What do these three things have in common?
Roy Smeck
Right Hand Rhythms
Trash Cans

What size ukulele should I play?

These questions and more are answered in the article below.

Hello Friends, Ukulele Players, Distinguished Colleagues!

    I’m very happy to join the writing staff of Mel Bay’s www.ukulelesessions.com. 

I found my first ukulele in a garbage can on my way to High school in Swartz Creek, MI in 1972.  This was no ordinary trash day.  It was officially “Clean Up Fix Up Week”.  Anybody could throw out anything and the trash collectors would take it away.  It was a magical time for our town each year.  We knew that just about anything we needed was waiting for us on our neighbors curb and we took good advantage of the situation.  Everybody in town was out early to beat the trash pick up.  I walked down the street and there it was, it’s tiny headstock sticking up out of the garbage can.  I carefully pulled it out.  It was a little wall hanger of a ukulele with a palm tree painted on it.  It held a tune and I was off and running.

     Yes, 1972 was the year my ship sailed in and boatloads of success were sure to follow. 

    My first professional gig playing the ukulele was with Gabe Ward and the New Hoosier Hotshots from Chicago.  Since then I’ve played the ukulele on stages across this country as well as Japan, Australia, New Zealand and in Great Britain for a couple of generations of kids, folk musicians and music fans.  My ukulele playing has been featured in film and television scores for PBS, MSNBC, National Geographic, The Food Channel (they have extremely good taste), The Today Show and many more.  I appear to be among a select few ukulele players to win multiple GRAMMYs.

    I was very lucky to meet and study with the legendary Roy Smeck in the early 1980s.  Roy was a brilliant multi-instrumentalist.  He played music on several instruments in the first film with sound in 1928.  That film was called “The Wizard of the Strings”.  It’s worth seeing! 

Here’s a link to a ukulele centered segment of the film on youtube

Right Hand Rhythm Technique

    Much of the magic of Roy Smeck’s playing came from intricate right hand rhythms.  That’s exactly where we’re going to start. 
    Here’s a video that demonstrates a double strum with one fluid motion. 

   The separation of fingers and thumb is the basis for all of the fancier syncopated rhythms that Roy uses in the video.  It’s worth spending some time practicing to get clear separate strums.

   The first strum is a versatile pattern that can be used in many styles of music.  It’s used here in the Calypso song The Sloop John B.
   
    D = all fingers strum Down and U = all fingers strum Up.  Keep your right moving up and down in a steady even rhythm.  Strum down and up with all four fingers.

 
The second strum incorporates the double strum with separate thumb and fingers.  Fingers strum down together and thumb follows.
Again D = all fingers strum down
             U = all fingers strum up
   And T = thumb strums down

UKULELES COME IN SO MANY SIZES.  WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Here’s a video demonstration of soprano, concert, tenor and baritone ukulele with tunings included.  Resonator and open back banjo ukuleles are also shown.

Video
Have fun with rhythmic strumming.  See you next time!

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

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

Anyone can learn to play the ukulele, and play it well. No previous knowledge of music is necessary. Strum and pick both harmonies and melodies. First Lessons Ukulele provides a simple approach for learning how to play the ukulele without reading music. From the most basic necessities, such as holding the uke properly and forming simple chords, up to more advanced techniques, which include transposing, using second and third position chords, and picking and strumming melody solos. Companion CD/DVD included.

• No previous music knowledge necessary.
• Strum and pick both harmonies and melodies.
• Takes you from basic skills such as forming simple chords, to advanced techniques, such as transposing and soloing.

Download Printable Version: Picking

Picking Page 1

Picking Page 2

Picking Page 3

Picking Page 4

These chord-melody solos have been arranged for solo ukulele playing. Tunes include Aloha Oe, When the Saints Go Marching In, Bill Bailey, The Sheik of Araby, By the Light of the Silvery Moonlight, and many more. All in standard notation and tablature with companion recordings of each tune including guitar accompaniment.

Download Printable Version: Ukulele Chord Solos

Aloha OE.mp3 | Hail, Hail the Gangs all Here.mp3

Aloha OE

Hail, Hail the Gangs All Here

An excerpt from a classic Mel Bay Uke Method Book by Roy Smeck.

NOTE: The following is in “D” tuning, not “C” – [Thanks to Joe for pointing this out in the comments below.]