A wonderfully easy, entertaining way to learn the uke! Based on C tuning, this text presents strum-along/sing-alongs in the keys of C, G, D, F, and B flat. The DVD will teach you in a step-by-step manner, and provide hours of fun and enjoyment! You will learn 58 great, all-time favorite uke songs including Peg O’ My Heart and Fascination. CD included.

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50.mp3 | Printable Version

By Joe Carr

This new book is designed for seniors who wish to learn to play the ukulele. Care has been taken to select repertoire familiar and appealing to a more mature audience and attention has been given to the pacing of the material. Basic chords are given and variety of songs and exercises make the learning fast and fun. Play along CD includes all songs taught in the book.

20.mp3 | 21.mp3 | 22.mp3 | 23.mp3 | 24.mp3 |Printable Version

I have played guitar since I was seven years old. I couldn’t learn to play my guitar fast enough. I had to take three guitar lessons a week. For my birthday, ten years ago my husband gave me a $2000.00 handmade concert ukulele. I fell in love all over again with music, my new uke and my husband. You can read the complete story, including how I became a Mel Bay author at my website www.allmarylou.com.

After teaching my first soprano ukulele class at Bellarmine University, I formed the Louisville Ukulele Association Unlimited club (L.U.A.U.) and Orchestra. To complete the orchestra’s sound, I wrote the Easy Baritone Ukulele Method Book and taught a Baritone Uke Class. The baritone ukulele is played exactly like the first four strings of the guitar and has the deepest sound of all the ukuleles. Using my guitar background, I developed an extremely easy method to learn to play the baritone ukulele instantly.   

Lesson 2

Rhythm Ukulele

Chord Accompaniment

Rhythm Ukulele and Lead Ukulele

In Lesson 1 you played chords to accompany yourself and sang Row, Row, Row Your Boat. This is called Rhythm Ukulele. Lead Ukulele is the melody of a song played by individual notes.  I have arranged this version of Row, Row, Row Your Boat with strum patterns that will allow you to hear the melody as you strum each chord without playing the individual notes.

Lyric Sheet and Sheet Music

A lyric sheet is comprised of the words to a song and usually has chord names and strum patterns. Or a lyric sheet may have only the words to a song. Sheet music has all the music notation, chord diagrams including the words to the song.

Down / and Up V Symbols using Strum Patterns 

“L” Letter Form © Mary Lou Stout Dempler

Look at the lyric sheet of Row, Row, Row Your Boat. The G indicates to play a G chord instead of a / (DOWN) strum symbol. Always play a DOWN strum when a chord letter is shown. The V symbol indicates to strum UP over the strings. Practice strumming / (down) and V (up) over the sound hole. With your right hand close your middle, ring and pinky fingers. With your thumb and index finger make a very stiff “ L” Letter Form © MLSD. With your left hand form a G chord. With your right thumb strum DOWN over all the strings, after striking the last string quickly flick your wrist UP and strum all the strings with your right index finger. Practice and practice until you feel the / strum and V strum with your wrist. After you’ve mastered the Down / Up V strum pattern using the “L” Letter Form © MLSD, you can choose to use your finger strum or a pick.

G Chord and D7 Chord

Fretted Notes and Open Strings 

G Chord Formation 

Left Hand Third finger at the Third fret on the uke fret board of the First string.  When you place your finger on string on  the fret board it is a FRETTED NOTE. The g is a fretted note.  OPEN STRINGS are when the strings are played but no fingers are placed on the fret board thus playing OPEN STRING notes. The notes forming a G chord: g (fretted note), b, g, d, open strings.

D7 Chord Formation

Left hand Third finger at the Second fret on the First string, fretted f # (f sharp) note.

Second finger at the Second fret on the Third string, fretted a note.

First finger at the First fret on the Second string, fretted c note. 

Finger Mapping © Mary Lou Stout Dempler

 Practice  strumming the chords until you can play all the notes in the chord clearly.  Stand your left hand finger tips on the string close to the fret but not on the fret wire,  that will produce a THUD sound. Do not slouch your fingers over the strings, touching  or bending the strings as this will produce the wrong sound and even the wrong chord.

You want to be able to change chords quickly without hesitation.  FINGER MAPPING © MLSD is the easiest, quickest connections to change from one chord to the next chord.

