One Finger Ukulele Chords

In this video we're gonna be looking at the easiest two chords that we can play on ukulele, and both of these chords just use one finger at a time. So we have 21 finger chords here. Anybody should be able to do this, however, as with any new skill, we need to manage our expectations and be aware that doing anything more than just playing each chord once is going to be tricky. Changing chords. Using these chords in songs takes a little bit of practise and practise at specific things. Don't just think more time playing these chords is going to get you better at doing everything else automatically, especially not when it comes to real songs. But we have to start with one finger chords cause they're as simple as we can make it. Let's have a look at these two chords now. So the first chord that we're gonna look at is the C major chord, and it sounds like this. This uses our first finger on the 1st string at the 3rd fret. Now the frets themselves are these metal wires coming down like this. However, we consider this area to be fret 1, so here, here, here, all fret 1. This is fret 2. And this is fret 3, so on, so on, so on. Whenever we fret a note, for example, string 1, fret 3, we want to make sure it's at this side of the fret, as opposed to this side of the fret. And if I play that one string. You'll probably hear exactly why, it doesn't ring out as well because I would have to press on monumentally harder. Than I do at this side, and actually you want to press down as light as possible while still still getting the note. Ringing out. To play the chord, I'm just gonna use my index finger and the nail of my index finger, you could use your thumb. First finger, thumb, either way, we want to be strumming our ukulele around this area just in front of the sound hole just over the neck here. Inside of our arm holding the ukulele and also supporting the ukulele with the bottom of our hand is fine for now though we've got different options with that going forward. So code number 1, with our first finger, C major. Easy peasy. Now ideally, if possible, we want to not play that chord with our first finger, even though that seems like the obvious thing to do. And the reason is playing one chord isn't that difficult. Changing between chords can be very tricky, but it's much easier if we use different fingers. That's what I want to introduce right away. If possible, please use your third finger. And then, when we do that, we can rest the ukulele here and all strings ring out and we're sounding grit. So all I've done there, 3rd finger, 3rd fret, string 1, and I'm right on the tip and I'm at this side of the fret area, not this side, the side closest to you. If you can do that, that's going to really help when it comes to playing and also changing to and from our next chord, which is the A minor chord. That A minor chord is played like this. This is with the middle finger at fret 2 of string 4, again at this side of the fret. We could play this with our first finger. However, you're gonna come up against a few problems there, not least probably muting string 1 when you try and play chords all with your first finger on ukulele. So we wanna try and use our middle finger where possible. So we've got See With the 3rd finger A minor With the middle finger like this. Now this technique works best. If you're resting your first finger to support the weight of the er neck and the ukulele er just behind where the nut is, this part of the ukulele here. So we can have 3rd finger and then middle finger and we're always having all 4 strings ringing out. This is my biggest top tip. Even with very small hands, this should still be possible. If you know you're super super young and this is a challenge for you, just focus on getting that first chord with the 3rd finger. That's gonna be the best way. To do the most things, even at this early stage, on ukulele. 3rd finger. Like that. If possible, middle finger here for the A minor. See, Major. A minor. We've got one major chord there and one minor chord. The major chord sounds happy, major cheery, and the minor chord sounds a little bit sad in isolation at least. And the thing you want to remember is major cheery, minor dreary. Happy, Major chord, sad. Minor chord. That's it for this lesson guys, get right on to the next lesson to maximise your ukulele practise time at this crucial early stage, and I will see you there.