0:00:05.221,0:00:13.521 ♪ 0:00:13.521,0:00:15.258 Hey, how you doing? Justine here! 0:00:15.258,0:00:19.128 Today we're gonna do a [br]lesson on getting started on a Ukulele. 0:00:19.138,0:00:20.835 Great fun little instrument these are. 0:00:20.835,0:00:23.870 I’ve only been playing a few months but[br]it’s really really good fun. 0:00:23.870,0:00:27.526 If you play a bit of guitar, the skills [br]kinda transfer over pretty easy.[br] 0:00:27.536,0:00:29.718 That's kind of a cool thing! 0:00:29.718,0:00:31.875 And if you’ve never played a musical[br]instrument before 0:00:31.875,0:00:34.004 it’s a nice little starter one this one. 0:00:34.004,0:00:36.190 It's got nylon strings so it's [br]easy on the fingers. 0:00:36.190,0:00:37.985 The chords are pretty simple to play. 0:00:37.985,0:00:40.278 Small, portable - great for parties you know 0:00:40.278,0:00:42.127 it’s a really good little instrument 0:00:42.127,0:00:43.327 In this lesson I want to show you 0:00:43.327,0:00:44.416 how to tune that thing, 0:00:44.416,0:00:46.430 how to hold it, how to strum it [br]and I show you 0:00:46.430,0:00:48.342 four really simple chords 0:00:48.342,0:00:50.736 and give you some progressions to put[br]those chords in 0:00:50.736,0:00:52.187 so you can play some tunes. 0:00:52.187,0:00:54.344 That’s the aim of our little lesson today. 0:00:54.344,0:00:56.694 So first thing, getting your Uke in tune. 0:00:56.694,0:00:59.894 Really really important, nylon [br]strings tend to go out of tune a bit. 0:00:59.894,0:01:02.304 So I would recommend getting something [br]like a clip on tuner 0:01:02.304,0:01:05.066 or something that is there all the time. 0:01:05.066,0:01:06.149 So you can tune up really quick you know 0:01:06.149,0:01:08.929 rather than having to get a tuner out and do[br]all of that sort of stuff. 0:01:08.929,0:01:10.325 Either a little clip-on tuner. 0:01:10.325,0:01:12.492 This particular Uke has a built-in [br]tuner, 0:01:12.492,0:01:17.892 This is a Maton Ukulele [br]Australian Guitar Company 0:01:17.892,0:01:21.865 makes great instruments all around [br]you want to check them out its Maton. 0:01:21.865,0:01:24.929 Maton.com.au is their website. 0:01:24.929,0:01:26.909 If your looking for a uke this is a great one. 0:01:26.909,0:01:31.718 Doesn’t matter what one you do this one as [br]I should mention is a concert size Uke. 0:01:31.718,0:01:35.011 There's a soprano Uke which is a lot [br]smaller - same tuning. 0:01:35.011,0:01:38.344 Although sometimes they tune the[br]smaller ones up a tone from what 0:01:38.344,0:01:43.308 I'm going to show you. And there is [br]a couple of bigger ones as well 0:01:43.308,0:01:47.226 this one is a concert one if you want [br]to get one of this size. 0:01:47.226,0:01:54.576 So the tuning is C, oh sorry, G, C, E, A 0:01:54.576,0:01:59.558 and it seems to be commonly called [br]when I looked it up “My dog has flees “ 0:01:59.558,0:02:00.742 I don’t know where they get that name from 0:02:00.742,0:02:04.295 But you can hear that the fourth string [br]which is the one closest to the ceiling[br] 0:02:04.295,0:02:07.875 is actually the highest note. [br] 0:02:07.875,0:02:11.475 So it’s kinda high - low - getting higher 0:02:11.475,0:02:15.531 It’s going from the top down okay you [br]know I mean physically down 0:02:15.531,0:02:18.635 The string closest to the floor is the [br]one I call the first string 0:02:18.635,0:02:24.715 So first string, second string, third [br]string and fourth string 0:02:24.715,0:02:32.302 So from the ground it would be A, E, C [br]and G 0:02:32.302,0:02:39.962 and from the ceiling down G, C, E, A. Okay? 0:02:39.962,0:02:42.272 Now like I said I really recommend [br]that you get a tuner 0:02:42.272,0:02:43.108 If you don’t have a tuner 0:02:43.108,0:02:45.183 I'm gonna play the notes for you now so [br]you can tune up 0:02:45.183,0:02:53.416 So, this would be the top [br]string or string four. It’s the note G. 0:02:53.416,0:03:02.806 Okay, and now to the third string just [br]the note C. It’s