Ukulele Tutorial - "San Francisco" by The Mowgli's

How rare of me to come across a song that isn't yet 10 years old to put a tutorial together. "San Francisco" came on the radio the other day, and I thought to myself, this cannot be difficult to play and is a really great feel good song. There are clearly other overarching messages the song has, but I'm into it because it's about feeling the love. And I do.

Click the link for my tutorial on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQXng5boBVQ

I try to say it as often as possible, if you like the song, buy the song! Support your artists so they keep providing what they do. The Mowgli's "San Francisco".

And my soap box is done.

How to play Rhythm of Love - Plain White T's

I am a big fan of Plain White T's really enjoyed learning this song: Rhythm of Love. It's fun, it's easy to play, and it's just all around a good time. Here is a walk through of the song, followed by the chords I use to play a simple version of it.

http://youtu.be/ZzhiJrw-Th8 

INTRO: 

|G---|--D-|
|G---|--D-|

VERSE 

G                                      D
My head is stuck in the clouds

G                                   D

She begs me to come down

         Em         D       C           D

Says, "Boy, quit foolin' around"

D                G                                      D
I told her, "I love the view from up here

G                                          D

Warm sun and wind in my ear

        Em         D              C

We'll watch the world from above

         D               G  

As it turns to the rhythm of love"

CHORUS:

               Em   C       G
We may only have tonight

               Em        C              G

But till the morning sun, you're mine

B7  Em

All mine

            D       C

Play the music low

      D                             G

And sway to the rhythm of love

VERSE 2
G                            D

My heart beats like a drum
   G                         D

A guitar string to the strum
   Em         D            C           

A beautiful song to be sung

D            G                              D

She's got blue eyes deep like the sea
G                                             D

That roll back when she's laughing at me
      Em   D              C

She rises up like the tide

      D                             G

The moment her lips meet mine

CHORUS

            Em   C      G

We may only have tonight
              Em          C             G

But till the morning sun, you're mine
B7  Em

All mine

            D       C

Play the music low
       C              D            G

And sway to the rhythm of love

BRIDGE
B7            C           G        D

When the moon is low
B7            C           G        D - A

We can dance in slow motion

C                D

And all your tears will subside

C             D             G
All your tears will dry

VERSE 3
G                  D
Ba ba (ba ba ba ba) 

Em             D               C

Dum da da dum da da dum.

G                              D

And long after I've gone
G                              D

You'll still be humming along
Em                 D             C

And I will keep you in my mind
       D                            G

The way you make love so fine

CHORUS

            Em   C      G

We may only have tonight
              Em          C             G

But till the morning sun, you're mine
B7  Em

All mine

            D       C

Play the music low
       C              D            G

And sway to the rhythm of love

            D        C

Play the music low

      C               D            G

And sway to the rhythm of love

          C                   D              G
Yeah, sway to the rhythm of love

G   D   G

Ukulele tutorial: Amazing Grace

A campfire song we can all hum along to; Amazing Grace. I have put together a quick tutorial of how to play this song. Enjoy!

Ukulele tutorial - Taking Back Sunday's "Cute without the E"

Here is a tutorial of how to play Cute Without The 'E' (Cut From The Team) by Taking Back Sunday on the ukulele.

This was requested by someone, and was not a song I would have pictured to be popular on the ukulele, but who can argue? I mean, in many ways the song can carry more meaning from the uke because it's quieter, and a little more, oh what would be the best word? Intimate? Passive-aggressive? Rather than in your face rock-n-roll!!

Whatever the case may be, here is my tutorial:

Many of my lessons reference a variety of ukulele chords. You can get a grasp of all of them here: Hal Leonard Ukulele Chord Find (Google Affiliate Ad)

Ukulele tutorial - Escape (Pina Colada song)

I recently got a request for the Pina Colada song or "Escape" as people seem to prefer to call it. When I first heard this song, I couldn't help picturing a guy with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, greasy hair, polyester suit, and . . . well, I don't know. Picture musician in a dive bar in 1979. 

