Chords are groups of notes from the same scale. On ukulele chord diagrams, black circles filled in by color represent frets which should be fingered and empty ones should ring freely without interference from fretting fingers; empty circles represent strings which must ring freely without touch from fingerpicking.
Major chords evoke joyous and cheerful feelings while minor ones create different atmospheres. To form a minor chord, we need to lower the major third by half tones.
Am
This week we explore one of the most ubiquitous minor chords: B. This chord and scale are similar to major ones; their difference lies only in one aspect – its minor third falls half a step below its major equivalent.
Mastering this shape takes practice. While it takes some time to adjust your fingers into their proper places, the result is worth the time spent and effort invested. Furthermore, it makes an excellent chord to use in progressions with its bluesy yet sophisticated sound.
Cm
C minor is an excellent chord to include in songs as it adds both emotion and tension to their sound. Its base is the melancholy natural minor scale which contains C-Eb-G notes. To form this chord we take the standard minor triad formula and reduce third scale degree by half step to create this chord.
Doing this requires placing a finger on the third fret of C string, E string and A string while leaving G string open, creating an easy chord you can use in various songs.
Dm
Dm is an easy ukulele chord to learn for beginners as it only uses three fingers, yet mastering it requires memorizing finger positionings and playing songs that utilize D minor chord frequently.
Ukulele chords consist of triads, which consist of the root, flattened third and fifth notes from any major scale. Dm chords follow this formula but take it one step further by lowering its third scale degree by half-step for its minor tone.
To play Dm, fret the A string with your first finger while placing your second and third fingers on G string at their respective second frets, as well as D string at its second frets respectively. Strum away to master this classic chord!
E
E is an indispensable chord for ukulele beginners and should be learned early. While some novice ukulele players attempt to avoid it because it requires barring fingers across four frets (similar to Cm and A), I encourage you to give this chord your full attention rather than resorting to quick fixes like Dm (ring finger barred on 4th string 2nd fret).
Add an E major chord a fuller sound by playing strings 2-4 and the first string second fret (just as in an A major chord). This gives the E chord an audible B note.
F
F Major is one of the core triads and can be found in many forms of music, from ballads to pop. Consisting of D, F sharp (F#), and A notes, this chord offers a great alternative to E minor chord in certain progressions.
It may be more challenging than playing an Am chord, but its emotive quality can add depth and dimension to your playing. Christina Perri made popular use of this chord when writing Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri.
G
Minor chords typically feature more melancholic tones than major ones and can add something different than power chords to songs that require them.
As this chord can be found in many songs, its use by any ukulele player can only prove beneficial. Beginners may find it challenging, however.
This minor 9 chord does not contain a root note and is derived from drop 2 jazz forms – just like many of the most effective ukulele chords. To create this chord easily, simply take any major 7 chord and lower its third by half-tones.
B
One of the more complex ukulele chords, this B major barre chord is one of the more advanced ukulele chords to learn and plays like any other barre chord – whereby you use one finger to press down two strings at once with just one movement of your index finger and bottom-A string at 2nd fret, and your ring finger on top G string’s 4th fret. To play it properly use index finger for E/bottom A string barre chord and place ring finger on 4th fret top G string top-G string as you hold down both strings at once with two actions of index finger/ring finger as necessary and place your ring finger on 4th fret of top G string for best results.
As with other ukulele chords, this minor 9 chord can be broken down into five tones: its root note; major third and perfect fifth notes – these combined give chords their happy sound.