Printable Version

There is a diagram of each chord appearing the first time it is played. It is followed by a number of slashes. Each slash represents one beat, or one downward strum of the chord.

This song can include a very popular device often found in songs of this era and later. It is called a turnaround, and may be played as an embellishment at the end of the third line. You can play eight beats of C in this spot OR  each of these four chords for two beats each: C,  C#°, Dm, and G7. Keep your index finger on the first fret of the second string and the transition from Dm to G7 is just a small horizontal shift.

From now on I will insert the arrow symbol anytime the turnaround may be substituted. Later I will show you the same chord series in other keys.

Another smooth transition can be made from the F chord at the end of line five to the D7 chord at the beginning of line six. Hold down the second fret of the fourth string and simply add your third finger at the second fret of the third string to make this change. 

Bill Bailey is a two-fer. You may know the song “JUST BECAUSE”. It shares exactly the same chord progression as Bill Bailey. It was common during this period in American Music to write several songs using the very same chord changes if the first one was a hit. So if you invest the time to learn Bill Bailey you have also learned Just Because.

Printable Version

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

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.

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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.

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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 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.

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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

In this wonderful collection Ian Whitcomb shows how to handle the uke in such a romantic way that the gently murmuring strums emerge to act as a sweet stream of accompaniment upon which one’s vocals can float along smoothly and pleasingly. All of the classic ballads included in this book were originally published before the ukulele established itself as an instrument to be taken seriously by the pop industry, before it became the 1920’s equivalent of the rock guitar. The music on the companion compact disc is performed by Ian Whitcomb and his various bands and orchestras. The music is written in standard notation with chord symbols and fretboard diagrams for soprano or tenor uke in standard (G-C-E-A) tuning. Lyrics are also included.

PDF | Beautiful Dreamer.mp3 | Peg o My Heart.mp3