the lowest note on the Uke 0:03:02.806,0:03:09.898 And to the second string which [br]is the note E 0:03:09.898,0:03:16.615 And now to the first string, the [br]one closest to the ground, the note A 0:03:16.615,0:03:20.769 Okay, so when you pick it up and strum it. 0:03:20.769,0:03:26.269 “My dog has flees” that’s what you [br]want to be hearing. Okay. 0:03:26.273,0:03:30.138 So that’s first really important thing [br]getting your Uke in tune 0:03:30.138,0:03:32.906 Second thing - holding the Uke. Now 0:03:32.906,0:03:37.814 It makes sense to me that you should [br]be stable not supported by this hand 0:03:37.814,0:03:40.308 so that means I have to support [br]it with this hand 0:03:40.308,0:03:42.614 But just supporting it with this hand 0:03:42.614,0:03:45.326 and leaving this one free means[br]I've got to hold it so tight 0:03:45.326,0:03:47.327 I can't strum very freely and that’s [br]no good 0:03:47.327,0:03:50.437 and if I just support it with this hand [br]then I can’t change chords 0:03:50.437,0:03:53.180 So really it’s a bit of balancing act where 0:03:53.180,0:03:56.939 Some of the weight of the neck is held [br]by your hand that is fretting the chords 0:03:56.939,0:03:58.310 which is quite different to guitar 0:03:58.310,0:04:00.541 On guitar you would never be [br]holding the neck 0:04:00.541,0:04:02.551 The neck should just be completely stationary 0:04:02.551,0:04:05.715 and it does make changing [br]chords a little trickier 0:04:05.715,0:04:08.173 when you have to support [br]the neck a little bit, Okay? 0:04:08.173,0:04:11.754 and otherwise it’s just your [br]forearm kind of holding the Uke down 0:04:11.754,0:04:15.079 I have seen a few people talk about [br]being able to hold the Uke like that 0:04:15.079,0:04:19.589 and play quite freely but I haven't been [br]able to get it together that quickly 0:04:19.589,0:04:21.432 so it might be difficult for you too 0:04:21.432,0:04:26.462 one thing I do find - especially for the very [br]first time - I just rested the Uke in my lap 0:04:26.462,0:04:30.062 like it was a guitar and now my strumming [br]hand feels quite free 0:04:30.062,0:04:32.161 and I’m not going to hold the [br]neck up so much 0:04:32.161,0:04:34.384 So you might want to try that as well 0:04:34.384,0:04:37.500 Doesn’t really matter whichever [br]way you really want to do it. 0:04:37.500,0:04:39.837 you going to be holding it up [br]quite high it's not like a guitar 0:04:39.837,0:04:43.625 where you would be playing it right down [br]on your lap that feels pretty weird 0:04:43.625,0:04:45.129 So going to have it a little bit further up 0:04:45.129,0:04:48.170 So it really is what’s comfortable for you 0:04:48.170,0:04:52.237 If I was going to play it standing up[br]I would almost certainly use a strap 0:04:52.237,0:04:54.905 It’s so light and small you could [br]use a bit of string 0:04:54.905,0:04:57.185 It wouldn’t be big deal 0:04:57.185,0:05:01.492 So generally, you’re just using you’re [br]forearm to hold the Uke against your body 0:05:01.492,0:05:03.458 and a little bit of support from the left hand. 0:05:03.458,0:05:07.533 The first thing you want to get sorted out, [br]is just how you going to hold it 0:05:07.533,0:05:12.296 Now strumming - normally with Uke [br]you strum with your first finger 0:05:12.296,0:05:14.569 There are other techniques, you [br]could do fingerstyle and all sorts of stuff 0:05:14.569,0:05:17.519 To start off with you want to be [br]just using your first finger 0:05:17.519,0:05:21.660 and interestingly you strum kind of around[br]where the neck meets the body of the Uke 0:05:21.660,0:05:23.434 It’s not like a guitar where your back here 0:05:23.434,0:05:27.714 it’s more here 0:05:27.714,0:05:32.001 Now I recommend just starting off, [br]just doing four down strums 0:05:32.001,0:05:33.511 with your first finger 0:05:33.511,0:05:36.352 and then get used to doing some up [br]strokes and 0:05:36.352,0:05:38.991 make sure your fingers not getting caught [br]in the strings 0:05:38.991,0:05:46.120 