Ukulele
The ukulele is small, gentle on the fingers, and you can play real songs within a week. It is widely loved as the most welcoming instrument for beginners.
What you need to start
- A soprano or concert ukulele
- A clip on tuner
- A chord chart
- A few favorite simple songs
At a glance
Your learning path
Three stages, taken at your own pace. Start at the top, get comfortable, then move down as you grow. There is no rush, and no wrong place to begin.
Start here. These four short lessons cover everything for your very first hour with a ukulele—holding it, tuning it, your first chords, a simple strum, and a real song you can sing along to.
YOUR FIRST UKULELE LESSON (Taught by a music teacher!)
Bernadette Teaches MusicHow To Play 12 Songs with 4 Easy Ukulele Chords
Bernadette Teaches MusicHOW TO Strum A Ukulele for Beginners - Ukulele Strumming Challenge | DAY 2 of 5
Bernadette Teaches MusicYour first ukulele lesson - Three Little Birds
Cynthia LinOnce your first chords feel comfortable, these lessons round out your playing—more chords, gentle fingerpicking, smoother changes, a favorite song, and how to read a chord chart on your own.
20 MOST IMPORTANT UKULELE CHORDS TO MEMORIZE
Bernadette Teaches MusicUkulele FINGERPICKING Lesson for Beginners: START HERE!
Pierre Hache MusicHow to Practice Chord Changes // Beginner Ukulele Tutorial
Cynthia LinSomewhere Over the Rainbow Play-Along + Tutorial (CC Chords + Lyrics) | Beginner Ukulele Lesson #5
Cynthia LinHow to read ukulele chord diagrams | Beginner ukulele tutorial
Ukulele Wine TimeReady to stretch yourself? These lessons take on barre chords, fuller fingerstyle, a little friendly music theory, playing melodies, and the confidence to perform for others.
How To Play Barre Chords on Ukulele
Bernadette Teaches MusicBeatles - Here Comes the Sun // Ukulele Fingerpicking Tutorial
Cynthia LinMusic Theory for Ukulele - Unit 1 Day 1 (Taught by an elementary music teacher)
Bernadette Teaches Music3 Steps to Ukulele Chord Melodies - Can't Help Falling In Love
Ukulele UndergroundHow To Overcome Stage Fright (For Ukulele Players)
Rock Class 101Why ukulele is wonderful after 50
The ukulele is one of the friendliest instruments you can pick up later in life. It is small, light, and easy on the hands—only four soft nylon strings, so it asks far less of your fingers than a guitar. You can make real music with just one or two simple chords in your very first sitting, which keeps it fun and rewarding from day one. It travels anywhere, fits in a closet, and costs very little to start. Best of all, it is wonderfully social: ukulele groups and strum-alongs welcome players of every level, and singing along comes naturally. It is gentle on the body and good for the spirit.
Your first month, week by week
Get to know your ukulele and learn to tune it every time you play, using a clip-on tuner. Practice holding it comfortably and strumming gently across all four strings. Learn your first easy chord (try C, which uses just one finger) and enjoy the sound.
Add the Am and F chords, then practice moving slowly between C, Am, and F. Don't rush—clean, relaxed changes matter more than speed. Try a steady down-strum in time with a slow count of four.
Learn the G chord to complete your first four chords. Practice a simple down-up strumming pattern and play along with a slow, familiar song like 'Three Little Birds.' Sing as you strum, even quietly.
Put it together: play a full easy song start to finish, keeping a gentle, steady rhythm. Set a small daily habit—ten relaxed minutes a day beats one long session. Celebrate that you can already play real music.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not tuning before you play. Fix: clip a tuner on the headstock and check all four strings every single time—an out-of-tune uke sounds wrong no matter how well you play.
- Pressing the strings too hard. Fix: use just enough pressure to get a clean note, with your thumb relaxed behind the neck. Pressing harder only tires your hand and causes soreness.
- Strumming too fast too soon. Fix: slow right down. Strum in time with a slow count of four; speed comes naturally once the changes feel smooth.
- Skipping chord changes when they feel hard. Fix: practice just the two chords that trip you up, switching back and forth slowly until your fingers learn the move.
- Gripping the neck in your palm. Fix: keep your wrist relaxed and let the neck rest lightly between your thumb and fingers, so your fingertips can reach the strings freely.
- Giving up because one song feels too hard. Fix: pick an easier one- or two-chord song first. Early wins keep it fun and build the habit.
Make it easier on your body
Simple ways to keep ukulele comfortable and safe with arthritis, low vision, or limited mobility.