Form a G Chord.  To quickly switch to D7 Chord from G Chord, slide your Third finger up to the Second fret of the First string this finger is the foundation to make the D7 chord fast and accurate. Next lay your Second finger on the Third string at the Second fret and your First finger on the Second string at the First fret.   After a couple days of practice you will have these two chords memorized.  There are many songs that only use two chords.

Play the strum patterns exactly as written and you will hear the melody of the song without playing the individual notes.

   G       /        /         V      /
Row Row, Row, Your Boat

    /   V      /       V         /       /
Gently Down The Stream

 /    V   /     /   V   /   /   V   /    /    V   /
Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily

 D7   V   /   V      G       /
Life Is But A Dream!       For a real fancy ending play an extra   / V / Strum. For an exceptional ending after playing the / V / strum / /! It will be a FANTASTIC ending. This arrangement is in the Key of G.

YOU DID IT! YOU SHOULD HAVE A BIG HUGE SMILE ON YOUR FACE!
 This arrangement uses the chords with strum patterns to play the melody.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!

You can play this version of Row, Row, Row Your Boat on a guitar but do not strum the fifth and sixth bass strings. You need to form the notes on the 5th and 6th bass strings of the guitar fret board to form a full G Chord.

This was EASY and now you are playing music on your baritone ukulele!  You can use this same method to play a soprano, concert, banjo or tenor uke. Just tune the uke to the A E C G tuning. Of course the chord and note names will be completely different.

Sing while you play your ukulele. ENJOY MAKING BEAUTIFUL MUSIC!

 Play the Melody, Lead Individual Notes

Everyone thinks you have to read music or read tablature to play the lead/melody to a song. I have been teaching for years via email using words to teach music. To play the Lead for Row, Row, Row Your Boat in the Key of G just follow the steps below.

The words are above the steps to form the notes for the melody.

           ROW, ROW

Step 1 Strum / on the Third string G playing the G note open. This is a quarter note. Repeat above for the second word ROW. This is a quarter note.

            ROW

Step 2 Strum /on the Third string G playing the G note open. This is a Eighth note.

            YOUR

Step 3 Place your second finger on your left hand on the Third string G at the Second fret forming an A note. With you right hand strum V when you play the A note. This is the connecting Eighth note.

            BOAT

Step 4 Strum / on the Second string B, playing the open B note. This is a Quarter note.

            GENT-

Step 5 Strum / on the Second String, playing the open B note. This is a Eighth Note.

            LY

Step 6 Place your second finger on your left hand on the Third string G at the Second Fret forming an A note, with your right hand strum V when you play the A note. This a connecting Eigth Note.

            DOWN

Step 7 Strum / on the Second string B, playing the open B note. This is a Eight note.

            THE

Step 8 Place your First finger of your left hand on the Second String B at the First fret, forming a C note. With your right hand strum V playing the C note. This is the connecting Eighth note.

            STREAM

Step 9 Place your Third Finger of your left hand on the Second String B at the Third fret, forming a High  D note.  Strum  D note / with your right hand.  This is a Half note. Count one beat after playing the D note.

               MER-

Step 10 Place your pinky of your Left hand on the First String at the Fifth fret, forming a High A note.  Strum / playing the High A note.  This is a triplet note.

              RI-

Step 11 Place your pinky of your Left hand on the First String at Fifth fret, forming a High A note. Strum V playing the High A note. This is a triplet note.

              LY

Step 12 Place your pinky of your Left hand on the First String at the Fifth fret, forming a High A note.  Strum / playing the High A note.  This is a triplet note.

              MER-

Step 13 Strum / on the First String, playing the open E note. This is a triplet note.

               RI-

Step 14 Strum V on the First String, playing the open E note. This is a triplet note.

               LY              

Step 15 Strum / on the First string, playing the open E note. This is a triplet note.

              MER-

Step 16 Strum / on the Second string, playing the open B note. This is a triplet note.

              RI-

Step 17 Strum V on the Second String, playing the open B note. This is a triplet note.

              LY

Step 18 Strum / on the Second string, playing the open B note. This is a triplet note.

               MER-

Step 19 Strum / on the Third string, playing the open G note. This is a triplet note.

               RI-

Step 20 Strum V on the Third String, playing the open G note. This is a triplet note.

               LY

Step 21 Strum / on the Third string, playing the open G note. This is a triplet note.

               LIFE

Step 22 Place your Third Finger of your left hand on the Second String B at the Third fret, forming a High D note.   Strum D note  / with your right hand.  This is a Eight note.

              IS

Step 23 Place your First finger of your left hand on the Second String B at the First fret, forming a C note. With your right hand strum V playing the C note. This is the connecting Eighth note.

