Ukulele chord charts are an essential resource for any ukulele player. These small grids with lines that represent each string (G, C, E and A from thickest string to thinnest string).
Circled numbers indicate where fingers should be placed to form each chord. Each chord also features an open string circle which indicates when it should be played without pressing down on any frets.
A Major
Once you’ve mastered the C major chord, the A major is next on your list. This ukulele chord only requires two fingers: your index finger on the first fret of the C string and middle finger on second fret of G string.
Do you notice when strumming these strings together that the first and last notes are identical? That is because all major chords consist of the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes of their scale as components.
B Major
B major is one of the most frequently used chords on ukulele. It can be found in many songs and often combined with F minor to form the F-A-B-C-D progression.
To play B major, place your index finger across the first fret of both E and A strings, creating a partial-barre effect which can be enhanced by reaching up to the fourth fret of G string with your second finger for additional extensions of this chord. Either method works, and this chord can also be played as full barre.
C Major
C Major is typically the first chord most beginners learn on ukulele, and is fairly straightforward; simply place your index finger onto fret 3 of the bottom string.
This chord shape is moveable, meaning that by shifting up two frets it creates an entirely different chord. This exercise helps students understand whole steps and half steps which form the basis of any scale.
D Major
D Major is an essential chord in any ukulele player’s toolkit; it’s used extensively across songs and easy to play too!
This movable chord allows you to quickly change its key depending on the key of the song you’re performing, or move back two frets for a C major chord, another popular option.
To form this chord, use a barre chord technique where one finger holds down multiple strings simultaneously. Try to keep fingers close together so they do not mute other strings.
E Major
E major chord is one of the more difficult chords for beginners to learn and master, taking time and practice but with proper fingering it may be simpler than you expect to fret.
One way of playing this is the 4402. This chord, similar to an E5 chord, can be useful when songs require note G# (two tones above E on your keyboard) while still staying in bar chords when transitioning back and forth between them.
F Major
F major is one of the more difficult ukulele chords for beginners to play cleanly; it resembles the C chord on guitar and requires you to curve your fingers further to fret each string.
This chord features the root note F, minor third A flat (Ab), and perfect fifth C notes to create a melancholic tone reminiscent of love songs such as Ed Sheeran’s “All Of The Stars”. This progression has become widely used and popular.
G Major
G major is one of the easiest ukulele chords to play. Practice is not necessary to sound great; all it requires is keeping all fingers firmly across all strings without muteding or buzzing against them.
When performing a barre chord, three fingers should be placed at their respective frets of each string (C, E and A respectively) simultaneously while leaving one string open (G-string in this example). This formation is known as a barre chord.
A Minor
Minor chords can be created easily on a ukulele by shifting down one scale degree on any major chord and dropping it to create a minor tone, without fretting any additional strings.
To play this ukulele chord, place your index finger on the first fret (G string); middle finger on second fret (E string); and ring finger on third fret (A string). Strum away! This chord is extremely popular and versatile!
Ukuleles provide a great platform to learn chords. Chords are groups of notes that produce distinct tones used in songs to alter their tone and change its style.
A major chord consists of three scale degrees arranged around its root note – giving rise to its name -, fourth, and fifth notes.
C Major
Understanding scales opens up a wealth of creative options. Scales are the building blocks of chords and songs; therefore if you want to take your ukulele playing to the next level, scales are indispensable.
This lesson will focus on the C major scale, the first of the five different major scales. To play it, we will begin on the D string and focus our fingerwork between the 10th and 13th frets on our fretboards.
For this scale, your left thumb should remain pinned to the G string while moving your index finger up the neck towards C, middle finger D and ring finger E. Doing this exercise regularly will allow your muscles to learn how to play this instrument more smoothly! As time goes on and muscle memory develops more naturally!
A Major
A major chord is one of the most widely utilized chords in music. You’ll hear it used across many genres and styles – from rock, country and folk all the way to electronic.
To play this chord, place your index finger on the first fret of the C string and your middle finger on the second fret of G string. Your ring and pinky fingers should also be flexible enough to use, although they must not mute or dampen any other strings’ sound accidentally.
If you want to alter this chord into a minor version, simply move your first finger from the second fret of E string across to its third fret and move across it a third time (Example 4). This will create the same notes but with lower third note (F). Furthermore, this moveable A shape can also be used to play different shapes across neck (Example 5).
B Major
The B Major chord is one of the key fundamentals to master when learning baritone ukulele. Many songs utilize this key, making it an excellent place for novice players to start.
This chord requires both full barre and partial barre positions – index finger on E string and ring finger on A string respectively – when playing it. Be careful when arching your fingers more than normal as this could result in muted strings!
This chord is one-step higher than A major, so you will either need to retune or add a capo in order to play it. Play songs containing it to practice transitioning in and out of it as this will build muscle memory for its shape and train your ears for different tones of this chord. Also try exploring alternative voicings of it by moving its shapes along the fretboard.
E Major
There are so many songs featuring an E Major chord! This primary chord works incredibly well across different progressions; from adrenaline-fuelled songs like The Night We Danced Away or soothing ballads like Little Bird.
This piece has four sharps in its key signature and a secondary dominant, meaning that it moves to A minor as its own tonic tone – creating an interesting cadence.
One of the more difficult methods of playing an E major chord is using a moveable shape. This involves covering both third and fourth frets with your index finger, second, and ring fingers simultaneously – it takes practice but can be achieved on an instrument with good intonation up its neck. Unfortunately, though it adds extra movement for your fretting hand; you may wish to avoid this method if making quick transitions between different shapes.