Minor chords make an excellent starting point for beginning ukulele players. Use these chords sparingly as transitions or to add tension in songs.
The chord diagrams shown above feature thicker lines at the top to indicate where the nut should be situated, and open circles indicate which strings should be played openly. By keeping your fingers off these open strings you can prevent accidental muting and ensure sound chords.
A minor
This chord is one of the easiest minor chords to learn and play, making it ideal for starting off. Not only can it add flavor and colour to your songs without too much difficulty in its execution but it can also help develop finger placement skills and compositional flexibility.
This chord is known as a barre chord, in which fingers must cross over multiple frets at once to play it correctly. Chord diagrams typically depict this with solid lines running along each fret associated with individual fingers.
To play an A minor chord, place your index finger on the second fret of A string; middle finger on third fret of C string; and ring finger on fourth fret of G string with all remaining strings open. This chord shape has become widely popular over time as featured in popular ukulele songs like Taylor Swift’s “I’m Yours”. Use it to accompany singers or add atmosphere and emotion into your songs!
D minor
D minor (Dm) chord is one of the most frequently employed in music and can be found in many popular songs like Grace VanderWaal’s “So Much More Than This”. You can easily play this chord using two or four fingers on a ukulele.
To play this chord, fret the G string at its second fret using your first finger before fretting C, E and A strings at their fifth frets with your third and fourth fingers respectively – this form of barre chord requires that multiple strings be fretted simultaneously by opening your fingers across several strings at the same time.
To discover which notes form each chord, a chord scale formula can help. It outlines all the notes within a given key so you can determine which chords to use; this tool is especially beneficial if you’re starting out your ukulele journey.
E minor
E minor is an emotive key that evokes various moods in music, from melancholy to somber. Popular songs often use it to convey feelings of longing or sorrow; many iconic chord progressions such as Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” and Tears for Fears’s iconic “Living on a Prayer” have been written in E minor.
E minor chords are formed using triads, which consist of three notes or tones, in an E minor chord the third is usually a minor tone that gives the chord its mournful sound; switching this note for another one would alter its overall character and alter how people hear the chord.
To play an E minor ukulele chord, fret the G string at its 12th fret using your third finger; fret C string 11th fret using second finger; and A string at 10th fret using first finger. After playing these notes together, move your fingers around fretboard until different voicings of this chord appear.
G minor
G minor is used across different genres of music to convey a wide array of feelings, from sadness and melancholy to excitement and thrills. This versatility of its chords allows G minor to produce this effect by offering multiple voicings (different ways to play each chord).
G minor scale features two flats, giving it a deeper sound than its major equivalent. Furthermore, this scale incorporates elements from both natural and melodic minor and creates a distinctive sound which adds extra tension to songs.
No matter if you’re rocking out with Cherry Glazerr or writing love ballads for your next single, the G minor scale will bring your songs to life with its melancholy charm. With just a bit of practice and imagination, this chord will quickly have you creating songs filled with feelings of melancholy introspection and nostalgic delight in no time at all!