              BUT

 Step 24 Strum / on the Second string B, playing the open B note. This is a Eight note.

              A

Step 25 Place your second finger on your left hand on the Third string G at the Second fret forming an A note. With you right hand strum V when you play the A note. This is the connecting Eighth note.

              DREAM

Step 26 Strum / on the Third string G playing the G note open. This is a half note. Count one beat after playing the G note.

You have just played the entire note melody of the song Row, Row, Row Your Boat in the key of G without reading music at all or tablature. You also learned the names of the notes you formed on the fret board.

CONGRATULATIONS! Keep Practicing. Remember to have fun while you play your ukulele and sing along as you play beautiful music!

If you have any music or ukulele questions please email me at musiclou42@msn.com

MaryLou Stout Dempler   (Kentucky’s Ukulele goddess so they call me.)

 www.allmarylou.com   www.melbay.com  www.cdbaby.com

In the third installment of the Hawaiian Style Ukulele series advanced chords, strum patterns and scale are presented. Tunes include “Mauna Loa”, “Wailele O Akaka (Akaka Falls)”, “Green Rose Hula” and many more. This is a great series for those looking to learn Hawaiian style ukulele and traditional Hawaiian tunes.

PDF
/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/palolo.mp3

Classics for Ukulele features 20 well-known classical pieces arranged for fingerpicking solo ukulele. Tunes include: Moonlight Sonata, Ave Maria, Ride of the Valkyries, Hungarian Dance No.4 and many more. Music in standard notation and tab.

PDF

I have played guitar since I was seven years old. I couldn’t learn to play my guitar fast enough. I had to take three guitar lessons a week. For my birthday, ten years ago my husband gave me a $2000.00 handmade concert ukulele. I fell  in love all over again with music, my new uke and my husband. You can read the complete story, including how I became a Mel Bay author at my website www.allmarylou.com.

After teaching my first soprano ukulele class at Bellarmine University, I formed the Louisville Ukulele Association Unlimited club (L.U.A.U.) and Orchestra. To complete the orchestra’s sound, I wrote the Easy Baritone Ukulele Method Book and taught a Baritone Uke Class. The baritone ukulele is played exactly like the first four strings of the guitar and has the deepest sound of all the ukuleles. Using my guitar background, I developed an extremely easy method to learn to play music on the baritone ukulele instantly.   

Lesson 1

How to Hold Your Baritone Ukulele
Hold the neck of the baritone ukulele in the left hand. If you are left-handed, the ukulele must be restrung and the steps reversed.
Cuddle the ukulele like a little puppy in your arms resting it upon your chest and torso. I had a strap button installed on my baritone ukulele at the base of the body. I use a guitar strap tied at the neck right above the nut and slip the hole on the other end of the strap around the strap button. 

How To Tune Your Baritone Ukulele
    I recommend an electronic tuner like the Intellitouch © professional tuner with a backlight or the Intellitouch © PT-2 Tuner “Bare-Bone” which has no backlight. Lanikia Ukuleles has a programmed electronic tuner. Find the one that works best for you and fits within your budget.

The strings are tuned E B G D for the baritone ukulele.

The First String E, is the string facing the floor.
The Second String B, is above the E string.
The Third String G,  is below the top string.
The Fourth String D, is the top string and the string closet to the chin.

Finger Positions
The left hand index finger is #1. The second finger is #2. The middle finger is #3. The pinky finger is #4. Do not count the thumb.
Rest the thumb behind and in the middle of the instrument’s neck.
The right hand index finger is in a pointing position (all other fingers closed) and pointing to the strings over the sound hold.
I use a pick and I prefer that my students use a pick too. There are several different brands, shapes and size picks for different sound effects. Many ukulele players use a felt pick, which produces a softer sound. I like my ukulele strings to be heard, so I use a nylon 1. mm pick with ridges for easy gripping. Take your baritone uke to your local music store. Try out several different brands and thickness of picks. Find the sound you like when you strum your ukulele.

Fret Board
The baritone ukulele has frets on the neck of the fret board.
The first fret is from the nut right below the tuning pegs to the first fret wire.
The second fret follows and continues down the fret board.
Fret markers (dots or symbols) are placed at intervals on the fret board to help locate frets quickly. The markers usually begin at the third fret, fifth fret and so on.

