Ukulele Songwriter's Guide
The ukulele is a great songwriting instrument. The most famous pop progression, C – G – Am – F, uses four of the easiest chords on it.
Your home key: C. Use the key of C for Song 1. The key of G also works well on ukulele if a song sits better for your voice there.
How to read the chord shapes
Four numbers, one for each string, in the order you hold the ukulele: G – C – E – A (top string to bottom string).
- 0 = open string (no finger)
- 2 = press at the 2nd fret
Example: Am = 2000 → 2nd fret on the G string, everything else open.
Key of C chords (Song 1)
| Chord | Number | Shape (G C E A) | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | I | 0003 | easy |
| Dm | ii | 2210 | easy |
| Em | iii | 0432 | medium |
| F | IV | 2010 | easy |
| G | V | 0232 | easy |
| Am | vi | 2000 | easy |
The hit-song loop: C (0003) → G (0232) → Am (2000) → F (2010)
Smooth-change tip: going from Am (2000) to F (2010), keep your 2nd-fret finger down and just add one finger. Look for fingers that can stay put when you change chords.
Key of G chords (optional)
| Chord | Number | Shape (G C E A) |
|---|---|---|
| G | I | 0232 |
| Am | ii | 2000 |
| Bm | iii | 4222 (barre, harder) |
| C | IV | 0003 |
| D | V | 2220 |
| Em | vi | 0432 |
Phase 2 chords (Session 7)
In the key of C:
- Fm (iv, bittersweet) = 1013
- B♭ (♭VII, triumphant) = 3211 (1st-fret barre across the bottom two strings)
- A♭ (♭VI, cinematic) = 1343
- E (III, pulls to Am) = 1402, or the easier E7 = 1202
In the key of G:
- Cm (iv) = 0333
- F (♭VII) = 2010
- E♭ (♭VI) = 0331
- B7 (instead of B, pulls to Em) = 2322
Color chords (smooth, lo-fi sound): Am7 = 0000 (just strum the open strings), Cmaj7 = 0002, Dm7 = 2213, Fmaj7 = 2410
Strum patterns = chord rhythm
These match the chord rhythms in Song Lab and the Beat Patterns handout. D = down strum, U = up strum, X = chuck.
1. Whole notes (ballad)
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Strum: D . . . . . . .
2. Quarters (driving)
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Strum: D . D . D . D .
3. The push (modern pop)
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Strum: D . . D . . . .
Strum on 1, then again on the "&" of 2, and let it ring.
4. Island strum (classic ukulele)
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Strum: D . D U . U D U
Keep your hand moving down-up the whole time, even when you miss the strings.
5. The chuck (the ukulele's built-in snare drum)
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Strum: D . X . D U X .
How to chuck: strum down and land the side of your palm on the strings right away, muting them with a percussive "chk." Putting the chuck on beats 2 and 4 is exactly where the snare goes. It makes a solo ukulele sound like a band.
Finding melody notes on the ukulele
The ukulele's top G string is tuned high (called "re-entrant" tuning), so the lowest note is the open C string: middle C. That means ukulele melodies sit right on the treble staff, perfect for おんぷノート.
Notes of the C major scale, first five frets:
- C string: open = C (middle C) · 2 = D · 4 = E · 5 = F
- E string: open = E · 1 = F · 3 = G
- A string: open = A · 2 = B · 3 = C · 5 = D
- G string (high G): open = G · 2 = A · 4 = B · 5 = C
Scale path, low to high: C string 0, 2, 4 → E string 1, 3 → A string 0, 2, 3 = C D E F G A B C
Hum a note, then hunt for it on this path. Write down the letter name, then put it in おんぷノート.
What the ukulele can't do: bass
Because of the high G string, the ukulele has no low notes. For basslines (Session 8):
- Find the bass note's letter name on the ukulele (the chord's root).
- Play it on a GarageBand Bass or Keyboard track, down low.
- Or use GarageBand's Smart Bass and tap the chord strips.
Recording your ukulele in GarageBand
A real ukulele track makes the song sound like you.
- Tune first. GarageBand has a built-in tuner, or use a free tuner app.
- Add an Audio Recorder track.
- Headphones on, metronome on.
- Mic placement: about 15–20 cm away, pointed at where the neck meets the body (not straight into the sound hole, which sounds boomy).
- Record 3 takes. Keep the steadiest one.
- Mistake in one bar? Record just that section again.
Ukulele as the lead: don't want to sing? Pluck the melody on the ukulele and record it as the lead track.
Ukulele songwriting tricks
- Capo (if you have one): clip it on the 2nd fret and play the same C-shapes. The song moves up to the key of D, handy if the melody is too low for your voice.
- Riff from a chord: hold a chord shape and pluck its strings one at a time in a pattern. Instant intro riff.
- Stop-time: in the pre-chorus, strum once per bar and mute. Then burst into the full strum on the chorus.
- Two ukulele parts: record strummed chords, then a second track of plucked notes. Pan them slightly apart.