Tiki Kings Ukulele Lesson, Strumming and your first song
So, strumming is one of those things that could fill an entire chapter, even an entire book! Musicians work hard to develop unique srtums, and some are even famous for the way they strummed, like George Formby, or Roy Smeck. But since you are getting antsy, and want to play a song, lets just get the basics down, and we will talk more about fancy strumming and how famous you are going to be later in the lesson. So the basic strum is where you lightly brush all the strings, from top to bottom with either the ends of your fingers, or pad of your thumb, once for each "beat" of the song. Try counting slowly 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc, and strumming on each number.
This would be considered four/four time, and is a pretty standard beat. Most rock and pop songs are in four/four time.
Another common beat is three/four time. It is also often called "Waltz time". It goes 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, etc.
These beats, four/ four, three/four , etc are called "Time signatures." As I said, we will talk more about this later, but the upshot is that basic strumming is kind of about keeping the rhythm of the song.
Our first song is going to be in Four/Four time, and the singing starts on the "4", so you can count in by strumming the C chord: 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, "He's got..."
Keep strumming the C chord until you get to the second line, and change to the G7 chord on the word, "whole".
Keep strumming the G7 chord until you get to the third line, and change back to the C chord on the word "whole" again.
Keep strumming the C chord until you get to the fourth line, and change to the G7 chord on the word, "whole", and then back to the C on "Hands"
If you know more words, just keep going, and play the same pattern of chord changes.
YEEESSS!
You are making music!
Next...
Back
I'm in the top 50!
So, strumming is one of those things that could fill an entire chapter, even an entire book! Musicians work hard to develop unique srtums, and some are even famous for the way they strummed, like George Formby, or Roy Smeck. But since you are getting antsy, and want to play a song, lets just get the basics down, and we will talk more about fancy strumming and how famous you are going to be later in the lesson. So the basic strum is where you lightly brush all the strings, from top to bottom with either the ends of your fingers, or pad of your thumb, once for each "beat" of the song. Try counting slowly 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc, and strumming on each number.
This would be considered four/four time, and is a pretty standard beat. Most rock and pop songs are in four/four time.
Another common beat is three/four time. It is also often called "Waltz time". It goes 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, etc.
These beats, four/ four, three/four , etc are called "Time signatures." As I said, we will talk more about this later, but the upshot is that basic strumming is kind of about keeping the rhythm of the song.
Our first song is going to be in Four/Four time, and the singing starts on the "4", so you can count in by strumming the C chord: 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, "He's got..."
Keep strumming the C chord until you get to the second line, and change to the G7 chord on the word, "whole".
Keep strumming the G7 chord until you get to the third line, and change back to the C chord on the word "whole" again.
Keep strumming the C chord until you get to the fourth line, and change to the G7 chord on the word, "whole", and then back to the C on "Hands"
If you know more words, just keep going, and play the same pattern of chord changes.
YEEESSS!
You are making music!
Next...
Back
I'm in the top 50!