and going down, up, down, [br]up, down, up, down, up 0:05:46.120,0:05:47.963 A really common kind of pattern[br]could be like 0:05:47.963,0:05:56.247 one, two, and three and four, down - down[br]up - down up - down, that kind of a pattern 0:05:56.247,0:05:58.988 Works really great on the Uke 0:05:58.988,0:06:01.224 But there’s lot s of different kind of[br]strumming patterns 0:06:01.224,0:06:03.559 you can use - like on the guitar 0:06:03.559,0:06:06.039 that's one of the things you[br]want to be studying as you progress 0:06:06.039,0:06:07.449 is learning different strumming patterns 0:06:07.449,0:06:09.196 and different ways of playing them 0:06:09.196,0:06:11.258 To start of with, don’t feel stress 0:06:11.258,0:06:14.948 just first finger strumming around [br]the joint of the neck 0:06:14.948,0:06:17.336 and the body of the Uke strumming [br]it up and down 0:06:17.336,0:06:19.469 That’s all you need to really be [br]worrying about 0:06:19.469,0:06:20.889 To start off with 0:06:20.889,0:06:24.819 So let's get to a close up and check [br]out your first four chords 0:06:26.569,0:06:29.875 The first chord where looking at [br]is a C chord 0:06:29.875,0:06:33.286 And all we need to do to play a C chord is [br]to put our third finger 0:06:33.286,0:06:35.497 in the third fret of string one 0:06:35.497,0:06:38.297 The string one is the one[br]closest to the ground. Okay? 0:06:38.297,0:06:44.500 so - open , open, open, third fret 0:06:44.500,0:06:45.820 This is a C chord 0:06:45.820,0:06:50.003 Okay. Very very easy 0:06:50.003,0:06:52.794 Okay now the really really easy [br]one - A minor 0:06:52.794,0:06:55.011 All we need to do is put that [br]second finger 0:06:55.011,0:06:59.731 in the second fret of the top string [br]or string four 0:06:59.731,0:07:06.353 Okay. So it's second - open - open - open 0:07:06.353,0:07:08.305 Just make sure your second finger [br]is not laying over 0:07:08.305,0:07:11.154 and muting the third string 0:07:11.154,0:07:13.754 Nicely using the tips of your fingers 0:07:13.754,0:07:16.283 that would be an A minor chord. 0:07:16.283,0:07:18.723 C [br](plucking the chord) 0:07:18.723,0:07:21.093 Am[br](plucking the chord) 0:07:21.093,0:07:24.197 From A minor we can get to F really easy 0:07:24.197,0:07:26.793 I know the F chord on guitar is a[br]bit of nightmare. But on the Uke, 0:07:26.793,0:07:29.715 all you do is to start with A minor 0:07:29.715,0:07:34.785 you put your first finger down [br]in the first fret of the second string 0:07:34.785,0:07:36.000 and you leave your second finger down 0:07:36.000,0:07:42.709 You got second fret, open, first fret, open, [br]and we got an F chord. 0:07:42.709,0:07:47.062 Okay, so start with the first finger [br]first fret, second string 0:07:47.072,0:07:53.332 second finger, second fret, fourth string 0:07:53.332,0:07:56.192 The one we got that's an F Chord 0:07:56.192,0:07:59.544 Okay and the last chord we look [br]at today is this one 0:07:59.544,0:08:03.784 and this one is a G chord. I can [br]here some of you guitar players say 0:08:03.784,0:08:08.912 no it’s a D chord! Well, it looks like a[br]D chord but on the Uke its a G chord 0:08:08.912,0:08:14.478 open, first finger is going in the [br]second fret of the third string 0:08:14.478,0:08:17.777 third finger is going in the third [br]fret of the second string 0:08:17.777,0:08:23.147 and the second finger is going down [br]in the second fret of the first string 0:08:23.147,0:08:25.136 Okay, first finger, 0:08:25.136,0:08:26.176 second finger 0:08:26.176,0:08:27.446 third finger 0:08:27.446,0:08:30.446 (plucking G chord) 0:08:30.446,0:08:33.430 Okay, this is a G chord 0:08:33.430,0:08:35.420 So we got [br]C 0:08:35.420,0:08:37.730 Am 0:08:37.730,0:08:39.373 F 0:08:39.373,0:08:40.535 G 0:08:40.535,0:08:44.255 (plucking C, Am, F ...) 