Jeri's YOUkulele Notes

Sunday, July 10, 2016

Major Scale Pattern

This is the universal pattern for a major scale.

'Youke' can play a major scale beginning on any note by following this whole- and half-step pattern.

Saturday, July 9, 2016

Minor Scale Pattern

This is the universal pattern for a minor scale.

'Youke' can discover a minor scale by starting on any note and following this whole- and half-step pattern.

Compare and contrast the minor scale to the major scale pattern.

Note: This is the natural minor scale. To create a harmonic minor scale, which sounds a bit more mysterious or tense, raise (sharp) the seventh note a half-step (change so to si).

You get to use your fourth finger in the fourth fret for A-flat.

Friday, July 8, 2016

U-Bass Bass-ics: Bass Ukulele

Adding a U-Bass to a ukulele ensemble adds harmonic and rhythmic interest. Use the chart below to visualize the notes on the bass ukulele.

The bass ukulele is tuned differently than other ukes; it is tuned like a string bass or bass guitar: E A D G (from the thickest to thinnest string). Smaller bass ukuleles are tuned an octave higher than indicated in the chart below, but the note names are the same.

The U-bass strings are a perfect fourth (four scale degrees) apart, which makes it easy to create bass patterns based on the bottom note and top note of any triad (first and fifth of any scale).

The simplest way to add bass accompaniment is to play the root (note name) of the chord on the first note of each measure (group of beats). One can also create a more interesting rhythmic pattern using this note.

A more interesting way to create bass accompaniment is to alternate between the bottom note and the top note of a triad. (Triad: three-note chord structure that uses the first, third, and fifth degrees of a scale, e.g., root, skip, skip: A C E or C E G.)

For example, bass back-up for a C chord uses C (root of triad, first note of C scale)

and G (top of triad, fifth note of C scale).

And bass back-up for an F chord uses the root, F (first, main note)

and C (alternating with F).

The second, alternating note may be played higher than or lower than the main/root note. Often when the alternating note is played lower than the root, it will be in the same fret as the first note but on a neighboring string. Have fun adding bass notes to your ensemble!

Notice that the colors on my ukulele charts match other color-coded instruments such as Boomwhackers. If a U-bass ins't available, create bass accompaniment with Boomwhackers or homemade boom pipes.

Blues Scale Pattern

This is the pattern for the BLUES scale.

You can start on any note, and by following the interval pattern (spaces between notes), you'll have the 'blues!'

Compare and contrast the blues scale to the minor scale.

Usually, scales are played across strings (not on just one string).

Read the tablature (TAB) line and play this C blues scale.

Next, sing the note names, reading from the staff.

Then practice reading the scale from the staff.

Improvise using notes from the C blues scale and play along with this B.B. King Style Back-up Track from MyDarnJamTracks on YouTube. At first, only play open C and first and third frets on the E and A strings. Then jazz things up with the 'blue note,' F# (2nd fret on E string). Search for other blues back-up tracks in the key of C. Have fun!

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Folk Melodies in Tab and on the Staff

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

America Melody and Chords, Staff and Tab

Monday, July 4, 2016

Simple Gifts Chords and Melody - Staff and Tab

Saturday, July 2, 2016

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!

Four-Chord Fun with the Fifties Progression

This chord progression became very popular in the 1950s and continued to be popular for decades.
Here are some songs that use this progression:

A Teenager in Love – Dion and the Belmonts (1959)

All I Have to Do Is Dream – The Everly Brothers (1960)

All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey (1994)

Blue Moon – The Marcels (1961)

Crocodile Rock – Elton John (1972)

Duke of Earl – Gene Chandler (1962)

Earth Angel – The Penguins (1954)

Every Breath You Take – The Police (1983)

Heart and Soul – Larry Clinton (1938)

I Love the Mountains (familiar round)
I Will Always Love You –D. Parton/W. Houston (1974/1992)

Lollipop – Ronald and Ruby (1958)

Monster Mash – Bobby Pickett (1962)

This Magic Moment - The Drifters (1960)

Unchained Melody – Righteous Brothers (1955)

Where Have All the Flowers Gone? – Pete Seger (1955)

Who Put the Bomp (in the Bomp…) – Barry Mann (1961)

Why Do Fools Fall in Love? – Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers (1956)

You Are Not Alone – Michael Jackson (1995)
You Don't Own Me – Lesley Gore (1963)

For an extensive list, check out this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_containing_the_50s_progression

Easy Pop Ukulele

Jeri's List of Easy Pop Ukulele Pieces

These songs are listed from easiest level to moderately challenging.

Most of the title below include a link to a chord/TAB page.
Listen to and play along to all of these pieces by accessing my Spotify Playlist, Ukulele Play-Alongs.

Coconut (lime in the coconut) – C chord whole song, C-G bordun/bass

Banana Boat Song (Day-o) – Pattern #1 practice F F C7 F on “Daylight come, and I wanna go home.”

When I’m Gone, Anna Kendrick (“Cup Song”) – Am, C, F, G chords

https://ukutabs.com/a/anna-kendrick/cups/

Ho Hey, Lumineers – C and F review. C chord most of the time. F on first “I belong with you” each time. https://ukutabs.com/t/the-lumineers/ho-hey/

Sweet Home Alabama, Lynrd Skynrd – D, C, G progression

Ring of Fire, Johnny Cash – G and D only (some quick transitions)

Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, Bob Dylan – G, D, Am7, C (repeatedly)

https://ukutabs.com/b/bob-dylan/knocking-on-heavens-door/

Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen (recording by Rufus Wainwright) – C, Am, F, G, Em https://ukutabs.com/l/leonard-cohen/hallelujah/

Halo, Beyonce – A, Bm, D, F#m
https://ukutabs.com/b/beyonce/halo/ (F#m listed as Gbm in TAB)

Let It Be, Beatles – Am, C, F, G https://ukutabs.com/t/the-beatles/let-it-be/
(Disregard Em and Dm chords. Simply pick F E D C notes instead of playing quick chords.)

The Lion Sleeps Tonight, The Tokens - F, Bb, F, C7 (repeats) Key of F with Tokens' recording.
Key of C with Cyntiah Lin's play-along video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6iPnBZJR1E

Sunday Morning (All I Need), Maroon 5 – C, Dm, G7
https://ukutabs.com/m/maroon-5/sunday-morning/

Complicated, Avril Lavigne – Bb, C, Dm, F, Gm
https://ukutabs.com/a/avril-lavigne/complicated-two/

Bad Moon Rising, Creedence Clearwater Revival – A, D, G

https://ukutabs.com/c/creedence-clearwater-revival/bad-moon-rising/

Have You Ever Seen the Rain? Creedence Clearwater Revival – Am, C, F, G

https://ukutabs.com/c/creedence-clearwater-revival/have-you-ever-seen-the-rain/

Thunder, Imagine Dragons – Am, C, Dm, Em, F, G
https://ukutabs.com/i/imagine-dragons/thunder-two/

On Top of the World, Imagine Dragons – C, Dm, F, G

https://ukutabs.com/i/imagine-dragons/on-top-of-the-world/

Geronimo, Sheppard – Am, C, Em, G
https://ukutabs.com/s/sheppard/geronimo/

Free Fallin’, John Mayer – Bb, C, F
https://ukutabs.com/j/john-mayer/free-fallin/

I’m Yours, Jason Mraz – Am, C, D7, F, G
https://ukutabs.com/j/jason-mraz/im-yours/