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Major chords are composed of three chords connected by scale degrees from any given key signature; C major is an example, consisting of C E G chords.
This chord is fairly easy to play on ukulele and used frequently in popular songs. Additionally, it serves as a great starting point for learning flats and sharps as well as other basic chords on this instrument.
A Major
A major is an easy starting chord for novice ukulele players to get acquainted with the instrument. This chord provides a satisfying plucked sound when strumming the instrument.
This chord is composed of the root note, flattened third note and fifth note from any major scale. Practice alternate down-up strumming patterns with this chord to sharpen your finger placement skills and practice ukulele chord progressions to gain experience switching between different kinds of chords.
B Major
The B chord is one of the most frequently employed beginner ukulele chords. Due to its finger positioning requirements, however, it may prove challenging at first; but with regular practice it will become much simpler to manage.
The B major chord is composed of a major triad which contains three notes; root note, major third, and perfect fifth. This combination gives major chords their characteristically happy sound.
C Major
C major is an extremely popular chord and scale pattern. Being a perfect key, no flats or sharps are needed in its execution.
Ukulele chord charts provide visual aids that showcase how strings should be fretted, and where your fingers should be placed when picking chords on an ukulele string. This visual can help you gain an understanding of how these chords function as well as providing information about specific song’s chord shapes to other musicians.
D Major
A D Major chord on ukulele can be challenging to master due to requiring much tension in your fretting hand in order to play it accurately and prevent notes from sounding muted.
To combat this issue, consider this voicing of a chord that only requires your third finger to fret the bottom string; leaving all other strings unfretted will result in much cleaner sound quality.
E Major
E Major is an iconic chord in ukulele music, thanks to its vibrant sound that works so well with many popular songs.
The E major chord can be quickly learned; its fingering pattern is identical for both hands, making learning it straightforward. Simply be sure to consistently work on strengthening and agility of left-hand fingers over time.
Barre chords can be intimidating for beginners, but over time they will become easier to play. Be patient and work on developing your chord shapes every day!
F Major
F Major is another of the major chords commonly seen in many ukulele-based songs, similar to C Major it is built around a major triad.
Triads are constructed by starting from the root note of a scale and consisting of its major third and perfect fifth notes. Triads can also be played using your first finger to block off specific frets on your fretboard for barred chord effects.
G Major
G Major chord is often one of the first chords ukulele beginners will learn, as it is used in numerous popular songs and can help familiarize your fingers with fretboard shape.
G Major chord is a major triad, composed of the notes G, B and D. These chords feature a major third that gives them their distinctive warm sound.
H Major
The H major chord is composed of E, G sharp (G#), and A notes and produces an atmospheric sound when played on an ukulele.
Learn the fundamental ukulele chord, which serves as the basis for thousands of songs.
Musical notation may seem complicated at first glance; its array of symbols and slurs may seem confusing, yet understanding these concepts will accelerate learning processes.
I Major
This chord isn’t too difficult on the ukulele, though you must ensure your instrument has proper intonation in its neck region or else its top string can become lifeless and dissonant.
Arpeggio practice can also help ensure smooth chord transitions for songs as well as improvising solos. This technique should serve you well!
J Major
A ukulele is a small stringed musical instrument. Traditionally made from wood, cheaper variants may include plastic components.
The A major ukulele chord is one of the easiest beginner chords to learn, and this page includes video lessons, chord charts and theory as well as examples of songs that use this chord. When playing this chord make sure that you round off your middle finger as this helps create a stronger sound.
Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals, it’s time to move on to major chords – the first chords requiring multiple fingers to play them simultaneously while moving up and down the fretboard.
To play these chords effectively, it’s essential that you understand the circle of fifths; a visual aid which shows how sharps and flats alter the key signature for ukulele. Each major chord has an equivalent minor chord found one half step lower on the scale.
C Major
C major is likely the first chord you’ll learn to play on the ukulele, making an ideal first chord to master for beginners. Its relatively straightforward structure offers great appeal for novice players while its striking sounding note provides great opportunities to expand.
At its core, C-shaping involves placing your index finger on the 2nd fret of the bottom A string and your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the top G string; this creates a C shape while leaving other strings open for sounding freely.
This variation on the C chord is extremely popular among ukulele players as it offers a different sound from its standard form. Jazzier in nature, this chord can add something special when used for songs that require something more than your average C chord voicing.
Note that while both C major and A minor have the same root note (C), their intervals differ. For instance, between C and E there is a major third distance; between A and C it’s only minor third.
A Major
A major chord belongs to the major chord family and is easy to remember and play. Simply position your index finger on the first fret of C-string and your middle finger on second fret of G-string; leaving E- and A-strings open will produce this simple yet instantly recognisable chord.
As with other major triads, an A major chord consists of three notes – tonic, major third, and perfect fifth (three tones and a half from tonic). Since minor chords use similar notes as major triads with minor third flattened (or lowered by one semitone), you can use this moveable A shape to produce various major and minor chord voicings up the neck.
This exercise is an effective way to quickly understand the relationships among movable chord shapes on the fretboard! If you find it hard to remember all these different ukulele fretboard shapes, try using “CAGED” as an aid in recalling them all!
E Major
The E major chord can be one of the more challenging tonal ukulele chords to master for beginners, yet if they persevere they will find that this chord can be played across many genres of song.
An F chord can serve as the beginning of an adrenaline-charged song or as the lament of lost love; its versatility means it can be used effectively in any progression and has an interesting relationship to F-flat minor scale, which will be explored later.
G Major
G Major chord is a staple chord across many musical genres and appears in 44% of tracks analyzed by Hook Theory, used across various genres such as traditional hymns or pop hits by Ed Sheeran such as Hearts Don’t Break Around Here and Taylor Swift Shake It Off. Furthermore, its usage can also be found in heavier styles of music like rock, Drum n Bass and Dubstep.
This chord is constructed by taking the first, third and fifth scale degree notes of G major scale which are G-B-D as its basis. There are numerous shapes you can play this chord on baritone ukulele; each offering its own distinct sound and playability.