Easy Way to Read Music for Ukelele

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One of the reasons why so many people are drawn to the ukulele is the fact that it is so easy to start playing songs. Compared to other instruments, picking up a few ukulele chords and playing a recognizable tune is far more simple.

In this guide, we're looking at some of our favorite songs to recommend to beginners to get started on their journey to learn ukulele.

No need to bore yourself with songs you don't care about. Our list of 49 easy ukulele songs shows that you can pick popular songs by artists you enjoy and learn them in a few minutes.

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Four Chords That Let You Play Hundreds of Songs
Strumming Patterns You Should Learn
How to Sing and Play Ukulele at the Same Time
25 Easy Ukulele Songs (Using C, Am, F, and G)
- 1. Vance Joy – Riptide
- 2. Train – Hey Soul Sister
- 3. Jason Mraz – I'm Yours
- 4. The Beatles – Let it Be
- 5. Ben E. King / John Lennon – Stand By Me
- 6. One Republic – Counting Stars
- 7. Bruno Mars – Just The Way You Are
- 8. Adele – Someone Like You
- 9. Justin Beiber – Love Yourself
- 10. Sam Smith – Stay With Me
- 11. Maroon 5 – She Will Be Loved
- 12. James Blunt – You're Beautiful
- 13. Walk the Moon – Shut Up and Dance
- 14. Bob Dylan – Blowin' in the Wind
- 15. Bob Dylan – All Along the Watchtower
- 16. Bob Marley – One Love
- 17. UB40 – Red Red Wine
- 18. The Lumineers – Hey Ho
- 19. Billy Ray Cyrus – Achy Breaky Heart
- 20. U2 – I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
- 21. Jay and The Americans – This Magic Moment
- 22. Eagle Eye Cherry – Save Tonight
- 23. Elvis Presley – Can't Help Falling in Love
- 24. He's Got the Whole World in His Hands
- 25. Bob Marley – Lively Up Yourself
5 Easy Ukulele Songs Using Only G, C, and D
- 1. Lynyrd Skynyrd – Sweet Home Alabama
- 2. John Denver – Leaving on a Jet Plane
- 3. Lorde – Royals
- 4. The Beatles – Love Me Do
- 5. Taylor Swift – 22
7 Easy Ukulele Songs (Using G, C, D, and Em)
- 1. Van Morrison – Brown Eyed Girl
- 2. John Legend – All of Me
- 3. Green Day – Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
- 4. Neil Young – Heart of Gold
- 5. The Cranberries – Zombie
- 6. Tom Petty – I Won't Back Down
- 7. The Beatles – Paperback Writer
12 Easy Ukulele Songs Using Other Chords
- 1. Israel Kamakawiwo'ole – Somewhere Over The Rainbow
- 2. Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah
- 3. Elton John – The Lion King – Hakuna Matata
- 4. Bob Marley – Three Little Birds
- 5. Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
- 6. James Ford Murphy – Pixar – Lava
- 7. Bruno Mars – The Lazy Song
- 8. Snow Patrol – Chasing Cars
- 9. Outkast – Hey Ya
- 10. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Otherside
- 11. The Beach Boys – Surfin' USA
- 12. Elvis Presley – Hound Dog
Conclusion

Four Chords That Let You Play Hundreds of Songs

Some of the best ukulele songs to learn just have three or four easy chords. As you'll see below, the same simple chords are used time and time again, and many songs share the same chord progressions.

C Major – this is often the first chord you will learn on the ukulele. To play a C major chord you simply have to place one finger on one string. Easy!

A Minor – this is another "one finger" chord that you can learn in seconds. Just press on the right fret in the right position and strum away.

F Major – this chord uses two fingers but it still isn't too difficult to get to grips with.

G Major – we're up to using three fingers now, but the G chord isn't overly complex and allows you to play many more ukulele songs.

Strumming Patterns You Should Learn

Strumming patterns are what give rhythm to the songs. Strumming is simply the way you are playing the rhythm of the ukulele by strumming down (downstrokes) and up (upstrokes) on your uke.

Most commonly, songs will be in 4/4. An effective way to start out with a beginner ukulele strumming pattern is just to practice four downstrokes as you count 1, 2, 3, 4.

The video below teaches you most of what you need to know for strumming. The five patterns it shows can be used for most songs on this list. Some songs give you room to experiment, and they will still sound good even if you use a more basic strumming method.

How to Sing and Play Ukulele at the Same Time

If you are keen to sing and play ukulele at the same time then your process will involve a bit more practice. Here are the top 3 tips for singing and playing uke:

Practice both parts separately. Play the song all the way through just playing the ukulele, then sing along with the original track. This way, you will embed the knowledge in your brain. You're less likely to get lost along the way when you combine the two.
Hum instead of singing. Remembering the specific words is another way beginner ukulele players stumble when they are trying to sing and play uke together. Get used to the melody and humming along and then gradually include the words.
Understand the timing of the song. One area that can be easy to make mistakes is with timing. To help make sure your timing is good, count along to the tempo of the track.

25 Easy Ukulele Songs (Using C, Am, F, and G)

1. Vance Joy – Riptide

If you are looking to play along with the original then a capo will be needed. However, if you just want to play and sing along then this is a great option with just the C, Am, F and G chords. This is a modern song becoming really popular with ukulele beginners as it is so simple to play.