Ukulele Fretboard – Standard C Tuning (Soprano, Concert & Tenor Ukuleles) = gCEA Newbury Ukuleles – Lesson Notes – 02/07/12 A Notes in the C Major Scale E B F C D E F G A G A B C D E C D E F G A G A B C D E B F C G The Major Scale is made up of a sequence of of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first an octave higher. These notes correspond to the well known musical syllables Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do The notes in the Major Scale are separated by a sequence of tones and semi tones that always remain the same regardless of the key you are playing in. The sequence between the notes of the Major Scale is always: Tone – Tone - Semi-tone – Tone – Tone – Tone - Semi-tone. The scale of C Major is the only Major Scale that has no sharps or flats, hence on a piano/keyboard would only use the white keys in sequence. Or on the ukulele fretboard, as shown below. Where there is a tone between the notes there is an empty fret and if there is a semi-tone between the notes there is no empty fret. A E D C E F G A B G C - Tone – D - Tone – E - Semi-tone – F - Tone – G - Tone – A - Tone – B - Semi-tone - C. To minimise left hand movement you would generally play the C Major Scale across the strings using open strings as well, see below: B A E C F C G D G Newbury Ukuleles – Lesson Notes – 16/07/12 C Common Chord Variations Newbury Ukuleles – Lesson Notes – 16/07/12 Ne wbur yUk ul e l e s-L e s s onNot e s-10/ 09/ 12 The Nashville Numbers System Major Keys I ii iii IV V vi VII C C D E F G A B C#/Db C#/Db D#/Eb F F#/Gb G#/Ab A#/Bb C D D E F# G A B C# D#/Eb D#/Eb F G G#/Ab A#/Bb C D E E F# G# A B C# D# F F G A Bb C D E F#/Gb F#/Gb G#/Ab A#/Bb B C#/Db D#/Eb F G G A B C D E F# G#/Ab G#/Ab A#/Bb C C#/Db D#/Eb F G A A B C# D E F# G# A#/Bb A#/Bb C D D#/Eb F G A B B C# D# E F# G# A# Newbury Ukuleles – Lesson Notes – 10/09/12 The 12 Bar Blues Basic Format Common Variation Another common variation is the exactly as above, except a V chord is played during the second bar. Newbury Ukuleles – Lesson Notes – 10/09/12 Split-stroke exercises – George Formby style Each chord (except the last 3) represents one full bar of the split stroke pattern C C C G7 C C C7 G7 G7 G7 F C G7 G7 F C G7 C -------------------------------------------------- C C C G7 G7 C C C7 G7 G7 G7 G7 F C C G7 G7 F C C E7 E7 G7 G7 E7 E7 G7 G7 Am Am C C Am Am C C E7 G7 E7 C C Am G7 Am C7 G7 E7 C E7 F C Am C Am F C G7 C Newbury Ukuleles – Lesson Notes – 22/10/12 It’s a Heartache – Lesson Notes Picking Pattern on Intro Key: T - Thumb, F - First finger, S - Second finger 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 – The pattern spans 2 bars 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 – This count may help. The thumb is always on the count of 1 A-|---S-----S-----S-| E-|-----F-----F-----| C-|-T-----T-----T---| G-|-----------------| Solo on Intro When starting the song, the first note of the solo is on the ‘3’ of a standard 1,2,3,4 count Key: s - Slide between the notes either side F Am A-|--—--------|---------------0-1-|-3---3-----3s5-3-1-0-| E-|---3s5-3s5-|-1---1-----1-3-----|---------------------| C-|-----------|-------------------|---------------------| G-|-----------|-------------------|---------------------| Bb F C A-|-1---1-----1s3-1-0---|-0-----1--0---|-------| E-|-------------------3-|--------------|-3-----| C-|---------------------|--------------|-------| G-|---------------------|--------------|-------| Newbury Ukuleles – Lesson Notes – 22/04/13 Finger Picking Notes - Advanced Basics: 1. Use your thumb for string #3 and #4, your first finger for string #2 and your second finger for string #1. Your thumb should pick down and your fingers pick up. 2. Make sure the chord is planted ready for the first string picked. This will vary on the pattern and the chord. 3. Strings can be played in any order as long as a valid chord is made. 4. You can always use a pick for a louder and sharper sound. It can make chords and picks easier but is slower and less expressive than using fingers. 5. For these notes, the term ‘pick’ refers to a single string being sounded whereas ‘pluck’ refers to two or more strings being sounded at the same time. A few options: 1. Pluck outside 2 strings on first beat, following with the inner string on the other beats 2. Pluck outside strings on first and last beat with picks in between 3. Always pluck strings 1 and 2 with first two fingers and then pick strings 3 and 4 alternatively with your thumb 4. Pluck strings 1, 2 and 3 and then 1, 2 and 4 in any pattern 5. Slow drag with thumb on first beat and then pick others 6. Strum with first finger on first beat and picks others 7. Strum beats 1, 4 and 7 and pick others 8. Use thumb and first 3 fingers to pluck all four strings. Use sparingly as it’s probably more important to keep your fingers and thumb on the string listed under ‘basics’. Adding variation: 1. Pick using a movable shape, e.g. pick first 3 strings using G shape and move for A, Bb, etc or pick string 2, 3 and 4 using a D shape and move for E, F, etc 2. Add extra notes either in the chord or that compliment the chord, e.g. GaddD (add 1st string, fret 5), FaddC (add 1st string, fret 3), CaddE (add 1st string, fret 7) 3. Hammer on extra notes, e.g. C to D on G chord and G to A on Am chord 4. Change timings and double speed picking as a variation Combining: 1. Play some chords picked and some plucked 2. Generally put in as much variation to make the picking sound more complex and “planned” even though it is random 3. Rests where no notes are picked or plucked can add interest. It’s the old adage of the notes you don’t play can be as important as the notes you do play. 4. Allow some plucked strings to be muted before they decay naturally to add drama Newbury Ukuleles – Lesson Notes – 11/08/14