INSTANT UKULELE TM The Fast, Easy, FUN Way To Learn to Play Ukulele! You Can Play 100’s of Songs . . . Now! Great Tips Found Nowhere Else! List of Classic Songs You Can Play Instantly! Dennis McKenna www.InstantUkulele.com © Copyright 2012 by Dennis McKenna First Edition First Printing December 2012 “Instant Ukulele” is a trademark of Dennis McKenna All Rights Reserved INSTANT UKULELE What if you could play a hundred or more songs in 15 minutes? You can! Now, even if you've never played any instrument and know nothing about Music, by following the simple chord progression shown on the following pages, you will be able to play hundreds of songs . . . INSTANTLY! Only the ukulele, with just four strings, and it's unique tuning of G-C-E-A makes this possible. Just follow the instructions and you will amaze yourself and others at how good you sound, INSTANTLY! The key of C often uses the simple three chord progression of C-F-G7. With the Ukulele, nothing could be simpler. Furthermore, this exact progression, C-F-G7, is used in hundreds or more great classic songs of all kinds and genres. Mastery of these three chords gives you mastery of hundreds of songs! Ironically, it is easier to teach you four chords instead of three. By the addition of the A minor (Am) chord, an easy, simple, logical progression is established with an easy transition from one chord finger position to the next. So, what I'm going to teach you first is the chord progression C-Am-F and G7, (also referred to as a "round".) SOME BASICS Basic knowledge of the parts of an Ukulele will broaden your understanding, and consequent enjoyment, of how it works. 1) Technically, the metal bars lying across the fretboard (or fingerboard) are frets. However, the spaces between these bars are commonly referred to as "frets" and is how we will refer to them herein. 2) Your fingers are numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4, with your index finger as the #1 finger, the middle finger #2, the ring finger, #3 and your pinky is # 4. Forget about your pinky; we won't have need of it until much later. 3) Know also the strings are numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4, starting from the bottom or "A" string which is the number 1 string. The next string up is the "E" string numbered 2, then the "C" or number 3 string and at the top the "G" string, number 4. Now that you know the basics, you know enough to start playing. So let's go! LET'S GO! Place the tip of your Ring finger, (#3) on the #1 string at the third fret and press the string so it touches the wood. It's easier to show you than tell you so please refer to the chord chart for "C" chord. C Strum the strings with your right hand, either your thumb or finger will work, which ever is less uncomfortable. (Nothing will feel "comfortable" at first!) Eventually you'll want to learn both ways. Congratulations, you've just learned the chord "C" major. After strumming a certain number of times, (with the goal of sounding clean and rythmic), take your ring finger off the first string and place your middle finger, (NUMBER 2 FINGER) on the #4, (top or "G") string at the second fret. Press it down so the string touches the wood and strum. Congratulations! You've just learned your second chord, A minor. Am Again, after a certain number of rythmic strums it's time for a chord change, this time to "F" chord. Leave your middle finger where it is for Am and PLACE YOUR INDEX FINGER, #1, ON THE #2 STRING AT THE FIRST FRET. Strum the strings. Congratulations, you now know 3 chords and you're playing the "F" chord. F After a certain number of strums it's time for the G7 chord. The last chord in our progression of the key of "C" is the G7 chord. Unlike the other chords we've learned, the G7 is a 3-finger chord, meaning 3 strings need to be depressed simultaneously to create the chord. Be patient, go slow. It will become easy after you've done it a few times. Once you master this chord and learn to strum rythmiclly, you can play literally hundreds of songs! The G7 chord is made by leaving your index finger where it is for the "F" chord (on the #2 string at the first fret) and placing your #3 (Ring) finger on the first (#1, "A") string at the second fret AND place your #2 or Middle finger on the #3 ("C") string also at the second fret. HINT: This position is easier if your hand is relaxed and you pivot your wrist backwards around your forefinger. If your hand is tense take a few seconds to hold it straight down at your side and shake it out. (Also, a larger size Ukulele may facilitate this G7 finger position for you). Also, try to keep your thumb behind the neck as opposed to “strangling” it with your thumb wrapped around. Again, it's easier to show than tell so look at the G7 Chord Diagram below. G7 Holding down these three strings while strumming produces the G7 chord. Congratulations. Now you know everything you need to play hundreds of great songs. Also, once you can move comfortably through the progression and strum rythmically, you can play with others! Know too that once you are comfortable with the C-Am-F-G7 progression, you can add a few hundred more songs to your “playlist” or Repertoire by simply eliminating the Am chord, (though it's faster to learn with the Am first)! EARLY GOALS One of the early goals is to get your fingertips toughened up. This is easily and painlessly accomplished simply by playing, as often as comfortable, EVERYDAY, for a few weeks, even if only for a few minutes. You'll find yourself progressing quickly in this manner. • Your strumming will improve DAILY! • Your mastery of the chord progression will improve DAILY! • Your "Ear" will improve DAILY! It's really all about "Muscle Memory" that comes only with practicing. After a while you won't have to think about it; your fingers will know and move automatically. It helps to "not look" at where your fingers are, (though in the beginning we must look!) Try to rely on your "Ear" to tell you whether you're playing the chord correctly. (I still often look!) Another early goal is to get our right hand to strum smoothly, evenly and without stopping. As an aid to this goal, I offer you the A minor