With just four chords you can already accompany dozens of songs. The good news: on the ukulele they are especially easy, and two of them need only a single finger! Tune your ukulele first so the chords sound lovely straight away.
C – one finger
Put your ring finger on the A string (the bottom one) at the 3rd fret. The other three strings stay open. Strum all four strings – that is C major.
CAm – one finger
Now place your middle finger on the G string (the top one) at the 2nd fret. Everything else stays open. Listen closely: Am (A minor) sounds a little more thoughtful than C.
AmF – Am plus one finger
Hold Am and add your index finger on the E string at the 1st fret. That is F major – so the two chords are next-door neighbours.
FG7 – three fingers
G7 is your first three-finger chord: index finger on the E string at the 1st fret, middle finger on the C string at the 2nd fret, ring finger on the A string at the 2nd fret. Your fingers form a little triangle. Take your time until every string rings.
G7Your first chord change
- Start with Am → F: your middle finger simply stays put; only the index finger comes and goes.
- Strum each chord four times, then switch. When that works, try two strums each, then one.
- Then try C → G7 and C → Am. Move all your fingers at once rather than one after another.
Your first songs
With C and G7 you can already play Hänschen klein and Row, Row, Row Your Boat. Add F for Alle meine Entchen, and with all four chords try Am Lagerfeuer.
Play songs