Me = judgmental. 

Guess what, I'm right. Guess what, in 30 years, I'll be the creeper. 

Here is a quick tutorial of a SUPER EASY way to play this song. There is a complicated way, but guess what, it's a silly way to play the song. No offense to the talented musicians out there, but it is super unnecessary to play it more complicated than the two chord progression. Um, doy. A number one song gets its place through lyrics alone; the solo is what musicians get a charlie for. It's science.

Let me know if this is helpful to anyone interested.

Ukulele Tutorial: Neon Trees "Everybody Talks"

I consider myself to be a mainstream, pop-punk listener. I feel that I should have shame in mentioning this, because the whole reason to like punk music is to be counter-cultural, against all authority, etcetera, etcetera. Popular punk is an oxy-moron. It's true.

Spoiler alert, I'm a pop-punk fan. The fact is, I like music that's rockin', but I also like music that follows a formula, has good singers, etc, and today's song definitely fits that mold. 

Neon Trees is a fun band; their songs are great, they have a lot of character and I'm going to be honest, I've got a thing for female drummers. She is fantastic.

Today's song tutorial is "Everybody Talks" by Neon Trees, although everyone probably recognizes this song from "...It started with a whisper!!!" 

Take a look at the tutorial video.



Structure of the song:

Count is 4/4, which means that a bar is four counts (yeah, like that makes sense). I will describe a bar as |----|. So if I say |D---|, that means play D for one bar. Simple. D for two bars is |D---|----|.

Strum pattern: up, down/up, chuck, up, down/up, chuck. Down strums are on the odd count (1 and 3) and up strums are on the even count (2 and 4). If this is too complicated, stick to a shuffle strum: down, up, down, up, down, up, down, up.

Intro: |D---|D---|D---|----| for 3 bars, then hold for one bar.

Verse: D 2 bars, G 2 bars; repeat three times. A for three bars then hold one bar.
|D---|----|G---|----|
|D---|----|G---|----|
|D---|----|G---|----|
|A---|A---|A---|Hold---|

Chorus:
|D---|----|G---|----|
|A---|G---|D---|----|
|F#m---|----|G---|A---|
|D---|----|


Second verse: Same as first, only two rounds of D and G.
|D---|----|G---|----|
|D---|----|G---|----|
|A---|A---|A---|Hold---|

Chorus

Bridge:
|G---|----|D---|----|
|G---|----|A---|----|

Solo:  Hold D for 8 bars.
|D---|----|----|----|
|D---|----|----|----|

Third verse:
|D---|----|G---|----|
|D---|----|Hold---|

Chorus

Outro: (everybody talks, everybody talks)
|D---|----|G---|----|
|A---|G---|D---|----|

|D---|----|G---|----|
|A---|G---|D---|----|

I'm confident this makes no sense. I'm also confident if you're in my brain, it does. Good luck and hope this helps!

Side note: this follows a very common song formula, not only in the progression, but the entire formula of the song. If you figure out how these chords interact, you'll conquer many, many songs out there.

Fun Ukulele turnaround

Here is a quick tutorial for a fun blues turnaround. I show you how to play A7, D7 and E7. It's a twelve bar turnaround:

|A7---|----|----|----|              (four bars of A7, each bar is four counts)
|D7---|----|A7---|----|          (two bars D7, two bars A7)
|E7---|D7---|A7---|E7---|    (one bar E7, one bar D7, one bar A7, back to one bar E7)


A7

D7

E7

As always, keep practicing, and get into playing. For a comprehensive list of chords, tips, tricks, techniques, etc, I recommend Ukulele For Dummies. Check it out.

Ukulele Tutorial - Del Shannon "Hats off to Larry"

Who has even heard of "Hats Off To Larry "? It was popular a long time ago, and is not so much now. But it's a super fun song to play and sing, so you're welcome.

Of course, Del Shannon was better known for his song "Runaway", but this one is pretty good too. The message is rather bitter, but sometimes that's how break-ups feel.