seventh (Am7) chord. THE "A minor 7" CHORD If you strum all the strings "open", meaning without holding any of them down, you are playing a chord called Am7, (A minor seventh). This is a handy chord to know about because it seems to lend itself to any progression, so it can be strummed open, between any of the Key of C chords, without an unpleasant sound while you are still getting the hang of rapid chord changes. This is simply offered as an "option" to help your rythmic strumming. PLAYING SUGGESTIONS • Eventually, you'll want to learn the chords of songs written in other keys; however, know that any song (chord progression) written in any key, can be "Transposed" to any other Key. Look on the Internet for information on “How to Transpose songs.” • Play a few minutes everyday and watch how fast you progress. Take your Ukulele everywhere you go. If you watch TV, keep your Uke next to you and give a few strums during commercials! • Learn about all the parts of your Ukulele and how sound is created, (by the action of the Strings vibrating the Soundboard in Harmony with the Backboard). • Learn where the "Sweet Spot" is, (usually where the neck is joined to the body) and strum there, (not over the soundhole!) • Buy a Digital Tuner! This will make tuning your Uke a snap. • Check out Ukulele clubs in your area. • Find Songbooks with songs you want to learn. • Download "chords and lyrics" to your favorite songs and see if you can play them. • Check out YouTube for lessons of all kinds. This is a tremendous resource. • Check out Jim Beloff's FleaMarketMusic.com, dedicated to the Ukulele, another great resource. • Check out www.InstantUkulele.com for Continuing Ed and information. • I personally recommend that you purchase a hard case for your instrument. This is imperative for Air travel but makes it easier to "toss around" (figuratively) than with a soft case or gigbag. • Start a collection of songs you can play. This is your "repertoire"! Watch it grow! You may eventually need several large 3-ring binders to hold all the songs you know! • Start with learning the major and minor chords for the Key of "C" and go from there, expanding your knowledge. Eventually, when you want to learn to finger pick, (play “Riffs”), download or buy a book that has "Ukulele Scales" and practice them. A (VERY) LITTLE MUSIC THEORY Music is the language of Love and Self-Expression. Though it is a "foreign" language to us, in the beginning, it is the most simple language on earth, having only 7 letters, A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Between most, but not all of these letters are what are referred to as "Sharps and Flats" Don't let this throw you! Know that EVERY SHARP IS A FLAT! IT ALL DEPENDS HOW IT IS WRITTEN! There are five sharp/flat notes. 7 plus 5 gives us the total of 12 tones (letters of the musical alphabet). For instance, A# (sharp) is the same exact note as B Flat. Once you get that, you can start to memorize the fact that there are no sharps/flats between B & C and E & F. Just like the keyboard of a piano with the black keys as the sharp/flats. Whether a note is C# (sharp) or Dflat depends solely how it is written. They are the exact same note! REMEMBER, every sharp is a flat! Know too that any song, written in any Key, can be easily transposed to any other Key, such as "C"! I wrote this book as a direct result of my giving FREE Ukulele lessons over the last few years. This is the simplest, quickest method I know of to get people playing actual songs on the Ukulele. With only a minimal, (but constant), few minutes of practice anyone can master the Key of C progression, INSTANTLY! This opens up the entire world of Music for us all to enjoy playing, as opposed to simply listening. MAKE YOUR OWN MUSIC! We all grew up differently, at different times and places, yet we all had music in our lives of some sort. We all have our favorites, some Rock, some Folk, Classical, Country/Western, etc. All kinds of music can be played on the Uke, (just ask Jake Shimabukura!) Arguably, the majority of songs are written in the Key of C. The Key of C, like all musical keys, (usually) has 3 major chords, C-F-G/G7, which can be mastered INSTANTLY using the method herein. Since any song, written in any Key, can be Transposed to any other key, such as "C", mastery of the Key of C chord progression opens the whole world of music to the very beginning player, INSTANTLY! ENJOY & ALOHA LIST OF SONGS This is juat a very few of the many classic songs you can play using C-Am-F-G7. You probably know the melody to several so try to figure out the chord changes for yourself or use the Internet to downlad chords and lyrics to your favorite ones. • Oh Donna • 26 Miles • Runaround Sue • Two Silhouettes • Blue Moon • YMCA • So Lonely – Police • Let it Be – The Beatles • Gotta be Somebody – Nickleback • Down Under – Men at Work • Up On the Roof – Drifters • All I have to Do is Dream • Teenager in Love – Dion and the Belmonts • Angel Baby • Sea of Heartbreak ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dennis McKenna enjoys turning people on to the ease and joy of playing the ukulele. He has offered free ukulele lessons for several years and has had hundreds of students, many who never thought they could play. His Instant UkuleleTM method simplifies the process of learning and this book is the culmination of the lessons and tips his students have found most useful for quickly learning to play and have fun with their ukuleles. Mr. McKenna also builds ukuleles. He can be found most days giving lessons at Hawi Gallery | Art & Ukuleles (www.hawigallery.com) on the Big Island of Hawaii. You can contact Dennis directly via emai at [email protected]. “I had so much fun with you today!” Julie, Sebastapol, California “Great fun! I can’t wait to practice.” Robin M., New York, New York “A quick and fun way to learn.” Jerry, Connecticut “The tips were enlightening.” Elmer, Washington “Thank you!” Diana, Long Beach, California The material in this book is the same information I give in my lessons. It is the quickest and easiest way that I know to learn to play the ukulele. The Instant Ukulele Press www.InstantUkulele.com