Strumming and Singing with the C Chord

Helpful Online Resources
Explore chord diagrams and demos at UkuleleChords.com

You'll find many of the above songs in the Utah State Board of Education's Children's Songbook (online): USBE Song Sheets and Audio Files.

Beth's Notes is a fantastic resource for many of these songs and more: Beth's Notes Alphabetical Song Index

Check out these Five basic Strumming Patterns from UkuleleTricks.com.

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Play along with the Coconut Song with Harry Nilsson

How to Read Ukulele Tablature (TAB)

You will find this chart helpful in understanding and reading ukulele tablature. With your ukulele in playing position, turn it over so the strings are facing you. Visualize each string as a TAB line. Try playing a short melody while reading TAB and holding your ukulele this way. Are you better able to read TAB now? Then it's time to hold your ukulele the correct way! 

There are many simple TABs in my melodies folder on this site. Check them out! When reading a melody in TAB, try switching back and forth between staff notation and TAB to build skills in both types of notation.

Mini Melodies in C

Here are some C-chord songs with simple melodies that only use two or three notes. The melodies are written in tablature (TAB for short) and on the staff. TAB is written as if the player is looking at the fretboard, so it is often helpful to turn your ukulele toward you (upside down) and practice the fingerings, and then turn it back around to normal playing position.

'Youke' can play the melody by reading the tablature (TAB). The TAB will help you see where the notes are on the ukulele. Then you can read and play the melody on the staff. One person or group can play the melody while another plays the chord so you have both melody and harmony.

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Mouse, Mousie: This one-chord song has a simple three-note melody that uses notes only from the C chord. Try playing the melody while someone else strums the chord. Add a bass part by alternating between C and G notes (starting with C).

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More Melodies in C

Diggy-Diggy Dong is a more challenging C-chord song with a wider melodic range. It sounds great as a round/canon with simple C-chord accompaniment. If you are up to the challenge of playing the melody, play the quarter notes slowly so you will have time to fit the four sixteenth notes into one beat. For the faster notes, try alternating index and middle fingers or alternating picking direction (down-up-down-up). 

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Way Down Yonder in the Brickyard: Although this is a one-chord song, the melody and rhythm are quite complex. Play the melody slowly at first and focus on rhythm accuracy. Using a pick and playing the repeated sixteenth notes 'down-up-down-up' can be helpful. Add a bass part by alternating between C and G notes (starting with C).

Note: This is an excellent piece for older beginners and students who want a challenge. Less experienced students can simply strum the chord accompaniment, or they might sing the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th measures, and pick/play the 2nd, 4th, 6th, and last measures.

Rounds with C and F Chords (I IV)

Note: Although these are two-chord songs, the chord changes are more difficult than songs with F and C7. 
I suggest teaching two-chord songs with F and C7 first.

Key of C - Two-Chord Songs - Pattern #1

Two-Chord Songs in C, Pattern #2

Play along with this delightful recording of "Chicken Dance" 

 Play along with Kalani's video of Mary Ann

Two-Chord Songs in C, Pattern #3

Two-Chord Songs in C, Pattern #4

Two-Chord Songs in C - Pattern #5

Celebration of Two-Chord Songs in C

Three-Chord Songs in C

Play along with Cynthia Lin: The Lion Sleeps Tonight

Accompaniments for Jambo Bwana

Play along with this video and recording of Jambo Bwana.

12-Bar Blues in C

Improvise using two or three notes of the C blues scale while someone plays the 12-bar blues chord progression. 
(See instructions at the bottom of my blues scale page.) 

Strum along with "Wipeout" by the Surfaris.

Four-Chord Pop Progression

               This chord progression is very common in modern pop music.

Here's a list of some pop songs that use this pattern. Most of these songs were not originally performed/recorded in the key of C, but they can be. Have fun trying them out!  

Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepson
I'm Yours – Jason Mraz
Trouble – Taylor Swift
Can You Feel the Love Tonight? – Lion King
We Are Young – Fun
Baby, Baby – Justin Beiber
Just the Way You Are – Bruno Mars
Hey, Soul Sister – Train
Firework – Katy Perry
Hot and Cold – Katy Perry
Somewhere Over the Rainbow (newer melody)
Country Roads – John Denver
Take On Me – A-ha
What Makes You Beautiful – One Direction
The A Team – Ed Sheeran
If I Die Young – The Band Perry
Jar of Hearts – Christina Perri
I Won't Give Up – Gavin DeGraw
We Found Love – Rhianna
Stronger – Kelly Clarkson
Starships – Niki Manaj
Titanium – David Guetta
Perfect – P!nk
Hey Ya – Outcast
Wrecking Ball – Miley Cyrus
Diamonds – Rhianna
Someone Like You – Adele
Say Something – A Great Big World
Don’t Stop Believing by Journey (1981)
Let It Be by The Beatles (1970)
She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5
Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga (2011)

Here's a link to a great site where you can find chords and play-alongs for a lot of easy pop songs: https://liveukulele.com/songs/  Check it out!