- O ukulele é naturalmente pequeno, leve e suave para as mãos, por isso é um dos instrumentos mais fáceis de tocar com artrite ou força limitada das mãos. |||SET||| Escolha um soprano ou um tamanho de concerto – ambos são leves e fáceis de segurar, e um concerto oferece um pouco mais de espaço entre os trastes se seus dedos precisarem. |||SET||| Peça a uma loja de música para instalar cordas de baixa tensão ou de náilon macio (como fluorocarbono); eles pressionam com muito mais facilidade e reduzem a dor nos dedos. |||SET||| Use um capo para mudar as formas dos acordes para posições mais fáceis, de modo que músicas em tonalidades complicadas precisem de posicionamentos de dedos mais simples e menos elásticos. |||SET||| Use uma alça acolchoada para ukulele para que o peso do instrumento seja suportado por você - suas mãos ficam livres apenas para se preocupar e dedilhar, não para segurá-lo. |||SET||| Use tabelas de acordes e tablaturas em letras grandes e toque sentado em uma cadeira de apoio com o uke apoiado no colo, para aliviar a tensão nas costas, braços e olhos. |||SET||| Palavras que você ouvirá |||SET||| Acorde |||SET||| Um grupo de notas tocadas juntas segurando as cordas em um padrão definido – o alicerce da maioria das músicas do ukulele. |||SET||| Preocupação |||SET||| Uma das tiras de metal ao longo do pescoço. Pressionar uma corda logo atrás de um traste altera a nota que você ouve. |||SET||| Dedilhar |||SET||| Passar os dedos ou o polegar por todas as cordas para soar um acorde, geralmente em um ritmo constante. |||SET||| Dedilhação |||SET||| Dedilhar as cordas uma de cada vez com dedos separados, em vez de dedilhar todas juntas, para obter um som mais suave e fluido. |||SET||| Capo |||SET||| Um pequeno grampo colocado nas cordas de um traste. Ele aumenta o tom e pode tornar os formatos dos acordes mais fáceis de tocar. |||SET||| Guia |||SET||| Abreviação de tablatura – uma maneira simples de escrever música que mostra qual corda e traste tocar, sem a necessidade de ler notas padrão. |||SET||| Onde encontrar seu pessoal |||SET||| Clubes locais de ukulele e dedilhadores - esses grupos amigáveis acolhem todos os níveis, e tocar com outras pessoas é a maneira mais rápida e divertida de melhorar. |||SET||| Centros para idosos e centros comunitários, que geralmente oferecem aulas de ukulele para iniciantes e sessões de jam casuais projetadas para adultos mais velhos. |||SET||| Sua loja de música local, onde a equipe pode ajudá-lo a escolher um uke, sugerir cordas suaves e indicar aulas, professores e grupos próximos. |||SET||| Comunidades online, como o fórum Ukulele Underground e grupos de ukulele no Facebook, onde você pode fazer perguntas e compartilhar músicas de casa. |||SET||| Canais do YouTube como Bernadette Teaches Music, Cynthia Lin e The Ukulele Teacher – aulas gratuitas e amigáveis que você pode seguir no seu próprio ritmo. |||SET||| Comece a aprender Ukulele |||SET||| Inscreva-se em nossas aulas gratuitas e amigáveis e nós o ajudaremos a dar o primeiro passo. Diga-nos de onde você está começando e nos encontraremos lá. |||SET||| Eu nunca tentei |||SET||| eu me envolvi um pouco |||SET||| Estou voltando para isso |||SET||| Aulas gratuitas por e-mail |||SET||| Avise-me sobre aulas ao vivo
- Choose a soprano or concert size—both are light and easy to hold, and a concert gives a little more room between the frets if your fingers need it.
- Ask a music shop to fit low-tension or soft nylon (such as fluorocarbon) strings; they press down far more easily and reduce finger soreness.
- Use a capo to shift the chord shapes into easier positions, so songs in tricky keys need simpler, less stretchy finger placements.
- Wear a padded ukulele strap so the instrument's weight is supported for you—your hands are then free just to fret and strum, not to hold it up.
- Use large-print chord charts and tabs, and play seated in a supportive chair with the uke resting on your lap, to take strain off your back, arms, and eyes.
Words you'll hear
- Chord
- A group of notes played together by holding down strings in a set pattern—the building block of most ukulele songs.
- Fret
- One of the metal strips along the neck. Pressing a string just behind a fret changes the note you hear.
- Strum
- Brushing your fingers or thumb across all the strings to sound a chord, usually in a steady rhythm.
- Fingerpicking
- Plucking the strings one at a time with separate fingers, instead of strumming them all together, for a softer, flowing sound.
- Capo
- A small clamp placed across the strings on a fret. It raises the pitch and can make chord shapes easier to play.
- Tab
- Short for tablature—a simple way of writing music that shows which string and fret to play, with no need to read standard notes.
Where to find your people
- Local ukulele clubs and strum-alongs—these friendly groups welcome all levels, and playing with others is the fastest, most enjoyable way to improve.
- Senior centers and community centers, which often host beginner ukulele classes and casual jam sessions designed for older adults.
- Your local music store, where staff can help you pick a uke, suggest soft strings, and point you to nearby lessons, teachers, and groups.
- Online communities such as the Ukulele Underground forum and Facebook ukulele groups, where you can ask questions and share songs from home.
- YouTube channels like Bernadette Teaches Music, Cynthia Lin, and The Ukulele Teacher—free, friendly lessons you can follow at your own pace.
Start learning Ukulele
Sign up for our free, friendly lessons and we will help you take the first step. Tell us where you are starting from and we will meet you there.