0:08:44.255,0:08:46.257 I recommend doing that as a little exercise 0:08:46.257,0:08:48.615 to getting used to those chords, 0:08:48.615,0:08:50.395 C 0:08:50.395,0:08:51.955 Am 0:08:51.965,0:08:53.599 F 0:08:53.599,0:08:56.389 G 0:08:56.389,0:08:58.079 and back to[br]C 0:08:58.909,0:09:02.013 Just using those four chords that[br]we learned, there are hundreds 0:09:02.013,0:09:05.923 and I actually mean hundreds of [br]songs that you can play 0:09:05.923,0:09:08.765 Now all you want to do is to start [br]off learning some chord sequences 0:09:08.765,0:09:10.406 I cant teach you the actual [br]songs and name them 0:09:10.406,0:09:13.202 because the I get into copyright [br]problems, I got to get clearances 0:09:13.202,0:09:14.150 it gets all complicated 0:09:14.150,0:09:17.052 So I'll put a list of songs upon [br]the website, okay 0:09:17.052,0:09:20.752 and use this particular chords because [br]I can get away with that. 0:09:20.752,0:09:23.807 So the first really common chord sequence 0:09:23.807,0:09:26.395 that you going to get 0:09:26.395,0:09:28.655 is going from the C chord 0:09:28.655,0:09:31.505 to the G chord 0:09:31.505,0:09:35.665 to the A minor 0:09:35.665,0:09:39.575 and to the F 0:09:39.575,0:09:42.695 C 0:09:42.705,0:09:46.245 G 0:09:46.245,0:09:49.245 Am 0:09:49.245,0:09:52.205 to F 0:09:52.205,0:09:55.341 I’m using my thumb here just because [br]it's really easy for me to hold the Uke. 0:09:55.341,0:09:58.754 and kinda strum with my thumb. [br]You probably want to use your first finger 0:09:58.754,0:10:05.734 (strumming with first finger) 0:10:05.734,0:10:14.170 Okay. C, G, A minor, to F, okay 0:10:14.170,0:10:18.288 This chord sequence is used so much it's insane 0:10:18.288,0:10:23.094 You might have seen the Axis of Awesome[br]doing these little four chords 0:10:23.094,0:10:25.337 in a medley of different songs that used it 0:10:25.337,0:10:26.438 So this is that chord sequence right 0:10:26.438,0:10:30.466 So if you want to dig that video out and [br]check out all the songs that they do 0:10:30.466,0:10:34.056 Again you can google it and I'll put a list[br]up on my website 0:10:34.056,0:10:39.915 that chord sequence, actually called [br]a 1-5-6-4..Okay, 1-5-6-4 0:10:39.915,0:10:41.823 that’s the name of chord sequence 0:10:41.823,0:10:44.129 But there’re others even the [br]chord sequence I’ve showed 0:10:44.129,0:10:45.934 you at the beginning there’s [br]lots of songs that use this 0:10:45.934,0:11:02.094 having this 1 chord - the C, the A minor, F to G 0:11:02.094,0:11:05.358 Hundreds,maybe, it cant be a hundreds [br]but there’s lots and lots of songs 0:11:05.358,0:11:07.376 that do use that chord sequence 0:11:07.376,0:11:12.437 So that’s what I would recommend for the Uke, to start. If you going to get started on the Ukulele 0:11:12.437,0:11:14.417 Rather than trying to learn to learn loads [br]of different chords, 0:11:14.417,0:11:17.187 and any sort of fancy stuff, check out [br]those four chords 0:11:17.187,0:11:19.719 get really comfortable with them[br]and confident with your strumming 0:11:19.719,0:11:22.979 Once you got [br]that together that’s kinda of the thing 0:11:22.979,0:11:26.700 you need if your playing on a party or whatever [br]you want to have a good repertoires of tunes 0:11:26.700,0:11:29.337 that are really easy. That you can play [br]if you had a couple of beers 0:11:29.337,0:11:33.067 It’s not going to stress you, not kinda [br]get complicated you know 0:11:33.067,0:11:37.692 That’s what I recommend to [br]starting off with on the Ukulele 0:11:37.692,0:11:39.884 I’m going to say I’m planning more lessons, [br]some Uke songs and some 0:11:39.884,0:11:42.170 more videos and some more complicated chords 0:11:42.170,0:11:46.469 but as I said for getting started on [br]the Uke you got enough to get yourself going 0:11:46.469,0:11:48.543 So, have fun on that fantastic 0:11:48.543,0:11:50.377 I really really enjoying the Uke 0:11:50.377,0:11:51.544 It's such a laugh. 0:11:51.544,0:11:53.274 I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do 0:11:53.274,0:11:55.308 and I'll see you for plenty[br]more lessons very soon 0:11:55.308,0:11:56.598 Take care of yourselves! 0:11:56.598,0:11:58.358 Bye-bye.