right string is the A string.

Playing Chords

Chords are group of notes played at the same time. In this song, we will be playing four chords. C major, E minor, A minor and F major. In order to play these chords, you need to press down on the specific string in specific frets. See the diagram below.

 

Make sure you only press down as hard as you need to make a clear sound. Test this by holding down a chord, then picking every string. If every string rings true, you know you’re pressing down hard enough. test this by pressing down less and picking the strings again. Find the balance of least pressure, with clear notes.

Strumming

Now it’s time to learn how to strum you’re ukulele. you’re going to use your right hand for this. When you’re strumming you’re brushing up and down on the strings to play the chords in an even way.

For strumming you are always going to use the index finger of your right hand. Upstrumming means brushing your fingers on the string from the A string to the G string. Upstrumming is with the inside (palms side) of your index finger.

Downstrumming mean brushing you index finger from the G string to the A string. You use the outside (back of your hand side) of your index finger to down strum.

Imagine you stroking a cat, not too much pressure, but enough to make some noise. You want to strum the ukulele near the hole.

Strumming Pattern

You’re almost there! you know the chords you need to play, C major, E minor, A minor and F major. You are going to play the chords in this strumming pattern.

DDUUUDU

D = Downstrum

U = Upstrum

It will sound like this:

You’re Done!

Celebrate, work on you’re transitions. And remember, have fun!