Finger Positions On The Fret Board
Each finger corresponds with each fret. Finger #1 is played on the first fret. Finger #2 is played at the second fret. Finger #3 is played at the third fret. Finger #4 is played at the fourth fret. Now you are thinking WHOA! I’ve run out of fingers on my left hand. You are right but don’t panic! The #4 finger is used on the fourth and fifth frets. When you play notes or chords through the fifth fret, you are playing in the first position of the ukulele fret board.

NOW START YOUR STOP WATCH. You are going to play the baritone ukulele in 2 minutes or less.

Step 1 Place your #3 (ring) finger on the first string at the third fret. Be sure to place your finger on the tip behind the fret wire of the third fret. NO slouching or bending your finger over the fret wire. If you do not place your finger on the string correctly you will get a dull thud sound. You want to produce a clear sound of the note being played. Strike the first string several times until a clear tone is produced. Readjust your finger until the sound of the string rings clear. You have just made a G chord.

Step 2 Strum the strings down over the sound hole beginning with the top fourth string while holding the G chord formation. Strumming a chord while you sing or someone else plays the melody on a instrument is called playing RHYTHM.  When the melody of the song is played on an instrument it is called the LEAD. You will be playing the RHYTHM ACCOMPANIMENT while you sing the melody. 

Step 3 Keeping strumming and sing. This symbol / means strum down over the strings.
    /        /         /        /        /
Row Row, Row, Your Boat
    /    /       /        /         /      /
Gently Down The Stream
  /     /  /     /     /  /     /     / /    /      / /
Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily
   /     /     /    /       /
Life Is But A Dream!

YOU DID IT! YOU SHOULD HAVE A BIG HUGE SMILE ON YOUR FACE!
You just played your first song on the baritone ukulele!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!

You can play this version of Row Row Row Your Boat on a guitar but do not strum the fifth and sixth bass strings. You need to form the notes on the 5th and 6th bass strings of the guitar fret board to form a full G Chord.

This was EASY and now you are playing music on your baritone ukulele!  You can use this same method to play a soprano, concert, banjo or tenor uke. Just tune the uke to the A E C G tuning.

 Sing while you play your ukulele. ENJOY MAKING BEAUTIFUL MUSIC!

If you have questions, email me at musiclou42@msn.com I would love to hear from you and your progress on your musical journey.

Musically Yours,

MaryLou Stout Dempler

Kentucky’s Ukulele Goddess 

www.allmarylou.com

by Lee “Drew” Andrews

This ukulele method was written for children and beginners of all ages. Beginning with simple chords and songs this method is perfect for all beginners. Students are also taught to play and read single note lines on the ukulele. Proper holding, strumming and picking techniques are taught through text and pictures. Large text, notes and diagrams make this an easy book to use. The songs used in this method are well-known tunes for players of any age. Accompanying CD contains all examples and songs in the book. Standard notation only.

andrews-02.mp3 | andrews-03.mp3 | andrews-07.mp3 | andrews-08.mp3

andrews-11.mp3 | andrews-21.mp3 | andrews-22.mp3 | andrews-23.mp3

andrews-24.mp3 | andrews-25.mp3 | andrews-26.mp3 | andrews-27.mp3

andrews-28.mp3 | andrews-29.mp3 | andrews-30.mp3 | andrews-31.mp3

andrews-32.mp3 | PDF

by Robbert van Renesse

This book is intended for ukulele players who had some experience with their instruments, but would like to increase their musical ability, as well as for guitarists who like to improve their accompaniment skills on the treble strings of the guitar. There exist many excellent introductory ukulele methods, as well as extensive chord dictionaries. Instead, this book is intended for those players who wish to be able to sight read from a fake book, figure out the chords to a song without a chart, create accompaniments to their own songs, create chord solos, extend their chord vocabulary, or further their understanding of harmony.

PDF

by Mary Lou Stout Dempler

Students will develop music reading skills because of this unique, one-of-a kind, tablature method. Students can play immediately, without reading music utilizing the handy tab, as well as learn to play chords quickly and effectively. This will in turn enable them to sing along with the lyrics provided with each song; A valuable guide to ukulele players of all kinds.

PDF

by Uketree Records

Learn Hawaiian style ukulele from this great series. All tunes are well-known Hawaiian songs which include: “E Wai’anea”, “Kawika”, “Lei Nani”, “Pua Lililehau” and more. Instructional material on chord structure, arranging traditional songs, transposing keys, where to strum and more are presented in this book. A great resource for traditional Hawaiian music.

PDF | Kawika.mp3