To play along with the actual song, a capo is necessary on the second fret. But for my own purposes, I don't worry about it.

Am           G
Once I had a pretty girl,
    F               E
her name it doesn't matter
    Am              G
She went away with another guy,
F                      E
now he won't even look at her

E

A                  C#m
Hats off to Larry, he broke your heart
D                                  Dm
Just like you broke mine, when you said we must part
A           A7             D            Dm
He told you lies, now it's your turn to cry cry cry
A              E               A  D A E
Now that Larry said goodbye to you

E
I know this may sound strange
F
I want you back, I think you'll change
G                             C   E
But there's one thing I gotta say

A                     C#m
Hats off to Larry, it may sound cruel
D                               Dm
But you laughed at me, when you said we were through
A           A7             D            Dm
You told me lies, now it's your turn to cry cry cry
A              E               A  D A E
Now that Larry said goodbye to you

Am G F E  Am G F E

A                     C#m
Hats off to Larry, it may sound cruel
D                               Dm
But you laughed at me, when you said we were through
A           A7             D            Dm
You told me lies, now it's your turn to cry cry cry
A              E               A  D A E      A
Now that Larry said goodbye to you. . . . to you

Ukulele Tutorial - "Wagon Wheel" by Old Crow Medicine Show

Here is a quick tutorial of "Wagon Wheel " by Old Crow Medicine Show. A great song for beginners, and a fantastic song for an acoustic instrument. And though it isn't the world we live in, I always like to encourage folks to support your artists and buy their music. Okay that's all.

If you want to play consistently with the song, you'll need a capo on the second fret. However, I don't think it's that necessary.

Should you prefer to sing in a different key, you can use the progression C, G, A minor, F

Lyrics/Chords

G                        D
Headed down south to the land of the pines
        Em                   C
And I'm thumbin' my way into North Caroline
G
Starin' up the road
            D         C
And pray to God I see headlights

  G                         D
I made it down the coast in seventeen hours
Em                      C
Pickin' me a bouquet of dogwood flowers
          G
And I'm a hopin' for Raleigh
      D             C
I can see my baby tonight

   G                   D
So rock me mama like a wagon wheel
Em              C
Rock me mama anyway you feel
G   D     C
Hey, mama rock me
G                     D
Rock me mama like the wind and the rain
Em                  C
Rock me mama like a south-bound train
G   D     C
Hey, mama rock me

G, D, Em, C
G, D, C

G                     D
Runnin' from the cold up in New England
      Em                         C
I was born to be a fiddler in an old-time stringband
   G
My baby plays the guitar
D              C
I pick a banjo now

        G                            D
Oh, the North country winters keep a gettin' me now
        Em                       C
Lost my money playin' poker so I had to up and leave
      G
But I ain't a turnin' back
   D                    C
To livin' that old life no more

   G                   D
So rock me mama like a wagon wheel
Em              C
Rock me mama anyway you feel
G   D     C
Hey, mama rock me
G                     D
Rock me mama like the wind and the rain
Em                  C
Rock me mama like a south-bound train
G   D     C
Hey, mama rock me

G, D, Em, C
G, D, C   2x

G                    D
Walkin' to the south out of Roanoke
           Em
I caught a trucker out of Philly
      C
Had a nice long toke
    G                           D
But he's a headed west from the Cumberland Gap
   C
To Johnson City, Tennessee

      G                   D
And I gotta get a move on fit for the sun
          Em
I hear my baby callin' my name
      C
And I know that she's the only one
    G
And if I die in Raleigh
   D                C
At least I will die free


   G                   D
So rock me mama like a wagon wheel
Em              C
Rock me mama anyway you feel
G   D     C
Hey, mama rock me
G                     D
Rock me mama like the wind and the rain
Em                  C
Rock me mama like a south-bound train
G   D     C           G
Hey, mama rock me

Ukulele tutorial - "You and I" by Ingred Michaelson

I put together a tutorial for the song "You and I" by Ingred Michaelson. It has an easy verse progression, but is a little more challenging in the chorus, making it a slightly harder song for beginners. Give it a try though.

