If you want to learn how to play ukulele, you’re in excellent company. Today’s popular music scene is rife with ukulele players, including Taylor Swift, Eddie Vedder, and Zooey Deschanel, just to name a few.
Ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro says “ukulele is one of the easiest instruments to play, and you don’t have to be a musician to play it.” But if you’re just starting out, can you really teach yourself how to play ukulele?
While it’s certainly possible to teach yourself the basics of ukulele without a teacher’s assistance, your level of success will depend heavily on your natural aptitude for the instrument.
Not everyone can teach themselves how to play ukulele, but everyone can benefit from professional lessons. Let’s look at some reasons why the ukulele is such a great instrument to learn whether you’re on your own or taking lessons with a teacher.
Ukuleles Are Affordable
With other popular instruments, such as the piano or guitar, beginners may be deterred by the initial costs. After all, spending hundreds of dollars on an instrument you may not be able to learn is a big risk.
But a good ukulele is relatively inexpensive, which makes it the perfect starter instrument for players of all ages. Ukes are affordable enough for beginners and hobbyists, but still have the quality needed to suit players with long-term aspirations.
Ukuleles Are Easy to Play
As far as stringed instrumented go, the ukulele is relatively simple to play. Not only are the strings easier on your fingers than those of a guitar, but there are only four to learn.
With a standard G C E A tuning, you can strum the ukulele’s open strings to hear a C6 chord. Try using your finger to bar (or hold down) all four strings at the first fret to hear a Db6. Move that finger to the second fret and you’ve got a D6. Each time you change frets, you’ve got a new chord.
There are other simple one-finger chords that don’t require barring or moving up and down the neck. For example, by holding down the first string (closest to the floor) at the third fret and strumming all four strings, you can hear a C major chord. Want to hear an A minor? Hold the fourth string (closest to your face) at the second fret and strum all four strings.
Many of the ukulele’s chords are that simple; it’s just a matter of learning the correct finger positions. This can be done using books, software or online videos and tutorials.
But one-on-one lessons with a teacher can provide the proper context, such as how the notes form scales and how those scales are used to build chords. While these things can be learned on your own, you have no one to turn to when questions arise—and that’s where a teacher proves most valuable.
Ukuleles Are Sized for Practice
When you start learning to play ukulele, one of the first things you’ll notice is the size of the instrument—it’s tiny. For children, that’s a great benefit, but if you’re a little older and your hands are a little larger, you may wonder how you’ll possibly be able to finger those tiny frets. Well, “The Rock” Dwayne Johnson manages, and he’s 6’ 5” and 260 lbs. So don’t let those tiny frets scare you!
The ukulele’s compact size makes it perfect for the beginner who needs a lot of practice. Since they’re so small, they don’t take up much space in the room, so you can leave them out where they’re easily accessible at a moment’s notice. Waiting on your morning coffee? Sitting through a commercial break? Grab the ukulele and practice.
Being small and lightweight also makes the ukulele the perfect travel companion, whether you’re traveling over to the neighbor’s house or all the way to the music store for your weekly lesson. For longer trips, it’s easily stored and protected by a small tote bag. You can even play it in the car (assuming you’re a passenger – do NOT uke and drive)!
Help Is Available
Thanks to the Internet, it’s easier than ever to learn how to play ukulele.
You can find online tuners, written and video tutorials, chord charts and song sheets, not to mention ukulele apps for your tablet or smartphone. You can listen to ukulele music and watch it played. Oh, and you can still buy hard copy print editions of your favorite learning material.
There’s no shortage of help out there for the beginning ukulele player. But never underestimate the value of a good ukulele teacher, especially when you’re first starting out. After all, a good teacher can point you in the right direction and make sure you don’t pick up any bad habits that can complicate your playing later on.
Photo by Stefan Klopp
Megan L.