Beginner Ukulele Chords You Need to Know

These four beginner ukulele chords are all you need to start learning hundreds of different songs. Bruddah Iz’s version of Over the Rainbow and Hey Jude by the Beatles are just a couple. We’ll learn how to play these chords with simple, easy-to-follow chord charts, and closeups of the left hand. We go through each chord slowly with lots of repetition. By the end of this video you’ll be playing songs in no time!

C Chord on Ukulele

The C chord is the easiest chord to play and so a good starting place. It’s simple: place the third finger of your left hand on the third fret of the high G string (the one closest to the floor). Now use the flesh of your right-hand thumb to strum through all the strings from low to high. That’s it! This is a chord you’ll play in so many songs.

Chord chart of a C Major beginner ukulele chord

G Chord on Ukulele

The G chord is the trickiest to learn because we need to use three fingers. So to start you might try just putting two fingers on until you feel comfortable adding the third. Let’s start by putting the first finger of the left hand on the second fret of the third string and the second finger on second fret of the first string. Bunching up two fingers on one fret can be difficult so be sure to place your fingers on their fingertips when fretting. Go ahead and strum with your thumb in the right hand. This is called a “G6” chord.

Now let’s try adding the third finger. Place your third finger on the third fret of the second string. Strum again and now you have played a G chord. Take your time with this one as it’s a bit more complex than the others.

Chord Chart of a G Major chord on Ukulele

Am Chord on Ukulele

Like the C chord, for the A minor chord we only need one finger. Place your second finger on the second fret of the low G string (the one closest to your chin). Again, be sure to curl the finger so you’re fretting on the fingertip. That will ensure that the open strings don’t become muted or buzz.

Chord chart of an A minor beginner ukulele chord

F Chord on Ukulele

For the F chord, we start with an A minor chord (second finger on the second fret of the fourth string) and then all we have to do is place our first finger on the first fret of the second string (the one second up from the ground).

Chord chart of an F Major beginner ukulele chord

Finger Placement

It will take some time and repetition before your fingers get used to fretting. One key is to stay up on your fingertips when fretting and don’t let the fingers flatten out. This will give space so that you don’t muffle other strings. Additionally, try to fret the string right next to the fretwire. If your finger is too far back in the fret you will get a buzz. Go here to learn how to get perfect finger placement on the ukulele.

Putting it all together: Beginner Ukulele Chord Progression

Likewise, moving from one chord to another will take time and repetition. Be patient with that process. After you are familiar with the chords in this lesson, check out how to make smooth chord changes.

When we play these chords in succession, we get what’s called a “chord progression.” Some chords work really well together and follow a particular pattern. This chord progression — C, G, Am, F — is used in many popular songs. For instance, if we strum each chord twice we are playing “Let it Be.” If we strum each chord four times, we are playing the chorus of Bruddah Iz’s “Over the Rainbow.”

***

We hope you’ve enjoyed this lesson on the four chords you need to get started on ukulele! You can check out many more beginner lessons like this on our Free Lessons page. If you want a structured curriculum that starts out from the absolute beginning, check out Ukulele Corner Academy.