From Chords to Songs

After you can play a few chords, and have learned a number of easy ukulele songs, you will start to think about songs you Really like.

What Songs Are In The Soundtrack Of Your Life ?

What songs do you listen to ? What songs have meaning for you ? They are the songs that you will want to learn over time, because they bring you joy.

Finding New Song Chords and Lyrics

How do you find a song’s chords and lyrics ?

Search your computer to find new songs and chords. If I want to learn the song “Yesterday” by the Beatles, do a google search with the words “Yesterday chords” .

You will end up with a listing of websites that show song lyrics and chords for that song. Some want you to buy a service from them, but you don’t have to.

Once you have a chord sheet print it out or save it to your computer. Try playing the chords and singing the song. It may or may not be in the proper Key for you to sing and play.

Most songs, I re-type the words and chords in a word document, and save the song to my computer.

New Song Joy

I’m delighted when a song I like, has easy chords. I can start playing the chords right away, and as long as I could find a few notes in the the melody, I’m on my way. There’s a joy in learning a new song you like.

Singing Tip – Many of the key melody notes will be one of the notes in your chord, so play the individual notes of the chord, to try and find the melody note you are searching for.

New Song Discipline

Sometimes it’s the opposite and the chords and / or the melody are hard. Learning the song will take some time and work in learning more difficult chords and / or melody. But if you love the song, it will motivate you to learn it and try it, over time.

Transposing A Song To A New Key

Most ukulele groups play a lot of songs in the Key of C and G, because those are the easiest and first chords we learn.

So we may be able to play the chords of the song, but the melody may or may not be a good fit for our voice to sing it.

If the melody is not a good fit for your voice, you will need to transpose it to a new musical key. Get a transposing chart and learn how to transpose. MUC members have one in the learning pages of their songbook.

Songs To Learn File

Keep a file or binder with the various songs you want to learn to play. When you hear a new song that you like, and would like to play it, get a chord chart from the internet, and put it in your file, even if it is not in the key that you can play or sing it.

UnMotivated – Pull Out Your File

When you are unmotivated about your music, pull out your “songs to learn file”. Go thru the songs in the file.

You will probably find that you have learned some new chords and your ability has improved since you looked at it last, so some songs will now be a little easier to play.

Your singing may have also improved and you can now sing some songs better.

PDF Songbook Search

If you don’t have any specific songs in mind, look thru a free ukulele PDF songbook. You can find these by searching, “ukulele songbook pdf free download” .

Download one. Then go thru it, on screen ( without printing it ). Try each song. Some you won’t like, others may be too hard, but when you find one that you would like to play, print it, and work on it.

Go thru the whole PDF songbook, and hopefully you will have selected a number of songs to learn.

A Free Songbook Download

Here’s a free download from Stewart Greenhill, who has a 355 PDF Songbook at this link –

http://www.stewartgreenhill.com/ukulele/

Now you’ve got some work to do.

The Soundtrack Of Your Life

Like life, our musical journey is made up of small steps, and no two musical journeys will be the same.

Follow your musical sense, learning and playing songs you like and love.

We all have a soundtrack of our life, and it is great to be able to play your soundtrack on your ukulele, for years and decades to come.

This will bring you a lot of musical fun and joy.

Richard Lepinsky