Jason Mraz is an incredible musician. This song utilizes four chords with an infectiously catchy rhythm featuring many muted strums. I have kept the chords in key of B, however it would be easier for ukulele players to transpose them down by half step for easier playing on ukulele.
1. Counting Stars
One of the most beloved hits from pop supergroup OneRepublic, Counting Stars is an accessible piece for beginners and experienced players alike to learn on ukulele. The song features an easy chord progression for beginning players – making this an excellent option at sporting events, movie soundtracks and beyond! Plus its catchy melody and positive lyrics have become staples at sports events, film soundtracks and beyond!
This song is so enjoyable to play on ukulele because of its excellent strumming pattern that fits it perfectly. The strumming alternates between upstrokes and downstrokes, creating an exciting rhythm and driving the beat forward. Muted downstrokes help break up any repetitiveness. Experiment by adding extra upstrokes or downstrokes into this alternating pattern for different variations on this tune’s strum pattern.
The Ukulele is an affordable and portable instrument that has quickly become immensely popular over recent years. Beginner musicians find the ukulele easy to learn and play; its portability allows it to go anywhere you do! Furthermore, creating music with this instrument gives your personality and creativity free reign through music you create!
Once you’ve learned the fundamentals of playing the ukulele, it’s time to start learning songs! There is an incredible selection of great ukulele songs available online that may suit your style; simply type “ukulele chords” or “ukulele tabs” into any search engine and you should find everything you need – don’t forget to practice and have fun!
2. Riptide
Riptide is an immensely popular song among ukulele players due to its cheerful, catchy tempo and folk-pop style. With simple chord progressions and a straightforward strumming pattern, it makes Riptide an excellent starting point for newcomers.
Although not originally composed for ukulele, this song serves as an excellent demonstration of how classic tunes can be made more approachable by altering chords and melody to suit ukulele players’ abilities. Furthermore, changing strumming intensity, volume, tempo or even volume alone can convey different emotions during performances.
And it makes an excellent platform for experimentation with improvising, as its wide array of techniques and embellishments provides ample opportunity for creative musical interpretation by the listener. For instance, playing chords before muting them can add percussive effects; or open-string chords can be muted left-hand style to add haunting tones to the piece.
This song is an ideal starting point for beginning players learning the ukulele, as it uses only four easy chords and features a capo on the first fret – both features that help novices play melody lines and strumming patterns smoothly.
Vance Joy’s rendition of Riptide features an accessible yet catchy rhythm and folk-pop style, creating an upbeat, carefree sound which results in audience singalongs and creating an exciting vibe during live performances.
This song’s lyrics reflect universal experiences such as falling in and out of love, embarking on new adventures, and appreciating life’s many small moments. Due to this success it has become a favorite tune to perform at gatherings and ukulele jam sessions alike.
3. I’m Yours
The ukulele has its roots in Hawaiian folk music dating back to 1880s; recently however, its popularity has seen an unprecedented surge. Once considered just a novelty instrument (Neil Armstrong played one; Beatle George Harrison owned hundreds), modern pop musicians have taken it seriously over time. Jason Mraz’s hit I’m Yours featured an ukulele solo; similarly Fearless by Chaka Khan features this instrument too – both songs featuring Jason Mraz showcasing its versatility! This instrument can now be found everywhere from concert halls and clubhouses all the way through YouTube or online streaming videos!
Jake Shimabukuro has become one of the most celebrated practitioners on ukulele today. A legendary musician, he boldly uses this diminutive chordophone to perform everything from George Harrison’s While My Guitar Gently Weeps to Beethoven’s Ode to Joy with ease and finesse.
I’m Yours is one of the more straightforward modern songs to learn how to play on the ukulele due to its form and repetitive chord patterns, while Counting Stars may present more challenges to beginners due to its complex strum patterns and tricky chord changes; however, with practice it will soon be second nature; repetition is always key! Additionally, this popular tune also comes in an easy ukulele key for additional practice opportunities! Just be sure that when strumming different sections you vary up your strumming styles accordingly for best results!
4. Hawaii
The Ukulele (pronounced you-ka-lay-leh in Hawaiian) was brought to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants in the late 1800’s and quickly adopted as part of Hawaii culture – from fisherman and taro farmers all the way through Kings and Queens! The instrument is descended from machete, itself deriving from early European and Middle Eastern plucked string instruments such as the lute and mandolin. Joao Fernandes and Augusto Dias quickly made this small stringed instrument famous when they started playing folk songs from Madeira using their instruments on arrival; playing folk songs from Madeira immediately became part of Hawaii culture with all generations adopting this instrument as part of Hawaiian culture – from fishermen and farmers all the way through to Kings and Queens!
David Kalakaua himself helped establish the ukulele as part of Hawaiian culture. He frequently played it at royal events and encouraged musicians to pick it up too, giving it national exposure through movie reels such as King Kalakaua’s successor Queen Lili’uokalani who wrote beautiful songs about her love for and devotion to Hawaii.
Today, the ukulele is enjoyed by both children and professionals. A popular instrument in Hawaiian music, its popularity has since spread mainland where it has become a mainstream musical trend used by musicians from diverse genres as well as some high-profile celebrities.
Hawaii has produced some of the most prolific ukulele players in the world, like Takeo Kudo who won Glee season one and later performed with his band on Saturday Night Live. Ukuleles have also become an integral component of modern pop music; artists such as Ingrid Michaelson and Zooey Deschanel have released songs featuring it.
5. Kaulana Na Pua
No matter your ukulele skill level or experience level, this collection of Na Hoku Hanohano and Hawaii Music Awards winners and finalists is sure to inspire. Featuring Troy Fernandez, Herb Ohta Jr, Imua Garza, Brittni Paiva Gordon Freitas & Kalei Gamiao it has something for everyone in this album!
Kaulana Na Pua is one of the most iconic and beloved Hawaiian songs, written by Ellen Pendergast as a protest against Queen Liliuokalani’s overthrow in 1893 and subsequent annexation by the United States. Also referred to as Mele Ai Pohaku (Stone Eating Song) or He Lei no ka Pae Aloha aina (A lei for those who love the land), this striking mele articulates Hawaiians’ feelings of loss of self-determination and sovereignty that many Hawaiians still experience today.
George Kahumoku shares this beautiful song with his daughter Sharleen who plays the ukulele, making this family favorite played at every family gathering. George and Sharleen grew up singing it together at home. It has special meaning because it reminds them of all their shared aloha with Ei Nei Martinez of whom this song honors.