Have you not heard this song? You can get it here.

Ukulele tutorial - I will follow you into the dark - Death Cab for Cutie

I heard this song several times, then decided to learn it.

So I actually listened to it and got a little misty eyed.  Silly boy. Super awesome song though. It's actually a really common progression, but in a less common key. I hope this video is helpful to those learning to play it.

Ukulele Tutorial for "I Won't Give up" - Jason Mraz

This song is fantastic, and a great one to learn! I definitely stuck to a basic way of playing it (adjustments need to be made in order to play along with the actual song), but the chords are meant for a beginner player.

I also like that this song is a three count, which are not common amongst popular music. 

The third thing that stood out to me with this song is it has a chord hold until you start singing. That doesn't always happen. In other words, you can play the same chord until you start singing, and then the progression will begin. This is a fun thing to take note of because you can direct the song yourself, rather than have the progression push you through it. I dunno, it's hard to explain. 

Identifying notes on your fretboard

As mentioned in the video, this isn't exactly something people are dying to know, but it will help you in the long wrong to at least get an idea of where your notes on on the fretboard.

Write this down:

A   BC   D    EF    G
D   EF
G   A     BC
      D     EF
      G     A    BC
              D    EF
              G


This looks confusing, but it helps me remember.

Always remember that A, D and G notes have a full step between them and the next note. In other words, they have both a flat and a sharp.

B and C as well as E and F are always together, or a half step. B has a flat, and C has a sharp. E has a flat and F has a sharp.

Unlocking the shuffle strum

I wanted to break down a few options you have while working on the shuffle strum. This is the strum most folks will use when learning the ukulele, and you have no excuse not to learn it. Once you get it, it all gets easier. But maybe it doesn't. 

Beginner version of Jingle Bell Rock on the ukulele

Jingle bell rock! An iconic song played again, again and again during the holiday season. If you're an accomplished player, this song should not give you any trouble, but for a beginner, it can be a little daunting. I tried to make my tutorial a little easier to grasp for a beginner. 

Have fun with it. Once you start getting it, look up harder ways to play the song! Or maybe ask me how to play it the fancy dance way, and I'll help you out!

Until next time.

Jingle Bells on ukulele for beginners

A quick little tutorial of how to play jingle bells on the ukulele. This is a beginner course. Have fun!

If you're feeling saucy, instead of a G, play a G7. It sounds more ukulele-ish. Okay, ready go!

The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on the Open Fire)

A tough song to play, the Christmas Song has a jazzy feel to it. Listening to it isn't all that difficult, but it's definitely an "intermediate" song to learn. I heard the Mindy Gledhill version of this song the other day and decided that that was the version I would learn. If you're unfamiliar with that version, look it up. Or look here:





Here is a very quick tutorial of my take on this song. It is not 100% spot on, but it will get you far enough that few people will try to beat you with paper and bows if you play it.

Of course, if you run the risk of posting anything on Youtube or the internet in general, be prepared for people who think less of your abilities.

Hope this is helpful.

Ukulele tutorial: In the Jungle (the lion sleeps tonight)

Here is a very quick tutorial using the chords we know: C, F and G. There are other "a wee-ma ways" to play it, but this is a good starting point.

Keep practicing!

Learn to play you are my sunshine

A fun song to learn for a beginner: You are my sunshine.

I use the following chords: C, F and G. Other respective combinations include, but are not limited to:

G, C and D

E, A and B

A, D and E

D, G and A

I've been focusing on playing major chords. With this song, and many others, you can replace the last chord in the sequence with a major 7th. So for example, in the video I focus on playing C, F and G. You can replace the G with a G7. It sounds a little closer to the mark.

Okay, that's all.

Never getting back together

This is a great song to practice on the ukulele. You get to practice strumming, chucking, picking and just changing chords. I've put together a little video to help you out.

Again, the chords are C, G, D and Em7. Go for it!